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Cutting bait (Steyn on Palin)
NRO ^ | 7/3/09 | Mark Steyn

Posted on 07/03/2009 10:57:15 PM PDT by pissant

With respect to many of the Palinologists below, I think they're getting way too hepatomantic over the entrails.

As a political move for anything other than the 2010 Senate race, today's announcement is a disaster. And I'm not sure it's a plus for the Senate - and, even if it were, the manner and timing suggest it was not a professionally planned event and therefore is unlikely to have any grand strategy behind it.

So Occam's Razor leaves us with: Who needs this?

In states far from the national spotlight, politics still attracts normal people. You're a mayor or a state senator or even the governor, but you lead a normal life. The local media are tough on you, but they know you, they live where you live, they're tough on the real you, not on some caricature cooked up by a malign alliance of late-night comics who'd never heard of you a week earlier and media grandees supposedly on your own side who pronounce you a "cancer".

Then suddenly you get the call from Washington. You know it'll mean Secret Service, and speechwriters, and minders vetting your wardrobe. But nobody said it would mean a mainstream network comedy host doing statutory rape gags about your 14-year old daughter. You've got a special-needs kid and a son in Iraq and a daughter who's given you your first grandchild in less than ideal circumstances. That would be enough for most of us. But the special-needs kid and the daughter and most everyone else you love are a national joke, and the PC enforcers are entirely cool with it.

Most of those who sneer at Sarah Palin have no desire to live her life. But why not try to - what's the word? - "empathize"? If you like Wasilla and hunting and snowmachining and moose stew and politics, is the last worth giving up everything else in the hopes that one day David Letterman and Maureen Dowd might decide Trig and Bristol and the rest are sufficiently non-risible to enable you to prosper in their world? And, putting aside the odds, would you really like to be the person you'd have to turn into under that scenario?

National office will dwindle down to the unhealthily singleminded (Clinton, Obama), the timeserving emirs of Incumbistan (Biden, McCain) and dynastic heirs (Bush). Our loss.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; US: Alaska
KEYWORDS: careerendingmove; chickenlittles; democratswin; fedindictmentcoming; gopimplosion; marksteyn; palin; quitter; sarahbarraquitta; soroswins
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To: Happy Rain

Oops!

Forgot about Sen.Goldwater—he ran as a conservative and lost.

Nevermind.


241 posted on 07/04/2009 3:27:40 AM PDT by Happy Rain ("If every man who swore to uphold the US Constitution actually did so...")
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To: wastoute
your name came up here:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/2285336/posts?page=1


242 posted on 07/04/2009 3:57:07 AM PDT by nathanbedford ("Attack, repeat, attack!" Bull Halsey)
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To: floridagopvoter
Gov Palin will be our next Prez and thankfully so.Now we can get back to individualism instead of this collective utopia bull crap.End the FED.Andrew Jackson fought agianst it and won.Sarah Palin can do the same
243 posted on 07/04/2009 4:52:20 AM PDT by hwkbeer
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To: counterpunch
60 million people came out to vote for her. That’s fewer than Bush got 4 years earlier. Hell, that’s fewer than Kerry got 4 years earlier. But 0bama got 70 million people to come out and vote for him.

It is curious that you compare the GOP VP candidate against the Democrat presidential candidate. If you were intellectually honest, you would have stated, 60 million people came out to vote for McCain but Obama got 70 million people to come out and vote for him.

There just aren’t enough people out there willing to support Palin to beat 0bama.

What are you basing that statement on? What makes you so sure that Obama will even be the Democrat’s candidate? If Obama continues at the same pace and in the same direction, he just might destruct from self inflicted wounds.

We need to move on and find someone new to champion as the leader of the GOP. Right now, as you may have noticed, the Republican party is leaderless. That implies Sarah Palin is not the leader. So let’s cut bait and find one.

Surely you haven’t been so blind as to not see that Palin has been attacked by members of the GOP along with the Socialists. They have engaged not in political attacks but have engaged in character assassination, not only of SP but her family members as well. These attacks have lasted many months past the election and continue to this day. Can you name any personal assassination attacks against McCain after the election? Can you?

Why do you suppose that is? The Socialists do it out of fear. They fear her because she is not part of the incestuous Washington establishment that can easily be rolled. She doesn’t owe favors to the establishment movers and shakers. Palin speaks on behalf of the dwindling mainstream America and the Socialists are afraid that she can and will open people’s eyes in time to stop or stall the downfall of America. The Socialists fear Palin not so much as a candidate but a movement, a movement that will transcend both major political parties.

You say a need exists to find someone new to champion as the leader of the GOP. The GOP is not only leaderless, it is clueless as well. As inarticulate as George W. Bush was, at least his point could be understood eventually, which is not the case for the GOP. The GOP has no agenda or mission statement to justify their existence.

The Republican attack dogs running with the Dems fear Palin as well. They detect the smell of death, the death of their party and fear that Palin could administer the coup de grace. She has the ability to rally the conservatives, Independents, patriotic liberals and lead a Conservative movement and to hell with the Republicans and Democrats. The question remains as to whether she will or not. If not, then at least I’ll have memories of one American mother who for a brief moment in history put the fear of God in the hearts of the most powerful political cabal in history.

