Posted on 11/25/2010 9:10:56 AM PST by roses of sharon
I spent only a few hours with the former governor, helping to prepare her for the vice presidential debate in October 2008. And during that brief window, I saw Palin at one of her most vulnerable moments, when any result other than a complete train wreck seemed impossible. And yet I also saw a determined woman buckle down, recover her confidence and then storm the national stage where she more than held her own against a seven-term senator.
Did she face some tough slogging to reach her remarkable perch? Sure, you betcha. I admire her tenacity, her verve, her moxie, and her pluck. As she releases what’s sure to be another bestseller, America by Heart, I think it’s phenomenal how Palin has been able to leverage her moment in the spotlight. I marvel at her masterful manipulation of the media, and her ability to redirect the national debate with merely a tweet. Most of all, I like the way she defies conventional wisdom and does things her own way: She doesn’t retreat, she reloads. And without Palin and the Tea Party backing Republican candidates, I doubt the crimson tide would have risen so high Nov. 2.
Palin’s appeal completely befuddles metro-intellectuals. They scoff at her “experience,” holding the one-time city manager, mayor, oil and gas commission chair, governor, and vice presidential nominee to a different standard than candidate Obama. A marathon runner, mother of five, and grandmother to one, she has no qualms about smacking a slimy halibut—or an oil and gas company—upside the head. And don’t be fooled, underneath that “prom hair” is a brilliant populist.
Yet I find myself continually goaded into denigrating her, saying things like “she’s reached her sell-by date,” “her stock is going down,” and “if she’s smart, she won’t run for president.” And I was going to go on TV recently and say, “It’s rare you hear quantitative easing and Sarah Palin in the same sentence,” until I realized that she did a hell of a lot better job explaining the complex concept than I could.
Though she is rightfully suspicious of advice from outside Team Palin, and she certainly doesn't care what I think, it is my strong opinion that she should not run. Not just because I don’t agree with her positions or her politics, but because the coming political fight is about more than the future of Sarah Palin. It’s about the future of the country.
All the fun, the money, the power will only be diminished if she runs. Because I don’t care how you cut it, in the end she will lose.
President Obama’s approval rating is now just 39 percent, and he is statistically tied in a direct matchup with Palin according to a new Zogby poll. And according to Quinnipiac, American voters believe that Obama does not deserve a second term by a margin of 49 to 43 percent. But Palin is viewed unfavorable by 51 percent of voters. And among independents, the key swing voting bloc, her negative is at 54 percent. She is not the right candidate right now.
Framing the presidential contest ahead, Mona Charen put it well: “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.”
If Palin runs, I think the entire Republican primary process will be hijacked. With ardent fans and a rabid media, it will become Palin-palooza. A celebrity fest will follow with even more amplitude than the adulation and adoration that surrounded Barack Obama, who was so revered he was sometimes referred to in biblical proportions as “The One.” An all-consuming super nova, Palin will suck the oxygen out of every room, everywhere she goes. And one of two things will happen. Discerning conservative voters in early primary states will be offended by the circus-like atmosphere and the presumption that they could so easily fall for a “cult of personality.” And they will vote against her. And she will lose. Or, Republican voters will be completely swept up in the mania and nominate her as the GOP standard bearer to go up against President Obama. And she will lose—perhaps the only Republican nominee who could lose in 2012.
But I also think she shouldn’t run for her sake. How could life get any better? She has more power, money, control, and influence than she could have ever possibly imagined. Two bestselling books, almost 2.5 million Facebook fans, a record-breaking cable TV show, and a daughter who made it to the finals on another TV show—not because of her abilities, but because she’s Sarah Palin’s daughter, and by god, the Palinistas out there defiantly come to her rescue week after week.
