Palin is a problem?
That is All.
Wait, What I am Saying? Vince Foster KNEW Hillary, poor Chris Stevens didn't have a chance.
Posted on 01/25/2015 4:55:37 PM PST by 2ndDivisionVet
DES MOINES — As a chance to evaluate possible 2016 Republican presidential candidates, the Freedom Summit here in Des Moines was a solid success. Several potential candidates — Scott Walker, Ted Cruz, Chris Christie, and a few others — left the 10-hour political marathon with their prospects undeniably enhanced.
All that was good news for Republicans. But at the same time, more than a few GOP loyalists came away shaking their heads at the performance of a party star, former vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin, whose long, rambling, and at times barely coherent speech left some wondering what role she should play in Republican politics as the 2016 race begins in earnest.
Palin made news when she arrived in Iowa saying she is seriously considering a run for president. In an interview with ABC the day before coming to Iowa, Palin answered "of course" when asked if she is interested in running in 2016. Then, when she arrived at a Des Moines hotel late Friday evening, she told the Washington Post, "Who wouldn't be interested?" Asked to clarify, Palin told the paper, "You can absolutely say that I am seriously interested."
The news, given big play on the Drudge Report, heightened the anticipation of Palin's speech to the Freedom Summit. After all, there were still memories in the crowd of her rousing speech at the 2008 Republican convention. But when Palin took the stage, it was clear this would be no inspiring effort.
First, Palin embarked on an extended stream-of-consciousness complaint about media coverage of her decision to run in a half-marathon race in Storm Lake, Iowa in 2011. She then moved on to grumbling about coverage of a recent photo of her with a supporter who had made a sign saying "Fuc_ you Michael Moore" in reaction to the left-wing moviemaker's criticism of the film "American Sniper." Then it was on to Palin's objections about the social media ruckus over a picture of her six-year-old son Trig standing on the family's Labrador Retriever.
It was all quite petty, and yet the complaining took half of Palin's allotted time. She then proceeded to blow through her time limit with a free-association ramble on Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, the energy industry, her daughter Bristol, Margaret Thatcher, middle-class economics — "the man can only ride ya when your back is bent" — women in politics, and much more. It would be hard to say that Palin's 35-minute talk had a theme, but she did hint that she is interested in running, although there are no indications she has taken any actual steps in that direction.
"Long and disjointed," said one social conservative activist when asked for reaction. "A weird speech," said another conservative activist. "Terrible. Didn't make any sense."
"There was a certain coarseness to her that wasn't there before," said yet another social conservative who noted that some in the crowd were uncomfortable with Palin declarations like, "Screw the left in Hollywood!" (It's not that they like the left in Hollywood — just the opposite — but the crudeness of Palin's expressions turned them off.)
"I know she is popular, but it is hard to take her seriously given that performance," said Sam Clovis, the conservative Iowa college professor, radio commentator, and sometime political candidate. "Palin was a sad story Saturday. With every speech she gives, she gets worse and worse. If one were playing a political cliche drinking game, no one would have been sober after the first 15 minutes of an interminable ramble. It was really painful."
"I think she has a role in the conservative movement and in the party," Clovis continued, "but she needs to get serious about what it is she can contribute and accomplish."
To be fair, it should be noted that Clovis ran in the 2014 Republican Senate primary against Joni Ernst — a race in which Palin endorsed Ernst. (Citizens United, a sponsor of the Freedom Summit, endorsed Clovis.) But Clovis was by no way alone in faulting Palin's performance.
"Calling Gov. Palin's remarks bizarre and disjointed would be charitable," said a well-connected Iowa Republican. "Her shelf-life, even with the most conservative voters in our party, seems to be near the end. In a day filled with strong performances from likely candidates ranging from Scott Walker to Ted Cruz, her remarks were a distraction."
"It was a long and incoherent speech," added Craig Robinson, of the Iowa Republican blog. "At best, there were a few good one-liners." Robinson continued:
Of all the people I talked to about Palin's speech, only one person didn't have a negative reaction. That person basically said it was a typical Sarah Palin speech. It was received poorly by everyone else I spoke with. I'm not comfortable sharing everything I heard about the speech — it was that bad.
No offense to Gov. Palin, but I do think it is problematic to have someone give a speech like that in the midst of a string of serious speeches by people who are seriously thinking about running for president. Palin made a guy like Trump look like a serious presidential candidate today. Incredible.
By the time Palin finished speaking, it was hard for anyone to believe she truly is "seriously interested" in running for president. Palin followed former executive Carly Fiorina, who gave a well-received speech that left many in the audience wanting to hear more. Like any serious would-be candidate, Fiorina had obviously taken care to prepare the best speech she could. The contrast with Palin could not have been clearer.
The experience leaves Iowa Republicans with a lot to think about. Yes, Palin is still a draw. Yes, conservatives still empathize with her over the beating she took from the media in 2008. But if there is indeed nothing behind her "seriously interested" talk — and it appears there is not — should she be included in events leading up to the 2016 caucuses? A lot of GOP activists may come to agree with one of those well-connected Iowa Republicans quoted above, who remarked, "The sooner these forums in Iowa focus on those actually running, the better."
