Posted on 07/02/2009 9:30:03 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
Sounds far-fetched and, to some, totally implausible. But the Republicans are losing potential candidates at a pace that is downright alarming if you believe in a healthy two-party system. The demise of John Ensign’s political career a few weeks ago and the surreal downfall of Mark Sanford last week is enough to send chills through the even the most optimistic Republican strategist. We know that of the 2008 crop, only Mitt Romney seems likely to stay on as a contender. The old stalwarts like Newt Gingrich may get a lot of press, but it is unlikely they can mount a real challenge to Obama in 2012. Yet, the presidential election of 2012 will be more than a simple coronation of Barack Obama if the economy stalls and there is no progress in two important areas: national security and healthcare.
Ballooning deficits and a sluggish economy could alter the mood of America by the time the 2010 mid-terms come up, giving hope to the GOP for the next presidential primary season. This is why Sarah Palin is maintaining a persistent media presence, whether it is debating David Letterman or being the biggest Republican draw on the lecture circuit. She clearly has her eyes set on the presidency.
The latest edition of Vanity Fair brings this possibility forward, though not in a favourable light. Journalist Todd Purdhom paints a picture of a woman with a narcissistic personality, who’s short on knowledge, disinterested in policy discussion, and not ready for primetime. In the end, the story says more about John McCain’s competence and character than it does about Palin, simply because he flubbed his most important decision as a presidential candidate. That said, Palin brought much needed energy to an otherwise lackluster campaign and, to this day, she energizes the base as no other candidate can. Could it be possible she may someday be a candidate for the presidency?
My experience tells me that no one should be written off in a hypothetical context. Barack Obama is proof positive of this. I still maintain that, without Bush, there is no Obama nomination. Palin is a street smart politician who has benefited from being underestimated most of her career. McCain’s disastrous choice may have been fatal to his electoral chances, but it brought Palin to the forefront of national attention. Since then, she has become a celebrity that transcends her party. However, if she is to be taken seriously and considered a viable contender, she needs to change the negative perceptions of her and develop a political profile that appeals to those outside her narrow base.
To do this, she must gradually reduce her exposure and begin to educate herself on the issues. She will not be ready for 2012 by remaining governor of Alaska and playing the celebrity. The GOP has too proud a tradition to have a re-run of the 2008 vice-presidential candidate. Also, the base Palin relies on for support no longer holds the sway it once did. Social conservatism is losing steam as a political movement thanks to the dubious habits of people like Gingrich, Ensign and Sanford, and the election of an African-American president as well as the increased attention paid to gay rights issues shows that Americans have begun to cast their old divisions aside. The future for the GOP lies with fiscal conservatism and strong national security policy—not with turning back the clock. Palin must embrace the values that created the Republican party in the first place—a belief in the individual, a belief in a limited role for the state, and a commitment to equality. The party of Lincoln, Teddy Roosevelt, Eisenhower, and (the pragmatic version of) Reagan is the path to a Republican resurgence. Palin is nowhere on that radar. She is all about celebrity status and controversy.
In the lead-up to July 4, Americans usually reflect on their great democracy. Overall, it is healthy and has shown resilience through the decades. But the Republicans have to become a viable alternative for this democracy to remain vibrant. So is Palin a real possibility for 2012 or 2016? Will she someday be a formal candidate for the presidency? Most definitely. But can she ever win? Based on what we have observed so far, I would say definitely not, though politics has been known to produce some strange developments.
Didnt you say once that the San Diego Zoo is about 10 miles from you ???
Just sayin’
:)
John McCain’s son serves in the military too.
So did he, and his father and his father before him.
Barack 0bama has never served in the military, but maybe some of his family in Kenya has.
I don’t see how that has any bearing on a candidates electability.
Clinton was a notorious draft dodger and he defeated two war heroes.
Dan Rather tried the military service attack on George W. Bush when he ran against John Kerry (D-Vietnam), and it failed.
And most certainly if it doesn’t matter that Sarah Palin’s underage daughter got pregnant, then it doesn’t matter that her son is in the military.
How does what her children do (either of them) have any bearing on her?
Ronald Reagan’s son was a ballerina. What does that say about the Gipper?
That is exactly it...conservatives need to quit trying to compete with liberals and provide an alternative vision....not a "Lite" version of the same thing...when will they learn...:(
There is a simple answer for you, counterpunch. Some people who would have voted for Sarah Palin alone would never vote for her with McCain at the top of the ticket. He was too much of a RINO. McCain stabbed so many people in the back that it did not matter to them who was on the ticket running with him. They would never vote for McCain.
