Posted on 08/23/2011 1:16:50 PM PDT by AmericaTalks
There is much speculation about whether or not Sarah Palin will enter the 2012 GOP presidential race.
Those who admire and respect her believe she wields a tremendous amount of power with regard to the choice of the candidate who will eventually end up facing Barack Obama in what can only be the most important election of our lifetime.
But that candidate should not be Palin. And the reason is blatantly obvious.
She can't win.
It has nothing to do with any lack of political gravitas. Despite how her critics and detractors have attempted to portray her, Palin is intelligent, articulate and politically astute. She understands the issues facing America under Barack Obama as well as if not better than any of the declared candidates.
On the economic meltdown that has metastasized under the current president's lack of leadership, Palin's message of lower taxes, deregulation and free market principles has resonated loud and clear. She understands that Obama's Keynesian policies of government intervention and redistribution of wealth will never solve the malaise that has overtaken our nation's economy. Palin knows government cannot create wealth or permanent employment. Only the private sector can do so. And yes, revenues can be raised by creating more taxpayers, not by raising taxes.
Palin also realizes that our debt problem is out of control. We are passing a tremendous burden on to our children and grandchildren. Eventually the note will come due. She knows that the fiasco our nation just endured with raising the debt ceiling without real spending cuts, will only result in a further erosion of our status as a world economic leader.
On foreign policy, Palin understands that Barack Obama is trying to diminish our role in the world, by apologizing for our wealth, our military strength, and most importantly, our sovereignty.
Sarah Palin also perceives the threat that Sharia law poses to the United States, and is keenly aware of Obama's attempts to reach out to the Islamic world in such a way that would create an atmosphere in which Sharia might be incorporated into our society and our justice system.
Of course, no one understands energy policy better than Palin. High gasoline prices could soon just be an unpleasant memory if we just used the resources we have in this country. Domestic drilling, coupled with research into alternative energy sources, could easily make us energy independent in just a few years. But Obama's hard line stance on domestic and offshore drilling has only made us more dependent on foreign oil, and has added to our economic woes.
Yes, Sarah Palin has the knowledge and political savvy to be an effective president. So with all of this going for her, why can't she win?
Perception.
When Palin was thrust into the limelight in 2008, it was because of a floundering John McCain candidacy. In an act of desperation, she was brought in to do what McCain himself could not or would not do, namely to attack Barack Obama on his associations and his socialist beliefs. She was the barracuda sinking her teeth into every aspect of a man who fashioned himself a messiah, sent by some higher power (George Soros) to fundamentally transform America into something unrecognizable from what the Founding Fathers intended.
The mainstream media immediately began marginalizing her. Palin found herself facing condescending interviews by the likes of Katie Couric and Charles Gibson. In the end, it was McCain himself, refusing to go after Obama, that lost the election. Unfortunately, Palin was left holding the bag.
Since that time, Sarah Palin has had the opportunity to bring home the message that everything she talked about during that ill-fated campaign regarding Obama's character and ideology has proven true. And her down-to-earth, folksy delivery still resonates with a lot of people, mainly but not limited to the Tea Party, who see our nation slipping away from us at an alarming rate under the current regime.
One would think that this would only serve to make Palin a viable candidate for the GOP 2012 race.
So why doesn't it?
Two things.
The media has a longer memory than most of main street America. No matter how she might like to shake the perception that she is somehow an airhead, Palin cannot escape the scrutiny that has and would be placed not only on her, but also her family during a presidential campaign. She is well aware of this, and it may be the reason that, despite her bus tours, etc., she has yet to throw her hat into the fray, choosing instead to tease her followers about mounting a bid while continuing to chastise Obama from a position from which criticism from the media and the far left is minimal.
Palin's detractors are not limited to the left, however.