I agree. If Sarah ever ran I can imagine that every speech she makes will be pan by the media and experts but will be liked by the average voter. They use to call Reagan an idiot and were at disbelief that voters saw anything into him
She has helped a number of tea party candidates to get elected, so I give her credit for fighting the good fight on that count.
But especially with resigning her governorship after 2 1/2 years, I think she should have been building up her policy wonk and international credentials, which she could easily have done by doing some international energy work for a think tank, writing with depth on issues, and building her gravitas image.
Instead, she and her family have done a half-dozen vapid reality shows, she’s spoken really only to hard-core fans in an increasingly cheeky and casual manner, and of course she hasn’t run for office anywhere.
In short, ironically, she has helped the cause, but she hasn’t helped herself—if she aspires to further leadership in office. I still hope she turns it around.
Yeah, she’s talking to the low brow, but not to the rest of the country. And, only serious policy-wonk young people watch a speech to this sort of audience. Also, parents trying to be hip never really get across right to their kids and their kids’ friends.
I respectfully, disagree. 320 million people in this country, all with differing backgrounds, attitudes and concerns. You’ll never be able to talk to them all at the same time, except on few occasions. The path to the WH is a long and arduous one.
Bitch all you want, but it is what it is. And until we can take back education and a whole lot of other things, that’s the way it’s gonna be. Like it or not.
For the record, I don’t like it. But it’s the environment in which we find ourselves.
We’ve been bitching a lot around here for R’s to play hardball; game time.
I like Palin.
But we need someone who can decimate Shrillary in the debates.
Ted Cruz.
“Hardball” doesn’t mean stupid, and if you think politically disinterested young people were watching King’s Iowa Summit in January of 2015, I think you’re sorely deluded.
SAdly I heard it and pretty much do agree with this author.....I kept thinking it was because she was tired, because she really did look it. However the more she rambled on, and too much was rambling, I couldn’t deny what was the obvious...and very sad it was so.
I listened to Trumps video later on....and actually reminded me what I would have thought Sarah might have done were she actually running. HE made points along the way and solid ones, yet had the “trump” personlity there with it all.
I know Sarahs base can give her room on this..but really it was that bad.
Byron, Carly Fiorina couldn’t even beat Barbara Boxer.
I can’t agree....
For one who just announced beforehand they were “seriously” considering running for Pres. you would of course expect something substantial and or at least consistant to what we have seen from Sarah when she is serious....her speech was anything but that.
Now it may be with purpose that she was all over the map and clearly not herself as we’ve known......perhaps as a distraction so the media would “chase” her as they did in the past.....but even if that was so she overplayed it much IMO....she came off as a ditz too often and uncertain of her words quite a bit.
Now I am for Cruz...but believed that Sarah might draw some votes to him, which i think she could do. After this speech though, best she let things lay low for awhile....and not appear to be Cruz’s other half or it will hurt him as i see it.
...”her media profile is always shining”....
Of course it would...she’s a “star” and well known for obvious reasons....but her following is much about her stardom now rather than a serious candidate. She has her place to be a “King Maker”, as some say, but not if she continues as she did in her recent performance.
I lost some respect for her because of the seriousness of this election all other candidates saw it as...and presented themselves as such. Sarah seemed more like the intermission entertainment unfortunately...but then that might be what they wanted her there for.
meanwhile Elizabeth Warren and Hillary Clinton are not called problems.
I find it amusing. Note one vote has been cast. Not one debate has yet been concluded... And the fact that there is even a focus at all on a throwaway speech by Palin speaks volumes.
None of our current candidates could beat Barbara Boxer in a race for Senate in California.
Not up on the YouTube culture, eh? Yea, it will cut and pasted back and forth. Just like the MSM likes to do. But it’s out there. And No I’m not delusional, just pragmatic with regard to how things play today.
Am I right? Beats the hell out of me. All I know, is that the game, the rules, the environment has changed.
Fail to understand that, then you’re the delusional one.
Improvise, adapt, and overcome. Get the ball back in your court, and then start repairing the damage Barry has done. Until then, good luck, and we’re screwed.
Sarah, Scott and Ted are the only ones I’ll consider. All the rest can sit on it and rotate.
........”the fact that there is even a focus at all on a throwaway speech by Palin speaks volumes.”.......
It simply says they are using her to divert attention away from the serious candidates who can then continue to organize and prepare for their runs without having to deal with the media....and so she “occupies the media”...in that respect she does a good job if they buy it....and it seems thus far they still are.
To sum it up...Byron York does not like Sarah Palin, and he spoke to people that agree with him, would not matter what she had said to these few.
Palin is a problem?
That is All.
Wait, What I am Saying? Vince Foster KNEW Hillary, poor Chris Stevens didn't have a chance.
Which is arguably a bigger problem for the GOP than Sarah Palin ever could be.
I heard her speak at Western Conservative Summit in 2014. It was a pretty bad speech, she was obviously unprepared and just rambled.
Amongst the political stars, Jindal, West, and Cruz stood out as outstanding speakers at that event.
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