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July 4, 2009

A Disappointing and Nearly Disqualifying Move

I share the views of the majority of political commentators and must disagree heartily with a number of my Race colleagues; Sarah Palin’s decision to resign her Governorship with 17 months remaining is, if anything other than a desire to (for whatever reason) exit politics, a reckless and irresponsible move. Writing this gives me no pleasure. I have been, if not a Palin booster, at least a Palin fan. But, there’s something profoundly unnerving about Palin’s decision, which cuts against most of her appeal. Philip Klein puts it this way:

However, to all but her most loyal supporters, today’s bizarre press conference made her look brittle — like a person who couldn’t take the heat and was buckling in the face of attacks.

It may not be fair, but to succeed, a female politician has to come off 10 times tougher than any man — “Iron Lady” Margaret Thatcher being the most obvious example. One of the things that Palin had going for her was that she was, as Cindy McCain described her during the Republican National Convention, a “hockey-mommin’ … basketball shootin’ … moose huntin’ … fly-fishin’ … pistol-packing … mother of five.” She had been nicknamed “Sarah Barracuda,” and took on the “good ole’ boys” who controlled Alaska politics.

Klein nails it. The “Rugged Frontier Woman” narrative was always more plausible as a national pitch than turning herself into the cultural zeitgeist for a dwindling number of conservatives. It also had the added advantage of potentially allowing her to seem serious, without wracking up the kinds of experience that normally confers seriousness. What’s left of it now? Did the Rugged Frontier Woman abandon her post because the guys thought she looked silly in all that fur? No one, least of all me, will deny that Palin was savaged mercilessly and beyond all reason by the national press corps and the Republican establishment. I will forever hold a grudge against the latter because of the way they played this game.

But, the Republican establishment, no matter how mean-spirited and effete, ought to be a mildly challenging sparring bout for someone gearing up to face Manny Pacquiao. That’s what the Presidency is, after all- the hardest fight a politician will ever have. Deciding that she’s not up for even the sparring match isn’t a character flaw- millions of sane people wouldn’t subject their family to such a strain and they still manage to live their lives with a quiet grace and dignity the average politician couldn’t begin to understand (more on this in a later post). It is, however, for better or worse, a political flaw and about the only one that could keep a woman of Palin’s talent and stature from a prominent place in the 2012 firmament.

But, to be honest, I don’t seriously think Palin expects to run in 2012. I do not buy Kavon’s explanation. Yesterday’s statement was all but incoherent and Palin’s normal brimming confidence seemed to be thoroughly shaken- this is not the way a future Presidential Candidate announces a, at best, controversial and wildly risky move. Are there effective narratives I could see someone employing, in Palin’s situation, to get back into the game? Absolutely, and Alex’s suggestion wasn’t bad; but none of those narratives seem at all like Sarah Palin; they’re- and I mean this as a compliment- too crafty by half. They certainly don’t involve, as some have suggested, a campaign that effectively begins today. An effective Palin bid would need to be a slow-play, with behind the scenes networking, and an “impromptu” draft. And as Palin admitted yesterday (in about the only part of her statement that seemed genuine and coherent) she didn’t get into politics to play such games.

What does this all mean for the 2012 race? Honestly? I have no idea. It’s too bizarre and I’m still processing. But, I think it ought to humble those of us who hope to analyze politics for a living; this stuff is wildly unpredictable and, even when you know the main variables, hard to get a fix on. It’s possible I’m totally wrong here; Palin’s decision may dovetail neatly with a rising disgust for politics and politicians, thus positioning her to be the zeitgeist of more than just cultural conservatism. I don’t think that’s where we’re headed, but then, I didn’t think we’d be seeing a first term Senator become President or a staid South Carolina Libertarian turn into a moonstruck 13-year old girl. Them’s politics.

-Matthew E. Miller can be contacted at Obilisk18@yahoo.com

by Matthew E. Miller @ 8:20 am. Filed under 2012 Misc., Sarah Palin

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70 Responses to “A Disappointing and Nearly Disqualifying Move”

nate Says:
July 4th, 2009 at 8:26 am
Finally an un-twitterpated analysis. The only folks congratulating her on a bold start to her presidential campaign are dealing with emotional attachment syndrome. If you want to be captain of a football team you don’t walk off the field during the first game of the season.
Heath Says:
July 4th, 2009 at 8:29 am
Clearly the rambling and incoherent mess of a speech was written in about 10 minutes. Sarah looked scared out of her mind and seems to have lost about 10 kgs in the last month.

The question is why ……..
Alex Knepper Says:
July 4th, 2009 at 8:34 am
The only folks congratulating her on a bold start to her presidential campaign are dealing with emotional attachment syndrome

Ahem.
Heath Says:
July 4th, 2009 at 8:36 am
Supporting Palin now would be like an Edwards fanatic still supporting him and suggesting he could still be President one day. I can’t believe that Edwards and Palin went relatively close to the being the most power person in the world with the ability to end the world with a nuclear war. Scary shit.
MarkG Says:
July 4th, 2009 at 8:45 am
NPR is reporting that the resignation has led to a tsunami of donations to SarahPAC.

Palin is in a much better position to capitalize on her persona outside elected office, and she is in a much better position to gain strength against those who have been working relentlessly to tear her down now that she is freed of the statutory constraints of the governor’s office.
Knickers in a twist Says:
July 4th, 2009 at 8:54 am
Having Met Madame Thatcher on more than one occassion while assigned to London embassy, I can tell you that Thatcher never, never, never quit.
DanL Says:
July 4th, 2009 at 8:56 am
So she should run as Victim in Chief, Whiner in Chief, or Chief Without a Spine.
Knickers in a twist Says:
July 4th, 2009 at 8:59 am
Palin committed poltical harikari. I know there are some trying to put lipstick on the elephant, but it is what it is. Sucide, in the political sense. You don’t ‘quit’ your present gig, to run for a higher office – 3 years down the road – when you’ve got plenty of time to do run for it after your term is up. If folks are dumb enough to send bucks to SaraPac, then the saying holds true: A fool and his money are soon parted.”
Axel G. Says:
July 4th, 2009 at 9:01 am
But we know the baggage Edwards was carrying whereas we can only speculate about Palin’s real motives. But its fair to say that Palin’s fans are not going to abandon her and I am convinced she would still do well in a primary. However, if another shoe does drop she will have misled us and I am not sure she could recover from that just as Sanford can’t recover from misleading SC voters about his trips.
Steve Says:
July 4th, 2009 at 9:17 am
Mike Pence in Iowa shows the 2012 campaign has already begun

