Posted on 07/06/2009 12:15:12 AM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
Sarah Palin's decision to resign as governor of Alaska was greeted with doubts, criticism and downright derision -- not just from Democrats or the media or bloggers, but from Republicans.
Critical responses to her decision came from many Republican insiders -- not just people who have an axe to grind such as Mike Huckabee and Lisa Murkowski, but others such as Karl Rove.
That followed criticism of Palin just before her announcement from Charles Krauthammer and Jonah Goldberg. When talking off the record, Republican insiders are even harsher toward Palin, as Marc Ambinder notes:
With a few exceptions, almost every Republican I talk to in Washington quakes at the thought of her being their presidential nominee in 2012 (although a few wonder slyly if she'll go away if she's offered up as a sacrifice that year.)
If Palin does want to run for president, having so many top members of her own party doubt her, dislike her and pretty much hope for her disappearance from the political scene is probably a bad thing. But, there's at least a slight chance that, if she's smart, she could use it to her advantage.
Palin has a message with fairly limited appeal at this point. Maybe it's just because I'm a blogger and member of the media, but her lines about bloggers and members of the media are pretty tired. Her complaints might (or might not) win her sympathy, but sympathy is a not a rationale for someone to be president of the United States. Her policy views are predictably conservative.
Here's a fresher message: I'm running against the complacent, corrupt forces within the Republican Party -- the people who take social conservatives for granted and who, when they happen to get a majority, spend like Democrats.
A lot of Americans don't like the Republican Party. In fact, a lot of Republicans are frustrated with the Republican Party too. Could Palin win by running against her own party?
There's a precedent for this sort of message. Palin used a variant of it to win the 2006 Republican primary for governor in Alaska against Frank Murkowski.
There's also a precedent for this message in presidential politics. Howard Dean was nearly the Democratic Party's presidential nominee with a message that centered on criticizing the Democratic Party. Dean earned some of his biggest applause when he criticized his own party's support for the Iraq War and claimed to represent "the Democratic wing of the Democratic Party."
Still, I have two big questions with this strategy for Palin. One is whether this message will be right for 2012. Ahead of 2004, Dean shared a real policy grievance with the rank-and-file members of his party, as Democrats objected to their party's representatives in Congress backing the war. With Republicans generally staying united in opposition to Obama, Palin may not have the opening that Dean did.
The other question is whether Palin is the right messenger. Dean, it's worth remembering, was a well-respected governor of his own small state for 12 years. Nonetheless, his bid ultimately collapsed amid questions about whether he had the discipline, temperament and depth of experience to be president. No one would be especially surprised if a Palin presidential bid failed for the exact same reasons.
Yah. People in the MSM don’t like being made fun of. However, the notion that the AssClown GOP needs to be purged and a return to Reaganism is in the cards is pretty spot-on.
That is pretty much what Sarah should do. Win the battle IN the party, then vanquish the D’s.
Best,
Chris
Republican party... defined as RINOS... best get on board. The “base” they need is fed up with their Democrat-lite style and are gunning for them. Palin just happens to recognize that poignant fact and is in the lead.
Palin is not a freakazoid like Howard Dean.
HAH! Is there a Republican party anymore? Or are there a bunch of corrupt ninnies who call themselves Republicans while trashing the best thing that’s happened to the Republican party in 44 years? (Ronald Reagan in 1964) Go Sarah!
YARRRRGH
Yes - the rank and file are up in arms and the RINOs are more worried about their perks and power than leading. Sarah really knows the difference between leading and managing and she has given up the managerial role as a Governor to a Leadership role for the Conservative movement.
The Republican party is split...on one side ya have the DC elites and the other side is made up of normal folks out in the real world.
In a word, no.
The reality of modern politics is that you need a big party organisation behind you in order to get elected, at least to major office (although the internet is militating against that).
Win what by running against the Republican party?
McCain has made a career out of running against the Republican party.
How did that work out for them the first time around?
Republican Party?
What Republican Party?
There is a Republican Party?
Where?
Just Show me where!
BS. There ain’t no such thing!
“Republican Party?
What Republican Party?
There is a Republican Party?
Where?
Just Show me where!
BS. There ain’t no such thing!”
Ok, vote for one of the other third parties and see how far you get. Geez. Use your head. Fix the Pub Party; we’ve already made great inroads. Or dump it and get nowhere.
That is the reason Sarah resigned so she could build her own organization and have plenty time to do so. Reagan did it when he was in the wilderness (without a job) between 1976 and 1980 and so can Sarah.
