Wondering What Sarah Palin's Future Holds...

The Campaign Spot ^ | 11/05/2008 | Jim Geraghty

[Keyes2000mt]

A few readers have asked whether I think Sarah Palin will run for the Senate in the future. I think that would be a mistake, for several reasons, not the least of which is that, if successful, the decision would take an unique and popular outside-the-beltway executive and put her inside the Beltway as one of 100 legislators voting on every bill that comes down the pike.

For now, I hope Sarah Palin gets to take a vacation and spend some much-deserved time with that beautiful family. Her experience these past four months must have been simultaneously exhilarating, supremely frustrating, and thoroughly exhausting.

I hope Palin runs for a second term as governor and is reelected. This seems like a likely scenario.

Beyond that, her future is a blank slate. If she decided, after this rollercoaster experience, that she was no longer all that interested in national office, I could not blame her. But I suspect that she realizes the strengths she has and the opportunities that will await her.

The Republican base loves Sarah Palin. Many Democrats instantly loathed her, at least partially because they sensed an almost unparalleled threat; a few couldn’t help but like her even if they disagreed with her. Independents concluded she wasn't ready — not that she wasn't likeable, and not that she wasn't an impressive person, but that she wasn't ready. This flaw can be overcome with time and useful experience.

If Palin wants a future in national office, I hope she takes some time to deeply contemplate where she wants to take the country. I suspect she'll write a book about her experience on the campaign trail; I hope she writes a separate one, when she's ready, about her vision for the country.

She indeed could be the next Reagan; the challenge this time was that she was running as the Ronald Reagan of about 1969, after about two years as governor. It’s easy to forget how much time Reagan spent touring and speaking at General Electric plants, a thousand radio addresses, newspaper columns, etc. He familiarized himself with every major economic, social, and foreign policy topic under the sun, and figured out what he wanted American policy to do and how it should go about doing it. Very, very few political figures think through these key questions so thoroughly. A lot of the Palin criticism was unfair, but the Peggy Noonans of the world have something of a point when they say she has as-yet incomplete political philosophy. Until the end of August, Sarah Palin didn’t really need one; her natural instincts were sufficient to successfully navigate the treacherous world of Alaskan politics.

And there is really no deadline for her interest in national office.  Palin is a strikingly young 44 years old. If she runs at Hillary's age, she will be running in 2024. You’re going to hear a lot of buzz about her as a 2012 candidate, but I don’t think that she needs to run in four years. (For now, life will keep her busy – she has an infant to take care of, a son in Iraq, a grandchild on the way and a day job.) I don’t think that love from the Republican base is going to dissipate in four years. She stepped up to the plate and hit the ball as far as she could this time around, and for about two weeks, she helped achieve the near-impossible: putting McCain ahead in a Democratic year.

Every once in a while I think about working on a political campaign, and almost always conclude that I like what I do on the outside too much to ever want to accept the inherent limits of working on the inside. But after the joy of offering a line that ended up in her convention speech, Governor, I’ll make clear the exception. I’ll answer that call anytime.

[Dr.Zoidberg]

Well, I can see your point, however if she waits until 2016 she faces the real possibility of having a republican in office from 2012. I think the dark years following this election will cause a backlash against the left.

If a republican wins in 2012 against the marxist messiah, then Governor Palin is locked out for two terms.

That would push her off til 2020 and I don’t want to wait that long to have a conservative back in office.

[Big Steve]

Thank you. One other thing I should mention. She should raise as much money as she can and not agree to public financing should she be our party’s nominee. Raise unlimited amounts of money like Obama and Obama will have a hard time competing with her in those red states that happened to flip blue this year.

[Le Chien Rouge]

She was basically the only reason I pulled the level for McCain.”

Agreed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

She has a bright future -———

[Knitting A Conundrum]

She certainly was the only reason I loosened up my purse strings and dug as deep as I could...

Love that woman! I hope we see a lot more of her.

[FrankR]

I, too, am surprised I forgot to mention Ronald Reagan...post election depression, I guess.

[Terabitten]

Raise unlimited amounts of money like Obama and Obama will have a hard time competing with her in those red states that happened to flip blue this year.

Yup, and like I said in another thread, begin a HUGE GOTV effort in California. Yes, California.

We have any number of paths to the White House without California. The Democrats have none. If we can win California, it's game, set, match for the Democrats.

[imfrmdixie]

Join this blog site...they are going to stay up for her:

http://www.teamsarah.org

[Toki]

/HUGS
Because we all needed one after last night..

Palin Pingers

Well I, like everyone else was hoping for Sarah to be VP, however, she is going home, and hopefully going to do whatever God guides her to do.

Here is also another story about how Palin called home to Wasilla after the election. Said not our moment, but there will be another day!

A group Team Sarah (who I forgot too or was to busy to metion before... Sorry!) will be helping with this, and I know FR and I will too!

[Marysecretary]

I’d go live with my son in Anchorage (I do love it there) but he voted for Obama. I don’t want to be ducking lightning bolts from God...LOL.

[Marysecretary]

When Obambi gets through with us, Carter will look like a saint.

[imfrmdixie]

Hugs and more hugs! :O)

[Toki]

/HUGS
Because we all needed one after last night..

Palin Pingers

Well I, like everyone else was hoping for Sarah to be VP, however, she is going home, and hopefully going to do whatever God guides her to do.

Here is also another story about how Palin called home to Wasilla after the election. Said not our moment, but there will be another day!

A group Team Sarah (who I forgot too or was to busy to metion before... Sorry!) will be helping with this, and I know FR and I will too!

[Luke21]

I love that lady.

[Toki]

Awhh Thank you!

/sucker for any hug

[Theophilus]

I’d would travel hundreds of miles to see Sarah Palin speak. I would not cross the street to see President Bush or Obama.

[Clintonfatigued]

I am very grateful to Sarah Palin, and John McCain too. We suffered a setback. But they kept it from being a disaster, against considerable odds. All of the elements were there for a ‘Rat landslide. But it fell short of a landslide, and Sarah Palin and her running mate played the key role in it.

[papasmurf]

I’m still hoping that Stevens wins and then resigns, allowing Gov. Palin to take his spot.

That would be a fantastic “in your face” moment, a great start for her National political career, and allow her to oppose all of the anti-Democracy and Socialist policies that are/will be coming at us. She’s going to need political allies, and the Senate is one of the best ways to acquire them.

BTW, the market already doesn’t like 0bama.

[papasmurf]

I think she separated her politics from McCain’s pretty well, considering, and made no bones that they have differences.

She will be one of the GOP leaders of the future.

[papasmurf]

“When Obambi gets through with us, Carter will look like a saint.”

Prescient. You should bookmark that post for posterity. I have.

[NewsJunqui]

I think the media has already “Quayled” her. I’m not sure if she’ll be able to shake it off. The “I can see Russia from Alaska” impression was pounded into the masses.