Posted on 11/06/2008 4:39:31 AM PST by IrishMike
John McCain's greatest contribution to the conservative movement was naming Sarah Palin as his running mate.
So the country got its wish.
Barack Obama will be sworn in as the 44th President of the United States in 76 days from now.
He has now been placed in the awkward position of having to back up his own lofty oratory. With lofty oratory come lofty expectations.
Americans expect Obama to restore to our economy to prosperity.
Americans expect Obama to reform health care.
Americans expect Obama to command our armed forces in Afghanistan and Iraq responsibly and to protect us in the ongoing War on Terror.
With our economy in the worst shape it has been in nearly three decades it is unlikely Obama will be able to provide any quick fix for the economy. Under these conditions it is also unlikely Obama will be able to change our health care system in any meaningful way.
Aside from inheriting two wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, it is very likely Joe Biden's prediction will be realized. A foreign power or a terrorist organization (possibly both) will test Obama's resilience before 2009 has passed. By Biden's own admission it will not be readily apparent that Obama has passed such a test.
Americans have taken a leap of faith with Obama. Under Obama's leadership will America soar to a new horizon or will America fall hard and fast to a spectacular crash?
Barack Obama is our first black President. By the end of his term I believe his hair will be whiter than John McCain's.
John McCain is indisputably an honorable and noble man. However, he not considered a conservative icon. However, McCain's greatest legacy to the conservative movement was naming Sarah Palin as his running mate.
Sarah Palin has reinvigorated the conservative movement. Obama's victory does not diminish this renewed enthusiasm in the least. In Palin, conservatives have someone to rebuild the movement around. Given her unusual circumstances and the transcendent nature of her persona in her possession she has already proven that she can attract people who had no previous interest in politics much less describe themselves as conservative or Republican. Despite the disdain of the liberal media and a handful of conservative critics, Sarah Palin has captured the imagination of everyday Americans in her own right and would be a formidable foe for Obama in four years time.
Yes, I am putting it out there less than 24 hours after the Presidential election. If she runs I will support Sarah Palin's bid for the White House in 2012. I know I am not alone.
Palin will be four years older and wiser but no less charming and dynamic. Should she run Palin will have more experience as a state Governor than Mitt Romney.
This isn't to say that Palin's path to the White House would be easy. Her status as John McCain's running mate and following she has developed might make her the frontrunner but we all know what has happened to frontrunners lately.
Palin hasn't always made nice with Republicans. Who can guarantee that she won't face a challenge in the 2010 Alaska Republican Primary? Could Frank Murkowski challenge Palin as Palin challenged him in 2006? Even if Palin survives a strong challenge from Murkowski or any other Republican it could hurt her chances for re-election.
GOP challenge or not every Democrat in the country is going to fly to Juneau to ensure her defeat in November 2010. Democrats will do with her what Republicans tried to do with Bill Clinton when he ran for re-election as Governor of Arkansas in 1990. Republicans charged that Clinton would not serve a full term because of his Oval Office ambitions. Clinton denied he was contemplating a White House bid in 1992. Well, I think we know how that turned out. Suffice it to say, Democrats will be making this charge and Palin will have to walk a very fine line.
Assuming that Palin survives both a GOP challenge and wins re-election in Alaska it is unlikely she would win the Republican nomination for the White House by acclamation. You can be sure Mitt Romney and Mike Huckabee still have aspirations for higher office. One must also consider up and comers like Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal, who was elected to office a year ago, and perhaps Virginia Congressman Eric Cantor, the only Jewish Republican in the House of Representatives. Both Jindal and Cantor were discussed as potential running mates for McCain last summer.
No one is going to hand Sarah Palin the Presidency on a platter and she hasn't asked for any such thing. If Palin is nominated by the Republican National Convention and goes on to win the White House in four years it will be because she has earned it like she has earned everything else in her life.
Sarah Palin is an American success story. She is a self-made woman who has raised a family while serving the public good. This resonates with a large segment of the American public who see her in themselves. We say to ourselves, "If she can make it then I can make it too." If Obama's time is now she will resonate that much more should he be unable to make the most of his time in office.
Sarah Palin's time will come. America's preparation for that time begins today.
Sorry, way too early to start claiming Palin is Presidential material. Let’s wait to see how her tenure in AK turns out.
At least we could have a rally Jan. 10 to get the 4 year campaign going. I think the primary battle should start right away. It would drive the MSM nuts. No Honeymoon for this freak show.
The GOP didn’t want ‘08. It will be their fault just as much as the RATS’ and Husseins’ when they take our country to ruin. Sarah was the bright light this time and she will be an even more brilliant light in ‘12.
Palin was ready in 2008. too bad the ticket had her name on the wrong line.
They got exactly the candidate they wanted. They got exactly the party platform they demanded. The campaign was run exactly the way they insisted it be run.
How'd that end up working out for us, again...?
They actually managed to lose to a one-term Senate Marxist with open and unapologetic terrorist ties. The ONLY thing I want to hear from Team McCain or any of its shrill little online apologists, from this day forward, is a meek and contrite: "We're sorry."
They have nothing else worthwhile what. so. EVER. to contribute to any meaningful discussion, re: either conservatism or winning electoral strategies.
It was the late-added presence of SARAH which energized an otherwise moribund and apathetic conservative voting base.
It was SARAH who drew record-shattering crowds, everywhere she went on behalf of a sour and ungrateful McCain campaign.
Friendly little word of warning to any/all RINOs out there reading this, and thinking about standing in the way between this woman and the conservative base that adores her, anytime during the next four years:
You're expendable to us. SHE isn't.
I think there are a lot of Obama voters out there who don’t really pay attention to details who are going to be surprised and shocked when they find out the real agenda Obama, Pelosi and Reid have up their sleeves.
I don’t think the presidency will wear well on Obama. He is clearly a very high strung person and unlike Reagan, Clinton and Palin, who are energized by a big crowd of people and are clearly “people persons”, it looks like a crowd just saps the energy out of Obama.
how would it drive the msm nuts? all it would do is give them the early opportunity to trash the person(s) early and often like they did with Sarah Palin.
I kept the frame from my McCain sign and will be creating a Palin 2012 lawn sign this weekend. When its finished, I’ll be sure to post some photos.
no, not after only 2 years as governor. the deal was she’d learn from the ‘master’ as VP and then she’d be ready to be president.
Sorry but I don't see that happening. She belongs in Alaska, not in the national limelight. She's not deserving of all the disgusting crap that was thrown at her and her family and that will surely be thrown again. That has to be a tremendous burden on a person and their family and I don't think she wants to go thru that again.
well we expect more from presidents than just speeches
If Governor Palin really wants to go to Washington we could use a good Secretary of Energy.
I agree. While she added excitement to the ticket, she hasn't demonstrated a broad command of the issues. She is still a long way from Ronald Reagan. Reagan had written great pieces on conservatism and served effectively as governor. Sarah can spend more time getting Alaska into shape, or possibly even taking Ted Stevens' Senate seat.
Let Palin have some time to refocus. Everyone knows her now so name recognition won’t be a problem.
I believe its best to direct efforts at holding obama to his lofty rhetoric and empty promises. Raise the noise level when he stumbles and never forget how quickly he sought to destroy an American who asked him a simple question.
obama is in the hot seat and we should make it hotter then hell.
i think it’s fair to say with no disrespect to her that she’s no Ronald Reagan. She has the opportunity to make herself into a dynamic politician but she is going to have to fight the MSM and elitist East Coast Pubes who despise her. She is going to have to learn how to turn the tables to embarrass them and show them how out of touch and biased we all know they are.
His supporters expect him to destroy the ideal that was the United States of America, the most successful republic history has seen.
They don't want problems solved, they want anarchy.
Of course Obama will deliver on these expectations.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.