Posted on 01/13/2011 10:24:25 AM PST by Kaslin
This is a free country. If Sarah Palin wants to run for president in 2012, she is free to try. But she will not win the GOP nomination because Republican voters are not going to choose a middle-aged version of Britney Spears -- a figure whose most evident talent is to attract attention to herself -- to challenge Barack Obama.
It's this simple: Republicans are too smart to nominate a candidate with a 50 percent unfavorable rating, according to the latest NBC News/Wall Street Journal Poll, before she has declared for office.
Cue to Palin's latest video, in which she countered left-wing nuts who, with no proof whatsoever, tied her to the Tucson shootings.
"Journalists and pundits should not manufacture a blood libel that serves only to incite the very hatred and violence that they purport to condemn," she said.
For close to three days, Palin had handled the brouhaha tastefully. On Saturday, she issued a short statement offering her condolences to Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, the other victims and their families; then she kept her mouth shut. By Tuesday, cooler heads prevailed. News coverage rightly focused away from the blame game and turned to reporting on Giffords' recovery, the other victims and information on the man -- I won't name him; that's what he wants -- charged in the crimes. Without saying a word, Palin had won that round.
That is, until Wednesday, when Palin released her video, which turned the spotlight back on her and added a new element. Now cable TV news can noodle over whether Palin was deliberately provocative or clueless in using the words "blood libel" -- a term coined to describe the spurious and ancient charge that Jews murdered non-Jewish children and then drank their blood in rituals. (And yes, I know a Wall Street Journal opinion piece used the same term Monday.)
The sorry episode confirmed the suspicion that Palin is addicted to getting attention, while her boosters are addicted to defending every thoughtless utterance she releases. And even her boosters know what most Republicans know: Palin is not a serious thinker.
It always makes me sad to think about what Palin might have been. What if, knowing she might be chosen, she had done a better job of preparing to be a presidential running mate? What if John McCain had not asked her to join the GOP ticket? What if she had entered the spotlight without having her personal life smeared on the Internet?
I think back on her as the Alaska governor, with a 90 percent approval rating and a maverick's commitment to taking on the corrupt elements inside her own party. I think of the pragmatic Wasilla mayor who championed a sales tax to pay for law enforcement. If McCain had chosen someone else, in a couple of years, Palin might have become a seasoned politician, a smaller target and more surgical debater.
Instead -- as pundits dissected Palin's performance as a mother and feasted on her daughter's teen pregnancy -- an ugly trial-by-fire brought out the worst in Palin. With her tweets and Facebook pronouncements, she's become a virtuoso at pressing liberal buttons. It's too bad that, like the people who live to hate her, she doesn't know how to stop.
No secret who Debra has voted for. She probably has a shiny new 0 sticker on the back of her Prius, and loves showing it off at the local Whole Foods.
Gees. This sounds like a certain freeper.
Debra..you ignorant slut.
Wasilla mayor who championed a sales tax to pay for law enforcement.
MORE LIES! Palin is NOT stupid enough to raise taxes for any reason. She would not do it.
“...Palin is not a serious thinker...”
She knows what a balanced budget is. That is serious thinking. We need more of that kind of thinking in Washington.
Why is Townhall publishing this crap? Sarah was damned when she was silent, and now she is damned for speaking out.
“a figure whose most evident talent is to attract attention to herself “
Change “herself” to “himself” and this describes Obama.
Spike Lee was on the TODAY Show yesterday, pimping his children’s book. Talk turned to the events of the week, and he started ragging on the NRA. Spike has a history of doing this. Remember this gem?: After declaring that the NRA should be disbanded, he(Lee) was asked what should be done with the NRA President. He replied, “Shoot him with a .44 caliber Bulldog,” a special kind of heavy duty pistol.
This is no time for petty cattiness.
The Republican (Kamikaze) Elites are telling Conservatives, “you and the Tea Party don’t matter”.
They are BEGGING for a Third Party challenge.
Not surprising is it?
wow.
Shut up and don’t respond?? That is her advice to Palin?
Oh please.
ANother imbecile who is going to back Obama in 2012.
Dime to donuts she’s a RINO lover.
Yes she should shut up and remove her spine like the rest of the GOP.
Well duuuugh... "NBC"... whats the chance just maybe that poll is weighted in several ways..
There are republican "progressives" you know.. that do polls too..
Republican progressives can fool you... i.e. Bush, Rove, Krauthammar, O'Really, Bair, shemp smith, "Butch" Van Susteran to name a few.. Oh! and "eddie munster" Cavuto..
Is this the same Debroah J Saunders who writes for the Jewish World Review?
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