Mayor Palin Saw Herself as ‘Change’ Agent While Playing Hardball

Back when Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin (R) was running for mayor of Wasilla in 1996, her slogan was one that would still be en vogue today.

“Palin emphasized her ability to listen to residents, and her slogan of ‘a time for a change’ seemed to resonate with voters,” wrote the Anchorage Daily News in October 1996.

That call for change, however, led to frayed relationships within her small town, which still has a population of less than 10,000. When she asked town employees who hadn’t backed her bid for mayor, including library workers and the police chief, to resign, she again cited the need for “change,” which is one of the central themes of Barack Obama’s campaign.

“Wasilla is moving forward in a positive direction,” Palin wrote in letters to the employees, according to a Daily News. “This is the time for the department heads to let me know if they plan to move forward or if it’s time for a change.”