Posted on 11/19/2010 6:50:35 AM PST by WebFocus
By telling Barbara Walters that she thinks she can defeat President Obama, Sarah Palin has dimmed hopes cherished by sensible Republicans that she might decide against a run for the White House in 2012. Here are just some of the reasons she should not run.
The Republican nominee should be someone with a vast and impressive record in government and the private sector. Voters chose a novice with plenty of star power in 2008 and will be inclined to swing strongly in the other direction in 2012. Americans will be looking for sober competence, managerial skill, and maturity — not sizzle and flash.
After the 2008 campaign revealed her substantive weaknesses, Palin was advised by those who admired her natural gifts to bone up on policy and devote herself to governing Alaska successfully. Instead, she quit her job as governor after two and a half years, published a book (another is due next week), and seemed to chase money and empty celebrity. Now, rather than being able to highlight the accomplishments of Sarah Palin’s Alaska, we get Sarah Palin’s Alaska, another cheesy entrant in the reality-show genre. She’d so much rather be out dog sledding than in some “dull political office,” she tells the audience. File that.
It’s true. She is wildly popular with a swath of the Republican electorate. And, as a conservative woman politician told me, political consultants (who get paid the big bucks, win or lose) will doubtless descend upon her with game plans showing how she can win in Iowa and then cruise to the nomination. Maybe. But the general election would be a problem, since 53 percent of independent voters view Palin unfavorably along with 81 percent of Democrats, according to a recent Gallup poll.
There is no denying that Sarah Palin has been harshly, sometimes even brutally, treated by the press and the entertainment gaggle. But any prominent Republican must expect and be able to transcend that. Palin compares herself to Reagan. But Reagan didn’t mud-wrestle with the press. Palin seems consumed and obsessed by it, as her rapid Twitter finger attests, and thus she encourages the sniping. She should be presiding over meetings on oil and gas leases in the North Slope, or devising alternatives to Obamacare. Every public spat with Dave Letterman or Politico, or the “lamestream media,” or (God help us) Levi Johnston, diminishes her.
Speaking of television, have you watched “Dancing with the Stars”? Calling the show cheesy would be too generous. Perhaps the former governor should not be blamed for the decisions of her adult daughter. Yet there in the audience we see Sarah and Todd Palin, mugging for the camera and cheering on their unwed-mother daughter as she bumps and grinds to the tune of “Mamma Told Me Not To Come.” Her parents had advised her, the 20-year-old Bristol told an interviewer, that she had to stay “in character” if she expected to win. Being “in character” evidently meant descending to the vulgarity that DWTS peddles on a weekly basis. The mama grizzly was apparently unfazed by, or — equally disturbingly — unaware of, the indignity. And she is supposed to be a conservative culture warrior?
Voters prize judgment, above all, in a presidential candidate. Some of Sarah Palin’s 2010 endorsements were sound and arguably helpful. Others betrayed flightiness and recklessness. Tom Tancredo, Palin’s choice for governor of Colorado, has ridden his anti-immigration hobby-horse in a style perfectly suited to alienate Hispanic voters (describing Miami, for example, as a “Third World city”). Her endorsement of Christine O’Donnell was irresponsible and damaging, losing a seat that would otherwise have been a Republican pick-up. Of course, O’Donnell received an absurdly disproportionate amount of ink and attention during the race (the liberal press naturally seizes upon any opportunity to make conservatives look kooky), but Palin should have anticipated that. Besides, this one cannot be laid at the feet of the biased media. O’Donnell was a thoroughly unqualified candidate.
Palin has many strengths. I admire her fortitude and her principles. Her ability to connect with a crowd is something most politicians can only dream of. I will always remember her 2008 convention speech as a rollicking star turn. She would be terrific as a talk-show host — the new Oprah.
But a presidential candidate? Someone to convince critical independent voters that Republicans can govern successfully? Absolutely not.
— Mona Charen is a nationally syndicated columnist.
You are right. The media will focus like a laser on her weaknesses, instead of covering them up, like they do for Democrats. Maybe platitudes and non sequiturs will satisfy a majority of voters, but I doubt it.
I agree, if she could get elected, she could surround herself with conservative heavy hitters and do a great job. But that is a huge “if.”
I would vote for Palin over the Huckster or Mittens, but my fear is that the Palin-bots will prove so crazy and self-destructive that this will prevent any other conservative from getting traction and we’ll end up with Mitt as the GOP nominee.