So, on this 4th of July, I say God Bless America and God Bless Sarah Palin.

244 posted on 07/04/2009 5:17:49 AM PDT by varon (Allegiance to the constitution, always. Allegiance to a political party, never.)
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To: DoughtyOne
Jindal is serving out his term. Unless I’m missing something, I think he’s my next person to support.

Jindal has the right message but he is not the right messenger. Unless he shows a bit of charisma and leadership he will be relegated to the end of the line like another really good conservative Duncan Hunter.

There is a bit of popular appeal that leaders need above and beyond the ability to be a good administrator.

245 posted on 07/04/2009 5:20:34 AM PDT by paulycy (Liberal DOUBLE-STANDARDS are HATE crimes.)
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To: counterpunch
Yeah, I think you're right. I love Palin's political positions and her plain speech. But I've become extremely concerned that she would, or could, develop the intellectual rigor necessary to become a "new Reagan." Even before RR was governor of the most populous state in the country, during one of the most difficult times in history, he had honed his message on everything from unions to defense to oil in his GE talks around the nation. Then, after eight full years of trench warfare in CA, he spent several more years writing his own radio addresses on virtually every topic imaginable, doing his own homework.

I did not see that from Palin. And as Steyn points out, in her domestic situation, it is a damn near impossible chore. Maggie Thatcher did not have kids to worry about; was located in the London region; and the British system is entirely different.

246 posted on 07/04/2009 5:38:42 AM PDT by LS ("Castles made of sand, fall in the sea . . . eventually." (Hendrix))
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To: floridagopvoter
$11 Million Dollars advance for her book?

What is your source for that???

Not even the Clintons got that!

She may be tougher than you think!!

Shall be very interesting to see!!!

247 posted on 07/04/2009 5:54:25 AM PDT by danamco
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To: floridagopvoter

Many times I don’t agree with Bill Kristol, but on this here with Mark Levin I do:

Palin is running for president, get used to it.

The reason is pretty simple. Sarah Palin loves America. And she knows we are a hair’s breadth from losing much of what we and millions of our countrymen have painstakingly built with sweat and blood over more than two centuries. She knows that Cap and Trade is not just another piece of legislation. It is a hollowpoint bullet aimed straight at the heart of the American economy. She knows that health care reform is designed to, and will, utterly devastate the quality and availability of health care that is currently the best the world has ever known. She knows that American presidents don’t nationalize automakers. Third-world dictators do that.

Sarah Palin has five children. She doesn’t want to subject them to a future of soft tyranny and poverty.

But unlike nearly every other American, Sarah Palin can do something about it. Conservatives know she is the real thing. And so do Liberals. How else to explain the daily, spittle-flecked rage spewed at her and her family? Is there anything about Sarah Palin that is vile, repugnant, or amoral? There is one thing and only one thing driving the Left’s hatred of Sarah Palin: fear. It is the fear that she is the next Reagan, who was viciously attacked in the same way. It is the fear that she will, through her classic American values and sensibility (think Truman), sweep all the rubes in flyover country into a tidal wave of support and decimate Liberal power.

Palin is not your standard politician. She is not Mitt Romney, John McCain, or Mike Huckabee. To judge her by the standard playbook is a fool’s errand. There is no playbook for people like Sarah Palin, just like there was no playbook for Barack Obama. So when you hear folks speculating that her career is over for whatever reason, e.g., she will be seen as a less-than-one-term governor or she doesn’t have enough experience, remember that our side (and the Clintons) said that about our current president. Sarah Palin is the rare politician who can play by her own rules.

Bill Kristol agrees.

If Palin wants to run in 2012, why not do exactly what she announced today? It’s an enormous gamble - but it could be a shrewd one.

After all, she’s freeing herself from the duties of the governorship. Now she can do her book, give speeches, travel the country and the world, campaign for others, meet people, get more educated on the issues - and without being criticized for neglecting her duties in Alaska. I suppose she’ll take a hit for leaving the governorship early - but how much of one? She’s probably accomplished most of what she was going to get done as governor, and is leaving a sympatico lieutenant governor in charge.

And haven’t conservatives been lamenting the lack of a national leader? Well, now she’ll try to be that. She may not succeed. Everything rests on her talents, and on her performance. She’ll be under intense and hostile scrutiny, and she’ll have to perform well.

All in all, it’s going to be a high-wire act. The odds are against her pulling it off. But I wouldn’t bet against it.

Levin and Kristol are right, Sarah Palin is here to stay. Get used to it.


248 posted on 07/04/2009 6:08:05 AM PDT by danamco
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To: DoughtyOne

Now that point of view is worth looking at. Of course, we won’t know until she actually leaves what the heck she is thinking.

The timing and reasoning are very odd.


249 posted on 07/04/2009 6:22:14 AM PDT by Vendome
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To: varon

You’re right about Republicans fearing that Palin could administer the final blow in the death of the Republican party.
Just as you are right about how inarticulate George W. Bush and the GOP are. I think The people in the GOP who fear Palin is precisely because they don’t want another person as inarticulate and easily mocked as Bush as the party spokesman again. They fear Palin as a GOP leader simply because they don’t think she is very high quality.
They see her as the Republican version of 0bama. A large cult following within the party, but very little substance to her.