Maybe she will join up with Newt and his efforts. He, at least; speaks highly of her.
Build her own organisation? Outside of the GOP or within it?
Reagan did it when he was in the wilderness (without a job) between 1976 and 1980 and so can Sarah.”
Actually, after his almost successful insurgent campaign in 76, Reagan was embraced by much of the mainstream GOP and really didn’t have too much difficulty in winning the nomination in 80. What few Ford/Rockefeller holdouts there were tried to unite behind Bush, but it didn’t get far enough. Reagan won the nomination handily in 80 because he expanded his 76 base just enough and brought in enough established GOP leaders to win. And the rest is history.
Reagan did it. It took him a few times but he broke through.
Inroads??? I haven't seen any...
Dump it and get nowhere??? You guys gave us McCain and Romney...Did we get somewhere???
Any candidate that wins the approval of the GOP will lose in 2012...
People of both parties are so fed up with the Obamas and McCains that anyone outside the parties will have a chance...Provided, that person can get the media coverage...And the internet may just provide that coverage...
People of both parties are so fed up with the Obamas and McCains that anyone outside the parties will have a chance...Provided, that person can get the media coverage...And the internet may just provide that coverage...
I’m pretty average, and that my friend is the only way I’ll ever show up to vote ever again.
If there's a single reason why I hate Washington, this is it.
Every part of the America's electoral politics is now completely consumed by this disgusting marketing mentality of "messaging" and "strategy" and "the base."
There is no difference to these people in selling soap, cereal, or political candidates and their "messages."
And they desperately want Palin to join their milieu and to "adjust her message."
Disgusting.
Sarah can make a third party more viable.
Remember Amnesty? McCain/Feingold? Kicking religious conservatives in the teeth during the 2000 Presidential race?
Or McCain's running around like a lost kitten when the first bailout vote was being debated?
Or McCain's saying "You don't need to be scared of Obama, he'll make a fine President."
Guess not, or you would have mentioned them.
Better luck with your astroturfing next time.
Cheers!
Well I would like to hear some candidates you think can Carry that message.
I would agree it remains to be seen If Sarah Palin has the Ability to articulate a Consistent Conservative or Populist message in the Face of withering attacks from the media and Other Rino Republicans, If she has the Newt Gingrich gift of explaining issues I would settle for that,we Know she can deliver a Speech and People sure turn out for her ,she has to hire Good loyal People and lets see what happens .
I sure dont see anyone on the scene right now who has a Ghost of a Chance they are all more of the same Rino persuasion
Most definitely and if the establishment Republican Party does reject her in the end, it will the end of the Republican Party as we know it.
Let’s be honest, if Palin was a “loser” candidate, you would have the MSM and the Left encouraging this “woman” nominee for the Republican Party because they know she could be beat by Obama.
The MSM and Left are bashing her because they are scared to death of her and know she will be the biggest problem for Obama’s socialist gov’t.
Sarah Palin can win by running against the establishment, Democrat or Republican, because the establishment in D.C. is the problem: Congressmen, Senators, lobbyists, political action committees, exective branch agencies, media - if it’s in D.C., it’s corrupt or complacent. The whole political class needs to go. They’ve failed us and themselves. They don’t know how to analyze anything or anyone who doesn’t fit squarely in the little box they’ve drawn around themselves. They’re not regular folk. They don’t understand us and so can’t represent us or even assess our collective frame of mind.
Sarah Palin understands “the folks” because she is regular folk. She doesn’t need a message - SHE IS THE MESSAGE! The establishment can’t wrap its collective brain around that simple fact.
And that is why they don’t see the train coming. We’re coming for you, D.C. - and you don’t even know it. So be it. Keep talking. Keep analyzing. Keep ignoring the obvious. We’re finished talking. We’re finished trying to convince you. We’re finished trying to change you. We’re just finished with you.
YES SHE CAN!!! I would LOVE her to run against the RINOS!! Isn’t that what she did in Alaska??
McCain ran against CONSERVATIVES!
If Sarah Palin looks like she’s going to win the nomination, the party elites, opportunists that they are, will all be jumping on her bandwagon and singing her praises.
It never fails.
I’ll just say that ANYONE who thinks that the Republican Party has any respect among conservatives is delusional. They lost any respect with Amnesty, McCain, and run-away spending. They also then handed the country over a 60s Radical. Last year the conservatives still wanted to help McCain (given the alternative), but their phone calls were not returned...and about the only attention they got from the McCain camp (other than Sara) was criticism for saying things like Obama’s middle name.
