Do Not Count Sarah Palin Out for 2012 (Begrudging admiration from a Democratic insider)

The Chicago Daily Observer ^ | December 11, 2009 | Phil Krone

[HapaxLegamenon]

Obviously she couldn’t command the $150,000 that former President Bill Clinton gets...

No it is more like $200,000 a speech.

http://citizenpalin4president.blogspot.com/2009/12/sarah-palin-to-speak-at-fundraiser-for.html

[onyx]

I love that, Gloria Jane!

[onyx]

If we have anymore free and fair elections, the only people I’ll be counting out are Democrats, the Congress in 2010 and Obamao in 2012. They are all lying losers who deserve to lose everything.

I share your concern. I anticipate Amnesty in 2010, right along with redistricting as per the 2010 census.

[hennie pennie]

I prefer the phrase, Sarah America to the phrase used by the Chicago author, (Sarah Annie Oakley Palin.)

[GloriaJane]

If you like it, please feel free to help yourself to a copy of it. Because that's what I made it for... I made it use and to share with freepers who like Sarah Palin.

Just right click on it and then click save image as to download it to your computer. But you have to host it online yourself because of the bandwith. I use imageshack to host mine.

[Phil Krone]

Please forgive me for wallowing in my own self esteem. But I am not a liberal lackey. Thank you for taking the time to read my comments.

[okie01]

Please forgive me for wallowing in my own self esteem. But I am not a liberal lackey.

Phil, if my remarks offended you, please accept my apologies.

However, I sure you'll understand that my suspicions were aroused by your fulsome praise of Vice-President Joe Biden and Sec'y Katherine Sibelius.

In my personal opinion, only a liberal could have "admiration and respect" for either.

The Washington press corps (that would be the left-leaning Washington press corps) used to casually refer to Joe Biden as "the dumbest man in the Senate". Now, he might be the dumbest man who's ever been Vice-President (aside from Algore, perhaps).

For her part, Katherine Sibelius might be the most rabid abortionist since Margaret Sanger -- hardly a designation worthy of admiration or respect. That her dad was Gov. John Gilligan cuts no ice with me.

[Phil Krone]

Unfortunately it was never published. But I have dated memos that suggested she should do it and why. My real concern over her developing strength occurred prior to her appearance before the Gridiron Club in D.C two weeks ago. T hat performance was perhaps the best ever. And her self deprecation did not come off as self ridicule. It was that and the thoughtful commentary by Stanley Fish that leads me to believe that this individual does have the capacity to go the distance. And while I was serious about Obama starting out with 241 votes, there is nothing worse than self confidence. For in addition to Beverly Hills and San Francisco in California, there is also Modesto and Bakersfield. And in New York, there is not just Manhattan, there is also Binghamton and Syracuse and Schenectedy.

But what should really terrify me fellow liberals is that I am no longer terrified by the prospect of her becoming President. I stongly prefer Barack Obama, but I won’t be leaving the country if she wins, which is the way I felt in October, 2008.

[NeoCaveman]

Excellent article.

Althought I think that the daughter of the man who gave Ohio the income tax being named Obama’s veep might have pushed Ohio into the McCain column.

[Phil Krone]

Dear Smoking Joe,

You have fleshed out what I alluded to in my article. The most interesting thing about her traveling to these foreign countries is that she would be met by the top leaders, not second rankers, and not as a courtesy but because they are really curious about her, intrigued by her, enjoy her even if they don’t agree with her, want to take their picture with her, and might now think there is a plausible chance she might win. They really want to meet her.

There are 300,000,000 people in the United States. Anything she writes, whether its a memoir, collection of speeches, a book of recipes, a coffee table book on places she’s seen, and people she’s met, even a guide to Alaska will sell at least a 1,000,000 copies each. I had a dream the other night, or was it a nightmare, that she was being carried into the 2012 Republican Convention in Chicago (of all places) on a sedan chair, carried by Romney, Giulini, Huckabee and Pawlenty.

I wouldn’t be surprised if next summer she hangs out for a week in Alaska greeting cruise ship passengers as they come off the boat. As far as tourism to Alaska is concerned, I am sure there will be a ‘Palin effect’. I hope Wasilla is ready for the curious onslaught.

Of course in politics one week can be an eternity, but I don’t Sarah Palin making any major mistakes. She will not become overexposed, nor will she disappear from public view.

I think your remarks were right on target.

Cheers to you and Merry Christmas,

Phil Krone

[Phil Krone]

When I wrote my article on November 24 I think my figures were right, but I wouldn’t be surprised if she now receives the same or more than Bill Clinton as a result of her Gridiron performance and the ‘gruding admiration’ she has received from from journalists like Clarence Page.

[Phil Krone]

Thank you for your kind remarks.

Even if John McCain had carried Ohio he would have still lost the election. And I believe Jack Gilligan was a very good Governor in difficult times. Also, he had the humility and sense of civic duty to serve for many years on the Board of Education of Cincinatti after he lost the Governorship, not unlike John Quincy Adams serving for many years as an elected Member of the U.S. House of Representatives, until his death, after having been President of the United States.

One thing that saddens me, is the level of negativity in our public discourse. We are all Americans and I truly believe in the right to free speech (as well as the responsibility to be willing to be held accountable for it).

[NeoCaveman]

I had a dream the other night, or was it a nightmare, that she was being carried into the 2012 Republican Convention in Chicago (of all places) on a sedan chair, carried by Romney, Giulini, Huckabee and Pawlenty.

Dear Phil,

This is what I love about humanity. One man's nightmare is another man's dream. I sure hope it comes true.

[hennie pennie]

>>> "Unfortunately it was never published. But I have dated memos that suggested she should do it and why." <<<<

Goodness! Thanks for the reply to my question, I actually was really curious to see where it was published as I was curious IF Governor Palin may have read it and AGREED.

LOL

She was a sitting duck back in that Governor's slot, hey?

[onyx]

Thanks for the ping back to this thread, HP.

I’m pinging D1, so he can read not only the author’s column, but his comments on this thread.

[DoughtyOne]

Thank you for the post 2ndDivisionVet.  Thanks to you also Mr. Krone for dropping by to discuss the article with us.

To my way of thinking, the Democrats were not the only ones who underestimated Sarah Palin.  McCain's own team was shocked to see her become an instant celebrity on the campaign team.  At times it seemed as if Palin had taken over the day to day appearances, and McCain's voice was hardly heard, other than when he glanced at Sarah and said something nice, to an instant eruption of cheers and applause.  It's my take that Palin was worth a five to ten point increase in McCain's final vote count.  (if I weren't talking to you, I might even say fifteen points)  I was not a McCain supporter by any stretch of the imagination, and I saw many comments from people who felt pretty much the same way who did vote for him due to Palin being on the ticket.

Palin's main drawing card to the McCain camp, was her overt Conservatism.  She was precisely the counter-balance needed for the McCain ticket.  Not having a large national following, I think the team thought she would be a much more subdued counter-balance, but still a useful appointment for proving John wasn't the Leftist many saw him as being.  Surpriiiiise.  And yes, it did continue to the end of the 2008 campaign, and even beyond.

You addressed the dynamic of Palin chasing women back to the Democrat camp.  I didn't see you mention the women who stood up amidst the Democrat camp to decry the treatment of Palin from the press.  I'm not convinced that Palin didn't sap some women's votes from the left, although I'd be careful not to give that broad play.  Some women did see her as someone they could get behind and support just because she was a capable successful woman.

When you mentioned Secretary of State Clinton, I couldn't help but reflect on the use of czars in the Obama administration.  In certain ways, the old Department head model has been broken, with czars siphoning off conventional power from people like Clinton.  How much of that is taking place, is difficult to pin down accurately, but it's my perception that it is a valid dynamic.  And to the extent that dynamic is in play, it contributes to the volume of Hillary Clinton's voice being turned down.

I agree with your mention of Palin's drawing power as compared to other current political challengers to her.  She is a star, which is nice, but I see that as being a potential problem as well.  Palin is not ready to be president today.  She needs to travel and meet with foreign leaders.  I do hope she has studied up on her understanding of the history and germane issues of the day before doing so.  We want her to be seen as a strong intelligent woman, who respects other nations enough to inform herself about them prior to visiting.

If Palen perceives that she is capable of winning the presidency handily, she may forgo some of the things that would make her a better candidate and president.  That's my only caveat on the star power issue.  Undoubtedly, she need that star power too, so well and good that she has it.

When it comes to her stepping down, I'm going to have to admit to a bit of skepticism regarding your comments.  Sarah's best resume enhancer was her executive experience as the Governor of Alaska.  Her stepping down under fire will instantly give her detractors some credence when they claim she couldn't take the heat.  Both you and I know what she was up against in Alaska, with all the frivolous suits being leveled against her, but that won't stop the very people who leveled those suits or liked those tactics, from trashing Palin because she resigned. It's going to be raised as an issue as surely as you and I need to breathe to live.  Those who raise it, may or may not agree with you that it was wise of her to step down, but we won't be seeing that mentioned during the attacks.

As for the rubber chicken circuit et al, I agree that she has a gold mine there.  I also agree that she is going to be welcomed by foreign leaders for curiosity's sake if nothing else.  And I agree that's a good thing for her to do, and that it is a great thing that she will have this opportunity.  Nixon rehabbed his image by doing much the same thing, prior to running after losing to Kennedy in 1960.  It worked.  It was another good resume enhancer.

Unlike you, I was convinced that Palin had a chance when I saw the public's reaction to her.  You can't buy that type of support, and many have tried.

I will have to take one more exception to your comments, in that I do not think Obama has a prayer of being re-elected in 2012.  I don't say that with ill will.  I just think the perception of the Independent swing voter is that Obama is not the wonderful leader they had envisioned him to be.  It will be interesting to see how it plays out, but that's certainly my take on things today.

His read of public opinion regarding the health bill and essentially taking the issue to the matt, was a politically fatal mistake IMO.

Folks don't think health care is the most pressing need in this nation today.  Jobs continue to hemorrhage, and that doesn't appear to be his first concern.  People know the stimulus bill wasn't about creating jobs, and that the $800 billion was used more for politics than job creation.  And now the president is poised to allow upwards of tens of millions of foreign nationals continue to hold jobs in the U.S., while our unemployment figure is in excess of 10%.

Honesty, as a Conservative I couldn't have choreographed this better myself.  It seems to me the Democrats are driving away supporters in droves.  I'll understand if you disagree, but it seems to me Obama's team is in serious trouble.  2010 looms large here, and I would not want to be positioned where you folks are today, with that election season shaping up right now.

Look, I appreciate your comments here.  Later...

[Phil Krone]

I was not offended. I actually liked it. The cliche is generally ‘walowing in self pity’. You gave it a new twist which was probably correct. I’d love to meet you some time, via email, phone or maybe in person. I’m in Chicago
(312) 371-5648 pkrone1@earthlink.net.

[Phil Krone]

To everyone who has written. I have enjoyed this dialogue greatly. But now to add one more item. If in 2012 Obama decides to exchange Hillary and Joe Biden, the latter becoming Secretary of State, the former running for Vice-President (at the age of 64); what do you think that does to the dynamic. Obviously its a pre-response to the Palin factor.
But anything else? Please it keep it nice and clean.