Obviously Palin was speaking at her old church, talking to her old friends and encouraging, what I believe are a group of graduating 'missionaries' or something similar. This is a religious setting where religious comments obviously will come to the forefront. It would be silly to think that she is going to be giving a speech in front of her old congregation, with her pastor in attendance and not talk about her relationship with God, this is the appropriate place to do so, sensibly.
I do wonder about some of her phrasing - and certainly about how making sure the police have guns, and the roads are paved are dependent upon "Alaskan's hearts are right with God" (one perhaps can assume from this statement if the people of Alaska heart's
aren't right with God - the police will lose their guns and the roads will be riddled with potholes-however I digress). But, she is speaking from the heart, and from her faith, in a house of God. I will give her slack on this - easily. Many of our Presidents have spoken (as shown in the video from Fossen at the top of the thread) eloquently of America's relationship with God, often from the steps of the National Cathedral.
However, and I do know the press is looking into this - the state paid for this trip - although it could be construed as “official” - she was invited by the Church as the Governor of Alaska - it is a pretty questionable thing, this speech certainly wasn’t official, and I would wonder about her speech at the other church that was an agenda point on this trip) she should have paid for this little jaunt herself.
"Palin used state funds in traveling to speech before evangelical students
By RICHARD MAUER - Tri City Hearld,
http://www.tri-cityherald.com/tih/story/308188.html
ANCHORAGE, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin used state funds in June when she traveled from Juneau to Wasilla to speak to graduating evangelical students and urge them to fan out through Alaska "to make sure God's will be done here."
State records show that Palin submitted a travel authorization for a quick round-trip visit to attend the June 8 graduation of the Master's Commission program at the Wasilla Assembly of God, the church where she was baptized at age 12. The only other item on the agenda for that trip was a "One Lord Sunday" service involving a network of Mat-Su Christian churches earlier that morning at the Wasilla sports complex.
The records show Palin flew from Juneau to Anchorage on Saturday, June 7. She returned to Juneau that Monday afternoon. The plane tickets cost the state $519.50, and she claimed an additional $120 for meals and other expenses. (Foxpaws aside - I will give her credit – that is cheap!)
Palin couldn't be reached for comment Friday as she campaigned for vice president. Her spokeswoman at the McCain campaign said she wouldn't grant an interview.
But Palin's spokeswoman in the governor's office, Sharon Leighow, said the state paid for the trip because Palin was invited to the events as the governor, not as a private citizen.
"I know for a fact she gave remarks at the Wasilla Assembly of God as governor of Alaska to the graduates of this particular program," Leighow said.
In her eight-minute remarks, delivered without notes except when she read a brief scripture passage, she melded the issues of governance with a call to bringing Alaskans to God."