Sara can bring the Republican Party back to its roots, but only through an insurgency...as the party has made it obvious that they don’t want her.
She would have to come up with a platform to capture conservatives, libertarians and independents. If she did that, she could give the major parties a run for their money like Perot did.
However, the media has almost total control of the candidates for president. They would cut her out of all coverage and define her campaign as it serves the far left Obamaistas.
The author is delusional, IMO. Sarah's rallies - AFTER the campaign was over - still pack 'em in like sardines.
If that's "limited", I'm a 280 pound ballerina in a camouflage tutu.
Sarah attended a parade in a small town and 40,000 people flocked into the town to see her....That's not limited appeal...
Obama won the election on his mantra of change...Republicans voted for Obama...
Nobody much cares for the change that Obama is providing...But yet they don't want the same old Republicanism they've seen for the last eight years...And neither do I...
All Palin has to do is travel the country and, talk...Internet bloggers will pick it up...The major news will pick up the bloggers reports and try to trash them to no avail...She'll get the coverage...
If Sarah Palin looks like she’s going to win the nomination, the party elites, opportunists that they are, will all be jumping on her bandwagon and singing her praises.
It never fails.”
Yes, I think that is quite true and I think that is what happened with Reagan in 80. They could no longer hold back the tide.
I don’t think that will be the case with Palin, however.
No, but she doesn’t need to. I think she’s taking the long view by promoting the conservative cause. This will likely include leading an effort to re-cast the GOP brand as one that stands for traditional values, limited government, strong national security and energy independence. I don’t think she’s even interested in running for Prez, especially in 2012. But watch as any aspirant for it seeks her help. She can turn out the crowds and raise $$$$ like no other!
So much conjecture... Sarah will find her path.
The Tea Party movement needs a face.....
just a thought.
“People of both parties are so fed up with the Obamas and McCains that anyone outside the parties will have a chance...Provided, that person can get the media coverage...And the internet may just provide that coverage...”
A fool and his/her vote are soon parted. See Ross Perot, that brought us Bill Clinton.
Some of the worst comments against Sarah Palin have been from “Republicans.” At least the Dems don’t throw their own under the bus.
However, she must scare the daylights out of the liberals, otherwise they would not be making fun of her and her family, downgrading, trying to humiliate, questioning her sanity, etc., etc., if she wasn’t a threat because so many of us in “fly-over country” can relate to her. And, the liberal-elite women have been toughest on her. Why? I believe because she did not abort her Down’s Snydrome baby and her oldest daughter did not abort her baby when she found out she was pregnant.
She was also the object of numerous frivolous lawsuits which she had to defend and 99% of them were ultimately dismissed; however, the attorney fees are now in the area of $500,000.
How many other potential vice-presidential candidates can people actually remember and why are people still so against Palin? For heaven’s sake the election is over. She is a threat otherwise why would they try to destroy her.
And, what particularly gets my goat is that so many pundits opine that she is “clearly not qualitified to serve as vice-president.” Well, my friends, take a look at Joe Biden. The guys a nutcase and some of the things he says are just plain crazy. Now if Palin would have made some of his remarks...!
“Can Sarah Palin Win by Running Against the Republican Party?”
Is there any other choice? It’s not like people equate “GOP” with anything good these days.
Didn’t Palin belong to the “Alaska Independence Party” at one time?
There’s no hatred here. It is quite the opposite.
In fact, it is becoming more apparent by the day that Sarah has become little more than the vehicle for the angry right. Every single Palin fan seems to want to use her as some sort of tool of punishment and revenge against which ever enemies they perceive. But you don’t win on anger, you don’t win on division. You don’t win by attacking any part of the coalition you need, be it conservatives or moderates or independents. You don’t win people over to your way of thinking like this. You only drive potential allies away. This is a destructive path that is unfit for a thinking conservative to take. It is not the path of a happy warrior. It is the path the Democrats took in 2004. And unlike the Democrats, Republicans cannot survive being branded with that kind of hate.
You win by uniting people around a positive message of reform they can get behind. Yes, there will be opposition, but you dispatch them with facts, not insults. This is how Reagan and Gingrich won.
NOPE...YOU brought us Bill Clinton...You knew from the poll numbers Bush didn't have a chance...
And you also knew the Ross Perot voters were not going to back down...
You had the choice of Ross Perot or Bill Clinton...You chose Clinton by not voting for Perot...
Bush was a non starter...
And a majority party needs both. Get used to it.
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