The Palins Sit Down for an Interview with CL Magazine

(h/t Amanda K)

Christian Living magazine has an interview with the Palins on their website. Most of the article is the sort of biographical boilerplate we are familiar with, but the actual Q & A part is quite interesting.

Here are some excerpts:

CL: What was it like, running for the second highest office in the country?

Sarah: It was the biggest privilege of my life. (Todd heartily concurs.) It was an honor to travel this great country, to meet so many fellow citizens and to serve alongside John McCain, one of America's finest. I'm proud of how we gave voters a choice, because change was coming, no matter what. I truly believe our administration would have greatly benefited this country, but American voters did not choose us, and that's okay. It was not our time.

CL: Would you go through it all again?

Sarah: Good question. Right now, my goal is to do the best job I can for the great state of Alaska. And there's a lot to do here.

[...]

Hard work, sports and family activities formed the foundation of the Heath household. The entire family often competed in five-kilometer and ten-kilometer races. Hunting, fishing, skiing and camping kept them outdoors year-round. Everyone had chores. Whether they were weeding the family garden, stacking firewood or picking strawberries, Chuck and Sally's children understood the value of work. By age 12, each child was expected to earn his or her own spending money and save for college.

"I learned early on that no one was going to hand me anything," Sarah shares. "I knew that if I wanted something, I would have to earn it. My parents taught me to expect opportunities and to be prepared when they came. I knew, even at a young age, that was how I would progress."

Attending church shaped young Sarah as well. "Just like with everything else, Mom and Dad expected us to go church whether we wanted to or not," Sarah recalls. Her experiences there solidified a belief in something bigger and better than herself. At age 12, she made the personal decision to commit her life to Jesus Christ. "I knew even then that if I put my life in His hands, God would lead me and direct my paths. That decision still guides me today," she shares.

[...]

CL: Did you set out to have a career in politics?

Sarah: I grew up, politically speaking, during the Reagan era. I loved what he accomplished for our country. It's been my aspiration to make a difference in my community and in my state, and public service has provided a way to capitalize on that desire. When I wasn't serving in an elected position, I was immersed in my children's lives-involved in PTA, being a team manager and a coach, doing all those things that millions of moms and dads do every day. But I knew there were additional things I could and should be doing. So I was looking and waiting for that next opportunity, knowing full well that when it came, I would engage in it.

CL: Running cities and states takes time, right? So how do you keep it all together?

Todd: We just adapt. We don't get all wrapped up about responsibilities. If something needs doing, we just pitch in and do it.

Sarah: Todd is amazing. Whatever needs to be done, he just does it-laundry, dishes, changing a diaper, whatever. That in addition to keeping all our vehicles running, working on his airplane and doing all the things he loves to do. We don't waste time squabbling over household chores. We have a mutual recognition and respect for each other in doing the practical things necessary to keep a household running.

CL: What do you not do?

Sarah: You won't find us sitting back with our feet up, watching some mindless TV show. (She laughs.) And some people would say we don't socialize very much. If we are out and about, it's usually with the kids. Todd's Slope schedule keeps him away from home many months of the year. When he is home, it's precious. We seize the time to be together.

Todd: It's family first. For us, relax time would be out on the boat fishing or up at our cabin in Petersville. That's the type of family activity we really cherish.

CL: We've also heard about your participation in the annual Iron Dog competition, a rugged 2,200-mile snowmachine race across Alaska-a race you have won four times! Tell us about that.

Todd: I've been competitive all my life through sports and commercial fishing. This event fills that need to compete. It's also a special way to stay in touch with Alaskans. We stop at all the remote villages and talk to the kids and elders there-even if it's 3 a.m. and 30 below. It's really amazing.

[...]

CL: How did those negatives [i.e. the campaign media savaging] affect you?

Sarah: During the campaign, I was insulated. It was not until I returned home that my eyes were opened to various things coming from the mainstream media. But most hurtful were the lies spoken about my kids.

CL: As a Christian leader, how do you deal with such difficult situations?

Sarah: I look back at Scripture that reminds me, hey, I'm sure not the first to face this. Criticism will come. Unfair shots will be taken. The question is how are you going to react? I like I Peter 2:12. It says to keep your conduct honorable, so that by your good works, which are observed by others, God will be glorified. When I read that I know others have faced this before me. They face it today. Who am I to exempt myself from a principle like that? In spite of it all, I've got to live my life to glorify God. That's what I promised myself I'd do 30 years ago, and that's what I must do now-not just to talk it, but to walk it.

CL: But how do you pass that concept on to your children?

Sarah: It's very timely that you should ask that question. Just the other day Bristol and Willow were at Wal-mart and Bristol called me and said, ‘Mom, you will not believe what I'm reading on the cover of the National Enquirer!' At first I said, ‘Don't even waste your brain cells!' But she was upset because the inside story said that she used drugs and that I was trying to talk her out of getting married. It gave me an opportunity to tell her that if we let it, lies and criticism can consume us to the point of becoming paralyzed. We have to answer our critics with how we live our lives.

With Bristol, God turned a situation that at first looked full of despair and embarrassment into such a blessing for our family. She has the most beautiful baby boy! I remind her and all our children that we have to stay focused on serving God, putting our lives in HIS hands and seeing the blessings flow from some less than ideal circumstances.

CL: Another teaching opportunity came when your youngest son, Trig, was born with Down syndrome. How did this affect you?

Sarah: Trig did give us another occasion to not only talk the talk, but to walk the walk. It's easy to say that every life should be cherished and every life carries potential. But at age 43, pregnant and at 13 weeks along learning that the baby would be born with Down syndrome, the situation necessitated a decision: Would I live what I've talked and taught? Or would I take a different path out of these perhaps less than ideal circumstances? I'm so thankful God gave us the strength and optimism to welcome Trig into our lives. God has gifted us with this child who has given us a way to connect with others around our country who also have special needs children. It's been nothing but wonderful.

Todd: I thank God for Trig every day. We are certainly very blessed to have him with us. You know, life is about being willing to walk the walk, not just talk it. As we go along, it may be tougher than ever to make the right decisions, but we must try to do so. That's all we can ever do.

My thoughts:

1) I think the 'Cuda likes to give shout outs to Ronaldus Magnus whenever she can because she knows it makes us shout, "Barracuda!" ...and we love her even more for it.

2) It's apparent that the Palins waste no time. Did anyone happen to see her tweets from Saturday? She started in Anchorage, moved on to Fairbanks, then to Tanana, and eventually ended up in Juneau. As I noted in a C4P tweet, "Guv, don't you get any time off? Is your next tweet going to be from a plane over Homer as you dump water on the fires?"

3) Tabloid writers are lying scumbags. But you knew that already.

4) These Palins are good people. But most of you knew that already, and those of you who didn't...well, I don't know what to tell you.