Posted on 11/05/2008 8:55:31 AM PST by 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.
The GOP future is tenuous.. probably RINO bound or hanstringed..
You know... like NOW.. only worse..
Voter fraud will be carried on unopposed.. as it has been..
Unopposed only worse..
The primarys of both parties will be a staged.. Dog and Pony Show..
Like the 2008... republican primarys..
I understand that you are hurting right now, as am I and other FReepers. It tends to taint our thoughts and cause us to make rash statements. I have always valued your input and opinions, but I do agree with you on this.
Except the last item...”The primarys of both parties will be a staged.. Dog and Pony Show. Like the 2008... republican primarys.”
I felt then, and I am stronger in that belief now, that the GOP attempted to steer us into a Romney nominee, and they lost control of the outcome. Romney probably could have beaten 0bama, IMO, but would have redefined Conservatism in the process. Not acceptable, again IMO. My suspicions are that, internally, Romney’s people and McCain’s people damaged McCain/Palin beyond the ability to mount an cohesive and effective campaign... well, that and money.
The future of the party lies in folks like Palin, Ryan, Steele, etc., and we need to start our campaign to redefine and reorganize the GOP NOW!
Oh, and let’s not go without some fun, either. We have an impeachment to prepare for, as well. :O)
I sincerely hope and pray she dosen’t lose her spark,her passion and her desire to serve. She is every bit as needed by this country as Reagan was-and can be every bit as effective in office. I hope she DOES take some time off,but I also hope after her present stint as Governor she runs for the Senate.God bless her and her beautiful little family,and to the good folks of Alaska...you are sooo lucky to have her! Good on ya!
RE post# 20.....
I think you may have a valid point there. Maybe she SHOULD stay away from Washington and build up a good base from where she is. I stand corrected.
If Alaska wasn’t so darn cold, I’d move there today. Most of the people they interviewed from Alaska on TV seemed like great people (who have a great Governor).
And the scenery looks fantastic.
I’m just glad Sarah can get some rest and be with people who love her in her home state. The rest of the country pretty much doesn’t deserve her.
John McCain fought, but his civility was his undoing. He famously attacked conservatives with greater vigor than he attacked Democrats, and in the end he attacked Hussein very little.
His greatest contribution was bringing Sarah Palin into the arena and for all the shackles he put on her she did remarkably well.
It would be our blessed fortune if she remained or returned to the arena after a deserved time with her own life, her family, her state.
In my view it was a huge blunder to allow the bloated maggot Charlie Gibson to abuse her, as it was obscene to allow Katie Couric to slice and dice two hours (120 minutes) of interview into six (6 minutes) of hit piece.
Does no one recall how Mike Wallace took two days of interviews with Chris Ruddy and with 300-400 edits created a hatchet job wherein Ruddy never finishes a sentence.
The fight is the full spectrum: you begin with a very staunch ideologue then insist that he or she be a fluent communicator and an uninhibited fighter, that there are no sashays down dark alleys and no masochistic handcuffs.
McCain insisted Hussein was not to be feared--yet we know nothing of the Islamo-Commie from Kenya who did/does coke, is a racebaiter, hangs out with Jew-haters, doesn't satisfy the natural born citizen clause, and wants to kill another fifty million babies the sooner the better.
The Republican leadership which calls us vigilantes and racists, which imprisons Ramos and Compean, which allows the Murthas to slander and the JAGs to harrass, which allows the judges to release and the media to leak, which censors Sarah and starves Bachmann, which insists on global warming but won't push for drilling, should be ordered to clean out their desks and be marched into the street by security.
With the Fairness Doctrine looming, Iran left unaddressed, Social Security still in jeopardy, the border still open for the free flow of drugs at market prices, it's time for new party leadership, based on conservatism and courage.
Two traits Sarah Palin possesses in abundance.
To the future.
bump! bump! bump!
Sarah Palin has a bright future ahead of her. I think that Ted Stevens will be expelled from the Senate.
The cure for the spread of Blue Blight is Conservatism.
This bears repeating:
The Republican leadership which calls us vigilantes and racists, which imprisons Ramos and Compean, which allows the Murthas to slander and the JAGs to harrass, which allows the judges to release and the media to leak, which censors Sarah and starves Bachmann, which insists on global warming but won’t push for drilling, should be ordered to clean out their desks and be marched into the street by security.
With the Fairness Doctrine looming, Iran left unaddressed, Social Security still in jeopardy, the border still open for the free flow of drugs at market prices, it’s time for new party leadership, based on conservatism and courage.
Two traits Sarah Palin possesses in abundance.
To the future.
Sarah Palin attracted massive crowds - people love her, there is no denying it. All these backstabbers who are spewing their attacks cannot change this basic fact. If Sarah wants to eventually run for President, she can. And this time, she’ll be able to hire her own staff who will actually be trying to help her rather than hurt her.
Go Sarah Palin!
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