Euphoria turns to work for Palin

Hours after winning Tuesday's election, Gov.-elect Sarah Palin described what's on her to-do list and how her new administration will take shape.

Part of being a new governor is cleaning house in Juneau, which can mean appointing new commissioners and department heads. Palin, a Republican like Gov. Frank Murkowski, told reporters Wednesday that she's already being handed resumes but wasn't ready to name names.

Asked who will survive from Murkowski's administration -- which she criticized during the campaign -- Palin said: "We'll keep the good ones."

Palin also said she'll be looking to follow through on campaign promises, such as restoring the longevity bonus -- the cash payment for seniors -- to those who were prematurely cut from the program, plus finding a fair way to share state revenue with cities and "getting rid" of the state jet used by Murkowski.

During her campaign, Palin talked about working with the Legislature to accomplish her goals, and lawmakers are hoping for a good relationship with the new governor. (During Murkowski's failed re-election bid, foes called him a bad listener.)

"I think we'll have a significantly more open relationship with the governor," said Sen. Fred Dyson, R-Eagle River. "Her kind of perennial sense of good will, her way of dealing with things straight up will be an asset. My guess is we'll find she's far better at listening and getting counsel from others than we've seen in the recent past."

Dyson said he doesn't know Palin well. "I've known her a little bit. My sense is, what you see is what you get, and she's a person of good will. My sense is, down underneath that pleasant exterior, there's some real steel there."

Democratic Sen. Johnny Ellis of Anchorage said, "I'm confident she will have a different style and approach than Frank Murkowski. There will be things we can't agree on, but we ought to put Alaska first and find common ground."

As for natural gas pipeline negotiations, Palin said she and running mate Sean Parnell hope to meet with oil companies and others interested in creating a gas pipeline from the North Slope right after she takes office Dec. 4.

Palin named a member of her campaign, Mike Tibbles, as head of her transition team, which will prepare to take the reins from Murkowski.

Former two-term Democratic Gov. Tony Knowles called Palin on Wednesday morning to congratulate her on her win. Palin beat Knowles by about 8 percentage points.

Knowles said Wednesday that he hasn't thought about whether he'll run for office again but doesn't regret trying for a third term.

"I know I would have had more regrets had I just sat on the sidelines," said Knowles, who stood with his arm around his wife, Susan Knowles, in his campaign headquarters in Midtown Anchorage.

Knowles said he jumped into the race because of the potential for starting the gas pipeline and the way the project could boost education and health care in Alaska.

While Knowles' running-mate, Ethan Berkowitz, didn't have any specific plans, he didn't rule out running for office again.

"We've got the right ideas, we have the right solutions, and with any luck, the folks that are going to Juneau will implement them. Because if they don't, we're going to be right there nipping at their heels," Berkowitz said.

Before running for governor, Palin was a member of the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission along with Alaska Republican Party chairman Randy Ruedrich. Palin helped trigger an ethics investigation of Ruedrich for mixing his political job with his state duties, and Ruedrich eventually paid a fine.

After she won the Republican primary Aug. 22, Palin called for Ruedrich to step down as party chief. She said Wednesday that she still believes the Republicans need a change in party leadership.

Ruedrich said he doesn't plan to leave his post. As governor, Palin will have one voice among many on the party's decision-making central committee, he said.

"We look forward to her participation," he said.

Palin's transition team leader, Tibbles, joined the campaign late in the race. He was the campaign manager for Fairbanks businessman John Binkley, who Palin defeated along with Murkowski in the primary.

Before that, Tibbles worked as the deputy commissioner for the Department of Administration in the Murkowski administration.

Palin said that even as she was moving through the election night crowds Tuesday, she was handed resumes from job seekers.

"We sure have found ourselves in the last couple of weeks with many, many new best friends," Palin joked.

As is always the case, there's no shortage of speculation about who might be placed in which job in the new administration. Anchorage lawyer Wayne Anthony Ross, Palin's campaign co-chairman, said he'd heard rumors about jobs he might get in the new administration but said Tuesday night he'd had no discussions with Palin. He said he'd be happy to take the helm at any one of three agencies: Department of Health and Social Services, Department of Law and Department of Public Safety.

In DHSS, he said he'd want to work at "getting rid of some entitlements and whittle down the bureaucracy, stopping the department from interfering with families when they should not be interfering and get them interfering with families when they should be interfering." As a lawyer, he said, he has represented families involved with the department in the past.

House Majority Leader John Coghill, a North Pole Republican, said legislators will be watching closely whom Palin appoints.

"I would like to see her go enlist Tom Irwin. I think he was one of the best of the best," Coghill said, referring to the former Murkowski Natural Resources commissioner who supported Palin in her bid for governor.

When it comes to assembling her team, Palin said, she'll look outside her own party.

"We know that we will be serving all Alaskans. That's going to be reflected in the applicants that we consider."

Talking to reporters in her Midtown campaign office, Palin was handed a copy of a letter from Gov. Murkowski pledging to cooperate with her for a smooth transition.

Palin started to read the letter out loud.

" 'I'm sure you feel the joy of the honor and duty bestowed upon you by your fellow Alaskans,' " she read, " 'and relief that this long campaign is over.' "

Then she said: "He is right."

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Daily News reporters Tom Kizzia and Don Hunter contributed to this report. Reporter Kyle Hopkins can be reached at khopkins@adn.com.

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Transition team chief

Mike Tibbles was Gov. Frank Murkowski's deputy transition director when he was elected in 2002. Tibbles served as Murkowski's legislative director and deputy commissioner of administration. He was Republican candidate John Binkley's campaign manager during the primary race for governor. Tibbles joined forces with Sarah Palin late in her campaign.