Sarah Palin rose to political superstardom in the late 2000s. She was going from being a relative unknown to many Americans to almost holding the country's second-highest-ranking position. Essentially literally overnight.
Palin would become a divisive and polarizing figure, to put it mildly. Some members of the Republican Party became loyal followers of hers. And some others quickly became tired of her more extreme views. Recently, Palin has opted to put the influence she might have to good use.
Stressing COVID-19 precautions after testing positive for the novel coronavirus
Palin recently confirmed that she'd been diagnosed with COVID-19, reports The Hill and MarketWatch. And so had several other members of her family. Among them is her youngest son, Trig, who has a history of health issues. She stated, "anybody can catch this," regarding COVID-19.
Furthermore, Palin elaborated on how the novel Coronavirus has affected her. She apparently went to bed without symptoms before waking up feeling sick. The novel coronavirus can "really knock you down," Palin said. She also said that at least some of the symptoms were "bizarre."
The former Alaska governor also stresses that people should wear masks and take other precautions.
Wearing masks has become a political lightning rod. It remains to be seen if her endorsement yields many results. However, anti-maskers tend to come from an ideology often associated with her.
Palin's ascension in the 2000s inadvertently gave legitimacy to the far-right fringe wing of the Republican Party. A faction that would later take over the party with the rise of Donald Trump.
It would probably be more helpful if Trump himself got fully behind mask-wearing. Rather than the back-and-forth of tepid support and opposition, he's tended to go with. But Palin's efforts could still prove useful.
She also strongly encouraged people "to use common sense to avoid spreading" COVID-19. Palin also advised people to be vigilant, reprioritize personal time and resources to increase their chances against viruses.
Palin was John McCain's VP selection
Arizona U.S. Senator John McCain chose Palin to be his vice president if he won the 2008 Presidential election. The choice was a shocker at the time. Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty had widely been expected to be the pick. In hindsight, McCain and Palin made something of an odd couple.
McCain was famously beloved for being a moderate. Palin would prove to be decidedly not moderate. McCain would fall short in the 2008 election to Illinois U.S. Senator Barack Obama. Obama chose Delaware U.S. Senator Joe Biden to be his vice president, who himself later became president.
Palin had been elected governor of Alaska in 2008. She defeated incumbent Governor Frank Murkowski in the Republican primary.
Democratic former Governor Tony Knowles followed her in the general election. In 2002, Palin ran in the primary for lieutenant governor, losing to eventual general election victor Loren Leman.
Her first political office was as a city council member in Wasilla, near Anchorage, Alaska. She eventually became mayor of Wasilla. Before going into politics, Palin was a sportscaster and journalist.
