Sarah Palin: Enemy of Polar Bears

So, like many of you I learned yesterday that John McCain is aiming to put a gun-totin', beauty pageant winnin', hockey mom one 72-year-old's heartbeat away from being the leader of the free world. After I stopped laughing, I decided to spend my time learning about Ms. Palin, both the good and the bad.

But I didn't have time to comb over some of the lesser-reported parts of her 18-month tenure as a state-elected official. That's why I have a twin brother. Tim emailed me a link that made my jaw drop. I am now sure that McCain will lose the support of all the fans of the Golden Compass, because Palin is a blatant enemy of nature's white-furred warrior, the polar bear.

And why, you may ask, does Ms. Palin want to end the threatened species listing for polar bears? According to the article:

She and other Alaska elected officials fear a listing will cripple oil and gas development in prime polar bear habitat off the state's northern and northwestern coasts.

Palin argued there is not enough evidence to support a listing. Polar bears are well-managed and their population has dramatically increased over 30 years as a result of conservation, she said.

Really? With all the ice melting in the arctic, I would think we would want to do all we can to help save animals that can be as cute and cuddly as this: