ANCHORAGE, Alaska - Sarah Palin’s new memoir, “Going Rogue,” already has been strongly criticized by John McCain’s aides for her account as a vice presidential candidate on the ticket with him in their unsuccessful 2008 race for the White House.

Now, add Alaskan experts who were involved in the case over the 1989 Exxon Valdez disaster saying her account over her role in the litigation is distorted for a number of reasons.

In the book, Palin claims to have helped the fishermen, Alaska Natives and other individuals suing Exxon over spill damages prevail in their legal case.

“It took years for Alaska to achieve victory. As governor, I directed our attorney general to write an amicus brief in the case, and, thanks to Alaska’s able attorneys arguing in front of the highest court in the land, in 2008 the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of the people,” she writes in her book. “Finally, Alaskans could recover some of their losses.”

But Palin’s claims of victory for the plaintiffs and of playing a role in achieving that victory are highly distorted, said the chief attorney for the approximately 32,000 plaintiffs that sued Exxon over damages from the worst oil-tanker spill in U.S. waters.

“That is the most cockamamie bullshit,” said Dave Oesting of Anchorage, lead plaintiff attorney in the private litigants’ civil case against Exxon and its successor, Exxon Mobil Corp. “She didn’t have a damn thing to do with it, and she didn’t know what it was about.”

While the Supreme Court in its June 25, 2008 decision did uphold the right of the plaintiffs to receive some punitive damages, it slashed the award dramatically. The Supreme Court ordered that punitive damages be no more than $507.5 million, down from the $2.5 billion ordered by a U.S. appeals court and the jury’s original verdict of $5 billion.

While the plaintiffs did manage to salvage some punitive damages, the result was hardly a win, said Riki Ott, a scientist, environmental activist and longtime commercial fisherman from the Prince William Sound town of Cordova.

“It’s a disgrace. It’s a disgrace to the legal system. It’s a disgrace to intellectual honesty to call 10 cents on the dollar a win for Alaskans,” said Ott, who has written a book about the spill and the failure of the justice system to address it.

At the time of the Supreme Court ruling, even Palin described it as a bitter disappointment to Alaskans rather than a victory. In an interview with Reuters, she said the state will tighten its oversight of the oil industry in response. “Exxon will know that we’re very disappointed in this ruling,” she said then.

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- Photo credit: Reuters/Mike Blake (workers clean up from the Exxon spill.)

At the start of  Sarah Palin’s “Going Rogue,” before the words begin, there’s a map: “The View from the Top of the World.”

It shows Alaska closer to the center of the top of the world than Washington, D.C. — deliberate perhaps?

Then wandering through the book, the quotes at the start of each chapter caught our eye.

There’s the famous words from college football coach Lou Holtz: “I don’t believe that God put us on earth to be ordinary.”

Greek philosopher Aristotle: “Criticism is something we can avoid by saying nothing, doing nothing, being nothing.”

That is followed by chapters that feature wise words from basketball coach John Wooden, Christian pastor Charles Swindoll, humor columnist Dave Barry and American author Mark Twain.

The lead in for Chapter 6 is a quote from Palin’s father, Chuck Heath Sr.: “Sarah’s not retreating; she’s reloading!”

What do these quotes say about Palin?

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Photo credit: Reuters/Mike Segar (Rodin sculpture “The Thinker” outside Philosophy Department of Columbia University)

(UPDATE: clarifies first two paragraphs about Holder talking to prosecutors)

U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder had some pointed words for prosecutors on Wednesday after the fumbling of the corruption case against former Republican Senator Ted Stevens that the government ultimately had to drop because evidence was withheld from the defense team.

He warned government lawyers at a conference that the case had threatened to undermine the Justice Department’s credibility for providing defendants all the material against them as required by law.

“Our adversarial system for criminal trials can only result in justice if the discovery process is conducted by the government fairly, ethically, and according to the rule of law,” Holder said at a National Black Prosecutors Association luncheon in Memphis.

He said that the agency was reviewing its compliance and that “we will correct any errors and we will see to it, once again, that justice is our primary goal.”

In October a federal jury found Stevens guilty of seven counts of lying on a Senate disclosure form to conceal $250,000 in gifts and home renovations from an oil executive and other friends.

In one of his first decisions after being confirmed as President Barack Obama’s chief law enforcement officer, Holder ordered the case against the long-time Alaska senator be abandoned after a review showed that prosecutors did not turn over to the defense information that could have helped Stevens’ case.

Stevens was the longest-serving Republican in the U.S. Senate before he lost his seat in the 2008 election — a loss some conservative Republicans have blamed on the prosecution. Democrat Mark Begich won the seat in a narrow victory.

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- Photo credit: Reuters/Larry Downing (Holder at a news conference last month)

Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin is firing back in a war of words with the the environmental group, Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund, over the group’s new national ad campaign which attacks her for promoting aerial hunting.

Actress, Ashley Judd, narrates the group’s You Tube video which takes direct aim at Palin and the controversial practice of  shooting wolves and other animals from low-flying planes or helicopters.

Palin, the failed Republican vice presidential nominee, blasts the ad campaign as attacks by an “extreme fringe group.” She accuses the group of misrepresenting Alaska’s wildlife management programs, which  aim to protect vulnerable wildlife from predators.

“It is reprehensible and hypocritical that the Defenders of Wildlife would use Alaska and my administration as a fundraising tool,” Palin says in a statement.

“Shame on the Defenders of Wildlife for twisting the truth in an effort to raise funds from innocent and hard-pressed Americans struggling with these rough economic times.”

Defenders of Wildlife, a Washington-based conservation group, first took on Palin during the presidential race, running television ads in battleground states.

In a statement, the group’s president Rodger Schlickeisen said: “By calling us ‘extremists’ she is suggesting that our opposition to her policies and actions is out of step with the way the majority of Americans view her brutal, unethical wildlife slaughter. But it is she who is the extremist in this case.”

WASHINGTON - In yet another television interview, former Republican vice presidential hopeful Sarah Palin revealed on Wednesday that while she was focused on her job as Alaska’s governor she was open to the idea of a Senate bid.

While at first saying it was “not necessarily” the kind of post she would like some day, she was open to the idea.

“I’m not going to close any doors that perhaps would be in front of me and would allow me to put to good use executive experience and a world view that I think is good for our nation,” she said in an interview with CNN’s “Larry King Live.” “I’m not going to close any door there in terms of opportunity that may be there in the future.”

Just a day ago, in an interview on NBC the 44-year-old first-term governor said she wasn’t planning on seeking a Senate seat. “I’m not planning on it because I think the people of Alaska will best be served with me as their governor,” Palin said.

In the CNN interview, Palin said she did not believe she cost presidential hopeful John McCain any votes because of her performance or other incidents along the campaign trail, but if that was the case she was sorry about it.

“If I hurt the ticket at all, and cost John McCain even one vote, I am sorry about it because John McCain is a true American hero,” she said.

Palin has blanketed the television airwaves since she and McCain lost last week, and is planning to talk again with reporters at the Republican Governors Association annual conference in Miami on Thursday.

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- Photo credit: Reuters/Mike Blake (Palin and McCain on election night.)

WASHINGTON - Is Sarah Palin going through a catharsis, some sort of political rehabilitation or is she now a permanent fixture on the national political scene?
 
The former Republican vice presidential hopeful returned home after the election to her job as Alaska governor where she promptly held a news conference and conducted several television interviews. She’s lined up for NBC’s “Today” show Tuesday.
 
In addition, later this week she will head to sunny Miami to attend the Republican Governors Association annual conference where she will again meet with reporters on Thursday.
 
She is to speak during a session entitled “Looking Toward the Future.”  That wouldn’t have anything to do with 2012 would it?  Nevermind that last week she avoided talking about her political future.

Also on the panel was another name that bubbled up for the 2008 Republican vice presidential nomination, Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, who is expected to be a national player as the Republican Party regroups after losing the White House.

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- Photo credit: Reuters/Rick Wilking (Palin on election night)

ANCHORAGE - Gov. Sarah Palin has gone home to Alaska, but her return to the national political stage may come sooner than the 2012 U.S. presidential campaign.

If Republican Sen. Ted Stevens maintains his slim lead over Anchorage Mayor Mark Begich, it could once again thrust Palin into the spotlight. The 84-year-old Stevens could be re-elected for an eighth term despite being convicted of corruption last month. His conviction prompted calls for his resignation from Republican presidential candidate John McCain and Palin, his running mate. Stevens has vowed to fight on even though a convicted felon has never served in the U.S. Senate.

The conviction came a week before election day — too late to replace the longest-serving Republican on ballots in Alaska. If Stevens wins the election and then relinquishes his seat, that’s when things could get interesting.

It would force a special election 60 to 90 days from the time the vacancy occurs. Alaska’s Division of Elections said Palin would make a temporary appointment to hold the seat until a new senator is chosen by special election. One candidate being discussed in Alaska’s Republican circles? Yes, the governor herself.  If Palin doesn’t take that step, she could also play the role of kingmaker and hand a political ally the tag of incumbent heading into the special election.

There is some debate over whether Palin has the right to temporarily appoint a person to the Senate. Proponents of a citizen initiative passed in 2004 said that measure stripped the governor of the right to make Senate appointments — even temporary ones. The initiative was passed after then-Gov. Frank Murkowski appointed his daughter Lisa to the Senate seat he vacated to become Alaska governor.

Palin, who returned to Alaska Wednesday night, seems to have retracted her earlier call for Stevens to resign. Speaking to reporters at the Anchorage international airport, Palin said: “The people of Alaska just spoke. They said that they want him as their senator.”

