PalinTracker: Not Running, but Still Kingmaking
With Sarah having emphatically removed her hat from the ring, is there any point in PalinTracking? I’ve concluded, at least for now: You betcha!
As she made clear in her statement to Mark Levin on his nightly radio show on October 5, after much soul-searching Palin is convinced she can be more effective on the sidelines than as a presidential candidate. Given her history — chafing under John McCain’s handlers in 2008 and resigning her Alaska governorship to spare her state the debacle of malicious lawsuits — Sarah knows the toll candidacy exacts on an individual’s independence, spontaneity, and authenticity. It’s no surprise she would not surrender them, especially given the fact that she has proven to be an unprecedented outside force for change simply by doing things her way. Since no one has ever been able to predict what Sarah will do next, I’d caution naysayers with a paraphrase of Abraham Lincoln: better to remain silent on the subject of Palin’s political demise and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt once she delivers the goods.
The goods will come in the form of her shaping the discussion. She has already captured the grudging admiration of the New York Times (see below) and ultimately may become the Republican kingmaker (so to speak) by delivering the votes of faithful conservatives who trust Palin’s discernment and lack of compromise.
So with a quick dash through some noteworthy Will She? Won’t She? pieces leading up to Sarah’s announcement, I’ll begin where we left off PalinTracking in September, then move on to reaction and questions about what lies ahead.
September 3
Palin still undecided on White House run
DES MOINES — Alaska Republican Sarah Palin is still pondering whether to seek the White House, she said in a brief interview this afternoon. …
In her speech, Palin said the challenge is not simply to replace President Barack Obama in 2012, “it’s who and what we will replace him with.”
September 5
Sarah Palin warns against Tea Party infighting
Palin: The tea party whisperer
Palin Praises Influence of the Tea Party
Palin, not even in the race, draws double the size crowd as Romney
September 6
Because she can:
Sarah Palin Runs Iowa Half-Marathon Unannounced Over Labor Day Weekend
September 7
The New Civility?
Liberal Video Game Offers Chance to Slay Sarah Palin, Newt Gingrich in Tea Party Zombies
The New York Times finally sees something in Sarah?
Some of Sarah Palin’s Ideas Cross the Political Divide
Palin: Obama “plays us all for fools” with jobs plan
September 12
Sarah Palin Tells Greta Van Susteren Why She Thinks Obama’s Jobs Plan Won’t Get America Back to Work
September 13
Palin: Tea Party Was Big Winner of Debate
September 14
“I have to tell you this: I am a huge fan of Sarah Palin,” the former Fugee said. “Cause she’s rad. She’s shrewd. She’s cool. Because at the end of the day, I’m for the people, because this is the United States of America … this is what America’s really about. Anyone should have the right to say, ‘Look I can do the job and this is what qualifies me to do the job.’… Now my wife probably will debate and disagree with me.”
Seeming to sense a little bit of disbelief, he qualified his statement.
“I’m not saying she could be the next president, you know, but there’s something about her. Heavy debates in my house. Whenever I say Sarah Palin, people think I’m crazy, but I like her, I do. I can like whoever. This is America, right?”
September 19
The Daily Beast: How Palin Haters Help Palin
Palin’s smarter than people think, says — Ralph Nader
September 20
Shock poll: Palin trails Obama by 5 points in new national poll
September 27
Sarah Palin calls “Herm Cain” the “flavor of the week”
Not sure how Politico framed this as a mockery, when Palin summed up human fickleness while praising Cain’s authenticity:
Take Herman Cain. He’s doing so well right now. I guess you could say, with all due respect, he’s the flavor of the week. Herman Cain is the one up there who doesn’t look like he’s part of that permanent political class. He came from a working class family. He’s had to make it on his own all these years. We respect that. He has an automatic connection with the electorate. We can all relate to him. He knows the issues and problems we face every day and he’s determined to do something about it.
He’s not elite. He doesn’t seem to allow us to be disenchanted with what it is that he’s proposing, because what he proposes in terms of solutions for our economy are based on time tested truths and common sense and true economic principles that will work.
Herman Cain is a good example of a connection with the voters and why his message — good messenger — he’s resonating with the people.
Greta van Susteren interview of Sarah Palin — video and transcript: GOP Infighting Playing Into “Liberal Handbook,” Problem Is Obama’s “Socialist-Leaning Failed Policies”
September 28
Palin: Is the title of President worth it?
