Sarah Palin: Behind the 'Hockey Mom'

This is a rush transcript from "On the Record ," September 3, 2008. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated.

GRETA VAN SUSTEREN, FOX NEWS HOST: Everyone wants to know more about Senator McCain's vice presidential pick, Governor Sarah Palin. What's she like and what is she saying in private about what the blogs and tabloids have been saying about the last few days.

Let's ask Bill McAllister (ph), Sarah Palin's director of communications in the Governor's office. He's not with the campaign. He works with here in the Governor's office.

Nice to see you Bill.

BILL MCALLISTER, COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR, ALASKA GOVERNOR'S OFFICE: Good to see you Greta.

VAN SUSTEREN: When was the last time you talked to the governor?

MCALLISTER: I talked to her last night. And we talked a little bit about the blogs and the tabloid atmosphere; some of the things that have been going on.

She's a tough woman, she's tough physically, she runs marathons. She's tough emotionally, spiritually. She's is not going to let it get her down.

VAN SUSTEREN: You know, it's all very interesting. You and I were talking off camera how everyone is talking about this speech, and what a great speech it is. And you said, "I'm not surprised."

MCALLISTER: I'm not. We saw her remarks in Dayton, Ohio. I thought was also a good speech. They're both the Sarah Palin that I know. She is able to be an everyday person. At the same time she can see things from a 30,000-foot level. She's what I call an ordinary and extraordinary person.

Watch Greta's interview

If you are talking to her one on one, she is like your neighbor, your friend. She looks you in the eye; she talks about the things that you care about. On this stage though, she obviously was able to address some very big issues in a broad way.

VAN SUSTEREN: Does she have problems? When I went to change planes in Alaska about a month ago, there was some sort of trooper thing that was going on in the front page in an Anchorage paper. I really couldn't figure out because picking up in the middle of the story but is there something going on there?

MCALLISTER: Well, she exercised her right to terminate an at-will employees -- in this case the commissioner of department of public safety. And it's being alleged because it was of some pressure over her ex-brother- in-law trooper who had some bad acts on his record; had been disciplined by the department.

In fact it was not for that reason, there were policy concerns that she had with the commissioner. But the state legislature led by Democrat who seems to have gubernatorial ambitions himself has hired an investigator to look into it. And there was some back and forth. But the governor's approval rating was 80 percent even after this happened.

VAN SUSTEREN: It was interesting because it was all over the front page in the Anchorage paper. I shouldn't say all over. I couldn't follow because it felt like it was picking up in the middle of the story but it certainly had grabbed the attention locally at the time.

MCALLISTER: Well, she ran on an ethics platform. In fact, she pushed for and signed the major ethics reform overhauling state law that there's been in recent times. And so any seeming stumble that people could seize upon they were going to make hay out of. But Alaskans see through it and she is still popular four out of five.

VAN SUSTEREN: Any thoughts on when she goes up against Senator Biden. We know Senator Biden has been on the foreign relations committee for a long time -- that's probably his strong suit. She has been a governor which is an executive job, not informed policy. Can she get up to speed?

MCALLISTER: Well, that's probably beyond my pay grade to talk about the vice presidential debate.

VAN SUSTEREN: Not the debate but I mean you know her. Is she a good student that way?

MCALLISTER: Let me put it this way. When she ran for governor, she defeated an incumbent Republican governor who had served in the U.S. Senate for 22 years, Frank Makowsky. She won that debate handily.

VAN SUSTEREN: I know you Alaskans are very proud, right?

MCALLISTER: Absolutely.

VAN SUSTEREN: It is fun. It is fun.

Well we're sure going to be watching her, Bill. Thank you very much for joining us and good luck. I know you got to go home and go to work because there is still a state government there.

MCALLISTER: There's still a governor.

VAN SUSTEREN: Anyway, thank you very much.

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