Well, not every Alaskan has spoken yet. At last count, there are still at least 70,000 ballots to be counted and Begich is trailing by about 3,000 votes. If “Uncle Ted” can pull this out, we might hear from “Sarah Barracuda” sooner than we thought.

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Photo credit: Reuters/Mike Blake (Palin waves to crowd after McCain delivered his concession speech in Phoenix on Nov. 4)

WASHINGTON - President George W. Bush dropped by the Republican National Committee headquarters unannounced to give the staff a little pep talk Tuesday amid polls showing Republicans trailing in the presidential contest and scores of key congressional races one week out from the general election.

Bush, with record low popularity ratings, has largely been unseen on the campaign trail this year, relegated to participating in private fundraisers for Republican presidential hopeful John McCain and congressional candidates.

“He encouraged them to work hard for John McCain and keep turning out the vote until the final ballot is cast next week,” White House spokesman Scott Stanzel said after the 20-minute visit.  “He also took the opportunity to thank the staff for all of their efforts during this election cycle and for their support of him over the last eight years.”

The latest Reuters/C-SPAN/Zogby poll released on Tuesday found McCain trailed rival Democrat Barack Obama by 4 percentage points. Reuters/Zogby polls for battleground states released on Monday showed Obama holding a narrow lead in Virginia, North Carolina, Missouri, Ohio and Nevada. McCain had a solid lead in West Virginia and was ahead in Indiana.

In congressional races, Republicans must defend 23 Senate seats and are expected to lose at least a few of them, including Virginia and New Mexico. Democrats must defend a dozen seats and only one, held by Louisiana Sen. Mary Landrieu, is considered vulnerable.

Republicans are also finding a seat once considered safe, held by Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens, now particularly vulnerable because the long-serving lawmaker was convicted of seven counts related to corruption.

In a rare scene, when Bush returned to the White House, he did not immediately get out of his armored limousine and Secret Service agents surrounded his vehicle with machine guns at the ready.

After a few minutes passed, Bush exited the vehicle and walked up a path to the Oval Office. A Secret Service spokesman said an unarmed 23-year-old man from Baltimore had jumped the White House fence on the south part of the grounds and was taken into custody by officers.

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- Photo credit: Reuters/Kevin Lamarque (Secret Service agents with their weapons drawn protect Bush)

WASHINGTON - Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens is an icon in Alaska where he has provided plenty of federal dollars and even has the airport in Anchorage named after him. But that might not enough to help the 84-year-old senator — the longest-serving Senate Republican in U.S. history – to win re-election next week.

“Just because they name the airport after you, doesn’t mean they won’t throw you out of office,” said Nathan Gonzales of the nonpartisan Rothenberg Political Report.

Stevens, who was found guilty on all seven counts of lying on Senate disclosure forms to hide more than $250,000 in home renovations and other gifts from the head of Alaska oil services company VECO Corp., already had been facing a tough race against Anchorage Mayor Mark Begich in an political environment that has favored Democrats.

“Stevens was already in a very competitive race, and this makes it more difficult,” Gonzales said. “Still, I wouldn’t count Stevens out because he is an icon in the state.”

Republicans have had an uphill battle this year trying to protect some 23 of their Senate seats that are up this election cycle while Democrats only have 12 to defend. Democrats are tipped to win at least a few seats held by Republicans including in Virginia and New Mexico.

Stevens won his seventh term in 2002 with 79 percent of the vote.

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- Photo credit: Reuters/Mitch Dumke (Stevens leaves U.S. District Courthouse after being convicted on corruption charges)

Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin said on Wednesday she would be ready to deal with foreign policy if she and John McCain win the White House and offered to play “stump the candidate” to test herself on specific policy issues.

In their first joint “town hall meeting” with Palin taking questions from voters, an audience member asked Palin to dispel concerns that she lacked foreign policy experience. She responded by saying she expected critics to look for things to attack. “I think because I’m a Washington outsider that opponents are going to be looking for a whole lot of things that they can criticize,” she said.

“As for foreign policy, you know, I think that I am prepared and I know that on Jan. 20, if we are so blessed as to be sworn into office as your president and vice president, certainly we’ll be ready,” Palin said.

“I’ll be ready, I have that confidence,” she said. “If you want specifics with specific policy or countries, go ahead and you can ask me, you can even play ’stump the candidate’ if you want to, but we are ready to serve.”

The crowd applauded and McCain stepped in to highlight Palin’s experience dealing with energy issues in Alaska, command of the Alaska National Guard, and her son’s deployment to Iraq.

“I think she understands national security challenges and we’ve had many conversations, and I … am convinced she understands the challenges this nation faces,” McCain said. 

About an hour had passed at that point — roughly the time allotted for the campaign event — and McCain opted not to take any more questions. Neither did Palin, who made closing remarks after the Arizona senator had concluded.

“Stump the candidate” would have to wait for another time.

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Photo Credit: Reuters/Aaron Josefczyk