Posted on 11/12/2008 5:26:16 PM PST by pissant
In an interview tonight with CNN’s Wolf Blitzer, Palin said she hasn’t ruled out filling Sen. Ted Stevens’ Senate seat if he is reelected and the Senate ejects him for his felony conviction.
She said she doesn’t want “to close any doors” on her future.
She also said she is not “egotistical” enough to appoint herself to the seat.
That comment is slightly problematic, in that the seat can only be permanently filled by the winner of a special election. At best, Palin could appoint someone in the 60- to 90-day interim before the election.
When Gov. Frank Murkowski became governor of Alaska in 2002, he appointed his daughter, Lisa Murkowski, to his vacant seat. That didn’t go over well with Alaskans, and the law was changed twice, by ballot and the state legislature. The result was that the governor was stripped of the power to fill vacant Senate seats.
The ballot initiative prohibits the governor from even appointing an interim senator, while the legislature’s version allows an interim appointment. The state’s supreme court would have to work out the difference detail if the law were challenged.
If Palin wanted Stevens’ seat for a full term, she’d need to win the special election like any other hopeful.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonindependent.com ...
It won't matter probably, since it looks like the Rats are likely to beat Stevens now.
ACORN....please pick up the white courtesy phone!
I do hope she continues to gain executive experience in the governorship. The senate will be totally controlled by libs - a cesspool. She’d be crazy to want to be silenced in the Senate, when she has a platform in AK.
Yeah.
this possible masterstroke is known in political circles as ‘doubling down’.
The legislature simply didn't act ~ the special election is required in a law passed through the initiative and referendum process.
Palin would probably need to do two things to meet Constitutional muster ~ win the special election (just to kiss the butts of the people who think they changed the law) and appoint herself (just to kiss the butts of the people who think the Constitution ought to mean something).
I think she can do that!
I watched the interview.
She did not indicate the door was open for Stevens Senate seat. She indicated that she would serve out her 2 year term as Gov. She then indicated that if she can serve the people of Alaska in a servants hearts way, then she would keep any and all doors open.
This is just bad reporting. She clearly indicated that she would not appoint herself. My personal perception is that she is ‘feeling her way through’ to the Presidency run in my opinion. A Senate run would be foolish.
Look how they twisted her words! She said she would not consider running for the Senate. Once the election is determined if Stevens wins, that the Senate would have to unseat him. Only then would she appoint someone to the Senate seat until there was another election.
She’s not taking the Senate seat. She already that and ended discussion. These people just need to stop. Serving in Washington isn’t enticing in the way they think it is.
anniegetyourgun,
“silenced in the Senate”
I dissent. Her platform would be greater in DC. She would be that much closer to the BM epicenter. Hello Sunday morning talk show circuit, C-Span, press-conferences infinitum. They would be clamoring to interview her on any issue, not just the controversial ones. Their ratings are tanking you know.
After 6 months in Alaska, the BM and RINOviruses will do their dead-level best to relegate her to a back-bencher. It would be much easier for them if she were still way out in Alaska.
Executive experience?!? CiC of Alaskan Nat. Guard & the 40 billion dollar nat. gas pipeline, which is reducing home heating costs, both attest to that.
Nevertheless, the point is moot (maybe).
2RINOviruses:
ALL YOUR BASE ARE BELONG TO US
signed, Conservatives
Doll&Jindal12
the Deets
LOLOL......Sarah’s revenge. Heads are exploding all over the place!
The Senate’s not the place for her. Real political change in this country is not going to come from Washington, D.C. Washington takes care of Washington.
It’s all for moot if Stevens loses and that seems to be likely with all these suspicious absentee ballots coming out of nowhere.
But keep in mind:
1) Alaska has strict ethnics laws on outside compensation. It’s very likely that Palin won’t be able to write a book, go on the lecture circuit, or do a commentator gig on fox news as governor. The senate does not have these restrictions. Staying in Alaska limits her national media exposure.
2) Oil is $60 and Alaska needs oil to be $73 to balance its budget. The next two years as Governor will be very hard for her to look good, especially with the democrats in the legislature trying to make her look bad investigating her on nonsense like troopergate.
3) She has plenty of executive experience going back to 1992 as mayor, chairwoman of the most powerful committee in Alaska (oil and gas commission), and Governor. Going to the senate would give her national experience with national issues and strengthen her especially for 2012. If she is thinking more along the lines of 2016, I think being a two term governor would be stronger but for 2012, having that executive level experience and the legislative experience in the senate with national issues would be very attractive to a lot of voters uneasy about her.
Stay out of Washington, Sarah.
Stay in Alaska and govern, Sarah.
Govern well.
Prepare.
And come back and help us in 2012.
We’ll be here.
I agree! The last place Sarah needs to be is in the Senate. OMG... she would be sharing the stage with (probably) the likes of Al Franken. What do they say: “lie down with dogs and get fleas??”
Perhaps she should finish her term while at the end supporting the efforts to retake the House and Senate in 2010, and then moving into full Campaign mode for 2012 from there forward.
Don't worry Obama will fix this "problem" in short order.
She needs to stay in Alaska and fortify the borders. We are all moving there when the lower 48 becomes a socialist hell, it will be our last frontier. Cold but free. Maybe we can put that on our license plates.
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