I think you need to review the AIP's video of its second secessionist congress. It is approximately 9 minutes long. Its Vice Chairman praises the AIP's founder Joe Voegler.  Voegler's statement proclaiming his hatred for the American government is a matter of public record. Vice Chairman Clark goes on to claim Palin as one of the AIP's own... further explaining that she joined the Republican party simply because "to get along you go along". .. and indicating that she was the individual that the AIP had hoped would be elected to office as governor. At the end of the video he urges the AIP membership to infiltrate the major political parties to advance their objectives of Alaskan secession. In light of these prior statements I have some difficulty in seeing the AIP's recent denial of her affinity for the party as anything other than self serving rhetoric....going along to get along I suppose.

Fast forward to 2008's video of Palin's in which she indicates that the AIP plays an important role in Alaskan state politics...she wishes them good luck on a successful and inspiring convention...and urges the AIP to keep up the good work.

I have also read that there was a similar speech made to one of the AIP's earlier conventions in 2006, and that she had attended at least one one of their conventions in 2000. Other than the official rhetoric of the AIP's/Republican parties' denials...I really have not heard her explain any of these allegations.

It is true that our political system does produce strange alliances of competing elites at times. The AIP's philosophy "to get along, you go along" would seem to confirm that. However, Palin is not someone with whom I feel comfortable representing my interests. The current administration is leaving office with a prolonged and  unresolved middle eastern war and a faltering economy to its credit...further confirmed by the disappointing news in the financial market over this weekend (Lehman Bros., Meryll-Lynch and AIG). Early news reports this morning suggested that we have entered  the worst financial crisis since the l930's. I am not convinced that McCain is going to effectuate any meaningful change from the past eight years notwithstanding his assertions to the contrary. He is part of the same party under whose auspices the current administration governed. I think I would like to try something new.