Unlike most Americans, I was familiar with the name Sarah Palin before she was announced as John McCain's VP pick. That's because as a member of the organization Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund, I've read plenty of the group's e-mails detailing her detestable actions when it comes to wildlife and the environment. And nothing is making me more nauseous than seeing her positioned in front of (and, of course, accepted by) the American people as this lovable, maverick hockey mom with a warm heart.

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Want some examples? How about these lovely tidbits? "Despite strong scientific, ethical and public opposition to aerial hunting, Governor Palin has proposed paying a $150 bounty for the left foreleg of each dead wolf; approved a $400,000 state-funded propaganda campaign to promote aerial hunting; and introduced legislation to make it even easier to use aircraft to hunt wolves and bears." And members of her Department of Fish & Game recently took 14 wolf cubs from their den and shot each one in the head.

Here's a statement by Roger Schlickeisen, president of Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund. And be sure to watch the above video clip.

“Senator McCain’s choice for a running mate is beyond belief. By choosing Sarah Palin, McCain has clearly made a decision to continue the Bush legacy of destructive environmental policies. Sarah Palin, whose husband works for BP (formerly British Petroleum), has repeatedly put special interests first when it comes to the environment. In her scant two years as governor, she has lobbied aggressively to open up the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to drilling, pushed for more drilling off of Alaska’s coasts, and put special interests above science. Ms. Palin has made it clear through her actions that she is unwilling to do even as much as the Bush administration to address the impacts of global warming. Her most recent effort has been to sue the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to remove the polar bear from the endangered species list, putting Big Oil before sound science. As unbelievable as this may sound, this actually puts her to the right of the Bush administration. This is Senator McCain’s first significant choice in building his executive team and it’s a bad one. It has to raise serious doubts in the minds of voters about John McCain’s commitment to conservation, to addressing the impacts of global warming and to ensuring our country ends its dependency on oil.”