Get Over it, Sarah is gone as a National Candidate

vanity | 7-5-09 | Bob J

[Bob J]

Sarah is now unelectable on a national stage. The “quitter” specter will hang around her neck like “swimmer” does to Ted Kennedy.

You’ll be able to spot the realistic, clear thinking conservatives because they see and admit this early so we can put it behind us get on with identifying the candidates who can win in ‘12.

BTW - This doesn’t rule out a tangential private career ala Newt or a run for a House or Senate seat (although I don’t know where at this point) but as a national candidate she is toast.

That so many conservatives can’t see this is one of the reasons we lose so often...in campaigns and ideology.

It’s quite sad but something I’ve learned to live with. At one point I thought the conservative cause in this country could be galvanized around solid principles, sober and realistic goals and turned into an effective winning strategy and movement. But I’ve come to realize too many voluntarily ignore the ugly realities of politics and put their faith in Hail Mary passes, and frankly, are just too lazy for the time and effort needed to bring this country back to where they profess they want it to be.

[ShandaLear]

Am I going to win next Wednesday’s lottery? Please let me know since I can see you are so great at predicting the future.

[IronJack]

Did you take a vow of masochism, Bob?

[Bob J]

Heheh, no, I just call ‘em as I see ‘em...as I always have.

[Jeff Head]

Nope...not the conservatives, and not with the crowds she will bring.

[counterpunch]

She let down her constituents and the citizens of Alaska, blind sided her backers, devastated her supporters for a potential Prez run...

You are correct, and the proof is in what Alaska's Republican senator had to say about it.
Senator Murkowski, by far the most popular politician in Alaska (out-performing Palin by nearly 20 points) said this:

“I am deeply disappointed that the Governor has decided to abandon the State and her constituents before her term has concluded.”

This puts the disappointment and betrayal felt by the majority of Alaskans into words.
 

[DallasSun]

I think things will change after this announcement. Though she does have her core supporters. But we will see what happens. I think she will be treated much the same W was this last election. No one wanted to be associated with him. Only time will tell.

[nathanbedford]

I know that Sarah Palin is an inspiring figure. In fact I will take a backseat to no one on Free Republic in articulating support for Sarah Palin beginning the very day her candidacy was announced by John McCain. Fortunately, I save most of my posts and I've just been rereading some of them concerning Sarah Palin. I am prepared to repost them now if that is what takes to prove bona fides as a conservative.

Is that really necessary? Can't you simply allow that another conservative draws different conclusion from a set of facts than you do? No need to get personal about this. I tell you that I hope I am wrong. You ask if I will support the Sarah Palin? I have are so posted yesterday. Please note the first paragraph of that post which is really a compendium of three posts on Sarah Palin which I reproduce so that we can stop this silly business of personally attacking everybody who disagrees with us:

It is my view that Sarah Palin has concluded that her family must come first and she intends to withdraw from active politics in the sense of seeking higher office. I regret that. I think it is a grave loss to the whole country. I wish she had taken my advice gratuitously given well before the election that she spend this last, long, dark Alaska winter undergoing forensic training. If she were to run and could somehow miraculously overcome the strategic blunder, I would support her. (emphasis supplied)

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Please do not confuse an honest appraisal of the facts with some sort of endorsement of those facts.

I offer the following three posts, the last of which done I think before the election, so that you will understand my position:

I fully agree with Mark Steyn's take, in fact, it parallels my post which came out with the news:

It is the explanation that makes the most sense, her family has been so battered by this process, by the unmitigated venom of the Democrat attacks against her, that they are simply withdrawing into their Alaskan reality. They never lived by the Beltway reality. They are just going home. (emphasis supplied)

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/2285287/posts?page=6#6

Your points are well considered but could it be that we have just witnessed Sarah Palin jump the shark moment? Please understand, I do not wish it so, quite the contrary, I dearly wish it were otherwise. I merely calls 'em as I sees 'em. (emphasis supplied)

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/2285086/posts?page=97#97

Finally, so that you understand how I feel about Sarah Palin, I add this lengthy reply:

You know I have spent considerable time in Alaska and much of it in Wasilla. I can well understand how somebody with Sarah Palin's personality and energy could rise to become governor of that state by virtue of her merit. In Alaska, at least in the Wasilla area, everybody knows everybody else and you better be a standup guy. You can be as eccentric as an out- house rat, but you better be a straight shooter and you better not put on no airs.

These down-home virtues are what is needed but not what is prized in Washington. I believe Sarah Palin is up against two psychological forces which she must overcome.

The first is a phenomenon applied to all Republican candidates that I can remember since Eisenhower. I can remember being told quite earnestly that the man who commanded the biggest, most complicated, and most successful amphibious operation in history was really quite stupid. Every succeeding Republican president since Eisenhower (excepting Nixon who was evil) was stupid. This calumny is tried on against every Republican candidate who comes along. We saw what happened to Dan Quayle. Can you recall how stupid Ronald Reagan was? Bedtime for Bozo? George Bush Sr. was out of touch and stupid, although his wife was conceded to be house smart in a grandmotherly sort of way. We all know her son is a moron. Sarah Palin, like Dan Quayle, was left out there exposed, unprepared and unsupported and no one should be surprised that the result was the same. So when Palin drops her gs and says "aw shucks," that is all the Eastern establishment needed to hear to match up the person with the holes in the template.

Of course, President Kennedy was in near genius who sped read at an amazing clip. We found out later that this was a lie and that his Pulitzer prize-winning book was ghostwritten. We now know that he must have been in a thick drug-induced cloud for much of his tenure in the Oval Office. Do you remember being told how intuitive Bill Clinton was and how he could summarize an expert's presentation better than the expert? Al Gore was a genius who was too good for the schools he flunked out of. And Barak Obama, well one can only express astonishment that his coming was not announced by John the Baptist.

And this messianic allusion brings me to the main problem which Sarah Palin confronts in structuring her image. It is the Billy Budd effect. If you recall your Melville, you will know that Billy Budd was a figure of good whose very presence antagonized the first mate who persecuted Billy Budd unmercifully. The mate was driven to do this unconsciously because the mate was a figure of evil. The mate had his demons. So it is with the left in America today, they are driven to a visceral hatred of Sarah Palin because she is the 21st century figure of Billy Budd. Sarah Palin committed an unforgivable affront, she knowingly carried a Mongoloid to term. This cannot be forgiven. This is the ultimate reproach to the entire belief system of the left. Sarah Palin need not even open her mouth and she is hated with a cold and unremitting fury.

This is why I said that the left hates Sarah Palin not for what she says or how she appears on television but for who she is. The left must react as evil always reacts in the presence of good. Like the second mate, they must persecute Sarah Palin and they do not even know why.

But Sarah Palin ought to know why if she is going to be able to cope with a brick bats that will come her way. She must know that she can never charm these people. The more she tries the more they will hate her. She must focus on her target, the conservative base which she will keep so long as she is faithful and the independent middle which is persuadable if she can appear to be a normal and a wholesome person.

[rintense]

Frankly, I am surprised and disappointed that freepers can not, or will not, see the bigger picture here. Undoubtedly, we are living in uncertain times. We are living in a country where freedoms are being eroded at an alarmingly rapid pace with rising taxes to match. Considering the election of 2008, any established norms and predictability are gone. It is time to throw conventional wisdom out. Period.

It is time for a revolution.

A revolution, reformation and redefinition of conservative values. If that happens outside the GOP, so be it. If the beltway elites want to jump on the train, fine. But it won't be under their terms. It will be under OUR terms.

There isn't a person out there, inside or out, of the GOP who can command an audience like Sarah. There isn't a person out there who can articulate the core values of conservatism with the passion and conviction that Sarah can.

The reality isn't that Sarah is done. The reality is that politics as we have known it has changed forever. That reality demands a new way of bringing people to the cause. Through that cause, conservatism will rise to the national forefront once again.

And it will be led by a woman who realized her calling went beyond the great state of Alaska, a calling that has surpassed the reasoning of political pundits and even some freepers.

Unconventional times call for an unconventional woman.

And her name is Sarah Palin.

[Texas_shutterbug]

Sarah is "popular" with a certain segment of the conservative movement - namely the pro-life group. (Of which I am most definitely a part.) However, I have never been a fan of Sarah - the politician - because I know she can't win a natiional election barring a miracle.

Of course, if we had a miracle, maybe this country wouldn't be killing millions of it's next generation. :( :( :(

[MHGinTN]

As clear a description of liberal derangement as I have ever read!... The liberals/leftists do not even realize why they hate Sarah because to come to that realization would open their eyes to their own dead-souls. Rotting zombies don't keep mirrors around and cannot abide anyone else having mirrors.

[Mr. Mojo]

I just call ‘em as I see ‘em

Then answer the question I posted in #139.

[Minus_The_Bear]

"Fine, y’all can have Mitt Romney or whatever progressive Rep that you throw out there. The game has changed and you’re still playing by the old rules."

I will actively campaign for a Democrat before voting for Romney.

[staytrue]

I’m going to agree with you.

Sarah is really smart. Sarah also said “a point guard knows when it is time to pass the ball to a teammate”.

Sarah has concluded she won’t be potus in 2012 and decided to pass the ball.

After the Dean Scream, Howard Dean concluded the same and decided to be DNC chairman. Actually, it would be great if Sarah became RNC chairman. And this is coming from someone who has met Michael Steele and likes Michael Steele a lot.

[DallasSun]

And Jeff, remember, as Joe Scarborough says, (and I love Joe, do Not fuss at me!) there is a huge difference between the conservatives and the neo cons. The neo cons may follow Sarah..much more so than the conservatives. (May I feed the bear?)

[nathanbedford]

I think we are in agreement. I hold no urgent brief for representative Boehner and I was very pleasantly surprised at his splendid stand against Cap and Trade. I wondered what woke him up and I'm not sure he won't go back to sleep. But for now, he seems to be on a roll and he holds evidently the respect of his colleagues.

I agree with your suggestion of putting Senator DeMint in charge over there. As you are aware, trying to lead the Senate is like herding cats and the best one can probably hope for out of the minority leader is someone who can exploit the post as a bully pulpit and articulate the case against Obama. Mitch McConnell, as you point out, is clearly not doing that.

I just wish that Newt Gingrich had been put in the job of party chairman. The problem with Michael Steele is not just that he is an inadequate spokesman, but evidently he is a miserable administrator as well. Gingrich has proved that he can engineer a national campaign.

[Niteflyr]

Frankly, I am surprised and disappointed that freepers can not, or will not, see the bigger picture here.

So right....many here are unbelievably myopic...it is shocking....

[Bob J]

I’m not your monkey on a leash. I posted this article to talk about SP’s chances at a presidential run and don’t wish to dilute it with speculation about the GOP nominee in ‘12...particularly at this early date.

However, if you want to talk about it you’re more than welcome to start a thread on that topic, I might even post.

[Uncle Chip]

Most candidates will keep their distance from her.

Those that do so will be showing their true colors and WILL LOSE big time.

[staytrue]

“I think her move was an obvious jump away from elective office for good, but I do think she can do more for conservatives as a fundraiser and advocate.”

How about next RNC chairman.

[staytrue]

“Well, then what do you recommend that someone at her juncture in a political career do?”

RNC Chairman.