The mainstream wing of the Republican Party also fears a Palin candidacy. They view her as a threat to the status quo. In recent years, Republicans have strayed away from their conservative roots. Palin reflects a return to the core values of limited government, fiscal responsibility and American exceptionalism. This scares many RINOs in the GOP, who prefer more government and compromise.
These elements will do everything in their power to keep her from getting the nomination.
There is another factor to be considered here as well. With Michele Bachmann already in the race, a Palin run might eclipse Bachmann's candidacy, or at least the two of them might cancel each other out. Bachmann has already been overshadowed in recent days by Rick Perry, and as she struggles to make news above the fold, Palin might only serve to make her more obscure.
If Palin had declared before Bachmann, there might be a different story emerging here. But she may have waited too long.
Sarah Palin would best serve the party and her country by remaining a strong voice for conservative values. Her influence in the 2012 race could be monumental. She could be a kingmaker.
It isn't clear yet whether Sarah Palin will get into the race. But what is clear is that Obama needs to be defeated in 2012. The country cannot survive four more years of his presidency.
But with all of her strengths, a Palin candidacy is a no win proposition.
Palin's time has come and gone.
Listen to America Talks weeknights at 6 pm Eastern Time and Saturdays at 9 am Eastern Time at blogtalkradio.com/americatalks and at americatalks.com.
Speaking personally, I thought the whole posting was out of line and uncalled for. FR is Palin Country and negative hit pieces like this (even if shrouded in some kind words about Sarah Palin) seem counter to that stance.
What? Doomed again? Yawn.
Only in your frightened little mind.
I think Palin getting in is a win-win proposition whether she wins or loses. Like her or not she’s big-time and will draw interest. I definitely prefer her to Bachman and it’ll be up to her to handle the campaign well enough to beat the others. If she does so, why shouldn’t she be elected President against Obama? She will have to have gotten pretty good at campaigning to win the Republican nomination against Perry and Romney. It should be no problem to beat Obama regardless of what the media tries to do unless things change drastically and Obama becomes a serious guy instead of a left-wing-looney-community- activist-disaster-as-President.
My thoughts too. How many times has she been declared dead, buried, canonized, and resurrected? Palinistas are experts at suffering fools by now.
Y’know, I’ve read dozens of articles about how Sarah ‘can’t win’ and I have to admit that they might be right. But only if they succeed in splitting some of the less enthusiastic voters away to vote for a more “mainstream” candidate. As for me, I’ll vote for her whether she’s on the ballot or not.
B/S
I am no expert, but I don’t think she will run for this election.
David, if Palin gets the nomination and loses to Obama, it'll be because the "status quo" Republicans plan to plot against her to prevent her from winning. I say that to help others understand that should the "status quo" prevail in the primaries, why should I support their candidate? I quit being a Republican after the past election's trashing of O'Donnell, Angle and Miller, etc by the establishment Republicans. I have no desire to aid and abet them in destroying our country. If it's losing they want, it's losing they'll get. A tea party takeover of the GOP is the only thing that motivates me now. Defeating Obama I'll leave to Sarah Palin and ONLY Sarah Palin.
Good call on all points
Even if Sarah does run, but doesn’t win the nomination, she will bring twice as much attention to the Republican primary events than they would have without her.
Mongol General: Hao! Dai ye! We won again! This is good, but what is best in life?
Mongol: The open steppe, fleet horse, falcons at your wrist, and the wind in your hair.
Mongol General: Wrong! Conan! What is best in life?
Conan: To crush your enemies, see them driven before you, and to hear the lamentation of their women.
Mongol General: That is good! That is good.
Political correctness is just as ugly when conservatives practice it as it is when done by liberals. Don’t be afraid of debate or opposing views.
Such BS. As if, what, Perry or Bachmann would be the better candidate? The better president?
I don’t think so.
Palin now.
I disagree that Palin’s time has come and gone. Her time is yet to come, but 2012 isn’t her time.
“I am no expert, but I don’t think she will run for this election.”
Underestimation has left many figurative bodies in it’s path.
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