Below is my post from another thread the other day. It’s something to think about. If she runs and wins the primary, of course conservatives will vote for her in 2012.
“She would need to take speech/voice lessons if she runs. I interact with alot of non-political “independent” voters, mostly women. Not leftwing nuts. They don’t hear a word Sarah Palin says because they can’t stand her voice and folksy speech patterns which they mistake for a lack of intelligence. Tina Fey’s impressions have spoiled the well with that group of voters.”
Why Sarah Palin should run: I’m not sure the candidate Mona’s pining for as an alternative to her actually exists in the 2012 field as it is or is likely to become in the next year or two. At least not as one person.
“What will you do if the former gov decides not to run?”
She will run. But, as to your hypothetical...I will choose the most conservative candidate that has the best chance of winning.
I will not vote for RINOs though like Romney or anybody who says social issues aren’t important..Daniels and some others.
Do you consider what has occurred in this country on the watch of the political establishment “substantive?”
I realize that, but I don't know if there is a conservative candidate who could forge a possible consensus other than Jim DeMint.
I don’t see Palin gaining any ground back with the conservatives and independents I know in real life. If she does run and can shine in the debates, then I will revise my opinion.
She IS capable of absolutely smoking 0bama in a fair and balance debate format. Especially now that she's seasoned and more comfortable speaking in public.
There is NO way he will be able to defend his record of destroying the economy, the military, race-relations, US business & industry, privacy, and healthcare. Did I leave anything out?
When the independents and conservative who dislike Palin at this point in time have only two choices - 0bama OR Palin - they will know exactly what to do.
Thanks for posting that.
Keep it up!
“I’m going to agree with rouge yam on this one”
LOL, well duh...you’re two peas in a pod.
You’re boy Mitt has no chance. ObamaCare killed the mythster.
I heard some Fox business reporter on a radio talk show the other day. He was promoting a Romney/Rubio ticket. He claimed Romney would appeal to the business community and “moderate” Republicans. Rubio would draw libertarians and Tea Party people. His caveat was Romney had alot of ‘splainin’ to do about Romneycare. He said so far, Mitt’s only defense has been that Obama should have seen how bad it was and dumped Obamacare, and that’s not cutting it.
I get out my world by coming to FR. :)
As for the polls, I get called fairly often for these polls and I usually “Freep” the polls that people post here. I always give Palin favorable ratings because I don’t think of her “unfavorably”. I just think there will be candidates I favor more than Palin (and they won’t be named Mitt or Huck).
Noobie troll.
Good, at least you have a plan.
I’d prefer you have an open mind and not pre-ordain the former gov.
Thanks....!
I will support whomever is the most conservative person with the best chance of winning. I ultimately decided it was Mitt last time, after Hunter gained no traction, Thompson fizzled, and Huckabee revealed himself to be a malicious, bigoted little goober. I have no idea who it will be this time.
You are probably right about Romneycare. If you recall, it was created by the (very conservative) Heritage Foundation as a way to force all the free riders (like illegal aliens who give phony names at emergency rooms and use them for primary care) to pay their fair share. The free riders are one huge cause of the rise in health insurance premiums. Those of us who buy health insurance are already “spreading the wealth.”
But, Romneycare apparently has not worked out. Even if the reason it has not worked out is because of changes forced by the Democrat state legislature, no one is going to care about that explanation, and it will be a huge albatross for Romney.
My mind is open. I see the most conservative candidate with national appeal and ability to activate the conservative base.
I see Palin taking on Obama when all the puzzies wouldn’t say a word...at the height of his popularity.
I see all the liberal Dems heads explode at the mention of her name and I see Establishment Republicans fear her just the same.
Palin is the open minded choice.
Thune is RINO-light at best and Pence, although conservative, simply lacks executive experience.
When the hucksters in the good old boy club (dems/reps)and it’s fan club MSM fear you your good,she can win.
I personally think that Mitt is out of the question for reasons that can’t be “balanced” by having a genuine conservative as V.P. (I just don’t trust Mitt Romney to oppose big government and crony capitalism, nor do I trust him to defend the United States.) I like Marco Rubio so far but he needs to prove himself. Let him be Senator for a term or two and then Governor of Florida for a term or two and then maybe he will be ready for the White House.
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