Sarah Palin: The GOP's Best Hope in 2012

Pajamas Media ^ | Katherine Berry

[AJKauf]

McCain’s staff failed to recognize that Sarah Palin could — indeed, should — have been the GOP’s Obama. Her folksy, “hockey Mom” persona was the perfect foil to Obama’s claim that he was a relative Washington outsider, just as her from-the-hip speaking style was the mirror image of Obama’s soaring, lofty rhetoric. Where Obama sought to break the racial barrier as a harbinger of change and reform, Palin as the vice president would have broken the gender barrier, accomplishing the same goal.

Yet despite the huge surge in the GOP’s favor after naming Palin to the ticket, the McCain campaign squandered away her appeal. Some wonder now, in hindsight, whether this waste was intentional.

Given the “full-scale kneecapping of Sarah Palin” that McCain’s staff has undertaken since the election, it certainly appears they have a grudge to bear against her.

Funny how the Palin-bashing seems to be coming from those in the GOP whom she threatens the most.

[techno]

Again 91% of Republicans don’t agree with you at this time. I admit Sarah’s popularity with the party is bound to diminish over time but isn’t one of the main criteria for leadership is having the support of the base, allowing the leader the opportunity to move ahead and go on offense rather than constantly looking in the rear view mirror to guard against who is going to stab him or her in the back this particular week. Sarah is in a good position now. Whether Sarah wants to take full advantage of her popularity within the party and strike while the iron is hot is up to her. But there is no denying that she could cut a wide swath over the Republican political landscape in the next 4 years if she wants to.

[imfrmdixie]

She just doesn’t have credibility

Why do you say this? What information is this based on?

[fso301]

Palin needs to tone down her populist style a bit and develop a solid plan for moving the nation forward for her to be a viable contender in 2012.

[wardaddy]

She came across as an extremist

you really should visit Wideawakes, Political Pachyderm or Darwin Central.

your big tent pandering views will be better recieved there

we lost for exactly the opposite of the views you are pushing here

[uncle fenders]

I agree with alot of the above sentiment.. I like Sarah, lets let her mature in the office, and hopefully we will be looking at a handfull of great candidates to choose from in four years. No need to be backing anyone at this point, we want our guys working to be the best, not getting blind support from our side of the aisle.

In many ways Sarah ran directly against obama this time..so it would almost seem a rematch next election, that may not be wise as well?

[Diogenesis]

Romney and his minions (including here at FR until the night of the election) were behind all of these attacks
on Gov. Palin. They have destroyed the Election 2008 for the GOP.

Was it worth it, Mr. Romney? (He says, "YES").

Myth Romney: "You will embrace this attack on Gov. Palin,
her little children and her baby, using only 20% of our junior staff.
Leak the attacks calling her stupid using Jindal's, McCain's and Huckabee's names
exactly like our attacks on McCain and Thompson using Huckabee's name during the Primaries.
Make Gov. Palin look stupider than a first grader - and contrast that to me.
Make Gov.Palin's family look ugly - and contrast that to mine.
Create, then support, the attack on Palin from our northern lands in the Belmont sanctuary mansion
using the same fake law enforcement badges and ploys which we fabricated and still enjoy.
I will gain GOP favor by condemning the attack and
ordering it opposed from our lands in the south, in the Hive and through Fox News and Newsweek.
Whichever way the tide runs, we will rise. "

[libbylu]

http://hotair.com/archives/2008/11/08/video-it-wasnt-romney-aides-spreading-palin-rumors-reporter-says/

[Las Vegas Ron]

Ah...just went and Googled it, nice

[imfrmdixie]

I joined teamsarah.org a month or so ago...when it was started....I was in the first hundred members...there are now almost 55,000 members and most are intent on her Presidency.

[maryz]

With all due respect, you have totally lost it!

[Diogenesis]

Relying on a Newsweek reportette who backpedals
claiming “she believes” Romney has nothing to do with
this particular leak, is worth ..... Nothing.

Romney = Saboteur of the GOP.

[Stunned]

This thread is really hard to read. I expect things will change, but with the attitude people have here and now, we are doomed. Here in Alaska, the headlines are wondering how Sarah will fare with her old allies who were mostly Dems. My ultra-liberal Dem state house member is quoted in today’s paper as saying she will never trust Sarah again. She used to be a big supporter. All this makes me think about on the morons here on Free Republic. They never looked at Sarah’s record here. They just bought the line fed by the McCain campaign. Trouble is that while most Americans aren’t that smart, they are smarter than the average Freeper. For them, Sarah is a national joke . . . and will be in 2012 too. So I guess if you’re stupid, you want a stupid candidate. Sarah’s your girl. After all, Bush was plenty smart enough and did a great job for us—uh-huh. And if you’re stupid best to beat up on the smart one—that’d be Romney.

[libbylu]

http://news.bostonherald.com/news/politics/general/view/2008_11_08_Mitt_Romney:_Sarah_Smear%E2%80%98_Not_Me:_Aides_blast_accusations/srvc=home&position=0

[AuntB]

Okay, you’re from Alaska. Please enlighten us. Specifically, what has Sarah done in Alaska that is “stupid’, as you put it?

[libbylu]

Trendy, self-exonerating flip: Now — it bothers Team Romney that this idea has spread so widely. Take the truth out of it for a moment; Palin is the most popular figure in the Republican Party right now, and if you want a future in that party, you can’t be seen as spreading gossip about her.

Metaflip: Bottom line: Mitt Romney’s world is big. Many Republicans consider themselves to be part of it. That’s a credit to their faith in the guy. But it’s not too big; that is — if the anti-Palin fires were being spread mostly by Romney folks, political reporters would know about it, and they’d write about it. Objection: Many reporters are in the tank and want to protect Romney and their sources: Overruled: since when are reporters in Mitt Romney’s tank?

http://marcambinder.theatlantic.com/archives/2008/11/rumor_patrol_romney_camp_sprea.php

[Zipporah]

Oh please, I have no dog in this fight. So you’re saying, if I have a differing point of view I should be banished to be with the loons at Wide Awakes? LOL

[E. Cartman]

While I like and admire Gov. Sarah Palin, she does need to sharpen her claws and bone up on world affairs. I would love to see her in the White House.

Agreed. It wasn't until several years after 1964 that Reagan became "Reagan."

[Zipporah]

I’m basing it on my experience with people I speak with in the business world during the campaign etc.(no not extremist liberals, just mainstream Americans) And the Fox News report to name one. I shouldn’t have ever attempted to voice my opinion. I would like to see a real conservative campaign and WIN but I suppose hearing giving an opinion that was an attempt to look for a viable candidate is wrong. So I suppose I’ll go back to lurking.

[imfrmdixie]

Don’t you dare go into ‘lurking’!! It is through open and honest discussion that we can learn. One of the ‘things’ I have learned and why I often ask the source of information is that a lot of people have based their opinions on gossipy type information rather than facts. You keep up including your thoughts and opinions...they are important...even if I think you are stoopid....just kidding... :O)

[Jacob Kell]

How was she an “extremist”?