Reznet

Sarah Palin held her son, Trig, as her daughter, Bristol, left, and Bristol's boyfriend, Levi Johnston, joined the vice presidential nominee on stage at the Republican National Convention in St. Paul, Minn., on Wednesday.AP Photo by Ron Edmonds

First Look: Native Students React to Palin as GOP's VP Nominee

By Krista Leman, Jacelle Ramon-Sauberan and Patrick Delabrue

Native college students are taking notice as Web sites, newspapers and most tabloid magazines splash GOP vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin's family issues on front pages.

"It has to be the right person to make a difference with Native troubles," said Brittany Richards, 20, an Alaskan Native student at the University of Alaska. "There are people in office that don't exactly fight for their people, but it's really the same for every other race."

Richards was just one of many Native students that reznet reporters interviewed at UA, the University of Arizona and the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay. Their reports come after intense coverage of news that Palin's 17-year-old daughter, Bristol, is pregnant.

"It can happen to anybody; it doesn't reflect on her as a mother," Richards said. She also said Palin showed good morals and would make an effort to help on Native issues.

Leonisa Lewis, a member of the Tohono O'odham Tribe and a University of Arizona sophomore, agreed. "She seems to be a good candidate with a lot of experience," Lewis said. "But I think she needs to focus on her family at this time instead of jumping into such a big position."

Palin's family, whose five children include an infant son, Trig, with Down syndrome, needs her more than anything right now, Lewis said. On the other hand, she gave Palin a thumbs-up for sending a positive message to the younger generation, even though her daughter's situation is causing much discussion of teen pregnancy.

When it comes to family, Native students are also noting that Palin's husband, Todd Palin, is 1/16 Yup'ik Eskimo.

Nathan Williams, a 20-year-old sophomore at UA, said the pregnancy is not Palin's fault. "No matter how well of a parent you are, you can't control your teens. They are still going to go out and do what they want," he said.

Williams, Navajo, does not believe people care about what Palin stands for as much as her good looks. Politics are a popularity contest anyway, he said.

"I don't know much about her," said Amy Johnson, a University of Wisconsin-Green Bay senior of Cherokee descent. "But I think [McCain] picked a woman to capture the Hillary vote. Before last night, all I really heard about her was that a guy friend of mine said she was a hottie."

Anton Williams, Oneida, and an environmental planning and policy major at UWGB, was intrigued with the notion of the first woman vice president, but said he was no fan of McCain's policies.

"The last thing I thought the Republicans would do is pick a woman for vice president, but I'm glad to see that," he said. "If they win, I don't really care that she doesn't have a lot of experience. Having a woman vice president will be a historical landmark."

UWGB English major Nichole Merckes opposes the McCain-Palin ticket and is critical of Palin's lack of experience.

Merckes, of Stockbridge-Munsee descent and an ardent Barack Obama supporter, said "It's a bad decision. I don't think she's ready to be president if something happens to McCain. I don't think she's ready to be the vice president. McCain [is] just pandering to women voters."

Krista Leman, Ninilchik, is a sophomore at the University of Alaska in Anchorage. Jacelle Ramon-Sauberan, Tohono O'odham, attends the University of Arizona. Patrick Delabrue, Menominee, is a senior at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay.