There are two destinations in the US that are considered the equivalent of being sent to Siberia- one is Anchorage, Alaska, and the other is Bangor, Maine. With apologies to residents of both, I am amazed to find the AP cheerily reporting that Sarah has been effectively exiled - to Bangor. Citing that "McCain sees an opening in rural Maine", dear Sarah has been sent off into the political wilderness to battle for the critical four electoral votes, and as far away from the rabid KKK types as possible. Or maybe it is that the moose population has gotten out of control, and needs thinning.
http://news.yahoo.com/...
Reporting on a little noticed development, overshadowed by the focus on the debate outcome, at 3:15 AM today Glenn Adams of the Associated Press now reports (with what appears to be tongue firmly embedded in cheek)
Republican John McCain's campaign sees similarities between rugged Alaska and northern Maine's expanse of lakes, forests and coastline, and hopes that running mate Sarah Palin can help navigate the terrain.
Could that be a smirk?
Here is the justification provided, apparently by the McCain camp:
McCain can win one electoral vote if he takes Maine's 2nd Congressional District, the biggest district in geographic terms east of the Mississippi, a patchwork of forests and lakes that are blanketed by snow for much of the year.
Focusing on a single district could make sense in Maine, one of only two states — the other is Nebraska — that allow electoral votes to be split. It means that even a statewide loser could grab one of Maine's four electoral votes.
"Certainly the 2nd District is within his sights. He can win this district," said Mark Brewer, political science professor at the University of Maine.
Apparently Todd is a big local draw
Palin was to make her first visit to the state with a rally Thursday at the Bangor International Airport. Palin's husband, Todd, a snowmobile racer in Alaska, visited the state over the weekend.
Jim Spriggins, owner of the Moosehead Trail Trading Post, expected no more than 300 people to show up to see Todd Palin. To his surprise, more than 1,200 people turned out.
Clearly this is part of a winning strategy for turning at least one spot of blue to red in the great northeast
Sandy Maisel, director of the Goldfarb Center for Public Affairs at Colby College in Waterville, acknowledged that the 2nd District is more conservative and has more evangelical Christians than the 1st District.
Maisel said he still believes that Democrat Barack Obama will take all four Maine votes but doesn't rule out the chance of McCain riding the coattails of Republican incumbent Susan Collins, a native of northern Maine, in a hotly contested Senate race.
Brewer agreed. "I don't think it's impossible, but, boy, I think it's unlikely (McCain-Palin) will take the entire state," he said.
What amazes me about this AP puff piece is that the obvious move to send an embarrassing political liability off to where the national press will not follow is completely overlooked.