Palin is having fun. She decided governing Alaska was, well, just a pain. Too much work. A hassle. Whatever. Next. There I go again, denigrating. See, it’s just a reflex. It’s easy to discount her accomplishments, and to ignore the ludicrous opposition Palin faced in the courts and in the press on her return to office from the campaign trail. But my point is, all the fun, the money, the power will only be diminished if she runs. Because, I don’t care how you cut it, in the end she will lose. She is just too polarizing a figure at this point in her career to win a general election. And if the Republicans lose to a weakened President Obama, she will forever be blamed for snatching defeat from the jaws of victory.
But I know how these things go. First of all, as James Carville said, running for president is like sex. Once you’ve done it, it’s hard to stop. Second, once the drum beat starts, and all your friends and admirers start telling you, “For the sake of the Republic, it’s your duty to run,” it’s awfully hard not to let your ego get filled with a lot of helium. Next thing you know, you’re shivering at a diner in January in Iowa.
I know there are millions of conservative women and young grizzlettes out there who admire Sarah Palin. She inspires them; she is them. They know that beneath the sequined lapel pin roars the heart of a Mama Grizzly wronged. And they are offended when elites, the media, and smart asses like me dismiss her infectious optimism, her pitch-fork populism, and her love of family, faith and the flag.
In my view, it would have been interesting to see what would have happened to her as a political figure had she not been plucked too soon from obscurity, if she had been allowed to ripen on the vine for a couple of terms as governor of Alaska before emerging on the national scene. Alas, she was thrown onto the rocket sled of celebrity and has ridden to heights never before seen.
And if Palin doesn't run for the top slot, she will very likely be on the short list again for vice president. Or certainly for a cabinet slot if the Republicans win.
Only one thing is for sure. Sarah Palin is going to be around for a very long time. She’s already had a few last laughs, and she’s likely to have a whole lot more before the closing credits roll. ’Cause life as America’s sweetheart—and siren for the left—is “flippin’ fun.”
No matter what happens, whether she runs for president or not, Palin is going to be Pot Stirrer-in-Chief.
This passage reveals McKinnon's true heart. He knows better than this. He knows Palin was targeted with phony ethics charges that brought her governorship to a standstill and ran up over half a million in legal fees. He's a bastard for pushing the "she quit because she couldn't handle it" meme, even though he knows better.
Credentials:
Governor Sarah Palin’s Accomplishments that garnished her a whopping 92% approval rating:
Energy Independence, Development, and Environmental Stewardship
*Governor Palin’s cornerstone accomplishment is AGIA (Alaska Gasline Inducement Act). During the Palin administration, TransCanada and Exxon formed an alliance to build a natural gas pipeline from Alaska to the Lower 48. Under Governor Palin’s governance, the project was expanded and revised from what previous governors had proposed with an open policy process for the Alaskan people. More progress was made on this effort than in the previous 30 years. This is the largest private sector infrastructure project in North American history and helps put us on the path to energy independence.
*Governor Palin’s administration opened up drilling for oil and natural gas at Pt. Thompson for the first time in decades.
*Governor Palin created the Alaska’s Petroleum Integrity Office to oversee all aspects of energy development and to make sure oilfield equipment was safe to operate and a Climate Change Subcabinet to comprehensively and honestly evaluate climate change.
Fiscal Conservatism
*Governor Palin reduced earmark requests for the state of Alaska by 80% during her administration, requesting only earmarks that would benefit the country as a whole.
* Governor Palin reduced spending in her budget for Fiscal Year 2010 by more than one billion dollars from the previous governor’s Fiscal Year 2007 budget, a 9.5% real reduction in spending. Her FY2010 budget was $10.57 billion compared to Governor Murkowski’s FY2007 budget of nearly $11.7 billion. At the same time, she fulfilled her campaign promise to forward fund education, allowing districts greater flexibility and predictability in their planning.
*Governor Palin opposed much of the “stimulus”, wanting only to accept 55% of the money allocated to Alaska, specifically only dollars dedicated to infrastructure [projects. Although the Alaskan legislature ultimately overturned her veto, she stood firm on her commitment to help Alaska to become more self-sufficient while not adding to not add to the skyrocketing national debt.
