Free Republic
Browse · Search
GOP Club
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Can Sarah Palin translate celebrity into real political power?
The Washington Post ^ | February 14, 2010 | Dan Balz

Posted on 02/13/2010 8:31:36 PM PST by 2ndDivisionVet

Sarah Palin has proved that she can draw a crowd. What she has yet to demonstrate is that she can translate the appeal of a phenomenon into a political force that can attract or mobilize sizable numbers of voters.

The former Alaska governor is the Republican Party's biggest celebrity. She has given voice to a grass-roots movement grounded in anger with Washington and President Obama's policies. But her political future remains in question. Is she presidential timber? A force only within the Republican Party? A protest candidate like George Wallace (minus the racial divisiveness) or Ross Perot?

--snip--

"Right now, she is a figure like [George] McGovern or [Barry] Goldwater, two candidates who led the most intense movements in our country's political history, but who couldn't win the middle."

If Palin harbors presidential ambitions, she has a huge mountain to climb. A new Washington Post-ABC News poll found that 71 percent of Americans do not think the politician who was Sen. John McCain's running mate in 2008 is qualified to be president.

Those numbers are so daunting that some Republicans who otherwise admire what she has accomplished doubt that she will run in 2012. Others say that unless she can transform attitudes dramatically, she cannot hope to win a general election. Still, GOP strategist Phil Musser said, "if she ran for president today, she would be the Republican nominee."

Musser's comments are notable because he is an adviser to Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty (R), who is eyeing a 2012 candidacy of his own. Palin's political future remains "very much an open question," Musser said, "but the intensity that she brought to the ticket in 2008 hasn't faded, and one could argue that perhaps it's been enhanced."(continued)

(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...


TOPICS: Issues; Parties; Polls
KEYWORDS: 2010polls; 2012; dnc4romney; msm4romney; mythromney; obama4romney; operationleper; palin; pimpingromney; politics; romney; romney4obama; sarahpalin; schmidtheads; teaparty; teapartyrebellion
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 121-140141-160161-180181-198 next last
To: CaptRon
Whatever it is, its nowhere near as potent as the poison you've been smoking all your life.
141 posted on 02/13/2010 10:48:16 PM PST by SmokingJoe
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 135 | View Replies]

To: 2ndDivisionVet

For another year we’ll hear from the media all kinds of gloom and doom polls and forecasts for our candidates, the purpose for which is to discourage them from running. Then for another year or so, we’ll hear stories whose aim is to tell us who to choose as our candidate. Then another period of articles saying the one we chose can’t possibly win so we might as well stay home and not vote.

Letting the media and the party politicos make these decisions hasn’t worked out so well for us in the past. We should do something different this time, like ignore them and select the best person whose head is on straight.


142 posted on 02/13/2010 10:48:43 PM PST by excopconservative
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: unseen1

Many people have held local office. So what. You tell me how she is electable. Tell me wherer the majority of the electorate is. She cannot be elected president no matter how much you or I wish it. And your football analogy is just dumb.


143 posted on 02/13/2010 10:49:42 PM PST by CaptRon
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 136 | View Replies]

To: excopconservative
The media hates Sarah Palin. The polls are tampered with to make her look bad. People who loved Ronald Reagan also love Sarah.

It would be smart to not let the media decide who the Republican Presidential candidate will be.

If it is not Sarah Palin, the media wins again. They gave $800 million of free propaganda to Zero. Ronald Reagan could not have won and his poll numbers would be where Sarah's are today if they did to Reagan what they are doing to her. Remember how McCain's numbers were so good until he was running against Zero! The media manipulated the election and the polls.

We would be wise to take back the media by going around them and not letting them dictate our nominee.

We could strike a blow to them once and for all by doing all we can to get Sarah elected!!

The biggest reason they hate Sarah are her Pro Life Stand and her Christian faith which she doesn't hide.

144 posted on 02/13/2010 10:51:14 PM PST by factmart
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 142 | View Replies]

To: SmokingJoe

Geez, you are delusional. I am a veteran and a lifelong Republican. What the hell is your problem? I don’t agree with you. Sucks for you I guess.


145 posted on 02/13/2010 10:51:27 PM PST by CaptRon
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 141 | View Replies]

To: grey_whiskers

I want a Republican President. Got a problem with that?


146 posted on 02/13/2010 10:52:24 PM PST by CaptRon
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 140 | View Replies]

To: CaptRon

well considering i was 11 when Reagan was elected i was most likely playing around with the other kids in the neighborhood.