http://www.examiner.com/x-15971-Jacksonville-Liberal-Examiner~y2009m7d2-Mike-Pence-in-Iowa-shows-the-2012-campaign-has-already-begun
Knickers in a twist Says:
July 4th, 2009 at 9:21 am
I’ll be in Iowa next week. I guess I’m running!
Knickers in a twist Says:
July 4th, 2009 at 9:23 am
Mark G. Well, dunno. I’m thinking if you quit mid term – in your FIRST term, no less, you are either a. hiding something, or b. giving up and don’t want to play anymore. I’m hopeing for b. But inclined to think it’s a. Even Toddy did not know what was going down. He was out fishin’ and she had him hightail it home.
Knickers in a twist Says:
July 4th, 2009 at 9:24 am
I know it won’t sound great, but I want to tell all the SaraPac folks that there are other’s out there that won’t run.
Commodore Says:
July 4th, 2009 at 9:26 am
People quit their jobs every day, why is this a big deal? Her reasons seemed pretty sound to me. She wants to help raise her two new babies, the attention was taking a huge toll on her kids and her wealth. She wants to work on her book, she wants to travel the lower 48 and focus on national issues. Why is that a crime? Why does that disqualify her?

This “abandoning her state” line is pathetic, like she is leaving people to die or something. It’s just a job, people are not dependent on some person in the governor’s mansion for survival (at least I hope not yet).

The “not tough enough” meme is also silly. It was never about proving her toughness, it was about what was in the best interest of her state, her family, and herself.
JA Pruce Says:
July 4th, 2009 at 9:30 am
“NPR is reporting that the resignation has led to a tsunami of donations to SarahPAC.”

This was a bold move! Sarah is our Thatcher, she is pioneering the way towards a new political template for a new age.

Her voters don’t care if she is currently the gov. of Alaska, just as Mitt’s supporters don’t care if he is currently the gov. of Mass or Huck the gov. of Arkansas, or TPaw the gov. of Minn.
Steve Says:
July 4th, 2009 at 9:32 am
Rising GOP star Pence of Indiana schedules visit to Iowa in July

http://www.desmoinesregister.com/article/20090630/NEWS09/906300362/1056

#11, The difference is, when you visit Iowa, it’s probably not reported in the Des Moines Register.
JA Pruce Says:
July 4th, 2009 at 9:33 am
It’s an unconventional move and risky yes, we will have to see how it all pans out. Did the establishment force her out?
Benjamin Hodge Says:
July 4th, 2009 at 9:38 am
Is it correct that Sean Parnell will NOT run in 2010? That is what I’ve read.
MarkG Says:
July 4th, 2009 at 9:40 am
Having Met Madame Thatcher on more than one occassion while assigned to London embassy, I can tell you that Thatcher never, never, never quit.

Having never met Thatcher nor even set foot in London beyond Heathrow, I could tell you the same thing. I could also tell you that party members in the UK have to spend years working their way up the party hierarchy, working deliberately on the inside, before they are chosen party leader by the dues-paying party members who are allowed to vote on such posts. Other than serving as a Member of Parliament, there are no elected offices comparable to governorships here in the US: Political power in the UK is centralized in London, or “Whitehall,” as Brit journos prefer to specify.
Aron Goldman Says:
July 4th, 2009 at 9:45 am
Palin decision mystifies some, thrills others
NATIONAL REACTION: Democrats cite “bizarre behavior”; backers rally.
http://www.adn.com/sarah-palin/v-printer/story/852787.html

If Sarah Palin is stepping down as governor because she has national political ambitions — and she did not say she intends to run for president — her move did nothing to shake what GOP pollster Whit Ayers called “the ‘lightweight’ monkey on her back.”

“If you’re a serious politician and you’re seriously interested in higher office, the best thing you can do is as good a job as possible in the current office,” Ayers said. “I suppose it frees her from the responsibility of a full-time job. It does nothing to enhance the image she has that she’s not material for the president of the United States.”

For elected officials with lengthy records of service, such as former Sen. Bob Dole, devoting their full attention to their presidential bid can be a smart move, said Stuart Roy, a political consultant who has worked for Republican congressional leaders. That argument just doesn’t work for Palin, Roy said, adding that he admired Sen. John McCain’s decision to pick her as his running mate last year.

“Maybe there is a personal reason of some sort,” Roy said. “But barring that, if it’s a political move geared at 2012, it’s one of the most politically tone-deaf moves in years. Two and a half years as governor doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be president; look at Barack Obama. But it doesn’t set you up for anything, either.”

Palin’s staunchest supporters in the anti-abortion movement, however, said they were pleased and appreciate continuing to have a high-profile role model who opposes abortion. They firmly believe that whatever she does next will have an “equal and profound impact,” said Marjorie Dannenfelser, who co-founded the Team Sarah social networking Web site popular with Palin supporters who oppose abortion.

“Sarah Palin has always been an intensely independent woman — always true to her faith, her family and call to public service,” Dannenfelser said.

And maybe Palin doesn’t want to run for president, said Fred Malek, a prominent Republican fundraiser who got to know Palin during the presidential campaign and has been advising her since then.

It was obvious she was dissatisfied with her role as governor, Malek said, although he was not aware she planned to step down and did not suggest she do so.

“I did have the impression she was not happy in the role in she was in,” Malek said. “We see her through a political prism, but I think we sometimes forget she’s a wife and mother of five kids and has responsibilities that are very dear to her.”

No matter what path Palin chooses, Malek said, she has plenty of options, including serving as a powerful fundraiser for other governors and like-minded Republican candidates she believes in. A run at the presidency may not be in her future, he said.

“I take her at her word,” he said. “I don’t think she’s made any plans in that regard.”
Aron Goldman Says:
July 4th, 2009 at 9:54 am
Alaska’s governor Sarah Palin to resign, dooming her presidential pipe dream
By Thomas M. Defrank

Sarah Palin’s bizarre bailout dooms her chances of ever being President, Republican mandarins said Friday – but she was already finished.

The Alaska governor’s disastrous star turn as John McCain’s running mate, followed by her lurching, controversial encore on the national scene, had already sealed her fate – except, perhaps, with the GOP’s most far-right wing.

Still, the experts were unanimously stunned to hear her walk off the job with 16 months left in her term – shrinking her résumé even more and surrendering the best platform she has beyond her double-edged celebrity status.

“If you aspire to the highest office in the land, then suddenly think your lieutenant governor can do a better job – not exactly a profile in courage,” one party pro told the Daily News.

Few GOP insiders were surprised Palin decided against running for reelection. The Alaska statehouse is too isolated a locale for any politician aspiring to high national office, they said.

“You need to be in the Lower 48 to be credible politically,” a senior adviser to several Republican Presidents noted.

