Posted on 12/27/2009 10:40:42 AM PST by 2ndDivisionVet
I have in the past been a skeptic of Sarah Palin. Not of her political talent, which is considerable, but of her grasp of – and even interest in – substantive policy issues.
When she abruptly resigned the governorship of Alaska on July 3rd, I wondered if she simply hadn’t the stomach for national politics. And the rambling, disjointed speech she gave that day left me wondering if she even knew why she was making such a momentous and potentially career-crippling decision.
But then a funny thing happened: In November, Mrs. Palin debuted her memoir “Going Rogue” with great sales, which was not a surprise, but also with a luminous and successful press tour, which was. The interviews she gave in promotion for her book (at least the ones that I saw) were much improved from those given during the 2008 presidential campaign. Palin seemed to speak about both herself and national issues with greater verve and confidence.
Other stars are aligning for Palin:
Several of her potential rivals for the 2012 Republican nomination find themselves suddenly, perhaps fatally, compromised by recent events.
Mitt Romney, for example, is watching the national health care debate work against his presidential ambitions, as the tortured and torturous Senate bill resembles more and more the regime he helped institute in Massachusetts – not something that will endear him to conservative primary voters enraged at Democrats’ health care offensive.
And there is Mike Huckabee, who charmed his way into a television hosting gig at FOX News after the campaign. Revelations that a man suspected of shooting and killing four police officers in Washington state had been granted clemency years ago by Huckabee, then governor of Arkansas, are widely believed to have seriously damaged his future electoral chances.
As a result, should they decide to run again both Romney and Huckabee will certainly find their respective tenures as governor under renewed and perhaps unwelcome scrutiny.
Meanwhile, Palin appears to be having a ball, trading comedic blows with William Shatner on the Tonight Show, receiving throngs of adoring fans at bookstores across the heartland, and weighing in on global warming in the pages of The Washington Post.
Could she be preparing, in a serious way, to become a serious candidate? It certainly looks that way to this amateur Palin watcher. If she can convince independent voters that she understands the issues, has thought them through and come to reasonable judgments about possible courses of action…if, if, if.
A lot of stars have yet to align for Palin’s path to the presidency to be illuminated. But that no longer seems impossible to me. In fact, I can now quite clearly imagine that someday, someone may say the words “Madam President,” to a moose-hunting mom from Alaska.
Wouldn’t that be something?
I’m sorry but you must be spectacularly un-informed if you still don’t know or understand the reasons for Governor Palin’s resignation in July. Two things may help:
1. Read her book - it’s very good & explains her reasons; or alternatively;
2. Try this link to an earlier Thread here on FR which addressed the resignation & generated 150+ responses.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2414780/posts
The Plan for Progress (tax increases) were what I was talking about when I said “led into a trap by the majority Dem legislature.” And I believe I also stated the political penalty that Riley paid for that up until the time the storm came in.
And it is true Riley is virtually unknown outside of Alabama. But let’s look at other Presidents shall we.
In 1973 Jimmy Carter was unknown outside of Georgia. In 1989, other than his lousy convention speech, Bill Clinton was unknown outside of Arkansas. Almost no one knew who the hell John Kerry was in 2001. I can imagine that not a lot of people knew who was McCain was in 1997 unless they followed S & L scandal coverage. And who knew who JFK was in 1957?
You know. In 2001, Riley was virtually dead last in all the polls. People assumed the nominee would be Windom. Riley wins the primary with 70% of the vote. This from someone who had been unknown outside of his Congressional district just a year before.
Both Huckabee and Romney are done. There will be a Southern candidate but it won’t be Huckabee. With Sanford out I think that mantle will be taken up by either Barbour, Riley or DeMint. (Though I could see Alexander make another go for it. He is young enough).
But I would be very careful before dismissing Bob Riley. The way in which he got elected in both 1996 and 2002 suggest that he should not be taken lightly. The only handicap I could see with him is age but Riley looks about 10 years younger than he actually is.
“If you mention DeMint to most voters they’ll say “What, does my breath stink?””
Excellent point. DeMint’s a great guy (especially now), but it’s still much better to run someone already known to the country, even if they were tarred a bit by cheap shots.
Why would I read her book?
Anything that would be put in that book would be designed to make her come off as good as possible. If she did quit because the fire got too hot (my contention) she sure as hell is not going to admit it in her book called “Going Rogue” in which she presumably tries to portray herself as some kind of populist maverick.
