Sarah Palin and the End of an Era: Split from FNC highlights fade of Tea Party as well as her own

The National Journal ^ | January 27, 2013 | Jill Lawrence

[2ndDivisionVet]

The news that Sarah Palin will no longer be a paid contributor to Fox News puts an exclamation point on the end of an era, or at least a chapter, in U.S. political history. She could land somewhere else, and she still has her Facebook friends, but it’s hard to imagine she’ll find a more visible or influential platform than Fox.

The former Alaska governor and 2008 vice presidential nominee has been fading from the scene for some time, as she inadvertently highlighted when she complained on Facebook during the Republican convention in August that the network had canceled her scheduled interviews that night. Her brother, Chuck Heath Jr., told Alan Colmes last week on Fox Radio that his sister is “kind of laying low right now,” though he wouldn’t or couldn’t say when asked why.

Once the face of an energetic and politically potent Tea Party movement, Palin is leaving Fox at a time when polls show the Tea Party at an all-time low in both membership and favorability. Her departure also coincides with calls by some leading Republicans for their party to stop saying things that erode the GOP brand and turn off voters in droves.

Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal said bluntly this week at a Republican National Committee meeting in Charlotte that the GOP needs to stop being “the stupid party,” and former Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour said he agreed. The two were talking in particular about losing Senate candidates Todd Akin of Missouri and Richard Mourdock of Indiana, both of whom made inflammatory (and in Akin’s case, flagrantly ignorant) comments about rape.

But Palin, with her flamboyant rhetoric, has stoked her own disproportionate share of controversies. This is the woman who, after all, coined the term “death panels” to describe discussions between patients and physicians...

[E. Pluribus Unum]

For somebody so irrelevant, they sure have a hard time not talking about her.

[Timber Rattler]

Well, we'll never know exactly what transpired between her Indianola speech on September 3, 2011, and her announcement on Mark Levin's show on October 5, 2011 that led to her decision to let it all go. It could have been McGinniss's stalking, Bristol's run-in with the LGBT mafia, the death threats against Trig, Trig's developmental problems associated with her being away, Rick Perry's announcement of his own candidacy, or McCain/Malek calling her up and telling her that the GOP-E would not support her even if she won the nomnation, or all or none of the above.

What we do know is that Palin's decision to not run took most of the wind out of the TEA Party's sails, and vindicated the Alinskyite attacks used against her by both Team Romney and Obama.

Honestly, I don't know how she can ever recover politically since 2012 was her best chance, with a full head of Conservative steam in her boilers and the grassroots infrastructure that she would need to run an "unconventional campaign" in place, with people like Pete Singleton laying the groundwork in Iowa.

It was tremendous opportunity lost, and the TEA Party movement is suffering because of it.

[CAluvdubya]

Seemes they spoke out loud and clear against Romney at the voting booth.

They spoke out loud and clear for Chick-Fil-A and Hobby Lobby.

They are again speaking out loud and clear against gun ban laws.

Reports of their demise have been greatly exagerrated...

[COBOL2Java]

"THAT'S a woman???"

[Timber Rattler]

So why was Romney the Republican candidate then if the TEA Party held such sway?

[MestaMachine]

Maybe you should change your handle to Rip Van Winkle. Seems like you slept through the ‘primaries’.
And then maybe you should talk to Rand Paul and Ted Cruz. Naybe Tim Scott and others. You really think the TEA Party is dead?

[wtc911]

Sarah Palin should have her own TV channel.

________________________________

Really? She couldn't pull enough viewers to keep a once-in-a-while gig on FOX but you think she could support her own channel? Maybe on Wasilla Public Access...maybe.

[CAluvdubya]

Did he win? Did the TEA Party turn out and vote for him?

[Timber Rattler]

No, I don't think that it's dead, but dwindling. How many people on FR have been complaining lately about how their local TEA party groups have pretty much fallen apart despite their best efforts (including mine)? Where are the rallies with the Gadsden flags? Why was Romney the Republican nominee, and why is Obama still the president.

Going into denial is a surefire strategy for continued defeat.

[MestaMachine]

No. THIS is a woman.

[Clyde5445]

“What we do know is that Palin’s decision to not run took most of the wind out of the TEA Party’s sails, and vindicated the Alinskyite attacks used against her by both Team Romney and Obama.”

Gov. Palin said as much as she bought into the media lies about her and wasn’t willing to exert the energy i.e. campaign to change those wrong.

[exit82]

I look back and see how crucial Ronald Reagan was in stopping the march of liberalism and stopping the Soviet juggernaut.

I look forward and see Sarah as the only one who will not stand corruption and who will fight to restore the Republic to the rule of law.

May God bless and protect her. The evil arrayed against her and us is massive, but one of us and Jesus makes a majority every time.

[Timber Rattler]

Why was he the nominee in the first place?

[Jane Long]

I’ve heard rumours she may be headed towards Blaze tv. That’s one of the reasons she declined a renewal of her contract.

I'd start watching, again, if that happened. I haven't been watching the past month or so with Glenn's focus on his "Fantasy Land" park. If Sarah came on board, even as a contributor, I'd happily tune in to watch on those days/shows.

[Democrat_media]

Hope not. If Sarah Palin is on TV then she won't run for President . I bet this Glen Beck would do that just so she won't run . They fear her. I think that's the reason they offered her the TV and FOX bs gigs to keep her out of running(I believe it is even in the contract). Say no to THAT scheme again Sarah. I want Sarah Palin to run and win. I like my freedom and individual rights ( what's left of them): I'm kinda selfish that way .

[wtc911]

Shhhhhhhhhhhhh ..... She's re-loadin'

______________________________________

Still????

[Lakeshark]

Why was he the nominee in the first place?

As I recall, unfortunately he won enough primary votes to be the nominee........by the time Florida had the primary, it was over........

All the complaining about the GOPe simply means we blew it, as conservatives we became a circular firing squad taking out anyone who wasn't our candidate.

Then enough of us took our balls home to allow a full bore, American hating Marxist another term to destroy the country we all claim to love.

It's really that simple, we were flat out stupid.

[knarf]

Emphasis on .. 're'

Y'don't re-load unless you're out or need more ... it ain't continuous.

[Lakeshark]

Amigo - you’ve been had........

[Lakeshark]

Gov. Palin said as much as she bought into the media lies about her and wasn’t willing to exert the energy i.e. campaign to change those wrong.

Got a reference to her saying that? Funny, I listened and never heard one mention (or any implication) of that idea.