Alaska Governor Sarah Palin recently welcomed the crew from Orange County Choppers – whose custom motorcycle business is featured on TLC’s American Chopper – to Anchorage where show star Paul Teutul Sr. researched building a bike to honor Alaska’s 50-year anniversary of being a state.

“It means so much to the state of Alaska that these guys are building this bike that will honor statehood here,” Palin says in the episode.

With the shrinking of her political action committee and the launch of her legal fund, and her bizarre preference for public statements about her grandson’s father instead of statements about policy, it really seems like Palin is pulling a Mike Huckabee: transferring her political popularity into a ‘roided-up version of her old, fun career.

Ask yourself what we have to do here to follow the money. As Ron points out, if we can nail down the source of the money, the motive will be apparent. We may even discover the shadowy figure who first sent down the marching orders to “Get Palin!”

I found out about this through a random oddball former Michigan Republican Party Chairman Saul Anuzis, who tweeted about it.

The Associated Press reports that the conservative PajamasTV Website is sending Wurzelbacher to Israel to cover the Gaza invasion. He plans to spend ten days there to let “‘Average Joes’ share their story.”

Says TWI managing editor Laura McGann: “Maybe Levi Johnston can fill in for him while he’s gone.”

I have nothing to add.

UPDATE: No wait, I do. Back in October, when asked if “a vote for Obama is a vote for the death of Israel,” Joe responded, “I’ll go ahead and agree with you on that.”

Now I truly have nothing to add.

Bristol Palin, the 18-year-old daughter of former Republican vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin, gave birth on Saturday to a healthy 7 lb., 7 oz., baby boy in Palmer, Alaska.

“We think it’s wonderful,” said Colleen Jones, the sister of Bristol’s grandmother Sally Heath, who confirmed the news. “The baby is fine and Bristol is doing well. Everyone is excited.”

Bristol Palin’s pregnancy became an issue when it was revealed during the presidential campaign, shortly after Sen. John McCain named Sarah Palin as his running mate in August. Bristol and the baby’s father, Levi Johnston, plan to wed next year, according to People.com.

And the baby’s name?

In keeping with the apparent Palin family tradition of giving boys unusual names that begin with “Tr,” such as Bristol’s older brother Track and younger brother Trig, the newborn will be known as Tripp Easton Mitchell Johnston.

(Via Playbook)