But quitting mid-term with a rambling rant is not the way to get there.

“She proved she couldn’t play in the big leagues last fall and now she’s proven it again,” one of the party’s most prominent kingmakers said. “If you can’t even handle a governorship, there’s no way you can handle the White House.

“She couldn’t win – but now she can’t even run,” added the official, who once was among her most fervent boosters.

“She has an incredibly thin résumé, a serious lack of gravitas, no coherent philosophy and the people around her are amateurs,” another top Republican pol argued. “She’s finished.”

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/2009/07/04/2009-07-04_alaskas_governor_sarah_palin_resigns_dooming_her_presidential_pipe_dream.html#ixzz0KIoGEBsW&C

Palin: shades of Nixon’s ‘this is my last press conference’ speech
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/2009/07/palin-shades-of-nixons-wont-have-nixon-to-kick-around-anymore-speech-listen-here.html

On Sarah Palin
Well, Nicolle Wallace, Andrew Sullivan, and the left can claim a scalp today. Sarah Palin will not be President in 2012. She will not run for President. She will not run for any elected office ever again. The political pundits who are saying she couldn’t take the heat, so she got out of the kitchen, may have found a winning cliche to apply.
by Erick Erickson
http://www.redstate.com/erick/2009/07/03/on-sarah-palin/
Aron Goldman Says:
July 4th, 2009 at 10:43 am
Reactions from The Corner at National Review:

Sarah Palin
No way around it. She has just labeled herself a “quitter.” Someone who doesn’t finish what she started.
by Amy Holmes
http://corner.nationalreview.com/post/?q=ZDVkMWNjMTIwN2VhYzBjN2EwNTQwNmQxZDRlNGM3MTU=

Any Chance of 2012 or 2016 Bids Are Gone
by Jim Geraghty
http://campaignspot.nationalreview.com/post/?q=YjFkMWIzNmRhMDkzNTEzZGFjOWQyZjEzODljNmM5ODk=
http://campaignspot.nationalreview.com/post/?q=OTU2YmZhNzQ1OWJkOTA4NTRmM2I3M2U3ZWQxOWZjODU=

“Steve Schmidt wins.”
by Jim Geraghty
http://campaignspot.nationalreview.com/post/?q=YjQwMzYzMjRkMzEyMjQzNjg3MDQ4ZjA2MzhiNTFlZGQ=

Hard to Figure
by Dana Perino
http://corner.nationalreview.com/post/?q=M2FjOWNmOWI1NTAyOTUyMDkzMjk1YmE2NzY2ZTMyZWI=

Palin Today
I think I have pretty well-established credentials when it comes to being charmed by Sarah Palin, but that statement, as a statement, was simply terrible. Rambling and not at all persuasive as an argument for her decision. More Gibson/Couric than GOP convention speech.
by Rich Lowry
http://corner.nationalreview.com/post/?q=MDA4NjdlZTM3YzY2NTU4ZjU0ZjcyODUxYjE2ZjNmMGY=
craigs Says:
July 4th, 2009 at 10:44 am
14 Commodore
You are right, ” People quit their jobs every day”, but their resumes look like crap and they seldom build on quitting, to gain a better job. Their never use half a learning curve to gain what requires a full learning curve.
Adios Sarah
MWS Says:
July 4th, 2009 at 10:46 am
I heard part of the Palin’s speech on the radio, and thought she sounded VERY nervous. Maybe she wasn’t but that’s how she sounded to me.
Colbym Says:
July 4th, 2009 at 10:47 am
Benjamin,

There were some early reports that Parnell would not run (I personally only heard them repeated, so I am not sure of the source) but Governor (to be) Parnell said yesterday in the Anchorage Daily News that he is “all in” for the 2010 governor’s race.
MWS Says:
July 4th, 2009 at 10:47 am
Matthew,

Has Pawlenty offered you a job yet on his campaign?

If I were in charge, you would definitely be in the room whenever strategy was being hammered out.
Ed Says:
July 4th, 2009 at 10:52 am
Alaska reporter/blogger Shannyn Moore:

“I have said Sarah Palin’s political ambition combined with her intellect is like putting a jet engine on a golf cart; lots of horse power and no steering capabilities. Today she proved it.”

Max Blumenthal reports on rumblings in Alaska:

“Alaska political circles buzzing: an alleged scandal centered around a building contractor, Spenard Building Supplies, with close ties to Palin and her husband, Todd.

Many political observers in Alaska are fixated on rumors that federal investigators have been seizing paperwork from SBS in recent months, searching for evidence that Palin and her husband Todd steered lucrative contracts to the well-connected company in exchange for gifts like the construction of their home on pristine Lake Lucille in 2002. The home was built just two months before Palin began campaigning for governor, a job which would have provided her enhanced power to grant building contracts in the wide open state…”

http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2009-07-03/did-a-scandal-sink-the-uss-palin/?cid=hp:mainpromo2
DanL Says:
July 4th, 2009 at 10:52 am
MWS, has Matthew offered you a job yet?
marK Says:
July 4th, 2009 at 11:02 am
Hope springs eternal in the human breast;
(Alexander Pope)

This seems to be the current Palinist mantra. If you guys wish to hang on to your dreams, be my guest. I have little problem with that. Who knows, those dream just may come true. However, may I suggest that you start considering options for a Plan B just in case?
Axel G. Says:
July 4th, 2009 at 11:03 am
Statement by Michael Steele, Chairman of the Republican National Committee

“I plan on talking to Governor Palin very soon. She is an important and galvanizing voice in the Republican Party. I believe she will be very helpful to the Party this year as we wage critical campaigns in Virginia and New Jersey. I am certain this has been a difficult decision for her to step down as Alaska’s governor. She has been a good governor for her state and I wish her and the Palin family the best during this transition.”

