Talents that truly are extraordinary

Fred Armstrong, Las Vegas

Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2008 | 2:04 a.m.

Rick Tope, in his Saturday letter to the editor, is correct when he says a “speech recital does not a president make,” but he fails to understand the basis for Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin’s popularity.

Diminishing Gov. Palin and her executive potential because her speech was written by another is missing the point. As governor, she has an 86 percent approval rating, the highest of any governor.

This ordinary woman, with extraordinary talents, has built a remarkable reputation in a relatively short time. Whether as a hockey mom, a City Council member, mayor, reformer or governor of Alaska, she is pure American.

She has stood up to special interests, increased taxes on the oil industry and worked with the Legislature to obtain $1,200 rebates from oil companies for Alaskans in 2008. Gov. Palin pushed ethics reform legislation in Alaska and showed integrity by successfully exposing improper conduct and corruption among officials, even in her own party.

She became involved in oil and natural gas conservation policies as chairwoman of the Alaska Conservation Commission. She established Alaska’s Petroleum Systems Integrity Office and provided oversight to the Climate Change Subcabinet, responsible for preparing climate change strategy for Alaska.

She has implemented a Seniors Benefits Program and her priorities have included education, resource and workforce development, public health and safety and infrastructure development. And she is a mother with a family and five children.

Here’s another flash: Obama doesn’t write his speeches either.