Will Mr. Palin’s Inuit Eskimo* Background Help McCain?
When I read that Todd Palin, the husband of the presumptive Republican Vice-Presidential nominee, is “Native Yup’ik Eskimo,” I wondered if that would have any impact on the presidential race. After all, I don’t think we’ve ever had a Native American Indian on any national ticket.**
To be sure, Todd is only the spouse of a candidate, but will Native populations see this as a welcome sign.
Two of the states with the largest such populations, Arizona (4.5%) and South Dakota (8.1%) can pretty much be counted as safe Republican. So, I decided to scour the Native American population of several swing states in Michael Barone’s Almanac of American Politics (the source for the stats above) to see.
Colorado, a state which had until 2004, a Native American Senator (Ben Nighthorse Campbell) only has a native population of less than 1%, Nevada just over 1%, New Mexico 8.9%.
Thus, if Todd Palin’s background helps the GOP ticket anywhere, it’ll be New Mexico. Bush won the state by fewer than 6,000 votes in 2004 and lost it by fewer than 400 in 2000.
The choice of Sarah Palin can only help McCain in the Land of Enchantment.
———
*Striking Inuit and replacing with Eskimo as per Comment #2.
**According to Dante in Comment #15 we have: Charles Curtis of Kansas who served as Vice President under Herbert Hoover from 1929-33.
UPDATE (09/09/08): I’ve just learned from an Alaskan than indigenous Alaskans do not consider themselves to be Native American Indians, they consider themselves Native Alaskans.
30 Comments
RSS feed for comments on this post.
Sorry, the comment form is closed at this time.
Not only that, but Todd Palin is a HUNK!!
Regards,
Peter H.
Comment by Peter Hughes — August 29, 2008 @ 8:55 pm - August 29, 2008
Quick point of order. Todd Palin is not an Inuit.
In Canada, Inuit is the polite term for Eskimo, but there are two major groups in that “Eskimo” catagory; Palin, as you note, is Yu’pik, which is the other main group.
In Alaska, where there are both Yu’piks in the central part of the state and Inuits in the north, Eskimo is still polite. In Canada, where most all the northern “First Nation” folks are Inuit, the preferred term is now Inuit.
I just learned that this morning, so don’t feel too bad.
[Thanks, Mark, as per your comment, I have amended the title. --Dan]
Comment by Mark Byron — August 29, 2008 @ 10:57 pm - August 29, 2008
I second that and add a “woof”.
jeb
Comment by jeb — August 29, 2008 @ 11:11 pm - August 29, 2008
He just seems like a normal guy, and that’s refreshing. I figured that the gay guys on here would appreciate a blue collar bear sort of guy. lol
Comment by Nick — August 29, 2008 @ 11:18 pm - August 29, 2008
#3 – Let’s put it this way, Nick – he’s more of a man than John Edwards.
Regards,
Peter H.
Comment by Peter Hughes — August 29, 2008 @ 11:19 pm - August 29, 2008
#4
Or Hillary.
Or, for that matter, Comrade Obama.
Comment by ThatGayConservative — August 29, 2008 @ 11:42 pm - August 29, 2008
Todd is the husband? Yes, he is kinda hunky.
Comment by American Elephant — August 30, 2008 @ 12:33 am - August 30, 2008
Eh. To me, Inuit and Yu’pik (or Upik) are language families, not ethnic labels. But I’m a linguist.
Comment by rightwingprof — August 30, 2008 @ 6:51 am - August 30, 2008
What is Mr. Palin going to do in DC if his wife is VP? Isn’t he a fisherman by trade?
Comment by lk — August 30, 2008 @ 9:14 am - August 30, 2008
So should we set up SHILTF.com for y’all?
Ugh, got to find a better term
Comment by The Livewire — August 30, 2008 @ 11:45 am - August 30, 2008
Since we’re getting technical about language here
dropping the ‘T’ is traditional. So it would be shilf.com for Todd, vpilf.com for Sarah, and who knows, maybe someday pilf.com.
Man, the Palins are hot, at least for a straight couple!
Comment by ILoveCapitalism — August 30, 2008 @ 3:02 pm - August 30, 2008
Not sure what he does currently… I believe he’s also an oil field worker and a world-class snowmobile racer. (I could have that wrong.)
Whatever any ‘second spouse’ does. Dutifully appear at events when needed, and meantime, raise the young kids.
Comment by ILoveCapitalism — August 30, 2008 @ 3:05 pm - August 30, 2008
I’m pretty sure McCain/Palin will not be exploiting identity politics, whether it is Palin’s gender or her husband’s native heritage. Even at her introduction Friday, the fact of her gender almost seemed like an afterthought to her achievements in kicking the bums out in Alaska. The GOP isn’t known for obsessing over skin color.
Comment by Bla — August 30, 2008 @ 6:42 pm - August 30, 2008
Hey guys, another gay conservative here, this time by way of Instapundit. Good site. I’ll have to bookmark it.