* Governor Palin invested $5 billion in state savings.
Walking the Walk on Fiscal Responsibility
*Governor Palin sold the private jet purchased by the previous governor. She state it was an unnecessary financial burden on the state and was unable to land on many of the state’s landing strips.
* To cut costs that would be incurred by continuing to use a personal driver like previous governors, the governor drove herself from Wasilla to her office in Anchorage. She also dismissed the governor’s personal chef stationed in Juneau, Alaska’s capital.
* Governor Palin accepted less state per diem for herself and her family than her predecessors even though she had a larger family.
10th Amendment Advocacy/Promotion of State Constitution
*Showing that she is a strong supporter of the 10th amendment, Governor Palin advocated for the sovereignty of the state of Alaska.
*Governor Palin’s administration sued the federal government for placing the polar bear on the endangered species list, as this restriction affected energy development which would increase energy costs.
*A Constitutionalist, Governor Palin signed Alaska’s Clear and Equitable Share (ACES) bill into law. The Alaska constitution states that the Alaskan people own the oil and other resources. This law ensures that the “owners”, the people of Alaska, receive a clear and equitable share of oil profits.
National Defense/Veterans
*Governor Palin supported ground-based missile defense Ft Greely and other Alaskan Bases around to protect America from America’s enemies. She criticized the Obama administration for cuts that they made to this national defense system.
*Governor Palin, with Senators Murkowski and Begich, fought for retirement benefits from the federal government that were due to the Alaska Territorial Guard members who fought during World War II. These benefits were eventually rewarded to these veterans by the federal government.
* Governor Palin visited Alaskan soldiers in Kosovo and Kuwait.
Transparency/Anti-Corruption
*Governor Palin signed bipartisan ethics reform legislation into law that helped to hold both the legislative and executive branches accountable.
*Governor Palin put the state checkbook online, allowing all constituents to see how state money was being spent.
Health Care
*Governor Palin introduced health care transparency legislation which aimed at putting information in the hands of consumers about cost and quality of health care as a way to make health care consumer driven and accessible.
Sanctity and Dignity of All Life
* Governor Palin strongly supported both parental consent and parental notification legislation.
*Governor Palin increased educational funding for special needs’ children.
*Governor Palin implemented the Senior Benefits Program to support low income seniors.
Positions Held while Governor
* Chairman of the Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission.
*Vice Chair of the National Governors Association Natural Resource Committee.
* She served as chair of the Alaska Conservation Commission, which regulates Alaska’s most valuable non-renewable resources: oil and gas. She was elected by her peers to serve as president of the Alaska Conference of Mayors. In this role, she worked with local, state and federal officials to promote solutions to the needs of Alaska’s communities.
She exposed legal violations and conflicts of interest of Alaska Republican leaders, including the former state Attorney General and the State GOP Chairman (who was also an Oil & Gas Commissioner), who was doing work for the party on public time and supplying a lobbyist with a sensitive e-mail. Several went to jail.
Governor Palin signed several pieces of legislation and resolutions during July 2009. They were:
•SB-125: Encourage aerospace development in AK
•SB-177: Extend sunset for sport fishing guides and address harvest data collection
•Pro-energy development and missile defense resolutionsHJR-27: Alaska a Sovereign State
HJR-25: Hydro-Electric a Renewable Resource
HJR-28: Oppose Federal Restriction on Oil and Gas Development
HJR-12: Support Missile Defense System
•SB-88: Power cost equalization
•Defending Second Amendment rights.SB-201: Extends Concealed Carry Permit Expiration to 5 Years from Birthday
HJR-17: Urges Congress not to pass HR-45.The federal legislation would put burdensome licensing and registration controls on individual gun owners.
SJR-10: Urges Congress to pass S-371. The legislation was to ensure that citizens of each state who are licensed or authorized by their home state to carry a concealed weapon, could do so in another state as long as they comply with the laws of that state.