I know it’s a useful term but I don’t care for “kingmaker” laid on our darling Sarah Palin. I really believe she saw Cain was gaining the momenetum needed to go all the way and chose to put her energy into creating a Congress that can enable a conservative President to pass the legislation needed to dismantle both the Marxist project and the crony capitalism that rules DC. Like Rush and Sean she has held back her endorsement, letting the candidates rise or fall on their own merits. A lot of us are getting past the wait and see stage and are getting ready to send Herman some Do Re Mi. If he does well on Meet the Press Sunday I intend to dig out the Visa card.
Palin not running.
Me not caring.
davidinvirginia taking time to blog re: Palin not running.
Me not caring.
“Palin’s Withdrawal Means Obama Wins”
That may well be true.
I accepted her reasoning for resigning from Governor of Alaska, but now I’m thinking “There sure is a lot of Quit in that girl”. “Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me” if this is what it means to “Fight like a girl” then we are all a lot better off without her.
I think the one word which now defines her is “Irrelevant”.
Not sure how her decision not to seek the presidency relates to her present and future influence and endorsement.
But, since you chased that rabbit down the rabbit hole, it is not hard at all to understand why she decided to turn the governorship over to her Lt. Gov and why she opted to not seek urge presidency? In fact, it is for the same reason: family.
In leaving the governorship, she ended the frivolous lawsuits that cost an estimated $500,000 in family funds to fight. In deciding not to seek the presidency, Sarah Palin stated that her family came first. In this case, her second daughter is approaching high school graduation.
Palin has always contended that her priorities are in order God, family, and country. I respect that.
Noticed that country came in the very dead last? Hmmmmm? I think Palin’s priorties are money, fame, God, family, and country. Oh, did I mentioned money already?
Hard to quit when she never actually started running. Never said she was running, never put in the paperwork (regardless how much the various media outlets tried to point to her office doing this or that); her running around was meant to get people out in crowds, spread the conservative message, and drive the MSM nuts.
I hope Sarah hangs around, she’s good for conservatism. Energy secretary or even Newt’s veep.
What Sarah Palin knows about energy wouldn’t get your car out of your driveway. Her AOGCC stint was a pure patronage job for which she was so remarkably unqualified that the Republican controlled legislature passed legislation, not so fondly referred to as the “No More Sarah Palins Bill” setting qualifications for the position that included oil industry knowledge and experience. She might have learned a little about running a drilling rig from Todd, but the rest of it is just soundbites.
Ignorance in spades. How sad it must be to be you.
And just what, infatuated little Palinbot, in that post demonstrated ignorance? Do you know what the AOGCC is? Do you know how she got on it? Do you know about the controversy in Alaska when she was appointed? Do you know anything about the legislation that resulted from her appointment? Do you know ANYTHING about Palin that you didn’t learn from her press releases or her self-serving facebook posts? Thought not!
Thank you for being the latest person to validate my theory:
The most belligerent comments come from those who have nothing meaningful to add.
Seems you have a well chosen screen name. What Mr. Mash-Pototoes Head do you have to offer? Do you know anything about She Who Was Once Governor that you didn’t learn from her press releases and Facebook? Can you answer any of those questions?
What you describe sounds like what economists call regulatory capture.
By the way, are you the Art Chance in this piece? http://juneauempire.com/stories/101801/let_letqualified.shtml
She needs to shut up and go away…
Oh I totally concur. This is the longest 15 minutes in all of our political history. Sad, so sad……..it’s a trajedy!!!!!
Sarah needs to shut up and go away…
Jack needs to stop double posting & go away.
Sorry…I made a mistake..be an adult and get over it..
OK – then you likewise be an adult & get over Sarah Palin & stop telling her to “shut up”. I personally hope she stays in the public eye for a long time . . . . in part b/c she drives liberals absolutely off their rockers.
I’m thinking (& hoping) . . . Secretary of Energy (she could certainly do no worse than ‘Steven Chu-Chu-Solyndra-train’; plus $1.80/gal gas when Obama took office, $3.50/gal now), or perhaps Secretary of Defense (since you liberals say she ‘can see Russia from [her] house’), or maybe Secretary of Interior (Palin’s AK > Salazar’s CO), or possibly Secretary of Education (her experience as a PTA member > Duncan).
Sorry, so sorry if the majority of us are soooo afraid of the End of Days!!!!
You write a post that would be juvenile for a fifteen-year-old adolescent and then have the chutzpah to tell someone to be an adult?
