Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Palin Is No Reagan
American Spectator ^ | 7.6.09 @ 7:45AM | By Philip Klein

Posted on 07/06/2009 7:22:56 AM PDT by Behind Liberal Lines

[C]omparisons do a disservice to Reagan, who not only served two full terms as governor of California, but also spent decades studying the issues and immersing himself in conservative philosophy. His writings and radio commentaries make this abundantly clear. He proved people wrong because they objectively were wrong. This does not mean that whenever the media writes off or attacks a conservative politician that he or she is the next Reagan

****

to win and govern effectively you have to do more than "galvanize the party base" and "convince conservatives" -- you also have to convince independents and even some Democrats, as Reagan did [but] instead of going back to Alaska to gain more governing experience as many advised, Palin resigned after just two and a half years on the job. And there’s nothing to indicate that she has the slightest interest in boning up on policy. Honestly, what’s her incentive to study policy and do the boring task of governing? No matter what she does, her army of apologists will make excuses for her and lash out at those who dare to criticize her by accusing them of being liberal elitists who are threatened by her sheer awesomeness....

[N]one of this really matters if Palin intends to leave elective politics and become some sort of television or radio personality. My comments are only meant as a response to those who are still seriously suggesting her as a potential presidential candidate. Last October, an ABC/Washington Post poll found that only 35 percent of Americans thought Palin was qualified enough to be president, yet now her boosters expect us to believe that an additional nine months in office is all she needed to assauge Americans' concerns, allowing her to resign and prepare for a presidential run.

(Excerpt) Read more at spectator.org ...


TOPICS: Editorial; Politics/Elections; US: Alaska
KEYWORDS: antipalin; derangement; palin; pds; reagan; waronsarah
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-80 ... 421-431 next last
To: Behind Liberal Lines
, an ABC/Washington Post poll found that only 35 percent of Americans thought Palin was qualified enough to be president,

And we know polls never change. How lame to use a poll as evidence of her inexperience. Fact is if Zero can convince people he had legit experience then Palin can easily do so as well.

The only downside is that after people realize how little zero really had...then it may actually hurt her as she doesn't have a heck of a lot more than zero does.

21 posted on 07/06/2009 7:30:11 AM PDT by for-q-clinton (If at first you don't succeed keep on sucking until you do succeed)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Behind Liberal Lines

She has nothing that needs apologizing for. What she DOES have, in spades, is an army of like-minded enthusiasts.

McCain, Romney, and the other “compassionate conservatives” who utterly compromised their conservative ideals have apologists... and they need them.


22 posted on 07/06/2009 7:30:15 AM PDT by snowrip (Liberal? YOU ARE A SOCIALIST WITH NO RATIONAL ARGUMENT.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Friendofgeorge

Sarah Palin is the “winnowing fork”, separating the wheat from the chaff. People can’t help but have to choose a side. We know whose side she’s on, and we know whose side those who oppose her are on.

As for the Reagan comparisons - she’s not “the next Reagan” anymore than she’s the “next Margaret Thatcher”.

She’s the first “Sarah Palin”.


23 posted on 07/06/2009 7:30:21 AM PDT by MrB (Go Galt now, save Bowman for later)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: Behind Liberal Lines

So Klein is gay?

I’m just saying. Gays. Unhinged about Palin.

Beginning to see a pattern.

What’s funny is imagining the gay mafia expending so much desperation drying to tear her down - and watching the exact opposite happen.

Looking at each other, hugging then as they tremble and whine:

“It’s not working Bruce, I need a hug!”

-

To be fair I don’t know klein is gay.

But then again, don’t know he’s not...

All we have to go on, is the reality check: what heterosexual American guy could get angry about Sarah Palin?


24 posted on 07/06/2009 7:30:34 AM PDT by Cringing Negativism Network (Governor Palin is to Comrade Zero, as Ronald Reagan was to Jimmy Carter.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Friendofgeorge
"Sarah Palin trashers are FILTH! I LOVE SARAH"

Well THAT contributed to the intellectual depth of the discussion.

25 posted on 07/06/2009 7:30:55 AM PDT by Dan Middleton
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: Behind Liberal Lines

**No matter what she does, her army of apologists will make excuses **

You’ve been in ITHACA too long... you need to visit some place more Conservative...like San FranSicko, or Minneapolis


26 posted on 07/06/2009 7:31:08 AM PDT by gwilhelm56 (Orwell's 1984 - To Conservatives, a WARNING - to Liberals, a TEXTBOOK!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Behind Liberal Lines

“No matter what she does, her army of apologists will make excuses for her and lash out at those who dare to criticize her by accusing them of being liberal elitists who are threatened by her sheer awesomeness.... “

I see that here, a lot. The disturbing thing I see is that any Palin thread here MUST be a love fest. Anyone who sees any flaws is immediately branded a DU infiltrator.

