Sarah Palin
Before starting her political career in 1992, Sarah Palin presented television programs dedicated to sport in Alaska
Sarah Louise Palin (Heath was her maiden name) was born in Sandpoint, Idaho, on the 11th of February 1964. Her family moved to a city in Alaska when Palin is a few months old In 1972 they moved to Wasilla, in the same state.
In high school, she was a member of the basketball team, becoming known for her competitive streak. She was the head of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.
In 1984, she won the Miss Wasilla beauty pageant, finishing third in the Miss Alaska pageant.
The beginning of the journalistic career
Her college career was marked by instability. Palin attended six different universities, in five years. At last, in 1987, she gets her degree in Communications and Journalism at the University of Idaho. After graduation, she works as a sportscaster for TV channels KTUU-TV and KTVA-TV both in Alaska.
She was also a sports reporter for the Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman, an Alaska newspaper published every Tuesday, Friday and Sunday. In August 1988, at 24, she marries her high school sweetheart Todd Palin. The first of their current 5 children is born the next year.
The political rise
Her career in Politics begins in 1992, when she is elected to the Wasilla City Council. In 1996, she becomes mayor of the small village, preceding her appointment, in 2003, to the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, the entity responsible for the management of the state’s natural resources. She becomes the youngest and the first female governor in Alaskan history. Sarah Palin was in office from December 2006 until her resignation, in July 2009.
She found national and worldwide projection when she became a Republican Party candidate in the 2008 elections (Democrat Barack Obama would win).
She was the first female from Alaska to be a candidate for a major party to the presidency or vice-presidency and the first Republican female to be appointed for vice-presidency.
However, people still remember the controversy of some of her statements and interventions which showed a serious lack of culture and knowledge. According to some of the Republican campaign advisers Sarah Palin “didn’t know Africa is a continent”. “There was great concern within the McCain campaign that Sarah Palin lacked a degree of necessary knowledge”.
It’s also known that Palin didn’t accept any preparation for the interview with Katie Couric, which ended up being a disaster for the Republican Campaign, with the Governor failing to name one single newspaper that she read on the daily. She became a laughing stock.
The controversy of her words, the controversies in which she has been involved, the shocking revelations about her past and the constant attacks to her ability and political preparation don’t seem to put a stop to Sarah Palin’s aspirations and to the speculations surrounding her future.
Her popularity among a certain wing of the Republican electorate is still high, namely in the ultra-conservative movement Tea Party. In 2010 she was considered one of the world's 100 most influential people by TIMEmagazine.
Since she resigned from the position of Alaska Governor, in 2009, she published three books: Going Rogue, a best-seller that has sold more than two million copies, American by Heart and Good Tidings Great Joy.
Back to the TV cameras
She is a Fox News commentator since 2010 and she starred in a reality show broadcast by TLC.
In April 2004, Amazing America with Sarah Palin premiered on Sportsman Channel.
In July of the same year, she launched an online news channel The Sarah Palin Channel.
Her Media presence and national projection have consolidated her space as a one of the leading figures of the Republican Party. In spite of all the speculations, her political future is still being debated.