Bitten and Bound » Sarah Palin

Sarah Palin Oprah Interview (VIDEO)

Meg — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 22:23:31 +0000

In their first ever meeting, Sarah Palin was interviewed by Oprah Winfrey this week. The piece is set to air Monday, November 16, 2009 on CBS. Oprah took some flack for not inviting Palin to appear on her show when she first arrived on the national scene in 2008.

The talk show host openly supported Barack Obama and decided, after endorsing him, that she would not let her show be used as a platform for any of the candidates. Obama actually appeared twice on her show but the appearances were prior to his declaration as a candidate.

The former Alaska governor spoke to Oprah on a variety of subjects, including her new book Going Rogue, her failed vice-presidential run with John McCain, her aspirations for the future, the infamous Katie Couric interview and her relationship with Levi Johnston.

See interview photos and check out the video below. We’ll replace it with the actual interview from The Oprah Winfrey Show on Monday.

Kathy Griffin and Levi Johnston a Couple at Teen Choice Awards (PHOTO)

Missy — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 10:40:36 +0000

This is too funny! Comedian Kathy Griffin, 48, showed up at last night’s Teen Choice Awards with 19-year-old Levi Johnston on her arm. For those of you living under a rock, Levi is the ex-fiance and father of Bristol Palin’s baby. The famous grandmother of Tripp Easton Mitchell Johnston is former Alaska governor Sarah Palin.

Crazy right? The Jonas Brothers hosted the big night and Kathy and Levi played it out well. The two walked down the red carpet hand and hand and looked affectionate when pictures were shot. Levi even went as far as to give Kathy a kiss on the cheek for the cameras.

Is Kathy looking for a little publicity…we are sure Levi is always looking. So ~~the kid~~ Johnston told Access Hollywood, “She’s beautiful and funny. She’s the star of the night.”

Griffin staged another stunt at the 2009 Glaad Award–when she accepted an award while rocking a bikini.

One of the evening’s standout attendees was reality star Kim Kardashian, who was rocking a hot new blonde hairdo.

More celebrity red carpet photos from the star-studded event here. Check out Levi Johnston kissing Kathy Griffin below.

Photos: WENN, PicApp

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William Shatner Reads Sarah Palin Farewell Speech (Video and Transcript)

Andrea — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 19:28:39 +0000

William Shatner was asked to read Sarah Palin’s farewell speech by Tonight Show host Conan O’Brien.

Shatner lends his own style of poetic interpretation to the speech, reciting it in beat poem style, complete with bongos and bass.

Palin stepped down from her position as Alaska Governor, delivering her farewell speech last Sunday.

We have provided full transcript of the speech, as well as videos of both the original speech made by Sarah Palin, and William Shatner’s reading from the Tonight Show. Watch videos below.

Full transcript of Sarah Palin farewell speech:

“What an absolutely beautiful day it is, and it is my honor to speak to all Alaskans, to our Alaskan family this last time as your governor. And it is always great to be in Fairbanks. The rugged rugged hardy people that live up here and some of the most patriotic people whom you will ever know live here, and one thing that you are known for is your steadfast support of our military community up here and I thank you for that and thank you United States military for protecting the greatest nation on Earth. Together we stand.

And getting up here I say it is the best road trip in America soaring through nature’s finest show. Denali, the great one, soaring under the midnight sun. And then the extremes. In the winter time it’s the frozen road that is competing with the view of ice fogged frigid beauty, the cold though, doesn’t it split the Cheechakos from the Sourdoughs?

And then in the summertime such extreme summertime about a hundred and fifty degrees hotter than just some months ago, than just some months from now, with fireweed blooming along the frost heaves and merciless rivers that are rushing and carving and reminding us that here, Mother Nature wins. It is as throughout all Alaska that big wild good life teeming along the road that is north to the future.

That is what we get to see every day. Now what the rest of America gets to see along with us is in this last frontier there is hope and opportunity and there is country pride.

And it is our men and women in uniform securing it, and we are facing tough challenges in America with some seeming to just be Hell bent maybe on tearing down our nation, perpetuating some pessimism, and suggesting American apologetics, suggesting perhaps that our best days were yesterdays.

But as other people have asked, “How can that pessimism be, when proof of our greatness, our pride today is that we produce the great proud volunteers who sacrifice everything for country?” Now this week alone, Sean Parnell and I we’re on the, um, on Ft. Rich the base there, the army chapel, and we heard the last roll call, and the sounding of Taps for three very brave, very young Alaskan soldiers who just gave their all for all of us. Together we do stand with gratitude for our troops who protect all of our cherished freedoms, including our freedom of speech which, par for the course, I’m going to exercise.

