From the Google Cache

My girl knows how to work the aisle.

Although she has been in office less than a year, Palin, too, earns high marks from lawmakers on the other side of the aisle. During a debate earlier this year over a natural-gas bill, State Senate Minority Leader Beth Kerttula was astounded when she and another Democrat went to see the new governor to lay out their objections. “Not only did we get right in to see her,” says Kerttula, “but she asked us back twice—we saw her three times in 10 hours, until we came up with a solution.” Next week in Juneau, Alaska lawmakers will meet to overhaul the state’s system for taxing oil companies—a task Palin says was tainted last year by an oil-industry lobbyist who pleaded guilty to bribing lawmakers. Kerttula doesn’t expect to agree with the freshman governor on every step of the complex undertaking. But the minority leader looks forward to exploiting one backroom advantage she’s long waited for. “I finally get to go to the restroom and talk business with the governor,” she says. “The guys have been doing this for centuries.” And who says that’s not progress?

Newsweek has to be gnashing their teeth. Not to worry. Chummy as Beth Kerttula was then, she’s all Democrat now!

State leaders question Palin’s qualifications
Vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin has less than two years of experience as governor, leading Rep. Beth Kerttula, D-Juneau, to questions whether that’s enough to qualify Palin to be the second highest official in the nation.
“I’ve worked real well with the governor, but she’s not ready for this step,” Kerttula said.
“She’s not ready to be a heartbeat away from the presidency,” said Kerttula, who serves as Democratic leader in the House of Representatives.

Awkward, isn’t it?
How delicious.

One Response to “From the Google Cache”

1. Skyler says:

   September 3, 2008 at 7:10 pm

   Well, as Bush learned, being able to work across the aisle at the state level is meaningless to the poisoned atmosphere of Washington.