It wasn't until a couple of months ago that Escondido resident John Hernandez realized he knew Sarah Palin.
He was unaware that the woman he remembered as Sarah Heath had become the governor of Alaska. Heath was Palin's maiden name in late 1987 when she walked gutsily into the Anchorage NBC-TV affiliate, KTUU, and asked for a sports job. She had a college journalism degree but no experience.
Hernandez, the station sports director, talked to her. He admired the young lady's spunk, her confidence, her outgoing personality and her keen interest in learning the business. So he asked if she would be willing to work for free as an intern.
She agreed. Thus, Hernandez gave Palin her first job in TV journalism. About three months later, on Super Bowl Sunday, 1988, she gave her debut live sportscast, filling in for the station's vacationing weekend sportscaster.
“I was proud of her. I thought she did a great job,” recalls Hernandez, whose late parents founded the popular Hernandez Hideaway restaurant near Lake Hodges. Then, in February, when Hernandez left to cover the Olympics in Calgary, Palin officially filled in as weekend sportscaster.
Hernandez soon moved on, and he lost track of Sarah Heath until two months ago.
How did she do?
In critiquing her speaking performance after her name was announced as McCain's vice presidential nominee on Aug. 27, Hernandez described her tone as giddy, excited, emotional. She was nervous and not in control of her speech, he added. However, by the time of her GOP convention acceptance address a few days later, he saw a transformation into a different speaker – “more in control and all business.”
Now that Palin has been added to the Republican team, Hernandez, a longtime Democrat, says he plans to vote the McCain ticket: “I'm impressed with her.”
Crystal ball politics
Early last month S.D. government consultant John Dadian ran an informal poll among local political insiders, staffers and consultants asking who they thought John McCain would choose for his vice presidential running mate. Only one of 69 respondents named Sarah Palin.
That was Eric Dietz, a San Diego aide to Assemblyman George Plescia, R-La Jolla. Dietz said he originally leaned toward former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, who captured the most survey votes (33) but opted for Palin because of her strong Republican values and political experience.
Cox's locks
When county Supervisor Greg Cox returned from vacation late last month, some people didn't recognize him. While cruising in the hurricane-haunted Bahamas and Florida Keys, the clean-cut politician sprouted a mustache and beard.
Cox says he was inspired by pictures of Ernest Hemingway during a visit to the novelist's Key West home. While his wife, Chula Vista Mayor Cheryl Cox, isn't too fond of the His Hirsuteness, Cox admits, it's growing on him.
In response to friends asking when he plans to shave off his beard, the supervisor says, “when the state adopts a budget.” If that doesn't happen by Dec. 1, Cox says he is considering moonlighting as a department store Santa Claus.
The rest of the story
After an item appeared here about a Navy veteran's neglected grave in Greenwood Memorial Park that was “adopted” by the Archie Liston family, the cemetery took some action. It installed a flower holder at the young man's grave so the Listons needn't simply lay flowers on his headstone. A Carlsbad man also sent the cemetery money with a request that it be used to buy flowers for the Vietnam veteran's grave – people taking care of people.
Diane Bell's column appears Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. Fax items to (619) 260-5009; call (619) 293-1518; e-mail to diane.bell@uniontrib.com; or mail to The San Diego Union-Tribune, Box 120191, San Diego 92112-0191.
