September 17, 2008 Anne Kilkenny
Soon after Sen. John McCain's running mate pick was made public, Anne Kilkenny of Wasilla, AK, sent an e-mail to a few dozen friends and family members telling them what it's been like to know Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin for the past 16 years. Kilkenny is not a journalist or a researcher. She doesn't have a blog, and even asked that the e-mail be kept confidential. Needless to day, that didn't happen. Though Kilkenny has been bombarded with instant celebrity for her e-mail message, America is better off for the information. Being largely sheltered from the media and relegated to talking points and stump speeches, Palin has revealed very little of herself to us. But Kilkenny was courageous enough to offer her interpretation, and we appreciate it. The way the right-wing reacted, one would think the e-mail was a damning smear of a thing. On the contrary, it comes off as generous and candid. Kilkenny calls Palin "smart," "gutsy," "savvy," and "popular." She dismissed rumors about the birth of Palin's youngest son, Trig. She also says some very scary things about Palin. Not only did Kilkenny turn reporters' attention to a whole slew of stories that needed their scrutiny, but also she gave America an idea of who Palin is as a person. Kilkenny warns of Palin's "unbridled ambition and predatory ruthlessness," saying she "has bitten the hand of every person who extended theirs to her in help." In an extensive look at Internet rumors about Palin, the non-partisan FactCheck.org found only one of Kilkenny's many assertions to be false. Kilkenny said Palin tried to ban books and then to fire a librarian who wouldn't work with her to do so. That turned out to be an exaggeration. But Palin did inquire multiple times about what it would take to get a book banned. She also fired the librarian, who said she would not remove controversial books from the library, though she was re-hired her the next day after public protest. In an article written for the LA Progressive, Charley James wrote that while many Alaskans told him privately Palin is "racist, sexist, vindictive, and mean," practically no one would go on record about her. James referred to Kilkenny as "one of the few Alaskans willing to speak on-the-record, for attribution, about Palin." It's difficult and frightening to stand up to the political machine in one's hometown, especially in a small town such as Wasilla. Kilkenny herself notes in her e-mail that her e-mail does not come without a price: "Fear of retribution has kept all of these people from saying anything publicly about her... I don't have a job she can bump me out of. I don't belong to any organization that she can hurt. But, I am no fool; she is immensely popular here, and it is likely that this will cost me somehow in the future. That's life." That kind of bravery is why we're giving this week's Wings of Justice Award to Anne Kilkenny of Wasilla, AK. * * * Nominated by the BuzzFlash staff.
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