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Posted on 07/06/2009 9:29:19 AM PDT by Congressman Billybob
There are two aspects of Governor Palin's decision to resign now, which have not been competently discussed, or discussed at all, in the main stream media. One is based on the map, the other is based in American political history.
Regarding the map: I have two, immediate sources to know how long it takes, with what sort of wearing down from the journey itself, to travel to and from Alaska. One is my cousin who is a leading labor lawyer, and who went from Atlanta to Alaska frequently when the Aleska Pipeline was under construction.
The other is my son-in-law's brother who was until recently the Agent In Charge for the FBI in Alaska. His trips home were often to North Carolina. The bottom line is this. In going to Alaska, or coming from that state to the "lower 48" for any purpose, two days are lost in travel for each trip, and there is recovery time to be sharp and on your toes in addition.
Throw in the fact that at least two of the phony, and dismissed, ethics charges made against Governor Palin were based on the fact that she was "out of the state" in order to appear or speak at events in the lower 48. It is well known that Governors and Senators who habitually run for President are often absent from their states and their constituents (unless they come from Iowa or New Hampshire to begin with).
The travel restraints are far worse for Alaskans and Hawaiians than residents of any other states. The result is that no one can function in a full time government position in Alaska or Hawaii, while playing a significant, permanent role in politics in the rest of the nation.
The political history aspect refers to Richard Nixon and Hubert Humphrey. Both built their national base which gave them their respective party nominations for President by traveling the US for years on the rubber chicken circuit. They supported and raised money for hundreds of state and local candidates. They had good results doing that, much better than similar efforts by Bill Clinton, to choose a name not entirely at random.
Bottom line: I think Sarah Palin is planning a similar, grassroots effort to those of Nixon and Humprey. I think she knows that she needs to show immediate results in the 2010 elections for the House and Senate, with candidates she supports usually winning. She has to start now, rather than just wait to run for President or Vice President in 2012.
I think she recognized that it was impossible for her to be a Governor, a mother and a wife, and an active speaker in the lower 48, all at once. So, she left the least important of those three tasks in the hands of her selected Lt. Governor.
The proof of what I posit will come on 12 September, 2009, if Palin is the most important speaker at the Rally on the Mall in Washington. My analysis is correct, if she begins her speech then and there with words like these: "My fellow Americans, I come before you today not as a Republican, not as a Democrat, but as an American who is deeply, deeply concerned about the wrong directions this nation is taking because of failures by politicians in both of those ancient political parties...."
Congressman Billybob
Looking forward to meeting her somewhere along the way the next few years as well as Piper and Trigg!!
I agree with your assessment and have had similar conversations with others in real life, echoing your points.
Would love to see her in Washington Sept. 12. It would be an incredible addition to an already great event.
We really have to ignore the media and encourage everybody we know to do this as well. Palin going right to the people is her strength and the response is overwhelming.
Think major flanking maneuver.
I think you’re right.
More ambiguity! Why couldn't she say: "I am going to devote my time and energy in the Lower 48 to help conservative candidates who share my Alaskan values. This is not going to make liberals happy."
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John:
Our movement needs a leader that transcends ordinary politics. This is a young woman with marvelous energy. She has tried to play the game and the media and GOP establishment treat her with the same contempt handed out to Joe McCarthy, Richard Nixon, Barry Goldwater, Ronald Reagan, and Dan Quayle. Only one of those targets spoke over their heads and transcended them. That is what Sarah has the opportunity to do, regardless of whether she enters the arena again.
Best to you as always.
There have been quite a few saying this since Friday but the squawkers have been very busy as well.
Spot on the travel. I found that even so-called day trips from NYC to Boston or NYC to Charlotte were taxing. Twelve hour day of preparation was usual preceding the trip. Ground transportation to airport, first flight out, ground travel to construction site, meeting, ground travel to airport, last flight home, ground travel home resulted in an 18 hour day. And this was before Sept 11, 2001.
The importance of the grassroots drive cannot be overstated. The 2010 elections IMO are critical if the republic is to survive by peaceful means. She needs to find the real conservative candidates in key districts and throw her support to them.
For this reason I strongly suspect that her book, planned for release in spring of 2010, will be put on after burners for release in the last quarter of 2009. A very strong publicity effort pre-release date and follow on book tour will give her a high profile and I suspect record turnouts at book signings. Mass has a quality of its own. Any other contenders will be hard pressed to come close to her numbers.
From then it’s a question of seeing how long her coat-tails might be at a national level for the 2010 elections and the follow up to the 2012. It’s going to be a long campaign but she will be in control for the first time and I think huge surprises are in store all around.
Thanks Ernest!
Thank you BillyBob, this lady is no lightweight. I see her as a very smart, aggressive stategist with a beautiful smile, feminine ways and fighting spirit we haven’t witnesses in a long time now. I see a Maggie Thatcher type. If she stays on point, which I think she will, the support she will garner should shake the foundations of our government—and about time too.
Wonder if she ever rode that thing..
Thanks Ernest.
I think you are amazing.
I wrote a post making exactly the major point of this piece to another poster the other day. Let’s just say some people will get it and others won’t.
I think it’s a good piece.
Interesting posts in #37 and #71
Thanks for those maps in #37, VR. I honestly had no idea how BIG Alaska is...
Oh, and one other thing you might want to point out that flows naturally from what you said here: “I think she recognized that it was impossible for her to be a Governor, a mother and a wife, and an active speaker in the lower 48, all at once. So, she left the least important of those three tasks in the hands of her selected Lt. Governor.” The logistics choice she had was obvious because gone from Alaska a lot would do nothing but lower her approval in her own state, which is self-defeating. Leaving on a high note is much better.
The only way she can fight these bastards is by getting out and taking them straight on, bull by the horns, in their faces, so to speak.
“What kills me is that the folks of FR can’t see this and have a tremendous level of respect and joy for what a skilled political move this is, and that she is pulling it off, compared to the dunces we have in Washington with their heads stuck in their arse or the nearest tanning bed.”
It’s all ball bearing these days.
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