And first, some straight talk for some, just some in the media because another right protected for all of us is freedom of the press, and you all have such important jobs reporting facts and informing the electorate, and exerting power to influence. You represent what could and should be a respected honest profession that could and should be the cornerstone of our democracy.

Democracy depends on you, and that is why, that’s why our troops are willing to die for you. So, how ’bout in honor of the American soldier, ya quite makin’ things up. And don’t underestimate the wisdom of the people, and one other thing for the media, our new governor has a very nice family too, so leave his kids alone.

OK, today is a beautiful day and today as we swear in Sean Parnell, no one will be happier than I to witness by God’s grace Alaskans with strength of character advancing our beloved state. Sean has that. Craig Campbell has that. I remember on that December day, we took the oath to uphold our state constitution, and it was written right here in Fairbanks by very wise pioneers.

We shared the vision for government that they ground in that document. Our founders wrote “all political power is inherent in the people. All government originates with the people. It’s founded upon their will only and it’s instituted for the good of the people as a whole.” Their remarkably succinct words guided us in all of our efforts in serving you and putting you first, and we have done our best to fulfill promises that I made on Alaska Day, 2005, when I first asked for the honor of serving you.

Remember then, our state so desired and so deserved ethics reform. We promised it, and now it is the law. Ironically, it needs additional reform to stop blatant abuse from partisan operatives, and I hope the lawmakers will continue that reform. We promised that you would finally see a fair return on your Alaskan owned natural resources so we build a new oil and gas appraisal system, an is an equitable formula to usher in a new era of competition and transparency and protection for Alaskans and the producers.

ACES incentivizes new exploration and it’s the exploration that is our future. It opens up oil basins and it ensures that the people will never be taken advantage of again. Don’t forget Alaskans you are the resource owners per our constitution and that’s why for instance last year when oil prices soared and state coffers swelled, but you were smacked with high energy prices, we sent you the energy rebate. See, it’s your money and I’ve always believed that you know how to better spend it than government can spend it.

I promised that we would protect this beautiful environment while safely and ethically developing resources, and we did. We built the Petroleum Oversight Office and a sub-cabinet to study climate conditions. And I promised I’d govern with fiscal restraint, so to not immorally burden futre generations. And we did…we slowed the rate of government growth and I vetoed hundreds of millions of dollars of excess and wtih lawmakers we saved billions for the future.

I promsed that we’d lead the charge to forward funding education, and hold schools accountable, and improve opportunities for special needs students and elevate vo-tech training and we paid down pension debt.

I promised that we would manage our fish and wildlife for abundance, and that we would defend the constitution, and we have, though outside special interest groups they still just don’t get it on this one. Let me tell you, Alaskans really need to stick together on this with new leadership in this area especially, encouraging new leadership… got to stiffen your spine to do what’s right for Alaska when the pressure mounts, because you’re going to see anti-hunting, anti-second amendment circuses from Hollywood and here’s how they do it.

They use these delicate, tiny, very talented celebrity starlets, they use Alaska as a fundraising tool for their anti-second amendment causes. Stand strong, and remind them patriots will protect our guaranteed, individual right to bear arms, and by the way, Hollywood needs to know, we eat, therefore we hunt.

I promised energy solutions and we have, we have a plan calling for 50% of our electricity generated by renewable resources and we can now insist that those who hold the leases to develop our resources that they do so now on Alaska’s terms. So now finally after decades of just talk, finally we’re seeing oil and gas drilling up there at Point Thompson.

And I promised that we would get a natural gas pipeline underway and we did. Since I was a little kid growing up here, I remember the discussions, especially the political discussions just talking about and hoping for and dreaming of commercializing our clean, abundant, needed natural gas.

Our gas line inducement act, AGIA, that was the game-changer and this is thanks to our outstanding gas line team, and the legislature adopting this law, 58-1. They knew, they know AGIA is the vehicle to drive this monumental energy project and bring everyone to the table, this bipartisan victory, it came from Alaskans working together with free market private sector principles, and now we are on the road to the largest private-sector energy project in the history of America. It is for Alaska’s future, it is for America’s energy independence and it will make us a more peaceful, prosperous and secure nation.

