Under the Banner of C4P, Beyond The Rubicon

Tangled in my own uncertainties, I watched with fascination last Friday evening as a lone barbarian stepped out of the anxious horde and set out to forge the waters of the Rubicon with the banner of Conservatives4Palin clutched proudly in his hand.

I recognised that man as someone who had introduced himself as Tim, some weeks ago, in welcoming me to the team of contributors. “Glad to have you,” he said in a simple, much appreciated gesture.

All weekend I have watched as others have also begun that same journey into the unknown, by expressing their own indications of faithful support for Governor Palin; and I imagine that, like me, the uncertainty of what the future holds may be in their mind.

Before I too stepped out of the waters of the Rubicon onto the land beyond it occurred to me to pause momentarily and glance around at just what it was I was leaving behind, and there on the distant bank stood Linda Kellen Biegel, wringing her hands in glee and, however imponderable this may be my barbarian friends, dancing a merry jig.

Tempting though it was to raise the middle finger of my right hand in a demonstration of juvenile spite, I simply stood and watched her antics. I don’t know that any of the things I have ever said about her have touched her in any way, but, you understand, none of it was ever intended for her eyes. Eddie Burke, I hoped that you would see my warnings, you too Sheila Toomey and you also, good people of the Office of the Governor.

I hope that you will all have seen the latest declaration of intention at Celtic Diva’s Blue Oasis:

My plans haven't changed.

--I'll continue to push for the records request that was bought and paid for by the government- transparency-loving readers of the Alaska blogs.

--I'll continue following through with the comments I submitted in protest/response to the dismissal of the Arctic Cat ethics complaint.

--As other requests are answered, I will continue to take appropriate action if the information warrants it.

Sean Parnell, you should be listening.

And so it was that I looked at Kellen Biegel on that distant bank for what I hope will be the last time. It’s possible that when again Governor Palin walks Auburn-like to the cheers of thousands, or speaks to the fervent in a 60,000 seater stadium, or debates in front of those gathered in their millions around their tv screens, I may spare a thought for the empty, festering waters of the Blue Oasis. It’s possible that Hell may also freeze over.

In my days as a member of Team Sarah I recall receiving an email from someone called Joseph Russo, an invitation to join him at a website called Conservatives4Palin. He couldn’t have known at that time what the future held for his $10 site, much less have contemplated that almost 350,000 visits in the space of the thirty days of June alone would take place.

Once again, it seems, we are in a situation where we do not quite know what the future holds for this humble $10 blog. But as I stand here under the unfurled banner of Conservatives4Palin, its flag fluttering in a gentle breeze if you like, beyond the Rubicon, the future is one in which the Linda Kellen Biegels will fade into insignificance.

When I joined as a contributor I was given just two rules. Firstly, that Governor Palin was never to be referred to by her Christian name. As a woman of extraordinary accomplishment that must always be acknowledged – hence I began my first ever post with these words:

"The Governor of Alaska, the Right Honorable Sarah Palin..."

I was also advised that the contributors at C4P never ever refer to a person’s appearance. I have upheld that rule and uphold it to you now in identifying the woman still wringing her hands with glee and dancing her mad jig, the woman who chose to make the world a less welcoming place for the vulnerable, who told us that it was funny when others did the same and who provided links to awful websites carrying abysmal images, as the most reprehensible personality with whom we have had to deal.

Surprising though it now seems, I had never heard of Sarah Palin until the day she was introduced as John McCain’s running mate. One of the things which struck me immediately was that hers was a very handsome family, a smiling face of Alaska – a part of the world I then knew virtually nothing about.



I don’t share Senator Murkowski’s view that Governor Palin has abandoned the people of Alaska or Alaska itself. There are individuals in Alaska who have worked together to do their utmost to drive Governor Palin and her family away, and voices of authority who could have offered public support to their governor appeared, all too often, complicit by their silence.

I believe that in all I have seen these last ten months Governor Palin has been Alaska’s greatest advocate. I trust that she will continue to be its greatest ambassador and I hope that C4P will take a central role in reporting on that and the many other things she will do as a force for good in your country.

I am an ordinary barbarian and I too have crossed the Rubicon.