I keep hearing people saying there is plenty of time for an unknown candidate to come up. I guess they are hoping for a Bill Clinton. Because the truth is the only candidate we will be able to get who is at all conservative with any name power is Sarah Palin. Unless this unknown makes him or herself known very soon, a conservative will not have the time to become known. The MSM will make sure of it and if they do become known you can rest assured that the media will tear them apart as viciously as they have gone after Sarah.
The only ones they will leave alone are RINOs, the ones like Romney whom they like so much. But Romney and Huckabee both have particular problems, they are both RINOs and they are both the reason we had McCain as a candidate. If anyone brings the voters feelings of deja vu, it is either of these two RINOs. We have already been there and done that with them. Everyone knows they are RINOs and no one in there own party wanted either of them enough for them to win against a backstabbing lunatic.
Sarah won’t have that problem.
Americans have purged their white guilt. Obama won’t run again. Even dems will desert him after ‘10 losses for fear of their jobs because we’ll be in one hell of a mess by then on ALL fronts.
We’ll be begging for common sense and Sarah’s got it. There may be others like Sanf.....uh..Jindahl, Perry, etc. Sarah will have more seasoning, more maturity to her policies but she’s got common sense, integrity and the ability to light up the room (and conservatives) like I’ve never seen. Palin also has been innoculated from state run media and now has the courage to tell ‘em to buzz off. She could add glamour to Reaganism. She will talk right past the media like RR did, but with even more sizzle.
Beat that all you America hating Dems.
Palin had her chance against 0bama. End of story.
Lets start looking now for someone who might have a chance of beating him.
Do they do this for the male candidates? Not so often, I would say. Most of them have the idea that she is a backward hillbilly, who doesn't have brains enough to pour p*ss out of a boot with the instructions written on the heel. Is THAT why they selected her as McCain's running mate? Because they were convinced she was Emmett Kelly in drag and would turn McCain's campaign into a circus? I think Sarah Palin is capable of choosing her own advisors, making her own decisions, and bringing herself up to date on the things that are important. I think they are afraid they won't be able to corrupt her.
I sure hope you are right...I know I'm purged of it. And that is the only reason we have BO in the WH....let's face it....
Clinton never would have won if it hadn't been for that munchkin Ross Perot.
I hope I didn't come off that way...but I think it's good to surround yourself with good people though...:o)
Let’s think about this guys. Why is Sarah, suddenly, once again the front page news item? Because she won 72% on a recent straw poll. Every since that poll the left(and the beltway RINOs)have gone into a feeding frenzy about her. I would say the RINOs are the worst ones of the two right now, what with the Vanity Fair BS. It all boils down to fear, fear from the left that she will smash Bozo the WH clown and fear from the RINOs that they will lose their equally corrupt grip on the right. It is no big secret, it just takes a little insight into the way crooked politicians, both dimwits and RINOs, think.
Both Fred Barnes and Charles Krauthammer recently lamented that Palin has spent all her time since the election running around like a celebrity, picking fights with talk show hosts, and accepting plaudits from her adoring public, and no time whatsoever brainstorming with and learning from nationally known, qualified people on the challenges facing the nation in foreign affairs, the economy, and the drearier quarters of public policy. In other words, she's all glitter and ambition and no substance, and she's not doing the work necessary to become substantive. And, unlike dear old George, she has a noticeable Coulteresque mean streak, but without Coulter's smarts.
She is not qualified. We just had an unqualified Republican president. We don't need another one.
We’ve had missiles that could hit the US in 20 minutes since the 1950s.
It was called the Cold War.
I’m sure there are plenty of GOP candidates who understand international security issues, and a lot more, too. Much better than Palin, I would think.
It’s a bit early to be doubling down on Palin, don’t you think?
We don’t even know who will be running in 2012.
I’m sure there will be a large field, as always.
Let’s see who is running and how they do in the debates before we go double or nothing with Palin against 0bama.
Yep when I think of her I think of Mr Smith Goes To Washington....and that movie never mentioned parties... she's an outsider....and the Libs and RINO's hate her for that...
“I will be first in line to vote for gov. Palin.”
Sorry Charley. The best you can do is second. I’m going to Florida to vote...
Not doubling down....just sayin'...:o)
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