Posted on 06/27/2010 3:50:11 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
A truly extraordinary thing happened on this weekend's "The Chris Matthews Show": the host asked his panel if former Alaska governor Sarah is the most important Republican in the country right now. What made this even more surprising was how his guests -- CNN's Gloria Borger, Politico's John Harris, the BBC's Katty Kay, and former "CBS Evening News" host Dan Rather -- seemed to feel she was.
Most bullish on Palin was Rather who said, "I wouldn't underestimate her...If she decides to run, it would be hard to bet against her for the nomination."
For his part, Matthews played a little bit of a misdirection with his viewers by predictably bashing Palin during the program's introduction (multiple videos follow with highlights and commentary):
(VIDEO AT LINK)
CHRIS MATTHEWS, HOST: She was a governor that couldn't take it anymore. Ridiculed as a Bozo, all she could do was cash in get what she could on the way off the stage. But a year later, with zillions in her pocket, she's an even better bet to run.
As the opening segment about President Obama and Generals McChrystal and Petraeus came to an end, Matthews told his viewers:
MATTHEWS: Before we break, it was a year ago that Sarah Palin called that surprise news conference out there in the lawn in Wasilla to announce she was quitting as Alaska governor. David Letterman had a lot of fun with that.
What followed was one of Letterman's typically derogatory "Top Tens" about Palin:
(VIDEO AT LINK)
After the commercial, Matthews played a clip from Palin's resignation speech last July:
(VIDEO AT LINK)
SARAH PALIN: With this announcement that I'm not seeking re-election, I determined it is best to transfer the authority of governor, to Lieutenant Governor Parnell.
MATTHEWS: Transfer the authority? Well, she quit. A lot of people thought that was a short-sighted move, that quitting would end her career as an elected politician. Well, a year since then Palin's made well over $12 million. Her first book "Going Rogue" was the year's number one best-seller, made her $7 million in the advance. She gets $100,000 a speech, and Fox signed her to a TV deal. Besides getting to be rich, has she become, I would ask you open-ended, is she the most important Republican right now in the country?
Kay was the first to answer, making some surprisingly positive comments about the former Governor and her success assisting Republican candidates in recent primaries.
When Matthews commented that Palin seems to be only backing winners, Borger countered that maybe they're winning BECAUSE of her support.
For his part, Harris was a little less enthusiastic, but also gave an uncharacteristically upbeat view of the former vice presidential candidate.
But the best was yet to come when Rather got his turn:
DAN RATHER: Well, she's not running at the moment for President. But I wouldn't underestimate her. She's a version now of a Deacon with four aces. She can go a lot of different ways. She is playing an almost perfect hand. If she wants to stay a power in the Party, make a lot of money and not run, she can do that. I wouldn't underestimate her even for 2012 for one second. If she decides to run, it would be hard to bet against her for the nomination.
MATTHEWS: Good point. Is she Richard Nixon? Is she going around and picking up chits, proving that she can deliver, carefully selecting winners, avoiding losers when they're on the right, so that day after this election, like Nixon did in '66, "Look what I did for the party, I should be the nominee?"
RATHER: And goes into the convention with maybe thirty percent of the votes.
Imagine that.
For approaching two years, America's press have been mercilessly eviscerating this woman with every opportunity.
Now, with Obama plummeting in the polls, and Democrats looking like they're in a lot of trouble in the upcoming midterm elections, suddenly Palin is not only possibly the most important Republican in the country, but is also a legitimate candidate for President.
Is hell freezing over, or is something else at play here?
I think the leadership of the Democratic party has done the analysis and knows that a 2012 Presidential race between Obama and Palin would end up going to Obama in the end. This is the stumbling block left now from the 2008 election...compliments of McCain.
Personally...the more I see of New Jersey’s Christie...the confident I am of him being able to debate and easily take Obama in 2012.
While some of her endorsements may be questionable, those who consider her shallow should remember the labels that were applied to Reagan prior to his presidency.
While she still has not put her hat in the ring, I am of the opinion that if she were to win the nomination, which is no easy feat considering the large percentage of misogynists on the right as well as the left, she would have no problem defeating Obama. I think that the left is undoubtedly sure of that outcome as well, otherwise they would not be as terrified of her as they have shown themselves to be over the last 2 years.
the “Quitter” meme has a better chance of working in the primaries. A race with Zero will be almost all on Zero’s record, esp given he has governed so far to the left
But in the primaries, when they say sarah is a quitter, she will say since July 2009, I have written 2 best sellers, given 50 speeches, endorsed 50 candidates, campaigned personally for 25 candidates, travelled 50,000 miles, written 10 opeds for WSJ etc.
She has been all over the news doing stuff for 2 years. I don’t think the “Quitter” meme flies. Better start working on another meme. Even the LSM is starting to think for them the unthinkable, what we knew 2 years ago. sarah palin could very well be our next president.
Zero will lose in 2012 to almost any R mentioned, barring something catastrophic or martial law, etc.
Let them all think she is shallow. I like that. Even easier for Zero to be shredded. Zero is an idiot ideologue. Any of these R candidates should shred him. McCain was not wanting to win. problem is if anyone besides SP wins, about 90% of our victory will then be ceded back to the Libturds under the table.
Christie is a fantastic debater and he is one guy I would have to admit might make vote for him over SP in a primary.
I think SP is getting ready though for the debates and while she will share some conservative values with other R candidates, she has them beat hands down in integrity. Also she is completetly vetted.
I agree — the “quitter” meme won’t fly. But that card will still be played with abandon by her enemies, both Donks and Pubs.
President Nixon was a moderate in most areas, yet he beat Senator George McGovern like a drum in 1972. Mr. Obama is even further left than McGovern and as you said, Governor Palin is far more popular than President Nixon. What does that mean for 2012?
July 2009: Chrissy and pals uncorked the champagne and celebrated her “demised”.
July 2010: Chrissy and pals are now coughing up the champagne (mouth and nose) when they relized the monster they created.
Besides getting to be rich, has she become, I would ask you open-ended, is she the most important Republican right now in the country?
I think to some on both sides of the aisle she is.........
That was an in-your-face one-sided discussion among liberals.
How proud MSNBC is to be a state-run media!
Is Chris Matthews the biggest homo in nbc?Why limit him? He's the biggest homo in the entire MSM.
My favorite episode of Star Trek was when Mr. Spock scanned Chris Matthews’ brain and said there was no sign of intelligent life.
Evidently Matthews thinks so, since he won't shut up about her.
She was a governor that couldn't take it anymore.
She got Rahm Emanuel'd. Funny how that works. Emanuel is on his way out, and pretty soon his boss will be too.
a year later, with zillions in her pocket, she's an even better bet to run.
Funny how that works. And she didn't make the devil's deal with Soros to get it, either.
Something is afoot on the left because this is from CNN today.
ZAKARIA: And we are back with our star-studded panel, Arianna Huffington, Ross Douthat, Katrina vanden Heuvel and Eliot Spitzer.
Arianna, Sarah Palin is - is the - is the Right’s answer to Obama going to be, you know, what traditionally happens with parties in opposition. They go to their base and they find somebody who is true to the base but probably can’t win the general election.
HUFFINGTON: Well, Sarah Palin is responding to something beyond the base. She is responding to the anger at the bailout and she’s responding to a sense of unfairness among the American people, which goes to independence, which goes to a lot of middle class Americans who are feeling that the game is rigged, that the fix is in and that, therefore, they are in real trouble. And she’s appealing to that.
If you really interview a lot of the people in the Tea Party Movement, no matter what their first explanation is, their second explanation for their anger is the bailout, and I think Republicans and Democrats have to come to terms with that, especially now that we’re seeing this anemic Wall Street reform going through, which we all know is not going to prevent the next meltdown.
ZAKARIA: — the optics of this? Because the optics of it are basically that rich bankers got a lot of money.
SPITZER: The president has failed to tap into what Arianna referred to, the anger in the populace at what has happened.
Sarah Palin has been the only political beneficiary of the anger that is out there in the public, and it’s real and it’s tangible. The Democratic Party has failed in that regard.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/2542603/posts?page=5
OK, I don’t mean to be argumentative, but I have a serious question for Palin fans here. Remember, I’m NOT anti-Palin...I like her and think she’s been unfairly savaged by a media that feels it must destroy female and minority conservatives.
BUT....what makes you think Palin is a more solid coservative than, say, my favorite...Jim DeMint? What, exactly, in what she’s said or done - beyond the fact that she drives the MSM nuts, which I’ll admit IS delicious - makes you think she’s the idal conservative standard-bearer?
Hank
LMAO
(((Tingly leg ping!)))
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