SJR-3: The resolution expresses support to Congress for repealing the ban on carrying a firearm on National Park Service lands.
•SB-3 Requiring information sharing between two agencies.
•HRJ-19 Supports requirement of escort for loaded tankers traversing Prince William Sound.
•The Governor appointed 29 people to boards, commissions and councils and made three judicial appointments between July 6, 2009 and July 26, 2009.Governor Palin’s total appointments for 2009 was123, including 116 to boards, commissions and councils, five judicial appointments, one legislative and one attorney general. Governor Palin averaged one appointment every 1.67 days during 2009.
•The Governor vetoed $28.6 million in stimulus money that would have involved federal interference with the state of Alaska.
Governor Palin signed bills removing experience caps on teacher’s salaries and extending boat safety programs.Governor Palin signed legislation that gave struggling charter schools a one-year grace period to increase enrollments or integrate with other charter schools. She also signed legislation that authorizes Alaska “to enroll in the Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children.”
Governor Palin signed legislation granting birth certificates for stillborn babies
Governor Palin signed legislation authorizing the state to fund retirement benefits for Alaska Territorial Guard veterans. The federal government ceased funding benefits on April 1, 2009
Governor Palin signed legislation safeguarding student loans
Sarah Palin was Commander of the Alaska National Guard. Alaska is the first line of defense in our missile interceptor defense system. The 49th Missile Defense Battalion of the Alaska National Guard is the first line of defense unit that protects the entire nation from ballistic missile attacks. It’s on permanent active duty, unlike other Guard units in the United States. As governor of Alaska, Palin was briefed on highly classified military issues, homeland security, and counterterrorism daily.
Governor Palin was the commander in chief of the Alaska State Defense Force (ASDF), a federally recognized militia incorporated into Homeland Security’s counterterrorism plans.
“Even a RINO president is better than ZERO.”
A RINO President gave us Clinton
Another RINO President gave us ZERO.
Both the RINOs had the last name Bush. Now they and their surrogates are giving us advice on who to nominate.
That in itself takes stunning arrogance. The Bushes and the Establishmentarians should slink away and hide in a hole for what they have done.
Instead they are out telling Palin to deprive the American people of the first genuine choice we have had in 25 years.
And they are using exactly the same arguments that they employed against Reagan.
Agree with you.
“Witness the historic blunder they made in going after Sarah Palin AFTER she’d lost the election. They actually CAUSED and ENABLED her to become the Godzilla of American politics, that she is today, by forcing her out of the Alaska Governor’s office.
How’s that for brilliance?
Friend, they simply aren’t as bright as you imagine.”
That is the good news, WF. She is a lot smarter thatn teh Estalishment “archons” but their arrogance and elitism will not let them admit it. That fact, coupled with her supreme self confidence) is why I am so confident of her ultimate success. I had far more doubts about Reagan’s success (and indeed he was in much worse shape politically than Palin at this point in the 1980 cycle), although I was optimistic about his chances too
You didn't - I did. Read my posts to you again.
While they are causing the conservative voters to flock to her, independents and moderates flock the other way.
I've been trying to tell you that they are attempting to do that very thing.
How does such a scenario hurt them in the general election?
It doesn't. They manipulate the opinion of the squishy middle to pull the lever for Romney, or some other lesser Republican in the primary, and they wind up with someone they think Obama can beat.
Like usual, they select our nominee for us again. They win, and America loses. That's the formula.
“Precisely....THIS IS NOT A PALIN PROBLEM, IT IS A GOP PROBLEM.
May the GOP pay for their behavior.....it is inexcusable that they are threatening and bullying this woman into saying no to a Presidential run.
In public, in front of the Democrats and the MSM...for all the world to see.
We will see how long the Republican Party remains viable after this gross display of perfidy.”
