One year ago, Sarah Palin burst onto the national political stage like a comet. Yet even now, few Americans know who this remarkable woman really is.
On September 2, 2008 Alaska Governor and vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin delivered a speech at the Republican National Convention that electrified the nation and instantly made her one of the most recognizable women in the world.
As chief executive of Americas largest state, she had built a record as a reformer who cast aside politics-as-usual and pushed through changes other politicians only talked about: Energy independence. Ethics reform. And the biggest private sector infrastructure project in U.S. history. And while revitalizing public school funding and ensuring the state met its responsibilities to seniors and Alaska Native populations, Palin also beat the political "good ol' boys club" at their own game and brought Big Oil to heel.
Like her GOP running mate, John McCain, Palin wasnt a packaged and over-produced candidate. She was a Main Street American woman: a working mom, wife of a blue-collar union man, and mother of five children, the eldest of whom is serving his country in Iraq and the youngest, an infant with special needs. Palins hometown story touched a populist nerve, rallying hundreds of thousands of ordinary Americans to the GOP ticket.
But as the campaign unfolded, Palin became a lightning rod for both praise and criticism. Supporters called her "refreshing" and "honest," a kitchen-table public servant they felt would fight for their interests. Opponents derided her as a wide-eyed Pollyanna unprepared for national leadership. But none of them knew the real Sarah Palin.
In this eagerly anticipated memoir, Palin paints an intimate portrait of growing up in the wilds of Alaska; meeting her lifelong love; her decision to enter politics; the importance of faith and family; and the unique joys and trials of life as a high-profile working mother. She also opens up for the first time about the 2008 presidential race, providing a rare, moms-eye view of high-stakes national politicsfrom patriots dedicated to "Country First" to slick politicos bent on winning at any cost.
Going Rogue traces one ordinary citizen's extraordinary journey and imparts Palins vision of a way forward for America and her unfailing hope in the greatest nation on earth.
From her humble beginnings to her time in the spotlight as the first female Republican Vice Presidential candidate, Sarah Palin has led an extraordinary life. Going Rogue will recount her political experiences, her time as Mayor of Wasilla and as the first female governor of Alaska, as well as her rapid rise on the national stage during the 2008 campaign. Additionally, she'll share insights into the personal challenges she's faced including balancing her time as a working mother, recognizing the war's impact with her son serving combat in Iraq, having a child with a disability and supporting her teenage daughter through an unplanned pregnancy.
Palin has received much attention through the media, but never before has her complete story been told in her own words. The memoir will be both a personal and political chronicle of her life.