What I promised, we accomplished. “We” meaning state staff, amazing commissioners, great staff assisting them, and conscientious Alaskans outside the bureaucracy – Tom Van Flein, and Meg Stapleton and Kristan Cole, so many others, many volunteers who just stepped up to the challenge as good Alaskans, but nothing, nothing could have succeeded without my right-hand man Kris Perry. She is the sharpest, boldest, hardest-working partner. Kris is my right-hand man and much success is due to Kris.

So much success, and Alaska there is much good in store further down the road, but to reach it we must value and live the optimistic pioneering spirit that made this state proud and free, and we can resist enslavement to big central government that crushes hope and opportunity. Be wary of accepting government largess. It doesn’t come free and often, accepting it takes away everything that is free, melting into Washington’s powerful “care-taking” arms will just suck incentive to work hard and chart our own course right out of us, and that not only contributes to an unstable economy and dizzying national debt, but it does make us less free.

I resisted the stimulus package. I resisted the stimulus package and we have championed earmark reform, slashing earmark requests by 85% to break the cycle of dependency on a stifling, unsustainable federal agenda, and other states should follow this for their and for America’s stability. We don’t have to feel that we must beg an allowance from Washington, except to beg the allowance to be self-determined. See, to be self-sufficient, Alaska must be allowed to develop – to drill and build and climb, to fulfill statehood’s promise. At statehood we knew this.

At statehood we knew this, that we are responsible for ourselves and our families and our future, and fifty years later, please let’s not start believing that government is the answer. It can’t make you happy or healthy or wealthy or wise. What can? It is the wisdom of the people and our families and our small businesses, and industrious individuals, and it is God’s grace, helping those who help themselves, and then this allows that very generous voluntary hand up that we’re known for, enthusiastically providing those who need it.

Alaskans will remember that years ago, remember we sported the old bumper sticker that said, “Alaska. We Don’t Give a Darn How They Do It Outside?” Do you remember that? I remember that, and remember it was because we would be different. We’d roll up our sleeves, and we would diligently sow and reap, and we can still do this to carve wealth out of the wilderness and make our living on the water, with strong hands and innovative minds, now with smarter technology.

It is what our first people and our parents did. It worked, because they worked. We must be prudent and persistent and press for the people’s right to responsibly develop God-given resources for the maximum benefit of the people.

And we have come so far in just 50 years. We’re no longer a frontier outpost on the periphery of the world’s greatest nation. Now, as a contributor and a securer of America, we can attain our destiny in the promise of our motto “North to the Future.” See, the pressing issue of our time, it’s energy independence, because there is an inherent link between energy and security, and energy and prosperity. Alaska will lead with energy, we will prove you can be both pro-development and pro-environment, because no one loves their clean air and their land and their wildlife and their water more than an Alaskan. We will protect it.

Yes, America must look north to the future for security, for energy independence, for our strategic location on the globe. Alaska is the gate-keeper of the continent.

So, we are here today at a changing of the guard. Now, people who know me, and they know how much I love this state, some still are choosing not to hear why I made the decision to chart a new course to advance the state. And it should be so obvious to you. (indicating heckler) It is because I love Alaska this much, sir (at heckler) that I feel it is my duty to avoid the unproductive, typical, politics as usual, lame duck session in one’s last year in office. How does that benefit you? No, with this decision now, I will be able to fight even harder for you, for what is right, for truth. And I have never felt like you need a title to do that.

So, as we all move forward together, let’s vow to keep championing Alaska, to advocate responsible development, and smaller government, and freedom, and when I took the oath to serve you, I promised…remember I promised to steadfastly and doggedly guard the interests of this great state like that grizzly guards her cubs, as a mother naturally guards her own.

And I will keep that vow wherever the road may lead. Todd and I, and Track, Bristol, Tripp, Willow, Piper, Trig…I think I got ‘em all. We will forever be so grateful for the honor of our lifetime to have served you. Our whole big diverse full and fun family, we all thank you and I am very very blessed to have had their support all along, for Todd’s support. I am thankful too. I have been blessed to have been raised in this last frontier. Thank you for our home, Mom and Dad, because in Alaska it is not an easy living, but it is a good living, and here it is impossible to lose your way. Wherever the road may lead you, we have that steadying great north star to guide us home.

So let’s all enjoy the ride, and I thank you Alaska, and God bless Alaska and God bless America.”

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Sarah Palin Federal Indictment

Andrea — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 15:41:07 +0000

Could an impending federal indictment be the reason behind Sarah Palin’s sudden and unexpected resignation?

