Posted on 06/09/2011 11:05:11 AM PDT by ejdrapes
Sarah Palin, Mrs. Independent? Rich, I agree that Palin’s path to the presidency via the Republican primary looks increasingly untenable, especially in light of polls like this. But what if winning a Republican primary battle is not what Palin has in mind? I was struck during Sarah Palin’s road trip by her use of one word: independent. The two most memorable examples (though I believe there are more): Palin with Trump: Palin reciprocated Trump’s enthusiasm. Asked how she felt about a Palin/Trump ticket, Palin gushed, “That sounds exciting. Sounds unconventional.” She also praised Trump’s attitude. “I love his independence,” Palin said. “I love anybody who is not run by a political machine and will say what they want to say and will put their good experience to use in the name of service to this country.” Palin on Romneycare: “Even on a state level and even a local level, mandates coming from a governing body, it’s tough for a lot of us independent Americans to accept, because we have great faith in the private sectors and our own families … and our own businessmen and women making decisions for ourselves. Not any level of government telling us what to do,” Palin said. So here’s a bit of bald speculation for a Thursday afternoon: Could Sarah Palin be firing up for an independent run at the presidency? I have no idea, of course, but it would make a certain amount of sense. She’s never had the inclination to play nice with the Republican party (she hasn’t, for instance, coordinated her bus tour stops with local Republicans), and who needs the hassle of a grueling Republican primary when you’ve already got a national fund-raising base and the best name recognition in the field? She could skip all those messy debates and hold onto her gig (and platform) at Fox News longer than she otherwise could have. She could avoid becoming the target of half-a-dozen GOP campaigns’ attacks, and she could hold her SarahPAC warchest in reserve for the general, at which point whoever snags the Republican nomination will have been depleted and need to play catchup. And with outside group spending eclipsing the RNC in 2010, she could compete for a huge share of the right-of-center PAC pie. Hitherto my thinking has been that Palin wouldn’t run at all. She knows that barring a miracle she can’t win a general election against Obama* and I never thought she had it out bad enough for the Republican establishment to be willing to deliver President Obama a second term. But maybe she sees an independent run differently. (For the record, I do too. I think it changes the question from ‘Will Obama win?’ to ‘Will Obama win by double-digits?’) * I’m sorry folks, but this is true. Palin’s favorable/unfavorable split has been moving in the wrong direction since 2008 and stood at 28/60 in a recent Bloomberg poll. So even if we give her all 3.1 percent of the poll’s margin of error and she picked up every one of the twelve percent of respondents who said they were “not sure” about her, she’d top out 43.1 percent favorable. John McCain — with Palin on the ticket — got 45.66 percent of the popular vote in 2008 and got crushed in the electoral college. Even though turnout may not break records as it did in 2008, even though unemployment will probably be above eight percent, even though Hope and Change won’t have the same ring to it, and even with every benefit of the doubt, Palin would have to change millions of Americans’ minds about her to have a shot.
By Daniel Foster
More “ejdrapes” BS. Pissant is THAT you?!
So Bachmann’s Palin-bashing extends to her fans here on FR?
Please make your allegiances clear, if you are going to bash Palin.
Or are you hoping to instigate division between them?
Mitt?
I do not believe that she would go independant. This would only split the vote and ensure another 4 years of the magic negro. She’s not that stupid.
Sarah Palin [I]...Commie Obama [C] Mutt Romney [R}
And Trump has hinted he could run as an independent.
Arguably, we ended up with Bill and Hillary because Ross Perot drained more votes from Bush 41 than he took from Bill in the ‘92 election.
Sarah has to run as a Republican and try to get the nomination that way, or else not run at all. Sarah running as in independent would just drain votes away from the GOP and re-elect Obama.
My fear is that short-sighted Palin die-hards will trash everyone else running in the GOP primaries to the point where Romney sneaks off with the nomination.
Then we will be royally screwed whether Sarah runs as an Independent or not, since there is no way Obama loses.
I'll go, I back Rick Perry, governor of Texas. Now everyone can know where I am coming from.
As far as Palin as Independent, I could see it if she doesn't win the nomination and Mitt or another obvious RINO gets the votes (obvious! as in just because their not Palin doesn't make them a RINO). I think it would be a winning strategy if getting Obama a second term was the goal.
I thought National Review had written Sarah Palin off because she was stupid. Then again, ever since they anesthetized The Corner, I’m betting they need the hits however they get ‘em.
She used the word “independent”, therefore she will run as one? Dumb idea, must have come from a liberal. In fact, Sarah would have to be a stupid as the Left Stream Media would have you believe to consider it. All she would do is assure 4 more years of Obamunism, and she knows that.
Wrong on Palin and “Independent” party, no, she’ll WIN the GOP Primary, no need to have to go to “Independent.”
Trashing other republicans is Mitt Romney’s single strategy.
Look at any Palin-basher on this board, scratch the surface you’ll find magic underwear.
I once thought Romney was a good guy.
I’ve become convinced he’s sneaky, destructive, and the GOP equivalent of James Carville.
He’s the Tanya Harding of the gop.
Which of course explains Karl Rove, who wishes only to be the one wielding the crowbar, as long as he’s paid.
(yes I’m irritated)
Everything that is wrong with the GOP can be traced back to the treatment heaped on Christine O’Donnell.
” I’ll go, I back Rick Perry, governor of Texas. Now everyone can know where I am coming from. “ =======
I lean Perry also, in this moment, despite the chinks in his armor. He is a doer as well as a talker, and neither his competence nor his resume is in question that he is a proven independent, hard nosed fiscal achiever, whom the Bushes don’t like. That’s another plus.
Even most of his chinks can be chalked up to his over achieving attempts to increase Texas prosperity.
“My fear is that short-sighted Palin die-hards will trash everyone else running in the GOP primaries ....”
I see, so it’s perfectly okay when the “die-hard” Palin haters trash her.
Palin suporters should just STFU and take it.
You haven’t seen ANYTHING yet. Now, I happen to like Cain and I am glad that he’s in this race, but if his supporters continue to trash Palin, as well as her supporters, I for one will show no quarter.
No, she’s not going to run as an independent. She has a lot more political savvy than that.
As an aside, any article from NRO needs to be viewed through the question “how does this article help Mitt Romney?”
I don`t think Palin would go indie. She`d only draw GOP votes away, guaranteeing another 4 years of 0bama. Unless undermining the GOP is the goal, no good would come from it.
First, you see ejdrapes as the poster. Then you notice it's from NRO. Then you read this.
No need to read further. Another condescending piece from one of NRO's large collection of idiot pundits. Who does KLo favor this time? Mitt Romney again? Chris Christie? His only accomplishment was a couple of amusing YouTube interviews attacking the Teachers Union. But as yet, he has done little or nothing to put those words into practice.
If Sarah Palin decides to run, it will be as a Republican. Her use of the word “independent” is to signal that she will not be beholden to the Republican hierarchy. Besides her being right on the issues with the courage to follow thru, her independence from the corrupt GOP elite is what I admire most about Palin. We’ll finally have a president “of the people” should she be elected.
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