Less than two years ago GOP vice-presidential nominee Sarah Palin, now governor of Alaska, was mayor of Wasilla, Alaska, a town outside Anchorage.
Much has been made of how small the town is, as Democrats and pundits use it to cast doubt on her preparedness to run for office and, if necessary, serve as commander in chief.
But no one can agree how small the town is.
The New York Times today referred to: "Wasilla, a growing suburb of Anchorage with fewer than 7,000 residents."
The Washington Post, meanwhile, quotes two different population figures in two pieces today. In its news story, Robert Barnes and Michael Shear referred to "Wasilla, which has a population of about 6,700." But in an editorial, the paper wrote: "Her executive experience consists of less than two years as governor of her sparsely populated state, plus six years as mayor of Wasilla (pop. 8,471).
Yesterday, I wrote: "Before becoming governor, Palin served two terms as mayor of Wasilla, Alaska, a town of 9,800 people".
The Denver Post, in an editorial entitled "Palin an odd choice for VP", wrote: "John McCain... has picked a running mate who just two years ago was serving as mayor of Wasilla, Alaska, population 5,470."
So what gives?
According to the census bureau, the definitive source of US population figures, the last census tally, in 2000, revealed a population of 5,469. The bureau's 2007 population estimate, which I cited in my story, had the town at 9,780 residents. The difference between the two figures is huge, approximately 79% growth, but there is no disputing it's a small town, approximately one twentieth the size of Barack Obama's Illinois state senate district.
