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

Skip to comments.

What exactly is wrong with Sarah Palin as a candidate?
The Gainesville Sun ^ | January 26, 2011 | LTC William Dixon, M.D.

Posted on 01/26/2011 9:43:02 AM PST by 2ndDivisionVet

Rush Limbaugh is fond of saying the left will always tell you whom they fear by making that person the focus of their most virulent attacks. The left despises Sarah Palin. They say she is stupid and incapable of ever assuming the role of president. They mock her education, (B.S. University of Idaho), her small town background and her political accomplishments ( 2006 - 2009 Governor of Alaska ). When she resigned the governorship, they said she was a quitter. Just recently, the left indicted her as being responsible for the shooting of Congresswoman Gibbs in Arizona.

But what of pundits on the right, the Peggy Noonan-Karl Rove types? They hold Palin in equally low esteem. And what of conservative women? Many just viscerally dislike her. Ask them about Palin. You’ll get a response which begins with a shaking of the head and some comment about being inexperienced. Press them for facts. You will find most of these women ignorant of Palin’s background and remarkable accomplishments. Why is that?

Is it because Sarah Palin does not look at all like the admired but camera-challenged women in government, such as Hillary Clinton and Justice Sotomeyer? She has not the stern, formal look of a Maggie Thatcher, the British Prime Minister who turned around England’s economy nor of Golda Meir, the tough former leader of Israel. Palin is softer, attractive, plain spoken albeit with a sometimes irritating voice. Does her appearance put people, especially women, off?

All but three of our presidents in the last hundred years graduated from elite universities, often with law degrees. Truman did not attend college. Ike graduated from West Point, and Reagan graduated from Eureka College in Illinois. Those three are considered among the best of presidents by most. Reagan and Truman were thought stupid by some. Is it that Palin did not graduate from an elite university that causes some conservative pundits to reject her as unintelligent?

George W. Bush was considered stupid and incompetent by the governing elite because he actually believed in God and prayed daily. This despite two Ivy League degrees.

Sarah Palin is openly Christian and prays regularly. She was president of a Christian group in high school. She is “pro life” and rejected terminating her last pregnancy when she found she was carrying a baby with Down’s Syndrome. Perhaps that is the problem for some of her critics.

It seems unlikely that her performance as mayor of Wasilla, cutting taxes while expanding the town’s facilities so that it could grow, would be anything but a plus. Just so her role as a member of the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission. She outed two corrupt officials, one of whom was chairman of the state Republican Party.

Was she wrong in running for governor to oust a corrupt and wasteful officer of her own political party? Was it lack of wisdom which led her to sell the state plane, cut expenses of her office by 75 percent and pass a bipartisan ethics bill? Was she impolite in chasing away the oil company lobbyists so that she could start work on a stalled pipeline for natural gas? Not likely.

President Obama was elected because he appeared to be extraordinary. His academic pedigree and soaring rhetoric shielded from voters his appalling lack of real-world experience and complete lack of substantial accomplishments. His presidency is struggling.

By contrast, Sarah Palin, despite her talents and obvious achievements, seems very ordinary. Americans, believing the smears and punditry, will likely reject Palin without really getting to know her. Once again the nod will go to a member of the cultural elite, a group which has routinely failed to govern well.

*****

William Dixon is a graduate of Columbia University, New York Medical College and the USF College of Business Administration. He was an assistant professor of surgery at the University of Georgia before entering private practice. He served in the Army as a surgeon and as a Special Forces Officer, achieving the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. Dr. Dixon can be reached at Wdixon16@yahoo.com.


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Culture/Society; Editorial; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: 2012; abortion; elites; obama; palin; presidentpalin; prolife; sarahpalin
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-80 ... 161-163 next last
To: mamelukesabre

Oh, I so don’t agree.

I thought about this while watching Michele Bachman. I like her a lot and her words were good.

But, where Michele had peole nodding approvingly, Sarah would have had us standing up and shouting.

If conservatives let the perception of the MSM turn us against Sarah, we will be playing into the Rinos hands.

They want a centrist like Romney and, if we don’t look out, they will get one.


21 posted on 01/26/2011 9:54:20 AM PST by altura
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: 2ndDivisionVet

“What exactly is wrong with Sarah Palin as a candidate?”

