Posted on 07/07/2009 11:00:31 AM PDT by ReagansRaiders
Updated: 12:00 AM ET July 7, 2009 Palin's Plan By Roger Stone
It was 1962. Richard Nixon had had enough. Enough of being called "Tricky Dick, the man no one would buy a used car from." Enough of the elitist derision that had come his way since the Hiss case. He had had enough of the liberal media who consistently held him to a higher standard than his Democratic opponents and poked fun at his lack of sophistication - he being the son of a grocer. So Nixon blew. He announced the end of his career in seeking elective office; "You won't have Dick Nixon to kick around anymore because, gentlemen, this is my last press conference." Six years later he was inaugurated as President of the United States.
Sarah Palin This moment came last week for Sarah Palin and her husband Todd. Sick of the derision of the media for her unsophisticated country ways, her plain speaking and consistently being held to a higher standard than her critics, Palin had had enough. Palin resigned as Governor and, like Nixon, did not reveal her future plans. A follow-up FACEBOOK posting for her legions of admirers was clearly written in her own hand as it is plain-spoken and blunt.
Watching the Washington chattering class pan the Palin moves shows the moronic level of political analysis in the media today. Switch-hitter Dave Gergen, Ed Rollins who bolted his Party to go destroy the candidacy of Ross Perot and then trashed Perot, and Upper West Side reform Democrat Dick Morris who toiled for Ohio lefty, Howard Metzenbaum and Clinton but is today a born again Christian and right-winger, all panned the Palin move. Fools.
In fact, resignation as Governor was necessary to preserve any prospect that Palin could be nominated and elected in 2012 or beyond.
Palin could accomplish nothing more as Governor to burnish her "experience" credentials. Nuisance lawsuits and ethics complaints from garden variety left-wing nuts were costing her hundreds of thousands of dollars and paralyzing state government. Palin's accomplishments as Governor in boom times where behind her. The lot of a Governor today is painful cuts and delivering bad news for the next 18 months. Who needs it?
Palin has the most valuable commodity a Presidential candidate can have - a base. Roughly 23% of Americans and 68% of Republicans have a favorable view of Palin. She alone has this kind of intense following. She alone can fill a large hall or small stadium anywhere in Republican Country. This is similar to the following that sustained Nixon through two defeats and his 'self-destruction' in 1962 to win the White House in 1968.
Like Nixon, Palin needs some rehabilitation to her political image caused by the relentless attacks of the elitist media, the knife-work of the relatively talentless Republican Party pros like Steve Schmidt and her own self-inflicted wounds from the post election period that were born out of inexperience at this level of political combat. Like Nixon, Palin can re-make herself in the controlled environment of television. Instead of being tortured by smug media types like Katie Couric, Palin can demonstrate her better understanding of issues and articulate a case against Obama. She can be folksy and plain-spoken and above all, 'smart.' All hail the Conservative Oprah!
The "New Palin" is crucial to the expansion beyond her base of true believers to be a viable presidential candidate. The obvious place for Palin to re-tool her political image is FOX television. FOX's viewers are Palin's potential voters. It is ironic that FOX president Roger Ailes is the genius TV producer who erased candidate Nixon's flaws in a controlled environment and facilitated the greatest political comeback in American history, is at the helm at FOX.
As Bill Kristol, the only DC based analyst who "gets it" said, the move also frees Palin to "write her book, give speeches, travel the country, and educate herself on some issues." It also frees her to build a net work of fundraisers and supporters throughout the country - many of whom will be her TV viewers.
Palin will also be more in demand as a dinner speaker, fundraiser and campaigner than any other Republican in 2011. She can suspend her TV career and will have a chance to collect countless political IOUs along the way, campaigning for candidates and raising them money and hitting the State Republican dinner circuit. Demand for the "New Palin" will only increase.
Palin's "star-power," charisma, presence and genuineness cannot be discounted. No one can discount her moxie, her energy and her inspirational qualities. Her anti-elite middle-class message can have resonance again when the Obama economic policies likely fail. The Ivy leaguers and Hollywood crowd so high on Obama may be riding for a fall. The media has unfairly labeled her as "dumb." All she must do is disprove this...and she can have sixty minutes each week to do it.
Palin's stunning move guarantees an outsider strategy in which Palin is a "movement" but not a "party" candidate. No decision on running should be made until 2011 and focus must be on image repair. This is a woman who held off 36 year Senate vet Joe Biden in a 90 minute debate. She may just be up to the task.
Yes, but IMO Fred is and was presidential material.
Due to a lack of readers, they've already stopped.
But thanks for playing!
Well you gotta play to win.
Not a bad Start!
Her Twitter count has doubled to 83,000 since last Friday and she's over 600,000 on Facebook friends.
Meg Stapleton said yesterday there's been a big uptick in SarahPAC donations since the anoouncement.
It's all good.
I’m not much at cards, but I know when to run.
Fred would’ve been infinitely better than what we wound up with.
With the esception of the “feint” to the ‘11-’12 run, there is nothing in this article I didn’t state, more succinctly, myself.
But SP is now written off as a national GOP candidate. Oh she could win a primary but she’ll never be able to get over the “quitter” label in a general nor will she be able to repair the damage done to party relationships she’ll need to get the nomination.
IMO those ignoring the reality of the situation are whistling past the graveyard...their support of Sarah will almost guarantee a loss in ‘12.
There is one caveat. If things go as bad economically as they might, the shades of Jimmy Carter ‘80 may overshadow the ‘12 election and whomever ends up being the GOP nominee may waltz in a cakewalk. This may be what Palin is planning, but it doesn’t erase the fact she quit on her supporters, her consituents and the State of Alaska. In my book that is a deal breaker.
Tea party Leader is perfect fit
i was about to post this when I found you had done so. Palin should come to New Hampshire. If she pulls a Huckabee and focuses on “Iowa Alone” it will definitely open the door for another conservative in the NH primary.
LLS
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