Former Miss Alaska

[rebeccajo 14]

A former Miss Alaska knows what it's like to run against Sarah Palin – and win.

"My first impression was, 'Oh my God, she's gorgeous, she'll probably be the one who wins,' " the Fairbanks-reared Maryline Blackburn, today a recording artist in Atlanta, told that city's Journal-Constitution about the 1984 Miss Alaska beauty pageant. Palin competed under her maiden name, Sarah Heath.

"She had this look about her, this look in her eyes that tells you she's calculating, figuring out, 'how am I going to win this competition?,' " Blackburn recalls. "There was a determination there."

But there was no crown. That went to Blackburn, who became Alaska's first African-American representative to the Miss America pageant.

Not that Palin, the former governor and now GOP vice-presidential candidate, was left out entirely in the Alaskan cold. She was voted first runner up and Miss Congeniality in the pageant 24 years ago.

Palin later wrote Blackburn a warm note on the back of a group photograph: "I do love you," she wrote. "You're more admired than even you know. And please keep God Number One. He's got great things for you, baby. Love, Sarah Heath."

Blackburn hasn't spoken to Palin in the years since. As for the forthcoming election, "I am in the Obama camp," she says.

http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20...-fullcontentcnn

[Ban Hammer 12,901]

Blackburn hasn't spoken to Palin in the years since. As for the forthcoming election, "I am in the Obama camp," she says.

ingrate

[kaydee457 13]

This posting is just plain silly and serves no purpose other than a veiled attempt to bring the McCain/Palin ticket down to the superficial level of the Obama candacy.......nice try but nobody really cares!

Is there a point the OP wishes to make?

[rebeccajo 14]

Blackburn hasn't spoken to Palin in the years since. As for the forthcoming election, "I am in the Obama camp," she says.

ingrate

I took that to mean they haven't seen each other since the pageant.

[rebeccajo 14]

This posting is just plain silly and serves no purpose other than a veiled attempt to bring the McCain/Palin ticket down to the superficial level of the Obama candacy.......nice try but nobody really cares!

Is there a point the OP wishes to make?

None - really.

All we've ever been told about Palin's days on the pageant circuit is that she was a participant. Is there something wrong with it being brought forward that she wasn't always the winner of a pageant?

Something interesting does come to mind, though, as I thought about your response. Pretty much ever since JonBenet Ramsey was murdered the public has had less than favorable things to say about pageant life - and it is a lifestyle for most who participate in it, btw. In Palin, though, it's been added to her resume as an accomplishment.

Just an interesting thought.

[ginger1981 0]

I think this reflects favorably on Ms. Palin. Apparently she was very classy in her defeat for Ms. Alaska.

[AnaAndDaniel 0]

pics please.

Daniel

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

pics please.

Daniel

good call

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

This posting is just plain silly and serves no purpose other than a veiled attempt to bring the McCain/Palin ticket down to the superficial level of the Obama candacy.......nice try but nobody really cares!

Is there a point the OP wishes to make?

Superficial?

While I won't speak for the OP article where's the substance in the GOP campaign? Both McCain and Palin's speeches at the RNC were centered not on concrete policy commitments, but on playing up her family life and his POW experiences - mixed together with a big dollop of manifest destiny* (*oddly enough the same thing that they've accused Obama of doing).