Senator Palin

[Big War Bird]

Though it is still close, it appears Republican Ted Stevens will win reelection to the Senate in the state of Alaska despite being convicted of corruption just days ago.

Provided that his appeal fails he will be forced to resign leaving his Senate seat open and up to the governor of Alaska Sarah Palin to appoint a new senator.

It is entirely plausible that she will appoint herself or resign and have the Lt. Gov. appoint her to the position.

[alhoon]

OMG!

At least we will keep having those Palin threads for the following months!

[eddy_purpus]

OMG!

At least we will keep having those Palin threads for the following months!

Months ....
or YEARS ..

[Da Skinna]

Why the hell is it that we elect corrupt people? I mean, most of the time we don't see the corruption and pretend it doesn't affect us.. but when they're convicted of it?It boggles the mind.

That'd be interesting to see her as a senator. Really proves you don't need an IQ test to be up there.

[Mikelus Trento]

Palin = yesterday's news. Who gives a about the bubblehead anymore.

Today is the dawning of a new age, and it doesn't include caribou barbies. Thank god.

[Maraxus]

Palin = yesterday's news. Who gives a about the bubblehead anymore.

Today is the dawning of a new age, and it doesn't include caribou barbies. Thank god.

Dude, shell be back in some form or another, the Republican base loved her so much and the lambasting of her buy the opposition only increased their admiration for her.

[Mikelus Trento]

Dude, shell be back in some form or another, the Republican base loved her so much and the lambasting of her buy the opposition only increased their admiration for her.

I truly hope you are right.

Because the longer they insist on maintaining the dogma that cost them this election, the longer it will be until they can embroil us again in a meaningless war.

[Maraxus]

Why would she appoint herself that's so ridiculous, State Governors are far more influential than a single Congressmen. The fact that she picks the congressman's successor is proof of her superior importance over that position.

[Gaidin]

Why would she appoint herself that's so ridiculous, State Governors are far more influential than a single Congressmen. The fact that she picks the congressman's successor is proof of her superior importance over that position.

She'd get more and better national facetime as a Federal level Senator than as a Governor of the Arctic Zone.

[Shi Huangdi]

I love her. She would have fought the Left in the Senate as Vice President, and now she just might fight the Left as a Senator.

Go Palin!

[imb39]

I love her. She would have fought the Left in the Senate as Vice President, and now she just might fight the Left as a Senator.

Go Palin!

Palin is useless and only appeals to the shallow. She has no grasp on issues but is great at issuing forth soundbites.

[Delvecchio1975]

I love her. She would have fought the Left in the Senate as Vice President, and now she just might fight the Left as a Senator.

Go Palin!

"fight" the left? do you consider more than half of the States your enemy?

[Erich von Manstein]

Palin's 15 minutes of fame are up. She embodies the conservative Right and, as such, represents many of the reasons behind McCain's defeat. The Republican party will be transforming itself over the coming months and years and I suspect (and hope) that in the end it will look quite different than it does today. As one commentator said on MSNBC, when the Republicans are true to themselves, they win. Win they attempt to imitate the Democrats, they lose. Palin is a sterling example of Republicans attempting to imitate the Democrats in policy (as opposed to ideology).

And while this may seem a bit absurd given last night's events, the Democrats need to tread very carefully. It should be noted that this night in 2004 witnessed very similar results, only then it was the Democrats getting booted out of both ends of Pennsylvania Ave. Four years in such complete control of the government can quickly ruin a party...

[Hotspur]

I would not be shocked in the least to see Palin take Stevens' seat. Compared to Alaskan politics, the Senate is the big time. Based on some of the reports that came from the McCain campaign, Palin wants to be one of the faces of the Republican party. She can't do that from Alaska.

[the_mango55]

I would not be shocked in the least to see Palin take Stevens' seat. Compared to Alaskan politics, the Senate is the big time. Based on some of the reports that came from the McCain campaign, Palin wants to be one of the faces of the Republican party. She can't do that from Alaska.

Yeah I agree. Every senator has the same potential to gain power (Ted Stevens had quite a bit, for example) but some governors are more powerful than others.

I would be shocked to see Schwarzenegger appoint himself senator in a similar situation.

[Sphere]

Thanks for clearing it up. But I still don't see why they can't have an election, and still have another election now, and act out his term as if he was in from the beginning. Or is it just bureaucracy?

The thing is, Stevens is not yet kicked out of the Senate. The Governor has no power to oust a sitting US Senator chosen by the people of Alaska, or call for an election to replace him.

The new senate will not convien until January, and then the Senate ethics committee will have to hear the case and have a vote, then the senate as a whole will have to vote with a 2/3 majority to have him removed from office. Only 15 senators in US history have been removed this way, (although many have resigned).


So until this process is gone through and Stevens officially removed from office, he is still a US Senator, and the governor/state legislature cannot touch him.

[Каие]

The thing is, Stevens is not yet kicked out of the Senate. The Governor has no power to oust a sitting US Senator chosen by the people of Alaska, or call for an election to replace him.

The new senate will not convien until January, and then the Senate ethics committee will have to hear the case and have a vote, then the senate as a whole will have to vote with a 2/3 majority to have him removed from office. Only 15 senators in US history have been removed this way, (although many have resigned).

So until this process is gone through and Stevens officially removed from office, he is still a US Senator, and the governor/state legislature cannot touch him.

That makes sense I guess, but;

Well no the laws set down certain procedures and snap elections don't happen like they can in the UK.

How come? :hmmm:

[Sphere]

A handful of states allow a snap election to fill a vacant post. And although it is somewhat a grey area, Alaska is one of them. But the governor has the option of a snap election or an appointment if I remember correctly, so most likely Palin would just appoint herself and step down as Governor.

[craziii]

if she gets her wish, the gop is doomed. do reps really want someone like her to represent them? that is just unthinkable.

[Hotspur]

The evangelical right is still a force in the GOP and they will want their voices to be heard.