Palin's Stanislaus visit shows political power

They don't call Sarah Palin the Thrilla from Wasilla for nothing.

After months of buildup, including investigations, outrage and celebration, the former Alaska governor's trip to California's farm belt over the weekend proved beyond a doubt that she delivers - for Republicans and Democrats.

State Attorney General Jerry Brown probably will be grateful that he was the focus of the 2008 vice presidential candidate's barbed criticism as he investigates her compensation from the Cal State University Stanislaus Foundation for her speech Friday night at the nonprofit's 50th anniversary event at the Turlock (Stanislaus County) campus.

Brown's office is looking at whether the campus foundation violated state public disclosure laws by refusing to make public the terms of Palin's contract for her appearance.

In her speech, Palin quipped of Brown: "This is California. Do you really not have anything better to do?"

The Democratic gubernatorial candidate's response: "I don't think she understands the process. It's about the operation of the foundation to see if they handled things professionally."

Relishing the challenge

But his team clearly relishes Palin's challenges, having used her last attack - on a recent cable TV show - as the basis for an effort to motivate donors to pump up his campaign war chest.

And incumbent U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxer, in the midst of a combative re-election campaign, announced last week that she would "honor" Palin's visit to California by reminding voters of her endorsement of Republican Carly Fiorina, Boxer's rival in the November election.

Boxer's campaign manager, Rose Kapolczynski, called Palin and Fiorina "two peas in a pod" and released a Web video aiming to remind voters that the Republicans' "shared positions are out of step with Californians."

On the GOP side, former Hewlett-Packard CEO Fiorina said that while she couldn't meet with Palin on this trip, she was "honored" to be endorsed by Palin, who characterized Fiorina as a "commonsense conservative."

Palin Effect

As the dust clears from the controversial visit, which was the focus of protests and raised $200,000 for the university's endowment, the moves on both sides demonstrate how Palin will continue to have an impact on 2010 campaigns in the nation's most populous state.

The Palin Effect will certainly be most keenly felt in the Senate race between Boxer and Fiorina, who was buoyed by Palin's endorsement in the June primary but must aim to appeal to a wider swath of voters, including independents, in the general election.

"It's the question of how she will play to the political middle. Will she take away votes?" said Bill Whalen, a research fellow at Stanford's Hoover Institution.

He said that a close connection with Palin may be a concern for candidates like Fiorina, in part because Palin manages to stir it up, no matter what her forum.

"If you think people are tired and worn down by politics, Sarah comes into town and the circus follows, and the arguments break out," he said. "Wherever she goes, there's a dustup. ... It gets everyone angry and yelling, and it stirs up divisiveness.

"While the endorsement is important in the primary, it's more important in that it becomes a distraction in a general election," Whalen added. "It just ties into the exhaustion in politicians these days."

Return visit

Democrats are hoping Palin returns soon - giving them an opportunity to capitalize on that effect.

Stephanie Schriock of the influential political action committee EMILY's (Early Money Is Like Yeast) List, said Palin's presence in California over the weekend was perfectly timed to provide voters with reminders that Fiorina has "tied herself to Sarah Palin."

Her organization, which donates strictly to pro-choice Democratic female candidates, celebrated the Palin trip with an announcement of a new independent expenditure group backing Boxer.

Schriock said recent polls suggest that while Palin still appeals to the party's most conservative grass roots, independent and moderate voters in both major parties consider the former governor to be a divisive figure and unqualified to serve as president.

"That's because there's such a significant difference between the values of Barbara Boxer and Sarah Palin," Schriock said. She said Palin, who has been "consistently pledging to overturn Roe vs. Wade," has repeatedly highlighted Fiorina's stance as a "pro-life" candidate who opposes abortion rights.

Palin and Fiorina

EMILY's List plans to make the case to voters, particularly independents, that Fiorina is merely an extension of Palin's "radical right" agenda.

But Fiorina spokeswoman Julie Soderlund said "we'll take Sarah Palin's endorsement over (House Speaker) Nancy Pelosi and (Senate Majority Leader) Harry Reid's any day of the week."

She called Boxer's efforts to keep the issue of Palin front and center in the Senate race a telling sign that is "more about their having a big problem and needing to motivate their own base to get out votes for her."

"This is typical of Barbara Boxer," Soderlund said. "She can't run on her own record because it's a record of failure. So she tries to run on everything but."

And leaders at the Susan B. Anthony List, a conservative political action committee backing Fiorina, said her positions against taxpayer-funded abortion and late-term abortion are more in line with California voters than Boxer's pro-choice stance.

Connect the dots

Still, Fiorina isn't the only Republican who may have to worry about Democrats wanting to draw the connection to Palin.

The Courage Campaign, a progressive advocacy group, put out a comic Web video showing Darth Vader on the campaign trail for GOP gubernatorial candidate Meg Whitman, with the "Star Wars" villain telling voters she is "California's Sarah Palin."

But it may be far more challenging to connect the dots between Palin and Whitman, who has received endorsements from other conservative stalwarts like Newt Gingrich and former Vice President Dick Cheney.

Whitman, the former eBay CEO who advised 2008 presidential candidate John McCain, defines herself as strongly pro-choice. She has also set herself apart from Palin on other key issues, including opposition to the Arizona immigration law - prompting some bloggers to call her the "anti-Palin."

E-mail Carla Marinucci at cmarinucci@sfchronicle.com.

This article appeared on page A - 1 of the San Francisco Chronicle