Palin’s resignation was a shocker that not even her family or closest aids saw coming, and the blogosphere is buzzing with speculation that the move was not so much due to White House aspirations, but because the Alaska Governor is facing federal indictment on embezzlement charges.

The Brad Blog – siting inside information from Alaskan reporter Shannyn Moore and other sources, says the possible federal indictment stems from an embezzlement scandal related to the building of Palin’s house and the Wasilla Sports Complex.

Both structures, it is said, feature the “same windows, same wood, same products.” Federal investigators have been looking into this for some time, and indictments could be imminent, according to the Alaska sources.

There is an “iceberg scandal that’s about to break. She’s doing damage control,” said Moore.

This could possibly explain Palin’s puzzling statement in her resignation speech that “some Alaskans don’t mind wasting public dollars and state time [with ethics complaints and inquiries]. I do. I cannot stand here as your Governor and allow millions upon millions of our dollars go to waste just so I can hold the title of Governor.”

Developing…

photo: WENN

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Sarah Palin Resigns (VIDEO)

Meg — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 22:44:35 +0000

Sarah Palin announced today that she will step down as the governor of Alaska on July 26, 2009, at which time she will turn over the reigns to Lt. Gov. Sean Parnell. She was elected to her post in November 2006, becoming the first woman and the youngest governor in Alaska history.

A new Vanity Fair article on Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin called her “the sexiest and riskiest brand in the Republican party. The pattern is inescapable: she takes disagreements personally, and swiftly deals vengeance on enemies, real or perceived.”

Many are speculating that the woman with the combative style of folksy politics has bigger fish to fry and wants to get on with her ambitious career goals, which may include a run for the White House. With the time between campaign cycles shrinking, it will take a considerable amount of hard work to gain the international credentials that will most certainly be needed if she is to be taken seriously for 2012.

Other theories indicate she is beyond tired of the abuse she and her family have received from the media. Her children have been attacked and humiliated. Case in point, Palin took David Letterman to task for inappropriate comments he made about her fourteen-year-old daughter. He eventually apologized and sounded sincere.

With 18 months left to service in her first term, she is throwing in the towel in order to spend more time with her family. She claims that the decision to step down has been in the works for some time. There is also a rumored probe that could get ugly.

We’ve got video of the statement Gov. Palin made in Wasilla on Friday. Read between the lines and decide for yourself if these are the words of a political warrior who is simply positioning herself for her next career move or is she raising the white flag of surrender.

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David Letterman Palin Apology VIDEO

Meg — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 10:51:50 +0000

Finally bowing to public pressure, David Letterman issued a public apology to Alaska Governor Sarah Palin and her daughters last night during his Late Show. It has been a week since the talk show host told several jokes that referenced Palin’s fourteen-year-old daughter Willow Palin – see June 9 videos here.

Palin first took her outrage to her Facebook page but followed it up with a Today Show appearance yesterday. Letterman made an earlier attempt to explain away the joke but decided that the time had come to provide a full blown apology.

On Monday night, Dave said, “I told a bad joke. I told a joke that was beyond flawed, and my intent is completely meaningless compared to the perception.” Speaking directly to Palin, he continued: “It’s not your fault that it was misunderstood, it’s my fault. So I would like to apologize, especially to the two daughters involved, Bristol and Willow, and also to the governor and her family and everybody else who was outraged by the joke. I’m sorry about it and I’ll try to do better in the future. Thank you very much.”

View video apology below.

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David Letterman Controversial ‘Palin’ Monologue (VIDEO)

Meg — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 20:24:02 +0000

David Letterman may have gone beyond good taste in several jokes he made during his Tuesday night monologue. He was speaking about the fact that Sarah Palin and her family, including 14-year-old Willow Palin, were in town for a Repubican fund raising event and he proceeded to paint a scenario where they took in a Yankees game.

He suggested that Palin’s daughter got “knocked-up” by third baseman Alex Rodriguez during the 7th inning. Dave took it a step farther by saying “The hardest part of her visit to New York was keeping Eliot Spitzer away from her daughter.”

Apparently Sarah and Todd Palin were not amused. They took the matter to their Facebook pages, with Todd saying “Any ‘jokes’ about raping my 14-year-old daughter are despicable. Alaskans know it and I believe the rest of the world knows it, too.”

Governor Palin, as you might well imagine, had more to say on the subject:

“Concerning Letterman’s comments about my young daughter (and I doubt he’d ever dare make such comments about anyone else’s daughter): Laughter incited by sexually-perverted comments made by a 62-year-old male celebrity aimed at a 14-year-old girl is not only disgusting, but it reminds us some entertainers have a long way to go in understanding what the rest of America understands–that acceptance of inappropriate sexual comments about an underage girl, who could be anyone’s daughter, contributes to the atrociously high rate of sexual exploitation of minors by older men who use and abuse others.”

Did ol’ Dave go too far this time? Check out the controversial video clips below.

UPDATE: June 10, 2009 - Dave responded to the Palin’s comments during his Wednesday night show. We’ve included that video below too. See June 15 REAL apology here.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pE7RqubVNUo[/youtube]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G-AlfsInWoU[/youtube]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qRsUJABhGDw[/youtube]

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Levi Johnston: Intimate Photos with Baby Tripp in GQ

Missy — Sat, 30 May 2009 12:36:59 +0000

We are having a hard time deciding what we think about the recent photo shoot and interview that Levi Johnston did for GQ magazine. Intimate photos of Levi changing the diaper of his son Tripp as well as a photo of a bare-chested father and his naked son are among the shots. Tripp’s mother is Bristol Palin, daughter of Alaska governor Sarah Palin.

He did some trash talking about his up and down relationship with the Palin family. Levi says he is uncomfortable just going over to their home and believes that Sarah and Todd pressured their daughter to break ties with Levi.

Johnston talks about his three-year relationship with Bristol and the love that he had for her. The whole ordeal sent mixed messages to him as far as what the Palin family wanted to see happen with the relationship. The first signal that Johnston got, after the couple announced her pregnancy, was that Bristol’s mother and father favored a wedding between the two under-age teens. He said that as soon as the Republican National Convention was over, things deteriorated quickly.

Levi went public with the fact that the Palin family wouldn’t allow him to take his son to his own home for visits. He said he was desperate to interact with his child without having to have his every move scrutinized.

He has finally made a breakthrough in that regard, but one wonders if this recent photo shoot may put him back in the dog house. The top photo shows the baby with his little bare legs exposed in the early Alaska spring weather. Then note the heavy coat that baby daddy is wearing. Poor judgment? We’re just saying….

More photos and video of Levi and Tripp below.

Check out the rest of the photos at GQ.com

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lSrslTsYRqk[/youtube]

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Bristol Palin Graduates, Allows Levi Johnston Home Visitation with Tripp

Meg — Sat, 23 May 2009 10:37:59 +0000

Bristol Palin, 18 year old unmarried mother to a five-month old baby and the daughter of Alaska governor Sarah Palin, appears on this week’s cover of People magazine in graduation cap and gown. Her cover quote says, “If girls realized the consequences of sex, nobody would be having sex. Trust me. Nobody.”

The young woman and baby daddy Levi Johnston have struggled to the point where he and his family have been hitting the talk show circuit pleading their case for expanded visitation with his baby son.

We are now told that the young people have finally been able to sit down together, without the interference from the adults in their life, and have forged a truce. Johnston was finally allowed to pick up his infant son and take him home for a visit outside of the fishbowl and hovering eyes of the Palin family.

Bristol took exception to the media rumors that they were in a battle. She said, “I don’t think we were ever at war at all.” She graduated from Wasilla High School on May 14, after completing her studies at home. Johnston did not get his diploma and is currently jobless.

Todd Palin, Bristol’s father and the grandfather of baby Tripp said, “I think it is all going to be fine. And Tripp needs to share time with Levi’s family. When Levi came to pick him up the other day, Tripp was smiling. It’s a special time for a baby and his dad.”

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Ashley Judd Sarah Palin and Wolves (Video)

Andrea — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 17:47:08 +0000

Ashley Judd takes aim at Sarah Palin for pushing a program for the aerial shooting of wolves, with a graphic video for the Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund.

The group claims Palin offered a $150 bounty for the foreleg of each dead wolf.

Judd urges viewers to visit eyeonpalin.org, “a national campaign dedicated to exposing Alaska governor Sarah Palin’s anti-conservation agenda.”

Palin is fighting back with a statement calling the group “reprehensible and hypocritical,” saying the ad campaign distorts the facts about Alaska’s wildlife management programs.

“Alaskans depend on wildlife for food and cultural practices which can’t be sustained when predators are allowed to decimate moose and caribou populations. Our predator control programs are scientific and successful at protecting vulnerable wildlife,” says Palin.

Palin urges readers to visit Alaska’s wildlife conservation website for more information on predator control in the state.

View Ashley Judd’s video for Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund below.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yFdijgMytUA[/youtube]

photos: WENN

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