250 posted on 07/04/2009 6:29:40 AM PDT by counterpunch (In this present crisis, government is not the solution to our problem. Government is the problem.)
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To: Virginia Ridgerunner
I've been here for over two years - does that lift me out of the noob category?

I entirely agree that the Palin cult has gotten way beyond realistic here on FR.

I didn't think anything could go deeper into denial than last spring's Thompson cult, but it did.

251 posted on 07/04/2009 6:31:49 AM PDT by Notary Sojac (Chains you can believe in...)
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To: counterpunch

“It’s the difference between striking out and not getting called up to bat this round.”

Actually, it’s more like striking out your first time up and then hitting a grand slam on your next at bat.


252 posted on 07/04/2009 6:35:40 AM PDT by deener
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To: counterpunch
She doesn’t want to be president. She doesn’t want to be in the media spotlight at all anymore.

you didn't listen to her speech. As far as her being president...that's a crap shoot. But who would have thought a lying little weasel from Chicago that couldn't pass a security screening for clearance would be CIC.

She face a lawsuit every day and by staying in state government she would have been "exposed" to the bureaucrats in government. Traps are everywhere and she's had to defend innumerable law suits and complaints filed by democrats. That's how they win.

Republicans don't like to play in courts and gut the children of libs... or we'd have had a field day with Gore's, Kennedy's, Biden's, and on and on as far as democrat children "scandals" and foibles. Remember what they did to the Bush twins in college, OH MY GAWD, they drank some margaritas. Meanwhile Kennedy's kids are sucking on the crack pipe, raping women, driving drunk and stoned in DC and otherwise acting like...... kennedys.

Is Palin a "genius"... I don't know. But I know that I judge people by what they DO not what they SAY.

She's against abortion- her daughters pregnancy and the son with Down's could have been conveniently, uh... disposed of.

She believes in the war- her son is in a FAO not some needle dicked lawyer like Biden's. Did you forget that the MSM wouldn't reveal where Biden's little boy was hiding , but gave the unit number, area of operation, identifying tattoos, MOS and date of deployment of Palin's son.

F#@k the MSM, F@#K the democrats and F#$k the libs. They're a bunch of little chicken d#cked little pussies and I hope she goes in with a flame thrower and burns all the little cock roaches in the Republican party as well.

253 posted on 07/04/2009 6:36:50 AM PDT by erman (Outside of a dog, a book is man's best companion. Inside of a dog, it's too dark to read.)
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To: WVKayaker

Sarah knows what she is doing. She made a great speech without a teleprompter and she has a huge force behind her.


254 posted on 07/04/2009 6:46:44 AM PDT by Big Horn (Rebuild the GOP to a conservative party)
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To: deener

No, it’s not.
You play against the other team, not your own.
there are only two teams, but both have a lot of players on the bench. Usually somewhere around 9, coincidentally.

The primaries are about being picked by your team to take a swing at the ball.
Whether or not you strike out or hit a home run depends on whether you win or lose the election.

When you strike out, you’re out of the game, and someone else on the bench gets picked by the team to take a swing next time around.


255 posted on 07/04/2009 6:49:02 AM PDT by counterpunch (In this present crisis, government is not the solution to our problem. Government is the problem.)
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To: Big Horn

So is giving a speech without a teleprompter the new low bar we’ve now set?
Don’t you think acting like there’s something truly unique about a politician who can give a speech without a teleprompter is giving 0bama quite a bit of cover?

And Palin’s speech was awful.
It was rambling and incoherent at times, as usual.
What was all of that stuff about pointguards about?
It was weird and awkward, honestly.
But that has become something of her signature.


256 posted on 07/04/2009 6:53:16 AM PDT by counterpunch (In this present crisis, government is not the solution to our problem. Government is the problem.)
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To: pissant
If Sarah Palin had no intention to run for president in 2012 why wouldn't she just continue as Governor of Alaska. She certainly loves serving Alaska. Maybe She loves the USA just as much. Also see my tagline.
257 posted on 07/04/2009 6:55:01 AM PDT by McGruff (Don't explain; your friends don't need it, and your enemies won't believe you anyway)
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To: counterpunch
So is giving a speech without a teleprompter the new low bar we’ve now set?

Being more conservative than Mitt Romney is an even lower bar.

258 posted on 07/04/2009 6:58:39 AM PDT by Mojave (Don't blame me. I voted for McClintock.)
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*


259 posted on 07/04/2009 6:58:57 AM PDT by TornadoAlley3 (Obama is everything Oklahoma is not.)
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To: Notary Sojac
I entirely agree that the Palin cult has gotten way beyond realistic here on FR. I didn't think anything could go deeper into denial than last spring’s Thompson cult, but it did.

Those are two “cults” I'm proud to be a member of. What about the Ronald Reagan fans. Would they be considered “cultist”?

260 posted on 07/04/2009 6:59:27 AM PDT by McGruff (Don't explain; your friends don't need it, and your enemies won't believe you anyway)
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