Palin as Commander-in-Chief.

Did Sarah Palin trade a promotion for a political favor?
Sure looks like it.

VoteVets' Brandon Friedman has the story:

Sunday 31 August 2008:
Major General Craig Campbell, Adjutant General of the Alaska National Guard, tells the AP that:
he and Palin play no role in national defense activities, even when they involve the Alaska National Guard. The entire operation is under federal control, and the governor is not briefed on situations.

This quote was used against Palin throughout the media for several days, including in one of my own posts.


Then Brandon points out that three days later, General Campbell says it again, in the Boston Globe:
[T]he Alaskan governor is not in the site's chain of command and has no authority over its operations, according to Maj. Gen. Craig E. Campbell, the adjutant general of the Alaska National Guard who commands the roughly 3,800 state militia members.

But then...

Friday 5 September 2008:
Only two days later, Campbell's story has completely fip-flopped. Now he's suddenly praising Palin, appearing on Fox News to gush about what a superb commander-in-chief she is:
"I'll tell you, in the last few days, I've been watching the press, and I've not been very pleased with what I've been seeing about the chastising of the National Guard by having it diminished by the insinuation that a commander-in-chief of the National Guard doesn't really control the military. The National Guard has 500,000 people in it around this great country, serving in states and overseas. National Guards are state military forces run by governors, and Sarah Palin does it great."
Result? Cha-ching!

Monday 8 September:
After the weekend--and after his complimentary remarks--Major General Campbell is promoted within the Alaska National Guard to the rank of Lieutenant General.

Here is the release:

The promotion is not recognized outside the state of Alaska, but he is promoted with his third star, nonetheless.

Sign on the dotted line and get a promotion, General.
Hell, you had no choice. You know she'd fire you if you didn't.

UPDATE: The plot really thickens now.