Comment by sk — August 30, 2008 @ 8:39 pm - August 30, 2008
Yes we’ve had a native American serve as vice-president Charles Curtis of Kansas was vp 1929-1933 under Hoover and was member of Kaw and other tribes (with a little French)
Comment by Dante — August 30, 2008 @ 9:10 pm - August 30, 2008
#9:
Todd works the oil fields and, during the season, has a salmon operation, that Sarah helps with(heh, a Pol who knows actual physical labor!). He is also in and possibly president of the Steelworker union Local.
And he races snowmobiles.
Comment by JP — August 30, 2008 @ 11:05 pm - August 30, 2008
That’s all we need is ANOTHER gay conservative…
Comment by djteck4u — August 31, 2008 @ 5:10 am - August 31, 2008
You have got to be kidding if you think having a hunk for a husband or being a “hot” woman should be a reason to get votes or even be qualified. This only shows how irresponsible McCain is and the republican party is very desparate at this point.
The entire state of Alaska has few people and while she may be a good governor for the past 20 months far from qualifies her to be vp let alone a heart beat from the US President.
Comment by downunderinorlando — August 31, 2008 @ 6:49 am - August 31, 2008
As many of the intellectually-curious amongst-us have watched Deadliest Catch, Tougher in Alaska, etc… , many American these days have an understanding of what an outdoor Alaskan-livestyle entails and that elitists and “phonies” just will die along the side of the trail.
Given that the McCains and the Palins are both adventurous, vital families I forsee a return of the vital boisterousness that characterized the Theodore Roosevelt administration and White House. …BULLY!!
Comment by Ted B. (Charging Rhino) — August 31, 2008 @ 12:09 pm - August 31, 2008
#18 – “You have got to be kidding if you think having a hunk for a husband or being a “hot†woman should be a reason to get votes or even be qualified.”
Yet you and your ilk are not pre-disposed to labeling either Bill Clinton or B. Hussein Obama as being worthy of fellatio, now do you?
Case closed.
Regards,
Peter H.
Comment by Peter Hughes — September 2, 2008 @ 1:04 am - September 2, 2008
Todd Palin is something of a hunk but I can’t get past that bad wig on his head. Calling HairClub4Men!
Comment by Tyler Carter — September 2, 2008 @ 11:43 am - September 2, 2008
do you guys think that she really had the baby in April? I think it is her daughter’s baby and that her daughter is NOT five months now….thanks.
Comment by Tyler Carter — September 2, 2008 @ 11:46 am - September 2, 2008
What about David Yeagley, conservative Indian, he isn’t exactly a Hunk(being so slim and fragile), but he is cute as a bugs ear. He might run for Govenor of Oklahoma soon.
He is rooting for Sarah, or is he rooting for her Hunk, jealous LS?
Comment by jimmy — September 3, 2008 @ 12:05 am - September 3, 2008
#22 – Tyler, you are engaging in pure speculation, not hard facts. Try again.
Regards,
Peter H.
Comment by Peter Hughes — September 3, 2008 @ 12:54 am - September 3, 2008
Tyler: I bet the dad fertilized his daughter’s egg, and then they transplated the baby into the mother’s body , and then right before birth put back into her daughter, but then accidently dropped it, and it fell into a hospital shielded from infanticide laws by Obama, where a nurse from Planned Parenthood looked at it and screamed “NO.. DONT KILL THAT ONE.. IT’S WHITE”
Comment by Vince P — September 3, 2008 @ 1:06 am - September 3, 2008
There have been a few Presidents with a small amount of Native American ancestory.
Comment by Tommy — September 3, 2008 @ 11:00 pm - September 3, 2008
he seems like a great guy. a good husband, doting father, has a good job, has his own interests….very down to earth and yes, very handsome.
Comment by jon — September 5, 2008 @ 3:41 pm - September 5, 2008
Confession…(and I’m not even Catholic)
I really do care, and hope for the best.
And most of all, I hope you all do to….
everyone on this tiny blue dot…
John McCain…could be a lot worse?
What, don’t tell me you’re gonna vote for Obama…
Don’t you know the world won’t pay him any attention?
Comment by freida — September 8, 2008 @ 3:04 pm - September 8, 2008
What a total waste of time thinking that ‘little old me’ might have some influence on what our government or the rest of us think.
I think most of us are oblivious…and that’s probably best.
Reminds me, I need to get back…get back…maybe to cookin’….
I sure as heck don’t know how to write….rather…I jurst wasn’t born with that golden spoon…to write a novel.
Writers and Artist and Law Student Graduates, too.
Try not to step on any toes, be nice, or as nice as possible considering your chosen profession.
And don’t ever forget what you Mom and Did to help you pay for it.
Comment by freida — September 8, 2008 @ 3:13 pm - September 8, 2008
Todd Palin’s Yup’ik ancestry will not do a thing to help the McCain-Palin ticket. It hasn’t done anything to help the tribes of Alaska get a meeting of substance with her to this day, so why would it help her get the Native vote in the lower 48?
Comment by Max — September 29, 2008 @ 1:59 pm - September 29, 2008