That is truly what we are seeing, and what we are learning about politics, and how America got into this situation, seeing this is a shocking revelation to most of us.
Bobby Jindal/John Bolton.
Indeed. Although he enjoyed strong support among politically active conservatives who were plugged in at the time, he had yet to close the deal with the majority of the voting public.
Most agree that he faced daunting odds in accomplishing that, because in those days, the MSM owned virtually all channels of mass communication. The televised debates between Reagan and Carter were what swung the election in Reagan's favor at the 11th hour.
Sarah Palin (thankfully) has the tools of 21st century media at her disposal, so she is connecting directly to the people. Without that, her chances of becoming our nominee, then going on to win the general election, would be slim to none.
That is Governor Palin . . .
Former Governor Palin, you mean---she doesn't hold the office any longer. I see nothing disrespectful in referring to her as Mrs. Palin, even as I might refer to a few former presidents as Messrs. Bush or Mr. Clinton or, when he was still among us, Mr. Reagan.
. . . if you want somebody to run the RNC you don't look at the first tier of Presidential candidates, especially the conservative one.I think as I do based on observing her during the 2010 campaigns. Under ordinary circumstances I wouldn't think of a top-tier presidential candidate to run the Republican Party (or any political party, for that matter), and as it is I'm still not decided whether she'd make a good president, though I don't think she'd make a bad one, either.
But the Republican Party has had such a genius for straying off message, off platform, and shooting itself in the feet, that I'm sure I'm not the only one who thinks nothing short of Mrs. Palin would be a splendid pick to run the party. She has the skills for it. Including and especially staying on message and on platform.
I wouldn't have thought of it before the 2010 campaigns began in earnest but then I saw her in action. It's not that anything wouldn't be an improvement over Michael Steele (a good man who's in way over his head), of course, but what I saw in Mrs. Palin during the 2010 campaigns convinced me that she could, if given the chance, overhaul the Republican Party very powerfully, an overhaul badly needed and overdue long enough.
A RINO President gave us ClintonAnd a third gave us Jimmy Carter.Another RINO President gave us ZERO.
Gee, you think? Governor Palin is our conservative Presidential front runner, and you want her to drop out instead, why are you even at freerepublic?
That’s a near perfect summary :) I like the way you’re thinking!
I don’t “wish” for Romney. I don’t like Romney. But what you and MANY here need to get is that there are LOTS of people who love Mitt who do NOT like Palin. The FR bubble against Mitt is not realistic. For every one like you who says “I won’t,” there is someone on our side who says the same thing about Palin.
I have not. I know her ghost writer for her bio. I can’t divulge details, but some things trouble me.
Just to repeat so I’m not misunderstood, I do NOT like Romney. He isn’t my #1 through #10 candidate. He is barely-—barely-—superior to Zero. But we are fools here at FR to think that the majority of Republicans don’t like him. They do.
Uhhhhhh.......better reconsider that.
I heard him say, with no equivication, he thinks the scanner/grope action by TSA is just fine, and denigrated those who think otherwise.
Like you, I thought he was one of the good guys, might still be useful in some jobs, but near the top???? Ohhhh Nooooo.
>> we should just pack it in and go home? <<
No, of course not. That would be falling for the fallacy of the false alternative.
What you do is to follow Bill Buckley’s rule, that is, support the most conservative candidate who actually can win.
So if you honestly and truly are convinced that Gov. Palin can win, then you should support her.
(But otherwise, you should support my candidate, Gov. Barbour!)
How many F’n RINOs exist. They are coming out of the woodwork like scared cockroaches.
McKinnon...etc.
If Palin doesn’t run, the air is going to get sucked out of the Republican Primary and Obama is going to win in a walk.
Mark my words.
We conservatives need to take the GOP back. If we fail it’s our fault. If we are sabotaged, I’m out. Let the “Establishment” cast aside the Tea Parties for their nuanced chardonnay sips.
This is the GOP’s last shot for many people...already they are failing perfectly.
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