McMavericky Alaskan Corrution Fighter...

We all know that Sarah Palin made her bones in Alaska fightin' against corruption. With Alaska sucking furiously on the Federal teat and awash in oil money there's been an awful lot of money floating around in a pretty small pond. Some fair sized frogs have been caught out and now the big daddy bullfrog himself has been gigged. A federal court jury found Sen Ted Stevens guilty of all seven felonies he was charged with, lying on a gift disclosure form.

Whether Alaskans gave a damn or not, this isn't exactly a newsflash that Ted was dirty. A forty year veteran Senator is a big frog in any pond and big Alaska with its tiny population spread all over the place makes him a monster. If you want to sit on one of the lily pads you'd best see Ted. A moderate sized city in most of the other states would make up Ted's voters, that isn't much of a pond. So maybe it really isn't much of a surprise that an ambitious Republican woman would hitch up with the big croaker.

Clear back on September 1st WaPo's Matthew Mosk covered the Palin coziness with Ted.

Palin's name is listed on 2003 incorporation papers of the "Ted Stevens Excellence in Public Service, Inc.," a 527 group that could raise unlimited funds from corporate donors. The group was designed to serve as a political boot camp for Republican women in the state. She served as one of three directors until June 2005, when her name was replaced on state filings.

Such a position might have come in pretty handy in the small world of Alaskan politics as long as Ted was a force to be reckoned with. In 2005, with a Republican Congress and President, Ted was the king of Alaskan pork - a veritable fount of Federal largess - and that equates to serious swat. With the 2006 Governor's election in the works Sarah could always use some more help, and she got it.

Stevens had been helpful to Palin during her run for governor, swooping in with a last moment endorsement. And the two filmed a campaign commercial together to highlight Stevens's endorsement of Palin during the 2006 race.

Sarah's elevation to the original McMaverick's VP slot and Ted's problems becoming public in a national sort of way that became a bit of an embarrassment.

Shortly after Palin was announced as McCain's vice presidential pick, the ad was removed from her gubernatorial campaign web site. It remains available on YouTube.

Damned internet is almost as inconvenient as filmed statements she made touting that Bridge she was for before she was against it after Congress cut that project. So I guess Sarah has been pallin' around not only with witch doctors and violent secessionists but also a convicted felonious public servant. Kind of makes you go, "hmmmm," about her inability to call abortion clinic bombers terrorists doesn't it?

You can put a Palin in a $10K dress and spray paint a tan on it, but it is still a Palin. I sure the hell hope the Republicans decide she's their future... Johnny McPOW is of limited potential for real fun.