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...

[Lakeshark]

And it's official, the Red Wings just aren't good enough to make the play offs.......

ARgh, now I know what some fans of other have felt like.)

[Clyde5445]

It was in one of her FOX interviews. I think it was either Greta or Hannity around the time she decided not to run.

[Clyde5445]

Welcome to dubious club we Sabres fans belong too. :)

[wtc911]

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.

_______________________________________

What happened was the Palins' public statement that they were going to sue McGinnis and his publisher for publishing lies. They never did sue but she did announce that she wasn't running.

The problem with suing over whatever lies were in the book is that everything not proven to be a lie would be considered true. The Palins are people in a mixed marriage (he's perfectly happy living off the grid - she seeks the spotlight). They are not saints or gods.

The facts are that they threatened to sue if the book wasn't pulled. It wasn't and they didn't sue. Then Palin dropped out.

Any time a talking head's contract is not renewed the PR machine punches out a variation on the "taking a new direction", "seeking new challenges", "pursuing new opportunitie" or "spending time with family" reasons. The fact is almost always that the personality's value to the network has diminished to the point where his/her continued presence is not justified by the revenues he/she brings.

Walking away from the only national platform that she has can only be described as seeking a greater audience by die-hard fans. A number of these die-hards on this thread have said that she's "re-loading". She's been "re-loading" since July 2009. A senate run is a good idea. But barring a successful one, she is done.

[dforest]

Something that so many on our side forget regarding nominees for President is that it takes a whole lot of money, commitment and time planning a run. If you haven't spent some years prior to an election putting together the money men and financiers of a campaign, the chances you get anywhere are pretty slim anymore.

For instance, if a person is thinking about a run in 2016, they best be busy right now.

[Lakeshark]

I think you misheard, perhaps you could find it, because I kind of doubt the idea.

I heard her say it was decided between her by listening to God, and discussing it with the family.

I've always found that to be a reasonable explanation.

[Clyde5445]

You maybe right I misheard or mis-interpreted want she was saying.

[who knows what evil?]

Doesn’t it eat at you, Jill? Laying in bed every night knowing that you will never be 1% of the woman that Sarah Palin is...knowing that you will NEVER be able to stand in front of 50,000 Americans who admire you because of your upstanding values and strong moral character? How you must gnash your teeth every time you see her with her wonderful husband and family. How you must tremble when you see G-d’s light radiating from her face. Does it make you turn away to the darkness within your soul, Jill? You’re a pathetic human being, Jill...absolutely pathetic.

[redhead]

Dear Jill: In regards to your plaintive question, I’m sorry, but no, there is no way known to science and technology to get rid of a pesky “Y” chromosome.

[TigersEye]

LOL

[Fledermaus]

But Palin, with her flamboyant rhetoric, has stoked her own disproportionate share of controversies.

Oh, but Geraldine Ferraro was mainstream?

This is the woman who, after all, coined the term “death panels” to describe discussions between patients and physicians...

And she was right. But the left will step on the truth to get to their lie everytime.

[grey_whiskers]

I Googled "Jill Lawrence National Journal" and got this picture:

Jealous of Sarah's looks, as plain as day.

Cheers!