Posted on 06/01/2012 7:06:12 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
Regardless of the political affiliation or level of engagement of a person’s community, most people would be hard pressed to find someone unfamiliar with the name Sarah Palin.
A dynamic and polarizing figure who was often the subject of scrutiny and target of political satire, Palin is the former Alaska governor and vice presidential contender that Americans either love or hate.
The ambivalence she’s inspired in the nation after numerous gaffes and missteps along the way in 2008 has not lessened much over the past four years since her time in the spotlight.
She has also become a figurehead on the prow of the USS Tea Party, a conservative movement responsible for causing its own political divides throughout the nation and keeping her name in a place of prominence.
The fallout from what some have called a disastrous performance during the 2008 election continues to this very day.
Perhaps the most notable and timely example is the repeated appearance of her name in speculations regarding the choice of running mate for official GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney – usually mentioned as a moral, the personification of a lesson to be learned.
The continued factoring of Palin into such conversations leads many to wonder – how do her words and actions affect politics in 2012, four years after her candidacy?
Her influence is not to be negated outright – after all, as Politico pointed out earlier this week, Palin has made several successful endorsements recently, such as Senate hopeful Deb Fischer of Nebraska and Indiana Treasurer Richard Mourdock. Her support has been perceived to be something of a game-changer for candidates on the receiving end of it, and in a positive way.
She also lent support to Rick Santorum, before ultimately dropping out of the race.
Joanne Bamberger, manager of Pundit Mom and an author of the book “Mothers of Intention,” feels that her influence does exist, but will likely stay isolated to a small sect of the American populace.
“I think her positive is her negative – she is still going to appeal to the really committed Tea Party supporters,” she said to CBSDC. “But if you’re talking about the presidential race, Senate races, local races, whatever they are, the Tea Party is an uber-conservative, small minority of people voting.”
She additionally noted that a Palin endorsement smacks somewhat of Karl Rove-ian politics, in the strategy of appealing to niche voters and galvanizing a passionate but ultimately small sect of Americans toward a candidate, rather than appealing to a larger, broader base of constituents.
Barbara Kellerman, a James MacGregor Burns Lecturer in Leadership of the Kennedy School at Harvard University, agreed when she spoke with CBSDC.
“She remains attractive, sure – in every sense of the world – appealing to many people ideologically and personally,” she said. “But those people are increasingly very much in the minority, very much among the right wing of the Republican Party.”
Added Kellerman, “Are there people in the United States who pay attention to her? Sure. Is her political clout even within a remote distance to what it was a couple of years ago? The answer is no.”
As for Palin’s influence on the selections of a running mate for Romney, both Kellerman and Bamberger see Romney steering clear of a wild card such as Palin.
“I think the level of consciousness regarding the mistake the McCain campaign made … (will cause) the Romney campaign to make extreme efforts to distance itself from it,” Kellerman said. “They will seek someone politically skilled, serious, somber, adult, mature … someone no one will question as a solid pick for the vice presidential slot, who in the event of a calamity would be fit to be president.”
She added, “There has really been an evolution from 2008, a gradual recognition and nationwide acknowledgement of the reckless pick by the McCain campaign. Few defend it anymore – some may have in 2008 and 2009, even 2010, but not in the last year or two.”
Bamberger envisions a male running mate for Romney, but for different reasons.
“Lots of people are saying that Romney has to pick a woman as a running mate because of the perceived war on women, but if I were a betting woman, I would say that he would steer clear of any women and pick someone he is most comfortable with,” she said. “[Not] because of Palin – he’ll choose the extreme opposite of Palin because that’s who Romney is. He’ll pick someone very much like him, in the mold of George H.W. Bush picking Dan Quayle. Another white guy … with a similar background who is not going to overshadow Romney.”
Romney Wins over Donors by Warning of Huckabee-Palin Ticket at Convention
"Mitt Romney raised millions in March by warning would-be donors a brokered convention could mean a Palin-Huckabee or Huckabee-Palin ticket". [link]
Warning? Really? Does he know he would've never had a shot in hell at getting the nomination had Sarah ran, because we actually wanted her??
Tim Pawlenty.....and the Vanilla Twins will be off and running.
God have mercy on us.
In 2004 Edwards was invited to Bildberberg and got on the ticket with the poser Kerry (also back at Bilderberg this year) Daniels was probably the choice, but this time his attendance at Bilderberg is having a very negative effect.
It will be interesting to see if his attendance costs him the V.P. nod or the Bilderbergers put him on the ticket anyway ?
Amen, Diogenesis.
Never. she recently bashed Mittens for his "self-deportation" strategy for illegal aliens.
I wouldn’t(accept the VP slot) if I were her. She has more clout now than she would have as Romney’s VP. and she doesn’t seem like the type who can fake it if she doesn’t like someone, namely Mittens.
Yeah, that dude continues to kick butt and take names.
I think the old-retiring senator from AZ would be good. He wont be around in 2016. He’s conservative and likeable.
Who cares who he picks. 1.9% GDP, 10.9% real unemployment, Dow crashing. Time to move on post haste. The country is sinking like a stone AGAIN.
That was my first thought when I read this.
Hey, Babs - if McCain hadn't picked Palin, I wouldn't have bothered to show up to vote.
Got it, you ignorant slut?
You’re exactly right.
Bammy will pick Hillary if he wants to have any chance to win.
Unless Romney picks her first. She is definitely the opposite of Palin. ;)
So David Letterman is going to be vice president?
He needs Allen West...it’ll be game over
“I think her positive is her negative – she is still going to appeal to the really committed Tea Party supporters,” she [Joanne Bamberger] said to CBSDC. “But if you’re talking about the presidential race, Senate races, local races, whatever they are, the Tea Party is an uber-conservative, small minority of people voting.”
Ah, yes. Joanne Bamberger, the HuffPo contributor who claimed a few months back that all the GOP candidates were doomed, (DOOMED, I tell you!) because of Rush Limbaugh’s comments about Sandra Fluke.
As for Romney...he’d better realize just how many conservatives planning on voting for him are doing so with nose firmly held and are supporting him with great reluctance. If Mitt picks someone who is as squishy as he is on core issues, I think he’ll lose considerably more than he gains. No conservative will vote for Obama, but more than a few might just sit this one out.
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