Posted on 11/21/2010 10:53:17 AM PST by Brices Crossroads
Fred Barnes seems to have reversed his opinion on Governor Palin's presidential prospects. He said the following at the non-partisan Alabama Policy Institute:
When moderator and API president Gary Palmer asked the panelists for their take on potential 2012 presidential candidates, Moore brought up the names Chris Christie, Paul Ryan and Mike Pence. “Moore forgot Sarah Palin!” exclaimed Barnes, who said that Palin is the most solidly conservative possibility with a tremendous following.
While he considered Jim DeMint to also be a good potential candidate, Barnes said “Never underestimate Sarah Palin.”
“Don’t ask who can win. Ask who can lead.”
exactly.
Because in 2012 my dog could beat Obama.
I'm not, unfortunately.
On Staten Island we just beat the old-line Republicans and Democrats to elect Michael Grimm,a freshman Republican pro-life candidate with the help of Sarah.We will work ten times as hard for Sarah for 2012.
Way to go, Staten Island!
Better late than never-—good for Fred!
No basis for this comment...
“superficial notion of win-ability”
No winnee...no leadee!
********************************
This statement was made by the pollster Kellyanne Conway. What she meant is that this nonsense about her not being able to win based on these polls two years out is superficial. The same was said about Reagan who, at this point in 1978 (two years before), trailed Carter by a whopping 57-35 in the Gallup poll, while Ford and Bush ran much stronger (LOL). Polls this far out ARE superficial.
Look at the electoral college map and the 2010 midterm results in key states like Florida, Ohio, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Michigan. Those are much better indicators than pre-primary polls and, on the basis of those, not only can she win, she is likely to win (assuming nothing materially changes).
Aside: I just enjoyed my first Negra Modelo. Very good.
I’m with you. There are a lot of good candidates out there with a lot more electability than Sarah Palin, as much as I admire what she has done for all of us with her courage and support of truly conservative candidates. She has the heart, but she doesn’t have the depth or experience at this point to run a country fighting at least two wars, facing a disasterous deficit, and staring down an increasingly confrontational China and former Soviet Union. I love Sarah, but running her as the Republican Candidate in the next election would be a disaster.
Your confusion is understandable. What the coterie of Barnes-bashers here on FR fail to recognize is that Barnes and Bill Kristol virtually "discovered" Gov. Palin during a Weekly Standard Alaska cruise in 2007.
When Barnes and Kristol got back to DC, the Standard began running article after article that gave Palin favorable mention and effectively introduced her to the inside-the-Beltway conservative power structure.
Barnes himself wrote what was probably the key article, called "America's Most Popular Governor," while Kristol is reputed to have been boosting Sarah tirelessly during his insider tête-à-têtes with Republican elites.
In other words, one can make a plausible argument that without her having had Barnes and Kristol working for free as big-time Washington PR agents during late 2007 and early 2008, Gov. Palin never would have been seriously considered by McCain and his team for the VP slot.
“There are a lot of good candidates out there with a lot more electability than Sarah Palin”
Name them.
Thx much for that great clarification!
Kindly list all of your candidates in order.
Just guessing here...black dog?
Does everyone around here listen only to those who speak perfect outside the beltway conservative politese? What's wrong with just listening to opinions?
It hasn’t happened so far and I’m sure her biggest temptation came when she worked for the oil ministry. The oil companies and Republicans had been in bed together for a long time. I’m sure there were some pretty big perks for maintaining the status quo. Some people have principles that can’t be shaken.
Cindie
I realize this was a comment you quoted but still, I am amazed at how groupies have to know what the group approves of before they think or express an opinion. Eff the group!
I too like Barnes...and Kristol...and Krauthammer. I don't always agree with them, but I appreciate their viewpoints.
“No basis for this comment...”
You’re right of course. It’s never happened before has it?
.
> “If the question is: “Who can lead?”, then the answer is obvious.”
.
I have to agree!
Sarah Palin is the only choice if patriotic, Christian, conservative leadership is what matters.
There are others that have been governors, but not conservative governors.
This week it was all abot the TEA PARTY and US elections and how Obama has fallen in stature. Fred Barnes co-hosted the program (it had been co-hosted with Bob Novak).
Barnes actually did a good job explaining to the Japanese viewers that Obama just does not cut it anymore.
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