Steele’s statement begs the question: Would you want Palin to campaign for you right now? Sure, you want the crowd and maybe fundraising, but you would be inviting questions like, “Does that mean Bob McDonnell that you might quit half way through you term?” “Do you think Palin was qualified to be VP given that she could not contend with the political heat in Alaska?” “Will you support Palin for President?”
Matthew E. Miller Says:
July 4th, 2009 at 11:04 am
MWS,

Alas, I doubt Tim Pawlenty knows I exist.
Aron Goldman Says:
July 4th, 2009 at 11:04 am
Palin A “Shooting Star Crashing To Earth”?
GOP Strategist Ed Rollins Says Her Resignation Hurts Any 2012 White House Run She Might Be Eyeing
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/07/04/earlyshow/main5132826.shtml

Palin Faced a Rocky Road if She Filled Out Her Term
http://www.cqpolitics.com/wmspage.cfm?docID=news-000003158475&cpage=1

Palin’s departure
Her resignation is best for Alaska
http://newsminer.com/news/2009/jul/04/palins-departure/

Maybe She Got Tired of the Full-Court Press
Will Palin, Plucked From Obscurity, Return to It?
by Howard Kurtz
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/07/03/AR2009070302409_pf.html

Sarah Palin: Quitter
by Henry Blodget
http://www.businessinsider.com/henry-blodget-sarah-palin-quitter-2009-7

Palin’s Foolish Resignation
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/postpartisan/2009/07/palin_reminds_us_why_she_wont.html?hpid=topnews

Sarah Palin Resigning July 25th
Sarah Palin Will Not Seek Re-Election as Governor
It’s over. You can’t resign from a governorship and then run for higher office. Barring some strong reason, like needing treatment for cancer.
http://ace.mu.nu/archives/289285.php

Political suicide, Palin style
http://www.examiner.com/x-12720-DC-Environmental-Policy-Examiner~y2009m7d4-Political-suicide-Palin-style

A rush to the airwaves: Sarah Palin could be the next Rush Limbaugh
http://www.examiner.com/x-12720-DC-Environmental-Policy-Examiner~y2009m7d3-A-rush-to-the-airwaves-Sarah-Palin-could-be-the-next-Rush-Limbaugh
MWS Says:
July 4th, 2009 at 11:11 am
Dan,

“MWS, has Matthew offered you a job yet? ”

$200/ week, just to be his fanboy!

Not a bad gig, if you can get it.
MWS Says:
July 4th, 2009 at 11:16 am
You know, there is a tendency in politics to inflate the importance of events, and imbue them with far more lasting impact than they have, particularly this far from the actual campaign. The old cliche that a week in politics is like a year, and a month like a lifetime has a lot of truth to it.

This time, however, I think those who say this will be a permanent stain on Palin are correct. Gaffes, stupid votes, and bad ads come and go, and are generally forgotten, but resignations stay on the resume. For Palin to get past this- assuming she still has national ambitions- will take years and years and essentially a reinvention. And even then, there are no guarantees.

She is basically now where Newt Gingrich was when he resigned. And he STILL hasn’t recovered. Sure he has his fans, but most (relatively) objective analysts here recognize he is a no-hoper, and is still toxic in the minds of the mainstream electorate.
Aron Goldman Says:
July 4th, 2009 at 11:17 am
The top four requests this morning on Race42012 Classic Rock Radio…

#1
#2
#3
#4
MWS Says:
July 4th, 2009 at 11:24 am
#5

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUjIA3Rt7gk
MWS Says:
July 4th, 2009 at 11:29 am
“People quit their jobs every day, why is this a big deal? ”

They do, but if you are a lieutenant looking to get promoted general, you don’t abandon your post.

Maybe Palin has given up seeking that promotion, but if she thinks this will help build her resume, she will be sorely disappointed. Her reasons for quitting (family, etc…) might be sound, but those problems she is having as governor of our 49th largest state a half continent away will be magnified 100 fold if she were President. Will she quit that too if it becomes too taxing on her family? That’s what voters are going to ask themselves.
marK Says:
July 4th, 2009 at 11:36 am
I, for one, am very disappointed. I was hoping for another excellent nomination choice for 2012. I have little hope that Huckabee can turn his fate around to the point that I would want to vote for him, but I had high hopes that Sarah could. There was good potential there. All that was required was some hard work and effort. Now, it is going to be very hard to convince me to support her.

I just imagine July 2015. President Palin is taking shots from all sides. Her family and children are getting smeared right and left. So she calls a hastily put together news conference just before the July 4th holiday weekend and announces that she is resigning the Presidency, effective three weeks later.

Is this the sort of behavior we want in a President?
Aron Goldman Says:
July 4th, 2009 at 11:38 am
Five questions for Sarah Palin
by Glenn Thrush
http://www.politico.com/blogs/glennthrush/0709/Five_questions_for_Sarah_Palin.html

1. If you’re leaving your elected position with more than a year to go because you can’t handle negative publicity, personal attacks and GOP back-biting, how could you possibly handle the rigors of running for president — much less being President?

2. How can you say you didn’t take a “quitters way out” when you just quit?

3. Hillary Clinton, Liddy Dole and Gerry Ferraro had a secondary goal in their political strivings: tailoring their actions and statements to destroy the notion women couldn’t compete against men in the political arena. Palin suggested that was her goal too in ‘08 — and her defenders never hesitated to cry sexism when she was attacked — so what does quitting say about her commitment to furthering the image of women in American politics?

4. Is Alaska really ready for a “Mission Accomplished” declaration? The recently announced gas pipeline deal, for instance, is expected to have a major impact on the state. But it’s still largely a work in progress with many key details yet to be concluded.

5. How hard would it be to raise the estimated $500,000 you say you’ll need to pay for the defense of nuisance ethics complaints when you are the biggest fundraising draw in the Republican party?

Sarah Palin and the Appeal of Quitting
by Reihan Salam
http://theamericanscene.com/2009/07/04/sarah-palin-and-the-appeal-of-quitting

Say It Ain’t So, Sarah
By Kevin Drum
http://www.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2009/07/say-it-aint-so-sarah

Palin Resignation ‘Damage Control’ for Coming ‘Iceberg Scandal’?
Embezzlement Indictments Coming?
http://www.bradblog.com/?p=7280
Aron Goldman Says:
July 4th, 2009 at 12:01 pm
Biden Rejects Palin Complaint She Was Victim of ‘Political Blood Sport’
http://blogs.abcnews.com/george/2009/07/biden-rejects-palin-complaint-she-was-victim-of-political-blood-sport-.html

Vice President Joe Biden today rejected Gov. Sarah Palin’s complaint that she has been the victim of political blood sport.

“No, I respect her decision, I don’t,” Biden told me when I asked him if he agreed with the Alaska governor’s complaint that she had been the victim of “superficial, wasteful political blood sport.”

During my exclusive behind-the-scenes interview with Biden in Iraq airing Sunday on “This Week,” the vice president — the last person to run against Sarah Palin in the 2008 election — told me he takes Palin at her word that her decision to step down was personal.

“Those who’ve been deeply involved in politics know at the end of the day that it is really and truly a personal deal,” Biden said, “and personal family decisions have a real impact on people’s decisions.”

Biden told me he often speculates about people who have rejected seeking higher office that their decision may have had more with “what the state of their life was and the state of their family.”

“I don’t know what prompted her decision to not only not run again and also to step down as a consequence of the decision not to run in 2010,” Biden said, “and I take her at her word that it had a personal ingredient in it and you have to respect that.”

Biden added, “I’m not going to second guess her.”

Romney Emerges as Top Issues Play to His Strength
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124657797530689277.html#
Steve Says:
July 4th, 2009 at 12:35 pm
On the same day Pence announced he will be going to Iowa at the end of July, he released this video:

“Step into the Ring”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7u4BKwjt678

He’s definitely thinking about it… and if he is, he’s doing it the right way. If Sanford, Huntsman, Crist, and Petraeus are still on the left board I think Pence could act as a worthwhile replacement for at least one of them.
Tommy Boy Says:
July 4th, 2009 at 12:39 pm
Palin will be in California next month:

“Sarah Palin will be the guest speaker at the Simi Valley RWF 50th Anniversary celebration on August 8.”

http://twitter.com/SBCoFedRepWomen/status/2471087186
Tommy Boy Says:
July 4th, 2009 at 12:41 pm
Pawlenty surprised by Palin announcement
http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2009/07/04/pawlenty_palin/
Aron Goldman Says:
July 4th, 2009 at 12:51 pm
Why Sarah Palin is No Richard Nixon
By Jonathan Allen
http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/notepad/2009/07/why-sarah-palin-is-no-richard.html

In the moments after she announced she would resign the governorship of Alaska, MSNBC political analyst Pat Buchanan compared Sarah Palin to Richard Nixon in 1966.

Nixon returned from exile following his loss in the 1962 California gubernatorial election — “You won’t have Dick Nixon to kick around anymore” — to win the presidency in 1968. “We traveled all over the country on behalf of Republican candidates, built up this enormous good will,” Buchanan said of a 1966 Nixon barnstorming tour that helped lay the groundwork for his bid two years later.

Buchanan, an aide to Nixon at the time and in the White House, knows better. Palin is no Nixon.

•Palin hasn’t shown a shred of Nixon’s talent.

•She doesn’t have six years to quietly work the conservative party machinery while making public statements that pin the president to his base and, by comparison, reposition her and her party as the center.

• Palin doesn’t have Nixon’s interest in, or knowledge of, foreign affairs. Imagine the reaction if Palin suggested she had a “secret plan” to win the war in Afghanistan. Even Republicans would wonder aloud if she thought she could see Kabul from her doorstep.

•To capitalize on political backlash, as Nixon did with civil rights and Vietnam, a candidate has to represent an aggrieved center against a perceived ideological fringe. More than any other major party nominee for president or vice president in recent memory, Palin is the fringe.

•Perhaps most important, Palin seemed to prove Friday that she doesn’t have Nixon’s heart for political battle.

It’s true that running for re-election, perhaps in a tough environment in 2010, would have made it more difficult for Palin to do the necessary legwork for a 2012 presidential bid.

But running from the governorship — rather than for it — is hardly a recommendation for the presidency. It’s like walking into a job interview as an air traffic controller and telling the hiring authority that you quit your last job as a crossing guard because the pressure was getting to be too much.

What of the Alaksa voters who thought she would fulfill at least the one term to which she was elected? Right now, it looks like Wasilla mayor was the toughest job Palin could finish. Maybe, just maybe, she has abandoned her plans to run for the White House and was simply bowing out for good.

But if not, her resignation was a mistake.

“Former Alaska” anything is hardly what you want to be introduced as in a presidential debate — just ask Former Alaska Sen. Mike Gravel.

And, as Nixon once said, “A man is not finished when he is defeated. He is finished when he quits.”

Buchanan may not have written it, but he’s surely heard it.
Aron Goldman Says:
July 4th, 2009 at 12:55 pm
Todd: Resignation can open doors for Palin
Sarah Palin’s resignation raises a lot of questions for political pundits. NBC’s Chuck Todd offers analysis, and says that being a private citizen opens a lot of opportunities for the former vice presidential hopeful.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/31728081#31728081

Hardball panel talks Palin
A panel of political analysts discuss Sarah Palin’s bombshell announcement that she is leaving her post as Alaska’s governor.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3036697/vp/31728564#31728564

Dick Morris: Palin Took Big Risk in Quitting Office
Morris, a Newsmax columnist and one of the leading political minds in the United States, said he would not have advised Palin to resign in the middle of her term. It opens her up to charges that she is a quitter and reinforces an image of her as “flaky” in the mainstream media.
http://www.newsmax.com/insidecover/dick_morris_sarah_palin/2009/07/03/231817.html?s=al&promo_code=82BC-1
Aron Goldman Says:
July 4th, 2009 at 1:06 pm
If White House Is Her Goal, Palin’s Route Is Risky
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/05/us/05palin.html?_r=1&hp=&pagewanted=print

Is Sarah Palin a narcissist?
Probably. But that just makes her like so many of her male colleagues (see: Clinton, Bill)
http://www.thestar.com/news/insight/article/660722

McCain weighs in on Palin decision
“I have the greatest respect and affection for Sarah, Todd, and their family. I was deeply honored to have her as my running mate and believe she will continue to play an important leadership role in the Republican party and our nation.”
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2009/07/04/mccain-weighs-in-on-palin-decision/
marK Says:
July 4th, 2009 at 1:15 pm
But running from the governorship — rather than for it — is hardly a recommendation for the presidency. It’s like walking into a job interview as an air traffic controller and telling the hiring authority that you quit your last job as a crossing guard because the pressure was getting to be too much.

That probably sums up the difficulties she faces better than anything else I’ve seen said.
Martha Says:
July 4th, 2009 at 1:15 pm
This didn’t surprise me because I never bought the whole Sarahcuda thing. Palin was never the person her fans thought/hoped she was. The clues have always been there, but some people just refused to see them. I’m glad more people are waking up to reality. I doubt Rush has, though.
Aron Goldman Says:
July 4th, 2009 at 1:32 pm
Joe Scarborough Analyzes Palin’s Resignation
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2009/07/03/scarborough_analyzes_palins_resignation.html

“Special Report” Panel On Palin’s Resignation
Tonight’s panel on “Special Report” consisted of Charles Krauthammer, Juan Williams and Charlie Hurt. The group discussed Sarah Palin’s surprise decision to resign as governor of Alaska.
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2009/07/03/special_report_panel_on_palins_resignation.html

Sarah Palin’s bizarre bombshell
The latest episode in the Sarah Palin soap opera arrives: her mysterious decision to abruptly quit as governor of Alaska
by James Antle
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/cifamerica/2009/jul/04/sarah-palin-resignation-republicans

5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10,11, 12, 13, 14 Palin Theories…and Counting
http://slate.com/blogs/blogs/kausfiles/archive/2009/07/03/5-6-7-palin-theories.aspx
Thunder Says:
July 4th, 2009 at 1:41 pm
For now, in 2012, it’s Romney and then there is everyone else.
Aron Goldman Says:
July 4th, 2009 at 1:47 pm
‘Special Report’ Panel on Potential GOP Contenders for 2012 Presidential Race
July 1, 2009 (Pre-Palin Bombshell)
http://www.foxnews.com/printer_friendly_story/0,3566,529880,00.html
Tommy Boy Says:
July 4th, 2009 at 1:51 pm
“Off to numerous TEA parties today. Godspeed Sarah!! Smooth sailing to you and your family.”

http://twitter.com/GovernorPerry/status/2470860093
WA_Independent Says:
July 4th, 2009 at 1:51 pm
The least credible part of her explanation was that she couldn’t take attacks on her family. This is the same woman who had her daughter go on an “abstinence tour” after the election. Who invited that scum Levi Johnson to the Republican convention. Who elevated a David Letterman joke about her daughter into a week long media event. If she wanted the attacks on her family to stop, it would have been pretty easy for her to stop shoving them into the spotlight.

There simply has to be more to this than we know right now. If these rumors of federal indictments prove to be true, this could turn into a huge story a la O.J.
Aron Goldman Says:
July 4th, 2009 at 1:53 pm
Now, Sarah’s Folly
by Maureen Dowd
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/05/opinion/05dowd.html?_r=1&pagewanted=print

Sarah Palin showed on Friday that in one respect at least, she is qualified to be president.

Caribou Barbie is one nutty puppy.

Usually we don’t find that exquisite battiness in our leaders until they’ve been battered by sordid scandals like Watergate (Nixon), gnawing problems like Vietnam (L.B.J.), or scary threats like biological terrorism (Cheney).

When Lyndon Johnson was president, some of his staff began to think of him as “a sick man,” as Bill Moyers told Arthur Schlesinger Jr. Moyers and his fellow Johnson aide Dick Goodwin even began reading up on mental illness — Bill on manic depression and Dick on paranoia.

And so it was, Todd Purdum learned, as he traveled Alaska reporting on Palin for Vanity Fair, that the governor’s erratic and egoistic behavior has been a source of concern for people there.

“Several told me, independently of one another,” Purdum writes, “that they had consulted the definition of ‘narcissistic personality disorder’ in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders — ‘a pervasive pattern of grandiosity (in fantasy or behavior), need for admiration, and lack of empathy’ — and thought it fit her perfectly.”

The White House can drive its inhabitants loopy. So at least Sarah Palin is ahead of the curve on that one.

As Alaskans settled in to enjoy holiday salmon bakes and the post-solstice thaw, their governor had a solipsistic meltdown so strange it made Sparky Sanford look like a model of stability.

On the shore of Lake Lucille, with wild fowl honking and the First Dude smiling, with Piper in the foreground and their Piper Cub in the background, the woman who took the Republican Party by storm only 10 months ago gave an incoherent, breathless and prickly stream of consciousness to a small group in her Wasilla yard. Gobsmacked Alaska politicians, Republican big shots, the national press, her brother, the D.C. lawyer who helped create her political action committee and yes, even Fox News, played catch-up.

What looked like a secret wedding turned out to be a public unraveling as the G.O.P. implosion continued: Sarah wanted everyone to know that she’s not having fun and people are being mean to her and she doesn’t feel like finishing her first term as governor.

She can hunt wolves from the air and field-dress a moose, but she fears being a lame duck? Some brickbats over her ethics and diva turns as John McCain’s running mate, and that dewy skin turns awfully thin.

Maybe there’s another red Naughty Monkey high heel to drop — there’s often a hidden twist in Sarah’s country-music melodramas. Or is this a reckless high-speed escape from small-pond Alaska, where her popularity is dropping, to the big time Below?

Even some conservative analysts admitted that the governor’s move seemed ga-ga before venturing the spin that Palin might be “crazy like a fox,” as Sarah’s original cheerleader, Bill Kristol, put it.

Maybe, Kristol mused, she could use the 18 months she would have spent finishing her term to write her book and study up on the issues for 2012.

Why not? Palin/Sanford in 2012, with the slogan: “Save time — we’re already in Crazy Town.”

Palin’s speech is classic casuistry.

After girlish burbling about how “progressing our state” and serving Alaska “is the greatest honor that I could imagine,” and raving about how much she loves her job, she abruptly announced that she was making the ultimate sacrifice: dumping the state on her lieutenant.

Why “milk it,” as she put it, when you can quit it? “Only dead fish go with the flow,” she said, while cold fish can blow out of town. Leaving Alaska in the lurch is best for Alaska. She can better “effect change” in government from outside government. She can fulfill her promise of “efficiencies and effectiveness” by deserting Juneau midway through her term — and taking her tanning bed with her.

“We need those who will respect our Constitution,” said Palin, who swore on the Bible to uphold the Constitution. She said she can’t fulfill that silly old oath of office in the usual way because she’s not “wired to operate under the same old politics as usual.”

Naturally, she dragged the troops in, saying that her trip to see wounded soldiers overseas “fortified” her decision to give up because “they don’t give up.”

She refuses to succumb to the “politics of personal destruction.” It’s no fun unless she’s the one aiming those poison darts, as she did when she accused Barack Obama of associating “with terrorists who targeted their own country.”

Sometimes, she explained, if you’re the star, you have to “call an audible and pass the ball” and leave at halftime, “so the team can win” somehow without you.

The maverick must run free when greener pastures beckon. The musher must jump out of the dogsled when warmer climes call. As Palin’s spokeswoman, Meg Stapleton, says, “The world is literally her oyster.”

But just remember, beloved Alaska, it’s all about you.
Axel G. Says:
July 4th, 2009 at 2:37 pm
A little bit nutty, a litte bit slutty
Martha Says:
July 4th, 2009 at 3:06 pm
Well, the truth is that Palin didn’t do women any favors with this. A man would never pull a stunt like this.

Oh wait, Sanford.
Aron Goldman Says:
July 4th, 2009 at 3:10 pm
Why Mitt Romney’s Star is Rising
by Matt Lewis
http://www.politicsdaily.com/2009/07/04/why-mitt-romneys-star-is-rising/

If Mitt Romney had convened a conclave to set about systematically destroying his potential presidential opponents, he could have done no better than this.

Moderate Utah governor Jon Huntsman was dispatched abroad by President Obama, Nevada Sen. John Ensign and South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford’s affairs ended any ambitions they may have had. And now, Sarah Palin’s bizarre announcement that she is stepping down as governor of Alaska has — in my mind, at least — guaranteed that she cannot realistically win the GOP nomination in 2012 (though she may try).

Had anyone at such a meeting invented this scenario where Romney’s opponents would self-destruct, they would have been laughed out of the room.

And while this GOP collapse may, at first blush, appear to be a bad thing for Republicans, it ironically may help Republicans prevent a nasty primary battle on the right, freeing up Romney to focus his energy on President Obama.

Of course, should the economy recover, Obama may well be unbeatable. But should the economy continue to slump, Romney would be uniquely suited to challenge Obama. After all, prior to becoming Massachusetts governor, Mitt Romney ran Bane Capital — a firm specializing in turning around failing companies.

Moreover, Romney is temperamentally suited to this task, as well. Whereas other Republicans are passionate, Romney (with a few exceptions) relies a bit more on a logical dispassionate approach to politics. In this regard, he is well suited to the times, and more stylistically like Obama than his other potential competitors.

Speaking of which, it seems, at this point, Romney really has to worry about only former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee and former Speaker Newt Gingrich. Regardless, neither Gingrich nor Huckabee will have the organization or fundraising prowess that Romney can put together. One can imagine Romney arising as the establishment candidate, and having to fend off Huckabee in states like Iowa and South Carolina in much the same way that George H.W. Bush dispatched of rivals such as Pat Robertson in 1988.

Conflicts arise when there is no clear leader, and this may be the opportunity for Romney to become the de facto leader of the GOP, sooner than anyone thought. It’s still a long way off, but Mitt Romney couldn’t have planned this any better had he tried…
Aron Goldman Says:
July 4th, 2009 at 3:15 pm
Sarah Palin’s (Bad) Decision To Step Down
by Matt Lewis
http://www.politicsdaily.com/2009/07/03/sarah-palins-bad-decision-to-step-down/

Palin’s Puzzling Move Again Roils 2012 Field
http://www.politicsdaily.com/2009/07/03/palins-puzzling-move-once-again-roils-2012-field/

Sarah Palin Blows Up The Republican Party…Again
by Citizen K.
http://killiansaid.blogspot.com/2009/07/sarah-palin-blows-up-republican.html
Aron Goldman Says:
July 4th, 2009 at 3:16 pm
What the Sarah Palin Bombshell Means
by Walter Shapiro
http://www.politicsdaily.com/2009/07/03/the-sarah-palin-bombshell-and-what-it-means/

Only in our hyperactive news environment can a political reporter feel embarrassed for coming late (a full hour behind the action) to the puzzling Sarah Palin resignation story because he was quietly reading at home on an unofficial national holiday. But quickly scanning the initial news stories, I kept encountering widespread speculation that Palin was abruptly stepping down as governor so that she could concentrate full time on running for president. Nonsense. There are many potential explanations for her decision — and do not rule out the most obvious that she quickly wants to make scads of money unencumbered by Alaska’s ethics laws. But the idea that Palin somehow needs to jump-start her 2012 presidential campaign two-and-a-half years in advance is as ludicrous as the idea that she is abandoning the governorship to spend more time with the John McCain’s aides who were so warm and supportive during her vice presidential phase.

White House dreamers whom nobody has ever heard of like, say, Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, need years to build a national fundraising network and to visit all of Iowa’s 99 counties. But the joy of being Sarah Palin is that she never has to feign enthusiasm while talking to 14 elderly Iowa Republicans in a cafe in Sac City. When you are the celebrity candidate, you do not deign to speak in a venue smaller than a high-school gymnasium unless it is a real-people photo op. And you certainly do not need 30 months to achieve name recognition with Iowa caucus-goers and to endure long evenings in Atlanta chatting up minor league GOP fundraisers.

A compelling case, of course, can be made that Palin should spend the next year or so schooling herself in the issues that a president ought to know. It would be bracing if Palin’s next stop were the Kennedy School at Harvard or even Jerry Falwell’s Liberty University. What could do more to erase memories of the Katie Couric interview (not to mention Todd Purdum’s takedown in the latest Vanity Fair) than the news that Palin was at Oxford auditing courses in Cold War history and Muslim thought?

Sometimes a politician succeeds by dramatically playing against type. Remember how Hillary Clinton — the wronged woman turned 2000 Senate candidate — prospered by deliberately making herself boring. For Palin, the path to political redemption would not be anchoring a TV talk show, but showing that she could talk knowledgeably.
Aron Goldman Says:
July 4th, 2009 at 3:34 pm
Explainin’ Palin: All of The Above?
by Nate Silver
http://www.fivethirtyeight.com/2009/07/explainin-palin-all-of-above.html

There seem to be three* basic theories to explain why Sarah Palin decided to quit:

1. She’s simply burned out;
2. There’s some kind of “other shoe dropping”;
3. She’s so crazy she thinks this could actually help her for 2012, 2016, etc.

The point I’d add is that I don’t think these three things are mutually exclusive. In her press conference today, Palin didn’t seem sure of much of anything except that she’ll no longer be governor. She may have felt like being governor of Alaska had become a waste of her time when she can go about the country being a celebrity instead; she might have concerns for what the national media spotlight has done to her family; she might be worried that she’s made too many enemies in the state and that sooner or later one of these mini-scandals will blow up into a bigger one … AND she may be crazy and narcissistic enough to think this will actually help her chances for 2012.

It won’t, of course. Politicians have survived and been re-elected after being stigmatized as liars, hypocrites, and flip-floppers — but can someone who may forever be branded as a “quitter” become Commander in Chief? There’s almost no way. I can’t think of someone who has done something comparable to what Palin did today running for national office, let alone winning it. In her critics’ imaginations, she’s gone from being Dan Quayle to some permutation of Thomas Eagleton.

And today will make her critics more numerous. One gets the sense that the Republican establishment was already starting to have concerns about Palin’s electability — see particularly Charles Krauthammer’s recent comments. If Palin really is still in the running for 2012, today’s actions may turn those concerns into action items — like trying to build an “inevitability” narrative around Mitt Romney, or perhaps recruiting another populist conservative into the race to split Palin’s vote and ensure that she can’t win on some sort of plurality basis. I happen to think that these electability concerns are wise ones, and in the long run Palin may have done the GOP a big favor. In the short run, though, it’s going to be a long weekend for them in more ways than one.
___

* A fourth theory, I guess, is that she’s running for Senate, but that doesn’t make any sense at all. Why would she need to leave office to do that? And could she really beat Lisa Murkowski? My guess is that, after today, Palin would not only lose the primary to Murkowski but might do so by an embarrassing margin.
OHIO JOE Says:
July 4th, 2009 at 3:39 pm
“I was hoping for another excellent nomination choice for 2012.” Well, MarK, as a Palinite, I no longer have a excellent choice, but I have three good choices to choose from, which I am in no hurray to make. There are Pros and Cons to eventually choosing among Mr. Pawlenty, Mr. Romney and Mr. Huckabee. Since I not want hate any of those 3, I do not have to hurry up and join one camp to prevent another from winning.

As a Midwesterner, it would be easiest to support Mr. Pawlenty because of the 3 remaining candidates, he understands by region of the country the best. However, I have a problem with him being too Green. He is the most likable of the 3, but the least charismatic. The fact that he is a sitting governor is also a feather in his cap. And of course, the fact that there is no bitterness between the Pawlenty and Palin camps would make it somewhat easy to support Mr. Pawlenty, but he may or may not be best for America.

On balance, despite the bitterness between the camps, apart from MA health care, Mr. Romney is probably now, the closest thing to a Palinite, so I cannot rule out supporting him. While many Romneyites cheerfully dance on Mrs. Palin’s grave, I did go to one Romney site today where they were actually welcoming Palinites to join them. So at least I take comfort that many elements in the Romney camp are not against our camp per.

Mr. Huckabee also has his Pro and cons. I am glad that Mr. Huckabee himself was gracious towards the Palin camp, but I was sick when I visited one Huckabee site where the blog owner just trashed and made fun of Mrs. Palin.

In short, I recognize that it is now doubtful that Mrs. Palin or any Palinite will become President anytime soon, but that is just how it goes. While I am sad, I am hopeful that the remaining 3 of the big 4 will will not go too far to the left, after all, all camps are going to be courting Palinites to support them.

I realize that I am in the minority, but I am not bitter at Mrs. Palin at all. Yes, I wished that she would become President, but it is just probably not meant to be. I admire her for doing what she felt was best for her own family as we all should do. I met one local Palinite this morning who while he still her a Palin bumper sticker, he said he was disgusted at how Mrs. Palin gave in to human weakness and betrayed our country by leave public live. So I asked him if he wanted his family to be treated like that. He just said that she should have sucked it up and had faith to carry on. It is very easy for us pundits, to make fun our Mrs. Palin for turning her back on politics and becoming a regular citizen like the rest of us, but it would be a different story to be in her shoes. While it appears that she is finished with politics, she like the rest of us can serve her country in small ways in her day to day life.
Fredo Says:
July 4th, 2009 at 9:40 pm
Great post Matthew. While not a “Palinite”, I thought she was a compelling figure, and was hopeful that with some seasoning she would return as a national candidate in the future (probably not in ‘12, but maybe ‘16). At this point, I don’t think I could support Palin in a GOP primary. If she is abandoning her post for other political ambitions, her actions are indefensible. And if she’s not, I guess it won’t matter how this decision is ultimately judged.
Martha Says:
July 5th, 2009 at 1:31 am
61. OJ, you are the most sane Palin supporter on race. The others are in denial – they can’t connect her actions with consequences. I understand how disappointed they and you are today. Anyway, I like your attitude.
Heath Says:
July 5th, 2009 at 7:51 am
You are as mad a cut snake OJ but well said .
Martha Says:
July 5th, 2009 at 8:37 am
Aron, thanks for all the links. You do the work, so we don’t have to.
Strong America Says:
July 5th, 2009 at 8:42 am
I still don’t know what to think about Palin’s resignation except that she won’t be POTUS in 2012.

Matthew’s post and Aron’s links are pretty much how everybody except the hardcore Palin fans view this move.

I don’t have any hard data on it, but my gut tells me Sarah and Huck are going to be limited to their hardcore supporters and won’t be able to grew much beyond that–especially if Obama continues to create a mess.

It’s going to be real serious stuff in 2012 and people will be looking for a can-do person and they won’t care what party they are from as long as the person is not on the Left or Right fringe and looks like he/she can fix things and get it done.

After recent meltdowns that leaves Republicans with Romney and maybe somebody else who is great that we are overlooking. Watching Obama in action is making me forgive Romney for his bad idea of trying to make converts out of Social Conservatives who will never vote for him for whatever reason.

If Mitt can repent of dumb moves like trying to fake being a life long hunter or a card carrying member of the Radical Right, just be himself, ignore the people who will never vote for him because of his religion, bank account, personality, or whatever, and just be himself and come out with some serioulsy well researched and thoughout plans to fix the post-Bush and post-Obama messes, then I think there will be enough conservatives, moderate Republicans, independents, and moderate Democrates to put him in office in 2012. Of course the Liberals will hate him as will the anti-Romney Right, but even Reagan in ‘84 didn’t win over everybody. Bush won by the skin of his teeth in 2000. That’s all it will take to get rid of Obama. But it would be very helpful to put in a flood of new Repubs in Congress too so the new administration can really fix the mess.

So, if Romney can lead a revolution like Reagon did and like the Contract in America in ‘94….then he will get my vote.

Unless somebody better appears on the scene real soon.
HYUFD Says:
July 5th, 2009 at 8:49 am
19 – Well there are positions like London Mayor, Head of a county council or First Minister of Wales or Scotland which get close to the role of a US governor in the UK.
OHIO JOE Says:
July 5th, 2009 at 11:32 am
Martha M, I am kind of insulted by your comment in # 63 because it indirectly suggests that my fellow camp members are insane. I understand that being in different camps we have some disagreements, but I assure you, my fellow Palinites are sane regardless of how many letters they have after their name. Frankly, I fail to see how these suggestions of insanity from some Romney elements and even some Huckabee elements serve their candidates. Whether, I officially chose to join another camp someday, I assure you that while we may not have our first choice in the race, we are sane members of the GOP and I for one intend to at least vote in the GOP primary despite not being able to vote for my first choice.
ogrepete Says:
July 5th, 2009 at 1:51 pm
Look, Sarah Palin is many, many things.

One thing I hope she is proud of is that she is a Mom. If she takes six or eight or ten years off to be a Mom and then gets back into politics at some point, I’d give her a very, very hard look because she obviously has the talent to excite people about things people don’t get excited about very often.

What I really like about Palin’s political abilities is her ability to excite people about politics WITHOUT being mad, angry, nearly violent like the left seems forced to do. My preferred candidate (Mitt Romney) has a hard time exciting people to do anything at all…
Aron Goldman Says:
July 5th, 2009 at 3:56 pm
The Sarah Palin I-Quit-arod
http://swampland.blogs.time.com/2009/07/05/the-sarah-palin-i-quit-arod/

Conservatives taken aback by Palin’s decision to resign
http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/07/05/palin.reaction/index.html?iref=mpstoryview

What Palin’s move means for 2012
http://patchworknation.csmonitor.com/csmstaff/2009/0705/what-palin%E2%80%99s-move-means-for-2012/