The great thing about conservatives versus liberals is that conservatives calmly and rationally discuss issues. In general conservatives will calmly try to reason with someone in an effort to get them to think clearly.

Not when it comes to Palin. Heck, I’m going to catch lots of flack for this post.


27 posted on 07/06/2009 7:31:32 AM PDT by brownsfan (The public schools and the SRM, they are killing us.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Behind Liberal Lines

She is not a Reagan or a Thatcher, that is true enough. She is a lot like Elisabeth Hasselbeck on policy.


28 posted on 07/06/2009 7:32:09 AM PDT by The Toll
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Behind Liberal Lines

Did anyone catch the look of confusion and stunned dismay on Obama’s and Axelrod’s faces as Sarah

spun around

saw her opening

and ran toward HER goal?

In the words of Vince Lombardi, if you want to win, “Run to Daylight”


29 posted on 07/06/2009 7:32:16 AM PDT by syriacus (Palin the ANTI-OBAMA says, "Only dead fish go with the flow.")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: perfect_rovian_storm
That’s very good. Start a thread calling all who disagree with you and ‘army of apologists’ and therefore your position MUST be the right one, because everyone who doesn’t agree with you is inferior. The powers that be in Ithaca have taught you well.

Thanks for proving my point. Rather than address the article's arguments and explain how they are mistaken. You went immediately for the "you're an out of touch liberal."

The simple fact of the matter is that I think Palin is great. I was an early advocate of her for McCain's VP slot, in fact.

However, there's a difference between support and enabling. Unless Palin comes out soon with an announcement that either (a) demonstrates she's taking on a new national role [ex: head of RNC or US Senate run]; or (b) makes clear that she's retiring from politics to be with her family [which is a perfectly legitimate decision], her decision is a baffling one. And it ill serves both her and the cause to pretend otherwise.

30 posted on 07/06/2009 7:32:43 AM PDT by Behind Liberal Lines
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: Behind Liberal Lines

Sounds like Mr. Klein got his butt spanked here on FR.


31 posted on 07/06/2009 7:33:10 AM PDT by rintense (Senior Marketing / IT / UX architect unemployed and looking for work. Freepmail me if you have leads)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Behind Liberal Lines

Palin’s chief asset is the dearth of conservative Republicans.


32 posted on 07/06/2009 7:33:36 AM PDT by Mr Rogers (I loathe the ground he slithers on!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: E. Pluribus Unum
Reagan was no Reagan.

Reagan the legend, the high water mark that never existed.

33 posted on 07/06/2009 7:34:29 AM PDT by RGSpincich
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]

To: gwilhelm56
You’ve been in ITHACA too long... you need to visit some place more Conservative...like San FranSicko, or Minneapolis

No, the point is that I'm a Palin supporter, NOT an enabler. I thinks she made a mistake her and it saddens me because I have great respect and affection for what she stands for and what she's accomplished.

34 posted on 07/06/2009 7:34:35 AM PDT by Behind Liberal Lines
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 26 | View Replies]

To: Behind Liberal Lines

Hunter 2012. More Reaganesque than Reagan.


35 posted on 07/06/2009 7:34:41 AM PDT by pissant (THE Conservative party: www.falconparty.com)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Behind Liberal Lines
Palin doesn't need to be Reagan to be a worthwhile candidate.
36 posted on 07/06/2009 7:35:01 AM PDT by trisham (Zen is not easy. It takes effort to attain nothingness. And then what do you have? Bupkis.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Behind Liberal Lines

I’d love to see the admin moderators start nuking Sara threads this week.

Sick to death of wading through them to find any that aren’t someones opinion of why she quit, why she shouldn’t be considered, why she should sue the blogger, NYT, Washingtonpost.

If Sara had a statement, that would be worth reading.


37 posted on 07/06/2009 7:35:07 AM PDT by listenhillary (90% of our problems could be resolved with a government 10% of the size it is now.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Behind Liberal Lines

Yet another pundit who views Palin as just another pol with an eye on the White House. I’m convinced that’s not even on her scope right now.


38 posted on 07/06/2009 7:35:53 AM PDT by ScottinVA (Impeach President Soros!!!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: johncocktoasten
"I want to extend sincerest thanks to you, for joining the discussion, informing us of what State Run Media and the Politburo expect of conservatives."

You did catch the author's byline? The American Spectator. Hardly the New York Times or Vanity Fair.

39 posted on 07/06/2009 7:36:01 AM PDT by OldDeckHand
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: deannadurbin

Yeah I know, just being a smart a.


40 posted on 07/06/2009 7:36:22 AM PDT by hoosiermama (ONLY DEAD FISH GO WITH THE FLOW.......I am swimming with Sarahcudah! Sarah has read the tealeaves.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 16 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-80 ... 421-431 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson