Big news in Wasilla!

Crawford, Little Rock, Kennebunkport,...and now, Wasilla? Now that Sarah Palin is the Republican candidate for Vice President, the little town in Alaska we call home could be that one proverbial heartbeat away from lasting fame as the hometown of the President. Will there be a Presidential Library here someday (first a bigger regular library would be nice)? Will Air Force One become a common sight in the Alaska sky? Will there be Secret Service agents prowling about every time President Palin comes home?

Of course, I'm getting ahead of myself. She's running for Vice President, not President, and there is that little hurdle of the election standing in the way. But, it has been fun to see our once-obscure town put instantly on the map. Whatever happens in the next two months, Wasilla's claim to fame will be not only as the home of the Iditarod, but also as the home of Sarah Palin.

Whatever one's views of Palin politically, it's hard not to be excited when someone from the "neighborhood", so to speak, hits the big time. It's like rooting for your third cousin who's competing in the Olympics. Even as tenuous as our connection to her may be (see below), we get to bask in a little bit of the national limelight as residents of her hometown. I guess it is just human nature to want a slice of the glory pie, no matter how thin it is.

Of course, it was big news here yesterday. I've only been here a year, so I don't know what other momentous occasions have taken place here. But, I would guess this is the biggest happening to date. Of course, Dairy Queen's grand opening in nearby Palmer last year created a stir. But this is even bigger than that!

We received several e-mails from friends yesterday about it, and some of them asked for "insider" information about Palin. I'm sorry to disappoint, but we have nothing to offer. We know people who have met her. Her high school alma mater is just down the road from the church. But, that's about the extent of any personal connection with our governor. In fact, I learned more about her yesterday than I did the past 14 months living in her home state.

I can say that, generally speaking, she is well-thought of in these parts. Most people refer to her as "Sarah", as though they know her personally. And, given the size of Wasilla, I imagine that a lot of people do. Some have wondered about the wisdom of her decision to accept the the Vice Presidential candidacy when she just gave birth to a child not long ago (and a special-needs child, at that). I trust she and her family made that decision after careful thought and, I hope, much prayer.

In any case, it will make for an even more interesting election this fall.