Human Events gave out a conservative of the year award. I thought – hey why shouldn’t CT have an award as well?! So I bring you the first ever Caffeinated Conservative award. This year I concur with Human Events that the conservative most worthy of receiving this most “prestigious” award would be Governor Sarah Palin of Alaska.
I choose Governor Palin for a number of reasons:
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I have never thought I’d see Bush Derangement Syndrome eclipsed so quickly and with so much vitriol, as what I saw after Senator McCain selected the Governor to be his running mate. She’s got to be doing something right.
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I mentioned in my endorsement of Governor Palin as a VP candidate that she is a solid conservative – socially, fiscally and with defense. I especially appreciate her putting her pro-life beliefs into practice with her fifth child, Trig, who was diagnosed with Down’s Syndrome. Also seen with the news of her oldest daughter, Bristol, being pregnant – contrast that with President-Elect Obama.
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Continuing to be a reformer – she is turning down a pay raise. She is the 24th lowest paid Governor, and has said that it is inappropriate for her to take a pay raise in the midst of her current term.
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She absolutely rocked at the RNC. Wow!
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I believe that if it were not for Governor Palin, Senator John McCain would not have even been remotely in the race. She helped the ticket.
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She’s still a rock star. She is still one of Google’s top internet searches. Also her presence at rallies for Georgia Senator Saxby Chambliss allowed his campaign “to peak.” He had thousands attend his rally which would have been unlikely otherwise.
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She is also a great role model for girls who can see that you can be a real feminist, and pro-life. My kids and I enjoyed seeing her come speak in Des Moines.
For some not so serious reasons:
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SNL was actually funny for a change. I love her line to Alec Baldwin, “Stephen is actually my favorite Baldwin.”
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She taught us the difference between hockey moms and pit bulls.
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Her defense against “some bloggers sitting in their parent’s basement wearing their pajamas blogging some kind of gossip.” For the record, though I am a blogger – I own my own home so I blog in my own basement and only part of the time wearing pajamas ;).
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Do you know of any other conservative who is the focus of a calendar. For anyone who wants to send me a late Christmas present or early birthday present. (HT: David Brody)
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Then very fitting for being a Caffeinated Conservative – a coffee lover.
Update 1/28/09: Talking with Eric (one of the contributors here) we thought it would be fun to send her a letter to inform her of her selection for this “honor” since it was pretty unlikely she’d hear about it any other way. I included a certificate and a Starbucks gift card as a token of our appreciation (It is the Caffeinated Conservative award after all). I was pleasantly surprised by a thank you card from the Governor today when I got the mail.
“Thank you so much for the Starbucks gift card and for selecting me as your “Caffeinated Conservative of 2008″ award recipient. I appreciate your thoughtfulness. God bless.”
No, thank you Governor for your commitment to conservative principles and for being an incredible role model for young women, as well as, those who have special needs children. I wish I could do more, but I already blew my annual budget on the card, LOL. We appreciate you and wish you the best! Like I said in the letter – you can count on my prayer support.