I know that Bob Riley never resigned. Haley Barbour never resigned when his own numbers were around 30% and he was facing the worst budget crisis in Mississippi history. I do wonder if people would be this gaga over her if she was a middle aged white man and not a reasonably attractive young woman.
It’s an honest question. If Obama had been a middle aged white man he wouldn’t have been let near the White House. As someone who was black, well-spoken, and relatively young he was able to tap into that huge white guilt vote. What would we be saying about Palin if she were Sam Palin and not Sarah Palin? What would we be saying about her if she looked like Hillary Clinton and not like someone who could be on desperate housewifes?
I don't pay a great deal of attention to state political matters, but Riley has never struck me as being particularly articulate. And, unless he's changed, he'd be one of the most conservative candidates ever to consider a run. Probably more conservative than Palin. He's hardly that candidate some want who'd play well in northern states.
And I've never heard any real interest expressed in the presidency from Riley.
Munch on this...
Why Governor Palin stepped down (and who was behind the attacks)
Next, no one except you knows who Bob Riley is, so I think it's safe to say that he's finished before he even starts...!
Do you have an "app" on your phone that alerts you that someone has posted a positive Palin Thread. LOL!
If you won't even read her book and see what she has to say, then you have absolutely NO business coming on this forum and criticizing her based on your own ignorance.
Obviously you have not done your research on Mrs. Palin. She is and has been an executive. Try reading her book. People are flocking to hear her message which is substantive (unlike the current illegal POTUS), logical and conservative. If you liked Reagan you will love Palin. You lose all credibility when you liken her to the Kenyan assurper as another celebrity cult politician.
(((PING)))
yea. - They’ve been doing a bang up job, so far.
For the sake of the country we better work hard to see Madame 45. If we vote a decent congress in to office for her, our country will live long and prosper.
There will be such a hunger for honesty, fiscal responsibility, “Americaness” (in the endearing and enduring sense of the term), that Palin will be the natural selection. She’ll sweep the rats away... but give her more time to gain respect, begrudging at first, but then... just stand back and watch the enthusiasm for an America that makes sense again.
Ooh, a kinder, gentler Bob J Bob J. Almost compassionate.
AC is someone who is most comfortable in her ignorance.
It’s better not to trouble them. In fact, the Bible cautions us on the matter.
Barbour has gravitas and a record of many accomplishments.
You would if you were interested in proving or disproving your assumptions/contentions about Gov Palin as even a number of Liberals have managed to do. I’d read Bob Riley’s books too - perhaps you could send me some (non-Wiki) links.
Gov Palin was being bankrupted rapidly into the stone age by dishonest & frivolous ethics charges which combined with an avalance of FOI requests were also costing the state Government millions. The business of the state of Alaska was effectively being paralysed. Bear in mind also that Alaska’s arrangements are unique so comparsion with other Governors isn’t valid. Can you honestly say that she should have stayed on in these circumstances? This is the heart of the issue about the resignation. Since her resignation how many ethics charges has Gov Sean Parnell faced?
Gov Palin has several things over the other candidates, raw attributes of a leader. When she was gov she went after her own party and the cozy oil companies over contract fixing. She did not hesitate to tax the oil companies and challenge their leases when they refused to drill and sat on them while competitors who lost the bids were willing.
When McCain abandon the GOP supporters in Michigan as the polls showed he was behind by 5 points, Gov Palin on her own visited the state to assure the supporters win, lose or draw, the GOP supporters are not fodder on someones’s plan but flesh and blood and should be appreciated.
I think she has all the attributes of a good leader and will go about to get things done. She did not quit because she could not stand the heat (imagine what the state GOP and oil company did to her when she came after them). What she learned from the harassing ethics complaints is the Dems are vicious and that if she does not quit the gov job the Dems will bankrupt her. She could make the public happy but hanging on as gov and be stuck with personal legal bills or she can breakaway from the financial kill zone like a good tactician. The key thing is she made a decision and it was a good one.
Finally for the GOP to win in 2012, they must be able to tap into the Tea Party movement. Unlike most GOP/RINO candidates she does not avoid them and has made forays into issues that the Tea Party movement embraces including the “Birther” controversy.
BE,
clearly it shows through!
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