There's no doubt that the Rev. Wright controversy hurt the Obama campaign. Obama eventually handled it well and came out fine, though definitely hurt. Gov. Palin's association and membership in the Alaskan Independence Party, however, should be much worse.
Now, it's possible that somehow Palin can somehow disassociate herself with the group if ABC's report turns out not to be true. But, assuming it is, this will be a huge problem for Palin and McCain.
The McCain campaign has yet to comment on this story, which already may be a good sign. But when they do, if they do not deny the report, they will have to try to explain it away. The defense may be that the party does not advocate secession from the United States, it just wants a vote on the issue. Even if explaining it that way could make it go away, it seems that's not really the case. Most members of the group are in favor of secession. In fact, the group's chairman, Lynette Clark, stated that she was in favor of secession.
"My own separate opinion as an individual is that we should be an independent nation," Clark says. Others in the AIP "believe that being a commonwealth would be a good avenue to follow."
Also, the Alaskan Independence Party sent representatives to a secessionist convention.
Here come the new Green Mountain Boys. The Middlebury Institute, a think tank devoted to the study of separatism, secession, and self-determination, is planning the First North American Secessionist Convention in Burlington, Vt.
According to the Web site MiddleburyInstitute.net, responses as of June had come from "Hawaii Nation, Alaska Independence Party, League of the South and several of its chapters, Southern National Congress Committee, Southern Caucus, Christian Exodus, New State Movement, Puerto Rico Independence Party, Parti Quebecois, the State of Jefferson, and the Second Vermont Republic."
Now, if that's not enough, we should take a look at the "Middlebury Declaration:"
We the undersigned participants of Radical Consultation II held in Middlebury, Vermont on November 5-7, 2004, are convinced that the American Empire, now imposing its military might on 153 countries around the world, is as fragile as empires historically tend to be, and that it might well implode upon itself in the near future. Before that happens, no matter what shape the United States may take, we believe there is an opportunity now to push through new political ideas and projects that would offer true popular participation and genuine democracy. The time to prepare for that is now.
Barack Obama's pastor spoke some words that put Obama in a very difficult situation. But this is nothing compared to Sarah Palin's membership (if true) in the Alaskan Independence Party. This is a radical organization.