Navy SEAL candidates.
Posted on 07/20/2010 9:26:30 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
When Sarah Palin burst (is there any other verb that describes it?) onto the political scene, as John McCain's running mate in 2008, she was the little-known governor of Alaska. After a rousing speech at the Republican National Convention followed by an unfortunate litany of gaffes, it became obvious that many thought she was not ready to be a heartbeat away from a 72-year-old president.
But that was then, when her family, or at least one pregnant teen-age daughter, overshadowed anything she had to say, which in itself may have been a blessing. Most talking heads and many Americans, it seemed, had written her off, and wished she would just return to her home in Wasilla, there to hunt moose and resume her duties as governor.
And then something unexpected happened. Palin resigned as governor, wrote a best-selling book, had a one-hour guest shot on "Oprah!" followed by appearances on cable news, and started to tour the chicken dinner circuit. She commands tens of thousands of dollars for a speech, and when she spoke at a Tea Party convention, she brought the house down.
People were starting to take Sarah Palin seriously. Very seriously. And now, an endorsement from Palin in political races can make a huge difference. Nikki Haley, a little-known candidate, won the Republican nomination for governor of South Carolina, thanks in big part to Palin's backing. In California, she has endorsed Carly Fiorina against Barbara Boxer in the U.S Senate race.
Through her political action committee (SarahPAC), she is raising money - less than a million so far - but that's surely going to balloon as the 2012 election approaches.
Will Sarah run? Does she have a chance to win the GOP nomination? The presidency?
More than three-fourths (76 percent) of Republicans think she has a chance to be president, according to the Gallup Poll; 44 percent of all Americans think she has more than a fighting chance. Compare those numbers to Mitt Romney, who is favored by 54 percent of Republicans and 36 percent of all Americans, the poll found.
You betcha those numbers are something to behold.
Each week we invite readers to give us their opinions, pro and con, on a topic in the news. This week's questions:
Do you think Sarah Palin has what it takes to be president? Do you think she will get the GOP nomination? If not, do you think she would be the Tea Party candidate? And, if the election were held today, and Palin were the candidate (from whatever party) would you vote for her? Could she beat Barack Obama? Why?
When you respond, please resist the one-liners. We're looking for longer, more reasoned, responses that answer all our questions and explain why you think the way you do.
All responses must be submitted via e-mail by 5 p.m. Thursday. Your name, city and daytime phone number (for verification) must be included. Please state your party affiliation. We'll publish some of your responses Monday in the Letters column.
The e-mail address for submissions is question@presstelegram.com.
This really sounds like they're looking for unbiased opinions.
Sarah Palin is a rock star, and the GOP should resist the temptation to run "our own" rock star against the failed Democrat rock star, Barack Obama. Rock stars disappoint.
What "litany of gaffes"? She makes no more than any other politician.
Had she done that she would have been destroyed politically and have several million dollars in legal bills due to bogus ethics claims that were coming in at the rate of one per week. If she has shown us anything at all in the time since her resignation, it is that she doesn't back down from a fight.
A MAJOR one at that, many Arizonan’s are very unhappy with her. Myself included.
“Comments?”
Thankfully, we have a VP who is thoughtful and humble like Joe Bite Me instead of a serious and dedicated person like Sarah Palin.
You have to do better than that, Palin's endorsement fame has been made by taking people that were seemingly out of the race, and making them the new favorites.
“A MAJOR one at that, many Arizonan’s are very unhappy with her. Myself included.”
No problem. You should move to Kalifornia, you’d be happier in SF.
And who’s your candidate? Please name one with more balls than sarah....
I agree that quitting the governorship was probably a really wise choice for not only legal reason but monetary ones. Also she is more effective going Rogue and being independent.
I think she will be fine as President....better than most if she keeps to the core principles of this nation. She has been disappointing in some of her endorsements though....complete RHINOS. CANT have that! She would pick good people, I think, to run things and for court positions. Think she would make this country energy independent so that muslims couldn’t spend the billions we give them for oil to built mosques in this nation. It is a crime how we are “transforming” this nation.
I’m of the mind set of Buckley....that it is better to pick the first hundred names right out of the phonebook to have run this nation than some Harvard or Ivy League graduate.
She has not been brainwashed into the Marxist Progressive secular worldview of the past “annointed” candidates. So that is DEFINITELY in her favor!
Our ivy league Universities are brainwashing the “elites” into Marxist—godless Progressives—who have absolutely no ethics.
Navy SEAL candidates.
Romney’s a flip-flopper, many people won’t vote for a Mormon and he’s no conservative. Huckabee is a clown. Who do you suggest for 2012?
Palin was not and is not a 'rock star'. Tagging her as one is completely baseless. She was a leader all her life, from team captain, PTA president, Mayor. Governor, VP candidate an now a terror for the Democrats.
I know of no one in history that can match her resume, her COMMUNICATION SKILLS, smarts, drive and ability.
She “quit” to save the residents of Alaska from the never ending litigation the lefties were bringing against her on a daily basis....to ME, that shows concern for the taxpayers in her state.
Or, would you have her CONSTANTLY dealing with litigation to the detriment of governing her state?
Would you have had the lefties’ attack against her succeed?
Seems she did the honorable thing for her constituents.
Wow, that's quite a statement. Sarah's a pretty neat gal, I agree. But that's just a wee bit over the top!
Yes, like Karen Handel in Georgia, the least conservative of seven GOP candidates for governor -- and the only GOP candidate from whom Georgia Right to Life withheld its endorsement. The candidate who denied giving money to Log Cabin Republicans -- until a copy of her handwritten dues check surfaced. Nice choice, Sarah!
I guess that you are admitting your first claim that she “used her popularity to endorse favorites in state races” was BS, but doing it in a slippery way.
Sarah Palin has proven that she has the courage to speak out, but she has also shown that she lacks the wisdom to know when to keep silent.
I interpreted what you said, to mean that she used her political authority and influence to endorse already “favorite” candidates rather than to endorse who she thought to be the best one, and that endorsement turning that long shot into the new “favorite”.
A number of the anti-Palin pack here has tried to claim that she merely jumps on a bandwagon, rather than creating it.
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