Big business, lobbyists had IWRC* Palin's ear

By GottaLaff

Here's the sub-headline of the blog post title:

Alaska's governor met with them at least 36 times, according to her calendar. Other groups were not as fortunate.

Oh dear. She's not nearly as mavericky and outsidery as she claimed! Does that make her a liar? Or just someone who suffers from ethics lapses?

Big business was granted wide access to Sarah Palin's office during her first 20 months as Alaska governor, but she rarely met with labor, environmental or other groups pressing alternative views, her official calendar shows.

On at least three dozen occasions, Palin, now the Republican vice presidential nominee, spoke with executives and lobbyists working for an array of energy, mining and tourism firms with major investments in Alaska.

Among those who visited Palin's Juneau office multiple times were the chief executives of Exxon Mobil and ConocoPhillips, as well as several dozen other top oil and gas company officials.

Bush III, Cheney II.

In an August interview with National Public Radio before being named John McCain's running mate, Palin declared: "I've had about two lobbyists, two, maybe three lobbyists who have snuck in [to her statehouse office] with a group of people. So I can't say they've never been in, but we don't invite lobbyists in."

According to her calendar, however, Palin has met with more than a dozen registered lobbyists since taking office in December 2006.

Maybe it simply means she can't count. I wouldn't doubt it, considering she also doesn't read.

[...] Palin's aides were aware before the meetings that lobbyists would be coming.

"My personal experience is they've always welcomed discussions," Reed said.

In several cases, registered lobbyists met with Palin and returned for second sessions.

But... but... IWRC said that she doesn't invite lobbyists in. Gosharootie! What's a voter to believe now?

The Times obtained Palin's calendar under a Freedom of Information Act request. The governor's office turned down a similar request for calendars and schedules pertaining to her husband, Todd Palin, who reportedly has played a prominent role in her decision-making.

Gov. Palin's office said her husband does not keep a calendar.

In addition to meetings with big business and lobbyists, Palin's calendar indicates that she filled her daily schedules with dozens of media interviews.

That access seems a far cry from her recent complaints that the national media has "filtered" her message as a vice presidential candidate.
According to aides, Palin wooed reporters in Juneau with plates of brownies and telephone calls on their birthdays.

My stars! Would ya look at that? IWRC was so anxious to get noticed that she made brownies for all those snoopy, filtery reporters! She must have had more coherent answers back then... way back in the old days... so, so, long ago... when she was still reading newspapers and answering questions.

"She craved publicity and the poll ratings that came with it," said Larry Persily, a former Alaska journalist who worked for Palin in Alaska's state office in Washington until earlier this year.

The calendar also details Palin's frequent stays at her home in Wasilla, Alaska -- which became a source of controversy when it was learned that she collected per diem allowances while away from the governor's mansion in Juneau.

Toast.

*"In What Respect, Charlie?"