Northern Exposure

Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin sends comradely greetings to the Alaskan Independence Party.

For those of you who didn't watch the video: No, she did not in fact call for Alaskan independence. That would have been more fun, but you can't have everything. The AIP actually elected a governor a couple decades ago, but he was an old pol borrowing the party's ballot line who did nothing to advance its central cause once in office. It's possible that Palin has secret sympathies for secession. It's also possible that she's just keeping her options open.

As for the AIP itself: I like most of its platform, and I appreciate its pan-devolutionary spirit, which among other things led it to endorse Russell Means' latest Lakota uprising. I can't say I care for its choice of candidates in 2004's presidential election…

…but then again, the more success it has, the less its presidential preferences should matter.

[Via Third Party Watch.]