Sarah Palin Will Not Run For President in 2012 (Letter from Sarah)

Street Insider ^ | October 5, 2011

[smoothsailing]

October 5, 2011 6:20 PM EDT

Sarah Palin confirmed in a letter to supporters she will not run for President in 2012, saying at this time she can be more effective in a decisive role to help elect other Conservatives to office.

Below is a copy of Palin's letter:

October 5, 2011 Wasilla, Alaska After much prayer and serious consideration, I have decided that I will not be seeking the 2012 GOP nomination for President of the United States. As always, my family comes first and obviously Todd and I put great consideration into family life before making this decision. When we serve, we devote ourselves to God, family and country. My decision maintains this order.

My decision is based upon a review of what common sense Conservatives and Independents have accomplished, especially over the last year. I believe that at this time I can be more effective in a decisive role to help elect other true public servants to office – from the nation’s governors to Congressional seats and the Presidency. We need to continue to actively and aggressively help those who will stop the “fundamental transformation” of our nation and instead seek the restoration of our greatness, our goodness and our constitutional republic based on the rule of law.

From the bottom of my heart I thank those who have supported me and defended my record throughout the years, and encouraged me to run for President. Know that by working together we can bring this country back – and as I’ve always said, one doesn’t need a title to help do it.

I will continue driving the discussion for freedom and free markets, including in the race for President where our candidates must embrace immediate action toward energy independence through domestic resource developments of conventional energy sources, along with renewables. We must reduce tax burdens and onerous regulations that kill American industry, and our candidates must always push to minimize government to strengthen the economy and allow the private sector to create jobs.

Those will be our priorities so Americans can be confident that a smaller, smarter government that is truly of the people, by the people, and for the people can better serve this most exceptional nation.

In the coming weeks I will help coordinate strategies to assist in replacing the President, re-taking the Senate, and maintaining the House.

Thank you again for all your support. Let’s unite to restore this country!

God bless America.

– Sarah Palin

[sargon]

This is quite disturbing, in many ways tragic news for our nation.

Agree, though I respect Sarah's decision. The calculation was very well-considered, I believe, and 2012 might be just a tiny bit premature, given the MSM demonization and the PDS'ers hysterical hand-wringing.

My only consolation is the realization that Sarah Palin is not abandoning the fight. She has decided that 2012 was not her time, and she might be right.

It will be interesting to see what influence Sarah and her supporters can exert in the 2012 elections. Their effect on the 2010 elections was obvious and profound. The more influence, the better.

However, I do expect Sarah to run for President sometime relatively soon, either in 2016 or 2020, depending on whether 0bama is re-elected or not. Indeed, if Sarah Palin never has a chance to serve as President of the United States, I believe that will be a historical tragedy which will accrue to the detriment of the Republic.

[Niteflyr]

Yeah, funny too that the disappointed Palin folks are turning to Cain- NOT Perry. HAHAHAHAHAHA!

That's the direction I lean...Hurricane Herb....:oP

[Niteflyr]

She has decided that 2012 was not her time, and she might be right.

She seems to know exactly what she is doing...at some point you have to trust a little in someones judgement...

[Gene Eric]

I never quite envisioned Sarah Palin knocking the other primary candidates. Her decision not to run doesn’t surprise me.

[smoothsailing]

I think alot of people are just as shocked and disappointed as you are. She has been an inspiration to many. I believe her best days are still ahead of her, she’s still young. We can look forward to her solid conservative leadership for years to come.

I’ve been supporting Rick Perry and will continue to. I believe he is the most conservative candidate who can defeat both Romney and Obama.

Shield can add you to the Perry ping list if she hasn’t already.

Thank you for your thoughtful post! :)

[Syncro]

Well I don’t know your posting history, and am not really interested.

I was going on you telling someone that wouldn’t vote for Romney that in that case they are your enemy.

With that one post Romney looked like your boy, and if he is that candidate you will vote for him, right?.

People can do what ever they want, I won’t tell anyone not to vote for a Rino GOP candidate, but I won’t.

If the GOP doesn’t care enough to nominate a good solid conserative, it’s on them not those that will NOT go for the “lesser” of two evils again.

I voted for Palin last cycle, the old guy was just the baggage she was hauling around.

Not gonna do it again.

If the GOP don’t care, neither do I.

[MortMan]

If you were offended at Perry’s remark he was on target and managed to “out” the thin skin wimps.

You might want to THINK about your response before you post it.

Perry deliberately insulted anyone who disagreed with his position rather than offering a reasoned justification. His whole response is predicated on feelings, rather than thought.

I'm frankly surprised that conservatives are so willing to debase the core of conservatism - the rational thought process.

Perry, for me, is still a possibility, but he's skating on thin ice in some ways. His thoughtlessness is just one of those ways.

[pgkdan]

Anyone with half a brain has known this for at least a year.

[Polybius]

To: mojitojoe ..... I won’t be voting for Romney and there will be no campaign for Romney on FR. Hope you and all conservatives join me in working our butts off for anyone BUT Romney!! .... Jim Robinson

For quite a while, when asked, I have said that "my candidate" was a "what", not a "who":

"The most conservative candidate, other than Romney, that can actually defeat Obama."

When Perry (11 years as Governor of a major state) entered the race, I was pretty sure that he fit that description (maybe he still does). However, Perry's poor debate preparation, his foot-in-mouth disease and attacks from all sides, from the Left and from the Right, have seriously hurt him. He needs to step up his game.

I realize that Cain is the new darling on FR but Cain's past and current support of Romney, while in constant attack mode against Perry, makes me wonder if Cain is still allied to Romney.

I hope that we can keep an open mind on FR and not automatically crown Cain without knowing more about him and his intentions.

Perry has warts, as does anybody with a governing record, but I'm worried that Perry is being buried prematurely.

======================================

Herman Cain in 2011

Herman Cain said Wednesday that he would be unable to support Rick Perry for president if the Texas governor were to eventually win the party's nomination. .... The former businessman said, for instance, that he could support former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney....

======================================

Herman Cain in 2008

HERMAN CAIN'S ENDORSEMENT OF MITT ROMNEY PUBLISHED IN THE ATLANTA JOURNAL CONSTITUTION PRIOR TO SUPER TUESDAY, 2008

Romney has the leadership qualities United States needs,

By HERMAN CAIN

Published on: 02/03/08

[Polybius]

Do one of those skills include debating skills?

I do not see Presidents debate very often....do you?

Read this article for some insight.

Republican front-runners Mitt Romney, Rick Perry come from different worlds

Perry is terrible at debating and great at relating to normal people, face to face.

Romney is great at debating and terrible at relating to normal people, face to face.

[Polybius]

Perry deliberately insulted anyone who disagreed with his position rather than offering a reasoned justification. His whole response is predicated on feelings, rather than thought. I'm frankly surprised that conservatives are so willing to debase the core of conservatism - the rational thought process. Perry, for me, is still a possibility, but he's skating on thin ice in some ways. His thoughtlessness is just one of those ways.

These "30 Second Sound Bite" Contests that pass for "debates" nowadays do not lend themselves very well to "reasoned justification" of any complex issue.

"Fence = Good"

"No Fence = You are Pro-Illegal"

Try explaining, in 30 seconds, that even the Israelis are not building a Fence in the middle of the Negev Desert, the equivalent of the Texas desert, and instead are relying on, as Perry advocated, a combination of a Fence in the highly populated areas and, for the desert regions, boots on the .....

DING! DING! DING! "Your time is up, Sir."

Perry is a terrible debater. (See the article in Post 230.) He screwed up in a "30 Second Sound Bite" contest where sound bites written by staffers are often memorized by candidates. (The "Where's the beef" sound bite had to be taught and explained to Mondale because he had never seen a Wendy's commercial.)

Perry has since apologized.

We'll see how he fares in the next debate.

As far as "insulted anyone who disagreed with his position rather than offering a reasoned justification. His whole response is predicated on feelings, rather than thought. I'm frankly surprised that conservatives are so willing to debase the core of conservatism - the rational thought process."

Well, .... ummm .... How can I put this in a non-judgmental manner?

I can't.

In the past year, have you ever been on any thread on FR and tried to rationally discuss the merits of a Palin candidacy or dared to imply that Sarah Palin did not walk on water?

After leaving the thread, you and the horse you rode in on looked like Saint Sebastian.

[EDINVA]

One definite upside to this: Maybe we won’t have to read any more Sun Tzu excerpts.

[GOP Poet]

God continue to bless you and your family Sarah. Whatever happens I just know you are a gift from God to the United States of America.

I would have happily contributed and voted for her. Yet I also understand and support her decision.

[MortMan]

Yes, actually, I have personally argued that I see Palin as a potential candidate with merit who has not yet proven herself. Perhaps you can explain how that relates to my comment on Perry?

Consider my comment on his “heartless” statement this way: Perry had the opportunity to state that he believed in-state tuition was the compassionate and smart way to handle an existing problem. Instead, he threw out a two second soundbite that attacks many of the people he needs to get elected.

It bothers me that a candidate reflexively attacks his purported base. His skill as a “sound bite” debater is not the point.

With regard to the fence issue - Perry may have a perfectly sound approach to the problem of illegal immigration. I did not mention the border fence at all, in part because I have not yet studied his position to sufficiently comment on it. Which makes your argument on the fence more than a bit beside the point.

I do congratulate on your skill at posting interesting pictures, BTW. But I fail to see how anything you wrote negates my comment.

[smoothsailing]

Best Answer: it used to be a deviled ham but it went through an exorcism and was cured.

[ntnychik]

A beautiful sentiment, Phil.

[ntnychik]

Yup, disappointed, but I can’t wait to see her lobbing grenades from the trenches. Her influence can still be great, once the media gets over its gloatfest.

[Hardraade]

Wheeler??? You really *are* a moron :). Surprise, surprise.

[alstewartfan]

It comes down to this for me: I can’t believe that she would tantalize us for so damn many months, only to bow out. It’s disillusioning, frankly. It’s pretty sad that it comes down to one mortal to save the republic, but that’s the thin reed of hope that I clung to. I fear every day for the futures of my four daughters and granddaughters. It will take an extraordinary person to right the ship of state, to prevent a complete collapse, and that person is NOT among the candidates whom I’ve seen in the debates. MAYBE Santorum, but he has no chance after being drubbed by Bob Casey Jr.
Oct. 5 will live in my mind as a most tragic day, second only to the election of Obama. Heartsick, Bob from Scranton

[alstewartfan]

Do you think that the attacks will stop, or will they become more repugnant than ever? I think that we all know the answer. Bob