It’s just that I find it amusing that liberals are constantly saying how much they despise Sarah, want her to ‘shut up and go away’ (from Jack – who started this), they talk about how ‘dumb’ she is (she’s not), and yet, they continue to follow her everywhere, blog/write about her every word, her family, her home, her hair, her clothes, everything. By merely being herself, she brings out the passionate hate in liberals for which they deride others, often unjustly. It seems to me that the best way to make Sarah go away would be to ignore her, but liberals just find it impossible within themselves to do that. I counted at least 7 negative Sarah posts here and if the posters really despise her, shouldn’t they be finding better uses of their time?
It’s pretty hard to beat Christie’s endorsement of Romney. The big guy was taking 10% in the polls the last 2-3 weeks. Pawlenty’s endorsement of Romney was important too, at least in the operational sense since Mitt can now potentially win Iowa (so long as Bachmann, Perry or Cain don’t drop out).
Sarah is running after bigger game.
There’s a bigger game than POTUS?
I don’t fully understand the Republican mentality that dismisses the intellect of Newt. He is clearly head and shoulders ahead and above anyone else in the race. He has routinely out performed and mentally outmaneuvered everyone in each of the debates. He makes Mitt look like a mental midget.
Everyone says he has baggage that conservatives can’t overcome, I disagree. I say it’s high time to forgive and forget about his divorce, we need his brain, experience, original thinking, and formidable will power in the White House.
He gets dismissed because once he gets in a position of power, and gets people to like him, he wants to stay liked, which makes it very easy to manipulate him to “reach across the aisle.” He also has a problem of getting in power and doing something stupid. Fantastic idea-man though.
The Dems, (back in the day), would probably disagree with you. Newt made a “Contract With America”, and pushed it across the finish line. I liked that in a politician. He balanced the budget and he told us the truth. How hard is that to understand?
We never got a balanced budget. It was all crooked accounting, an out-and-out lie. Both sides of the aisle were in on it. Newt and Clinton especially.
It’s called MONEY!!!!!
My guess is that there is some serious polling going on to determine whether Sarah’s endorsement will help or hurt a candidate…and the answer is probably different depending on the candidate.
Her endorsement would be a huge boost for Perry or Cain, but I’ll bet Romney doesn’t want it. In the case of the first two, Sarah might be able to get the nomination for one of them. But Romney would probably look at it differently. He probably thinks he can get the nomination anyway, and her endorsement might hurt him in the general election. Newt might see it like Romney. The others might see it the other way.
But Palin has a risk as well. If, for example, she ensorses Perry and he loses, doesn’t it damage her future chances?
So based on her actions so far, I don’t think she will endorse anybody until the outcome is clear. She will probably do a lot of broad hinting, but not commit until the winner is clear. She isn’t as ideological as her fans think she is; she’s a professional politician, just like all of them (including Cain…he’s just a professional politician who has never won a race).
I somewhat agree with you regarding endorsements of POTUS, she probably won’t have much impact on that race. What I DO see her doing is going after those 33 Senate seat races up for grabs in 2012. The Tea Party has high hopes in this direction. Sarah can make real contributions, (her words are pure gold to the Tea Party), that will help sweep the Senate clean of Dems thus giving whomever the Republicans put in the WH some real clout.
Not to mention putting Harry Reid out of business.
That’s right…and that’s where she can do a great service to the country. If she can make a difference in just one or two Senate races, it would be huge. And it would help her future prospects as well, if she even intends to run for another elective office. If I were her, I might not.
“one or two”,,, I’m hoping for a lot more. This woman has more gravitas than you give her credit for.
Currently Dems have 23 seats up for re-election, plus 2 independents who caucus with the Liberals, that’s a total of 25. We need to defeat these wacko-liberal nutjobs. This is where we need Sarah Palin the most.
It’s true, I’ve loved Sarah ever since she winked at me in 2008, but I do not think she has given up on America just yet.
“If she can make a difference in just one or two Senate races”
If she can make THE difference…. FTFY
Yes, if one or two more were elected who might otherwise not, that would be huge. If she endorses and campaigns for them, and they squeak across the finish line, we would know to whom some serious credit is due. If that one or two get us to 60, then it would be beyond huge.
There is no way she will endorse Romney. THAT would kill her credbility.
She will endorse Romney if he gets the nomination. Absolutely.
She’s a politician just like all of them are. In her case, she seems to be an extremely rare variation, an honest politician. But she is still going to support the team she is on, even if the candidate is somebody far apart from her own views.
I totally disagree with your statement,”So based on her actions so far, I don’t think she will endorse anybody until the outcome is clear.” She endorsed Tea Party candidates and many were long shots. The only Rino she endorsed was McCain and I believe that was a relationship vs Principle decision that she explained in her book. She talked about not endorsing (I think it was..)her mother-in-law and she regretted that.
I do my best to avoid anything that stinks of Sarah Palin, but found myself eyeballing this ridiculous article as I tried to enjoy my morning double mocha latte frappachino, low fat with two truvia natural sweeteners. And yes, I puked this sweet happiness brew all over my Mac keyboard. What is it with you crazy people and Sarah Palin? She gladly snuffs out beautiful, innocent wildlife to satisfy some creepy blood-lust, but decides to bring a wholly helpless downs fetus into this world? Where is the logic in that? Does she like torturing things? Well, I’ll say that she tortures at least 98% of the public, as recent polls have shown her unpopularity levels out at that figure. She disgraces all REAL womyn-folk. Strong womyn like Oprah, Susan Sarandon, Eowyn and that lesbo gal from “Glee” represent the future of womyn-kind. Get used to it Cheneyites!
I truly hope that was satire, otherwise go back to your cave troll.
They’re missing you down at the Flea Party on Wall Street.
Lovely Earth: Please know that some of us here appreciate your pearls of wisdom!
The other guys need to get in line for a funny-bone transplant… (or a satire-gene transplant)…. Anyway, you are always enjoyed!
I disagree with you. I think Sarah is God’s gift to mankind. The day she first appeared on the national stage, I could swear that I saw a halo around her head and the light emanating from her took all the worries away from mankind in that instant. Sarah has done so much for mankind since then, touring the country and lifting souls all across the country with all of her divine speeches, who then all go back home to a disastrous reality. But our Divine Sarah collects her lump sum of money and continues on to her next destination lifting more sad souls while of course adding on to that nice bank account she’s already had. But hey, as long as we are all uplifted by Divine Sarah, we know one day she will be “The One” to save us all. I am for one hoping and longing for that day when Divine Sarah will save us all.
The corruption in Washington will continue if Obama or Romney are President. Sarah was our best chance at ending this.
I have gone from being willing to vote for whoever the nominee is, after Sarah decided not to run, but actively work for a Patriot Congress; to deciding that Romney’s first term would be not too far off of Obama’s second term. I offer Romney’s long connections to Obama’s advisor John Holdren. The same John Holdren who was in favor of coercive government population-control policies in the 1970s, and who in 2007 suggested government-imposed redistribution as a cure for American exceptionalism.
http://hotair.com/archives/2011/10/15/will-romney-hire-obamas-climate-change-guru-holdren/
Will I listen for any endorsement by Sarah? Damn Straight I will! Do I think this might be the last national election with the entity currently known as the Republican Party as a competitor? Sure do.
Am I watching Sarah? Yep. And I note that on her Facebook page she has changed her status under “Political Views” from Republican to Conservative. There are a lot of us conservatives who are technically registered Republicans, and it may well include her. It does me. I am a registered Republican because there is no TEA/Conservative/Patriot Party I can register in. But I consider myself a TEA Party Conservative.
She is not done, and neither are we.
Subotai Bahadur
Don’t jump the rails, Subotai. Romney is so cautious, he won’t do anything crazy. If he were to be elected, his next big goal would be to get reelected. What is likely to happen is that he would involve himself in the nuts and bolts of the beaurocracy, and probably make some improvements there. But he would never, for example, dissolve the EPA. That’s just not him.
Look to Congress for conservative leadership. That’s where it will come from and where it should come from.
Look at the next President as what he or she should be, the COO of the federal government, and if necessary, CIC of the military.
“Romney is so cautious, he won’t do anything crazy.”
He will try some damnable things, and nothing that is worthwhile. With his previous and still firmly held to stands, with his friends like Holdren and Bork, with his AGW, Romneycare, and lifelong drive to be in power, I trust him to do nothing that’s good except by accident or if driven to it by veto-proof TEA party majorities.
And those majorities aren’t going to happen.
Romney is the liberal who will get some of what he wants.
It’s the reason to stay home if he’s the candidate.
I appreciate your interest in Sarah Palin. I share that loyalty.
But it is fascinating that this thread would garner so many comments, even by those who write that she is a non-factor. They obviously are incapable of seeing their own hypocrisy.
Palin isn’t a serious person. Look at the her mothering skills! OMG. Now we can begin to get serious.
You’re crazy. The Palin kids are great. Products of very together parents. I suggest you watch the Sarah Palin’s Alaska series.
From the moment Sarah Palin resigned the governorship of Alaska she has repeatedly offered serious policy statements on issues such as health care, the Federal Reserve’s money printing in funding our federal deficit, Crony Capitalism, etc)
No other national Republican leader has done so as consistently, effectively, and as well.
Sarah Palin has played a central over the past three years. She rallied the opposition to President Barack Obama during a time when opposition seemed impossible ; she has been the most vocal critique of the president.
Sarah Palin worked tirelessly to fight Obama’s policies and elect conservatives
She basically spearheaded the 2010 victory with her endorsements and rallies all over the country and was (justly) credited with playing a central role after the Republicans swept last November .
As much as I don’t like Palin on other grounds, and unlike her boosters and detractors here, I do know her, I’d never criticize her over her kids. Frankly, Alaska has a youth culture right out of A Clockwork Orange and it is extraordinarily difficult to keep your kids out of trouble here. Palin’s situation of being a “Slope Widow” much of the time while trying to have her own career is quite typical and latchstring kids are the norm, though the Palins did have family support, which most here do not.
Bristol Palin is far from the first Governor’s kid to get into trouble and do so very publicly. The Juneau Police once got to respond to a late night 911 at the Governor’s House when the Knowles’ were out of town and their kids decided to have a party. That resulted in the older daughter being packed off to boarding school. Gov. Egan’s son, now Sen. Dennis Egan (D-Juneau), was once accosted for operating a liquor still in the basement of the Governor’s House. Alaska was a very different place then, so I don’t know if that resulted in charges, but it was certainly widely known to have happened and there was law enforcement involvement. I don’t think any other governors have had teenagers while in office.
Somehow this mythical Alaska as a socially conservative, religious right state has arisen; it’s not. Socially, Alaska is libertarian, almost libertine. There are a lot more bars and whorehouses than churches. It has a significant religious right political constiuency, but they can rarely win elections, though they lose them for Republicans fairly consistently. Since Prudhoe Bay came on in the late ’70s Alaska has been fairly solidly Republican at the federal level but that is mostly based on opposition to federal land use, oil development, and environmental policy. When Palin ran for Lt. Gov. her opponent, Loren Leman, was the candidate endorsed by the religous right, and he defeated her. I never thought of her as being any more religious than any other Republican here who goes to church at least enough to be noticed doing so, and not all of them even go at all. Her becoming some sort of standard-bearer for the religious right was a product of the VP Campaign and never was really a part of her political image here.
Excellent post!
(Btw, I am not Chance. I am by Design.)
Thank you for the kind words, and I too consider myself well designed.
I will miss not having Gov. Palin as an active candidate, she is the TOTAL Anti-Obama and her absence leaves a gap yet to be filled.
Dr. Shalit
She placed family before country. I don’t give a damn what she has to say. In my humble opinion, she has lost her voice when it comes to politics.
I have a feeling (a sinking one) that she is going to endorse Perry or Cain. Both defended TARP, neither are real conservatives (though doubtless better than Romney). Bachmann and Santorum are the only ones who are real fiscal conservatives (Newt is a toss-up – very conservative in some ways, off the rez in other ways). I don’t see Palin endorsing either Bachmann or Santorum, and that is a pity – whether or not they can win, they are the real small gov’t, free-market, fiscal conservatives (and add to that, they are both strong on defense issues – particularly Santorum). I just wish that a) they had more money, and b) they would learn to temper their message (though not their conservative principles) so that it would have broader appeal beyond the bible belt. They both have a tendency to be tone-deaf when not preaching to the social-conservative choir.
Man, I REALLY can’t stand snarky in-bred Libs and their brain-dead comments.
I love Palin and would do (almost) anything to have her formally announce and jump back into the fray. Sarah is exactly what this sick Nation needs.
I was disappointed that Palin chose not to run, although I expected it. I am also somewhat relieved. If she were to become President, the Leftist heads would explode, yes, but the insanity dial would be turned up to max every day. Nothing would have rallied the Left (and the Right) to vote like a Palin nomination.
That would be good in concept, but the tensions would be indescribably high. It would not abate after the election, either. The tantrums from the Left would be like a child’s worst screaming fit. For 8 years. Guns would come out. Seriously, they would. People can only tolerate so much tantrum-throwing from adults. A Palin Presidency is the invitation to the Left to completely poison the well, having nothing left to lose,and hitting them so hard emotionally. Screaming fits. Kicking and screaming. 8 Years of it.
I wonder if she agrees with this assessment, and this realization of what would happen if she were elected might not have been the major reason that she decided not to run.
People kept telling her she should be content to be a cheerleader, and maybe she finally decide that the cheerleader role was what was best for her and the country.
I think Palin has worn out her welcome. She should have to write ‘Familiarity breeds contempt’ 100 times somewhere.