I think you might have missed that sexual revolution thing and yes a woman can be elected and can be more than a prom queen in this country. get with the times


147 posted on 02/13/2010 10:53:40 PM PST by unseen1
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 138 | View Replies]

To: factmart

The media will be with Obama again and that is my point about Sarah being the ONLY CANDIDATE WHO CAN RAISE THE MILLIONS NEEDED TO DEFEAT HIM.


148 posted on 02/13/2010 10:54:14 PM PST by onyx (BE A MONTHLY DONOR - I AM)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 144 | View Replies]

To: CaptRon
She cannot be elected president no matter how much you or I wish it.”,/i>

Unfortunately, you will have long run away from this site with your tail between your legs, or more likely been banned from this site, when she clobbers your Messiah, 0bama in November 2012.
But don't worry, I will send you a mocking post on here, when Sarah Palin wins anyways

And your football analogy is just dumb.”,/i>

Chortle.
The king of dumb is calling someone else dumb?

149 posted on 02/13/2010 10:55:03 PM PST by SmokingJoe
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 143 | View Replies]

To: CaptRon

you want a gop president yet you are willing to disrespect the only GOP candidate that can turn out thousands to capmaign events, that can raise millions with one facebook post, that commands the attention of the entire MSM with every word she utters?

yeah you got a good game plan there. keep it up its working


150 posted on 02/13/2010 10:56:15 PM PST by unseen1
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 146 | View Replies]

To: CaptRon
Naaah.
You are a very transparent, easy to catch, 0bamabot zombie, ho is running really scared at he ;prospect of Sarah Palin, CRUSHING 0bama in 2012.
You are right to be badly scared, cause crush 0bama she will.
151 posted on 02/13/2010 10:57:39 PM PST by SmokingJoe
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 146 | View Replies]

To: unseen1

Man, you made a number of leaps of logic there, even leaving out you don’t know me from Adam. You got my views on women wrong, my prom queen reference wrong, the only thing you got right was that I actually was old enough to vote for Reagan. I was in college at the time. Bet you doubt I did that too. Any reply you make to that would be unworthy of a FReeper. Or it would have been.


152 posted on 02/13/2010 10:57:51 PM PST by CaptRon
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 147 | View Replies]

To: CaptRon
I want a Republican President. Got a problem with that?

Not with that, but with your defeatism regarding Sarah Palin.

Cheers!

153 posted on 02/13/2010 10:58:00 PM PST by grey_whiskers (The opinions are solely those of the author and are subject to change without notice.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 146 | View Replies]

To: unseen1

Just checked your login date. Your reply will be.


154 posted on 02/13/2010 10:58:31 PM PST by CaptRon
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 147 | View Replies]

To: grey_whiskers
She. Is. Un. Electable.

My opinion. You are entitled to yours.

155 posted on 02/13/2010 10:59:52 PM PST by CaptRon
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 153 | View Replies]

To: CaptRon

tell you how she is electable? I already did as far as EV’s. She wins NC, FL, VA, OH, CO and one or two of the northern states like MI, WI, or MN. she takes IW. that will give her the 270 EV needed to win and notice not one east coast or west coast state on the list needed.

As far as majority. Let’s see. She starts with 46% of the vote since most of the people that voted for McCain will not suddenly switch and vote for Obama this time around. that means 5% of the vote needs to switch. she can easily capture this be not being Obama.


156 posted on 02/13/2010 11:00:28 PM PST by unseen1
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 143 | View Replies]

To: CaptRon
She. Is. Un. Electable.”

Read my lips: YOU ARE AN IDIOT.

157 posted on 02/13/2010 11:01:05 PM PST by SmokingJoe
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 155 | View Replies]

To: CaptRon
hey i’m not the one that used a sexist comment about a national politcal candidate to try to belittle her. Maybe if you don’t want to be protrayed as a sexist you should stop using sexist words to belittle people
158 posted on 02/13/2010 11:02:50 PM PST by unseen1
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 152 | View Replies]

To: SmokingJoe

I guess that settles it then. You da man. I don’t agree with you so you are right. Must be one of the new FReepers. All arrogant and nasty.


159 posted on 02/13/2010 11:03:24 PM PST by CaptRon
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 157 | View Replies]

To: CaptRon
My opinion.”

Only thing is, your opinion is worth nothing. It's not backed up by the facts, and most by far Freepers don't agree with you.

160 posted on 02/13/2010 11:03:34 PM PST by SmokingJoe
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 155 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 121-140141-160161-180181-198 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
GOP Club
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson