Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

George Will: Sarah Palin and the mutual loathing society
The Washington Post ^ | February 18, 2010 | George F. Will

Posted on 02/17/2010 8:27:21 PM PST by 2ndDivisionVet

The Republican presidential nominee, an Arizona senator, was a maverick, which was part of his charm. He spoke and acted impulsively, which was part of his problem. Voters thought his entertaining dimensions might be incompatible with presidential responsibilities. For example, he selected a running mate most Americans had never heard of and who had negligible experience pertinent to the presidency. This was 1964.

Barry Goldwater, whose seat John McCain occupies, chose to run with Bill Miller, a congressman from Lockport, N.Y., near Buffalo. Miller, Goldwater cheerfully explained, annoyed Lyndon Johnson. After the Goldwater-Miller ticket lost 44 states, Miller retired to Lockport, where he practiced law and lived in dignified anonymity until his death in 1983. Although he had served as an assistant prosecutor of Nazi war criminals at Nuremberg and spent seven terms in Congress, no one suggested he should be considered for the 1968 Republican presidential nomination.

Yet Sarah Palin, who with 17 months remaining in her single term as Alaska's governor quit the only serious office she has ever held, is obsessively discussed as a possible candidate in 2012. Why? She is not going to be president and will not be the Republican nominee unless the party wants to lose at least 44 states.

Conservatives, who rightly respect markets as generally reliable gauges of consumer preferences, should notice that the political market is speaking clearly: The more attention Palin receives, the fewer Americans consider her presidential timber. The latest Post-ABC News poll shows that 71 percent of Americans -- including 52 percent of Republicans -- think she is not qualified to be president.(continued)

(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Editorial; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: 2010polls; 2012; adiosjuan; adiosmcdemocrat; adiosrinolovers; elististmeltdown; georgewill; huckabee2012; jdgoodman; jdhaworthgojd; mccain2012; mexicanbarbie; moneygrubber; nomorerinos; nonccain; obama; overexposure; palin; pds; rino; romney2012; sarahpalin; sarahtwoface; secondcoming; senorapalinrino; senoritakewpie; votehaworth
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 161-180181-200201-220 ... 321-332 next last
To: Al B.

Exactly—and when his predictions are proved wrong, they just disappear down the memory hold and he goes merrily on, thinking he knows the future.


181 posted on 02/18/2010 9:03:07 AM PST by ellery (It's a free country.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 170 | View Replies]

To: ellery
...when his predictions are proved wrong, they just disappear down the memory hold and he goes merrily on, thinking he knows the future.

In 2006, Will wrote an article on the handicapping of the 2008 GOP race and thought Romney was in the catbird's seat.

"Yet with Allen much diminished and perhaps out of contention, and with Rudy Giuliani not yet doing serious groundwork for a national campaign, the Republican field is already down to two. That is good for only one of them: Romney."

WTG, George. We're in the internet age. Somebody always remembers...LOL.

182 posted on 02/18/2010 9:24:46 AM PST by Al B.
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 181 | View Replies]

To: tarheelswamprat
several million other Texans who get a vote and they "know the deal" as well...

Spoken like a REAL Texan...with THE TRUTH!!
183 posted on 02/18/2010 9:25:48 AM PST by presently no screen name
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 177 | View Replies]

To: 2ndDivisionVet
Barry Goldwater, whose seat John McCain occupies...

Who's seat is it George? (hint: Ted Kennedy)

184 posted on 02/18/2010 9:29:15 AM PST by McGruff (Don't criticize. Explain to me who I should support other than Sarah Palin.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Sans-Culotte
Lest I offend you any more, the bigger point would be George Will is not a very good pundit, nor a good bellweather of political fortunes. His long winded pomposity only works in the culture of Washington, and he's simply been there too long.

This poll he cites was what was called an outlier. It's been deconstructed as having terrible sampling procedures (twice as many dems as R's, and other such things). All the other polls show much greater suppport for her, one that is growing. Will is so stuck in his little cocoon, he reports the fuzz as reality for the whole world.

Now excuse me, I have to go set up my picture of Sarah between the two candles on my altar.......

185 posted on 02/18/2010 9:43:25 AM PST by Lakeshark (Thank a member of the US armed forces for their sacrifice)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 178 | View Replies]

To: ari-freedom
Of course not. Congratulations, you just knocked down another strawman.

What?

I do knock down strawman fallacies and I don't set them up (which is probably what you meant to accuse me of).

Back to point, Obama is a lying, America hating, self-centered, freedom grabbing, abortion loving, Constitution shredding, commie while Sarah is not. That is why some people like Sarah, I'm not sure why some people like Obama, which is why Obama and Sarah are different. Your comparison of the two is false.

186 posted on 02/18/2010 10:46:46 AM PST by FreeReign
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 131 | View Replies]

To: 2ndDivisionVet

I have never liked George Will, he has been the token fake Conservative for ABC News as long as I can remember.


187 posted on 02/18/2010 10:50:25 AM PST by Friendofgeorge ( SARAH PALIN or BUST.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Bob J
Yes, except Washington didn’t resign in the middle of the war for Independence, nor Lincoln in the Civil war, to write books and become wealthy celebrity pundits.

Sarah has now said that she would want to be president under certain circumstances.

Obviously, it is now apparent that Sarah didn't resign as governor just to become wealthy.

188 posted on 02/18/2010 10:51:12 AM PST by FreeReign
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 176 | View Replies]

To: Tolsti2

It is your vision that is distorted, because you work in denial and emotion, while I go by the evidence.


189 posted on 02/18/2010 11:08:54 AM PST by editor-surveyor (Democracy, the vilest form of government, pits the greed of an angry mob vs. the rights of a man)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 132 | View Replies]

To: sergeantdave
"He’s the dork at the party wearing short pants, white socks and brown penny loafers and eating foie gras on peanut butter cookies."

I see that you and George have met!

190 posted on 02/18/2010 11:11:56 AM PST by editor-surveyor (Democracy, the vilest form of government, pits the greed of an angry mob vs. the rights of a man)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 150 | View Replies]

To: Jacob Kell
"Where in Texas?"

Has to be either Brownsville, or Austin....

191 posted on 02/18/2010 11:13:51 AM PST by editor-surveyor (Democracy, the vilest form of government, pits the greed of an angry mob vs. the rights of a man)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 156 | View Replies]

To: Al B.

Ahahaha! Great find!


192 posted on 02/18/2010 11:20:22 AM PST by ellery (It's a free country.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 182 | View Replies]

To: Bob J

Fellow Paulestinian, is he?


193 posted on 02/18/2010 11:41:14 AM PST by 2ndDivisionVet (I will raise $2 million for Sarah Palin: What will you do?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 174 | View Replies]

To: 2ndDivisionVet

Apologies Sir!


194 posted on 02/18/2010 12:30:12 PM PST by Steelfish
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Brices Crossroads
Reagan was no "populist." Populism gave us the income tax, usury laws, and other noxious statism. Populism is to brain dead hicks what socialism is to brain dead urbanites/suburbanites.

The historical verdict on populism is that the morons with confused politics (IE Populists) lose outside of local contests. Jackson was an exception, as his election was the first in which non-land holding white males could vote (and they voted for one of the largest landholders in Tennessee!).

195 posted on 02/18/2010 12:32:33 PM PST by Clemenza (Remember our Korean War Veterans)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 154 | View Replies]

To: Clemenza

>Populism gave us the income tax, usury laws, and other noxious statism.

Left wing populists, I suspect. I wouldn’t be surprised if the Tea Party people want all that to be flushed down the commode of history.

>Populism is to brain dead hicks what socialism is to brain dead urbanites/suburbanites.

The kind of populism you mentioned above is not unlike socialism, IMO. They’re both of the Left.


196 posted on 02/18/2010 1:07:53 PM PST by Jacob Kell
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 195 | View Replies]

To: hinckley buzzard
Makes me wonder what serious office George "Dinner Party" Will has ever held.

None. What's your point? Will isn't running for president, nor is anyone seriously considering him as a candidate.

197 posted on 02/18/2010 1:16:41 PM PST by curiosity
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: Jeff Chandler
Yup. Palin is the GOP version of Obama. Palin supporters seem to think this is a virture.
198 posted on 02/18/2010 1:18:09 PM PST by curiosity
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: SmokingJoe
Hey George Will, what did you say about 0bama, 2 years before the 2008 elections, when CBS came out with this poll?

I see. So just because the Dems nominated and managed to elect some ignoramous completely unprepared for the office, we should do the same thing.LOL.

199 posted on 02/18/2010 1:21:03 PM PST by curiosity
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 49 | View Replies]

To: Clemenza
Populism is to brain dead hicks what socialism is to brain dead urbanites/suburbanites.

Well put! That qualifies as quote of the day in my book!

You should make it your tagline.

200 posted on 02/18/2010 1:23:18 PM PST by curiosity
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 195 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 161-180181-200201-220 ... 321-332 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson