Palin stays true to her moose roots

John McCain and Sarah Palin began their post-convention tour of battleground states Friday in the small Wisconsin town of Cedarburg. But although Palin’s biggest task in the coming months will be trying win over the Lower 48, she’s not about to abandon her Alaska roots.

How can we tell? Follow the tracks. Moosetracks, that is.

That’s the ice cream flavor she chose when she, McCain and Cindy McCain made a stop at a Cedarburg sweets shop before their campaign appearance. The new vice presidential nominee ordered a large scoop of moosetracks -- vanilla ice cream with peanut butter cups and fudge -- served in a waffle cone.

Palin’s affinity for all things moose is well documented. Indeed, the Republicans seem to be touting her moose-hunting skills as one of her qualifications for vice president.

During his GOP convention speech, former Sen. Fred Thompson called her “the only nominee in the history of either party who knows how to properly field-dress a moose . . . with the possible exception of Teddy Roosevelt.”

And Cindy McCain, in her speech, said, “John has picked a reform-minded, hockey-mommin’, basketball-shooting, moose-hunting, salmon-fishing, pistol-packing mother of five for vice president.”

Palin, it seems, likes moose best when they’re on her plate. She has said that her favorite meal is moose stew.

Her propensity for hunting has alarmed some environmental activists. “Her philosophy, from our perspective, is cut, kill, dig and drill,” John Toppenberg, the director of the Alaska Wildlife Alliance, told the Associated Press.

Some Republicans would take that as a compliment.

Sen. McCain also had a scoop. His order? Watermelon sorbet.

We’re not quite sure what that reveals, but we welcome interpretations.

-- Kate Linthicum