How Palin's Resignation Makes Her the True Frontrunner

The Daily Beast ^ | Jul 4, 2009 | John Batchelor

[skimbell]

Rather than a blow to a career, Sarah Palin's decision to resign underlines her self-awareness, writes The Daily Beast's John Batchelor. She is now unmatched for the 2012 primary. The early excuse for the Republican circular firing squad of the holiday weekend is that Weekly Standard editor and party brainiac Bill Kristol claims that pugnacious McCain campaign enforcer Steve Schmidt has been caught gossiping to Vanity Fair’s Todd Purdum about Sarah Palin’s rambling and incoherent vice-presidential campaign last September and October...

[patriotspride]

“

Extending Palin’s basketball analogy:

I think she’s attempting to execute a political “give and go” or a “backdoor cut.” You pass the ball to a teammate and cut hard towards the goal. The tendency of the defense is to play the ball, not the player. If it works, you get a wide-open layup. If it doesn’t, you circle around the basket and set up on the perimeter for another play.

Also, one basket doesn’t win the game. You need to score repeatedly—but you can’t do that if the other team is double-teaming you all the time, so you HAVE to pass the ball—”hit the open man.”

Finally, sports-related, Palin is a marathon runner. She knows something about pacing herself.

I’m guessing many of Palin’s detractors have never played or even seriously watched and analyzed any kind of sporting event.

Her opponents remind me of a bunch of three year olds playing soccer. They just run after the ball in a big herd—there’s no strategy there, just a lot of shouting and futile effort to get to the ball. Only the older kids grasp things like spacing and passing and set plays.

I think Palin understands political spacing, passing, and set plays, in a way that lots of Beltway people just don’t. It’s a different kind of politics from the smashmouth variety they’re used to.

It’ll be fascinating to see if Palin’s kind of politics can work on a national level as well as it did in Alaska.”

Good points on the sports analogy, and even better on the assessment of the herd / politicians.

She’s got the long view in mind, and is willing to look like she has temporarily lost the battle to win the war.

[investigateworld]

Unless I’m convinced she is against Amnesty and for secure borders, I won’t vote for her. but I will send her a few bucks to honor her carrying the little fellow to term.

[libbylu]

Think about this .. some dude I don’t know who was gopac or something says bambi has broken the mold - that you don’t HAVE to have a lot of experience ....

[Lady Jag]

[FrankR]

Well, that's all well and good, however, I am not a "single issue" voter.

I always turn it around to test my choices, like, if obama ran again and his main platform of anti-amnesty and secure borders, would I vote for him?

The answer is the same as last time...not just "no", but "hell no".

While secure borders is a very important point - and one of the only things I ever held against George Bush - it is not important enough to re-elect a tyrant like commiebama, NOR, is is important enough to lose a great patriot like Sarah Palin.

I don't remember if she's addressed that issue or not, but I would almost bet she is against Amnesty and very much for secured borders...just sayin'.

Besides, the initial push on that will lie with the Congress, not the President. That is why the next election should be 'INCUMBENTS OUT' and take that body back down to size and show the world that the citizens are still in charge around here.

But I never settle on a single issue - why trade acceptance of one evil for 40 more evils in the package.

[magritte]

Thanks Mainframe...but remember, Reagan was the runner-up in 1976, and became the default front-runner for 1980...the whole primary system will have to be changed to “break the cycle”...how can this be done? I’m not sure...magritte

[magritte]

I appreciate that insight...DEMs have typically went more outsider at times, however, Republicans tend to go for “next man up”...I’m not big on “experience”, as in Governor vs Senator, Mayor vs Representative...I’m looking for background and policy ... magritte

[investigateworld]

Why? I'm too old and tired to get screwed again - hell - bring on the revolution ;^)

[PhilDragoo]

Wailing and gnashing of teeth from shrieking fairies and carping harpies. . .

. . .who can smell what Sarah's cookin'.

[SoCalPol]

Yes, saw Batchelor’s article earlier.
Glad to see he has a clue.

Am a long time listener to John Batchelor from 4pm to 10 pm on Sundays.
Has great guests on the subject of Middle East to Politics to economy.

Some of his regulars are John Fund, Mona Charen, Aaron Klein, dozens more

I watched live when Gov. Palin was on yesterday.

I trust and understand what she is doing and back her all the way to the White House.

[NoGrayZone]

Amen!!! What an excellent article!

"What Kristol and Schmidt know is that the only Republican candidate worth cutting each other up about is Sarah Palin. The governor certainly does not need either of them other than as stable hands for Joan of Arc’s replacement horses or as Joan Crawford’s makeup artists.

[NoGrayZone]

"Here is hoping after a couple of days the commentary will change a bit more positive (at least in the conservative circle)"

Don't count on it. Evil is alive and well and trying to take down ANY goodness that comes along.

We must strap ourselves in for what is to come. We must stay strong and back our new leader of the free world to come.

[CAluvdubya]

I trust and understand what she is doing and back her all the way to the White House.

you and me both!

[stockpirate]

I think Hannity will suppprt Mitt-Witt or Newt, but not Sarah.

[stockpirate]

I think Hannity will suppprt Mitt-Witt or Newt, but not Sarah.

[hoosiermama]

Did you watch his interview with Sarah...They reran it again today. They really seemed to connect. Very relaxed but a good interview.

[hoosiermama]

From Sarah site and here Independance Day greeting. In her final paragraph she states the following target areas:

less government intervention,
greater energy independence,
stronger national security, and
much-needed fiscal restraint.

[bcsco]

I think Hannity will suppprt Mitt-Witt or Newt, but not Sarah.

Hannity is Hannity. He'll support Mitt or Newt as long as Rudy Tutty doesn't try again. After all, Hannity's a New Yok kinda guy. He doesn't understand the Sarahs of the World. But that's his problem. And his numbers will rise or fall this time as no time in the past...

[Ann Archy]

McCain was the one who was RAMBLING and INCOHERENT!! Thanks STEVIE....you are REALLY a GREAT CAMPAIGN MANAGER.....NOT!

[Ann Archy]

Calm down sonny......unless Sarah starts a new party, the Pubs are better than the VILE, EVIL Dems anyday.