Absolutely, positively NOTHING!

LLS


22 posted on 01/26/2011 9:54:33 AM PST by LibLieSlayer (WOLVERINES!!!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: 2ndDivisionVet

Abraham Lincoln was not college educated, was not a governor, senator, or general. He only served one two year term in the the U.S. House of Representatives, starting in 1846.Sarah has the right principles and values that are pro-life, pro-man,and pro-reality.


23 posted on 01/26/2011 9:54:46 AM PST by mjp ((pro-{God, reality, reason, egoism, individualism, natural rights, limited government, capitalism}))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Porterville

My problem with Christie is is he for amnesty? He can do everything he can to clean up government in his state which is good; however; if he is for amnesty; he has done nothing.

Why, because the illegals cost and the money rightfully belongs to the American citizen taxpayer will go to the illegals negating anything he as done. It will leave the American people again holding the bag.

For the life of me I can not wrap my mind around these guys that say they are fiscally conservative but socially liberal. It just flat doesn’t play.


24 posted on 01/26/2011 9:54:49 AM PST by freekitty (Give me back my conservative vote; then find me a real conservative to vote for)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 19 | View Replies]

To: 2ndDivisionVet

It’s her voice and not what she says is my best guess, she has a higher twangy Fargoesque style and somewhat homesy delivery. Presidential disqualifying kind of stuff?
No.

FRankly, she is what she is , there is nothing inherently wrong with that, and like Obama, if ya cain’t take no more, stuff some venison sausage in your ears or sumthin’.. or as many did last night, skip the SOTU. I did.

I’m sure Churchill would be seen in much the same way were there a modern-day media to wait on his every breath and stalk like a hawk, maybe Sarah could smoke a cigar now and then to lower her top end. :-)

I’m not wearing asbestos undies but will gladly take any heat I receive.


25 posted on 01/26/2011 9:54:58 AM PST by NormsRevenge (Semper Fi ... Godspeed .. Monthly Donor Onboard .. Obama: Epic Fail or Bust!!!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: 2ndDivisionVet

not a clue. That’s the problem.

And here’s a bigger problem...Freepers are not representative of the american public...not even of republicans. It will take more than ideology to get elected. People really do vote for style and panache.


26 posted on 01/26/2011 9:55:25 AM PST by mamelukesabre (Si Vis Pacem Para Bellum (If you want peace prepare for war))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: Porterville

The ‘boy’ is also not a total conservative.


27 posted on 01/26/2011 9:55:30 AM PST by altura
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 19 | View Replies]

To: 2ndDivisionVet

I’m a woman and I would really like to see her as President.


28 posted on 01/26/2011 9:56:08 AM PST by Vor Lady
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: 2ndDivisionVet

I think it may have something to do with how she sounds.

Gov. Palin’s regionalism seems odd to me, even though I like just about everything she says.

Her hairdo is rather odd looking as well, but she sure is a lovely looking woman.

Resigning as governor of Alaska did not help. I think it would be very difficult to explain that decision to people who don’t know much about her.

Beyond that, I believe most of the criticism is based on jealousy and elitism.

Hell’s Bells, Abe Lincoln didn’t go to college either, but can you imagine America without Mr. Lincoln? God help us.


29 posted on 01/26/2011 9:56:17 AM PST by RexBeach
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Gen. Burkhalter

>>Yet hated and despised with a passion by the other party. In other words... a lightening rod.<<

Are you saying we need to find someone that the left likes or at least knows will work with them on their agenda? Do you honestly think that a person who espouses a return to our roots of a Constitutional Republic will not be vilified by the LSM and left? How about for once we go all in and try to put in a person who works for US rather the capitulates.


30 posted on 01/26/2011 9:56:30 AM PST by CynicalBear
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: 2ndDivisionVet
I suspect that Liberals, knowing full well just how successful ‘populist’ candidates are in America, fear just that kind of appeal in Palin.

Liberals still can't believe their luck in running and winning with a populist (albeit unvetted/unvetable sp.??) candidate and they are shaking in their shoes that Conservatives can field a POPULIST candidate of their own, with as much and more experience, credentials and character than “O” could even dream of possessing!!

31 posted on 01/26/2011 9:56:31 AM PST by SMARTY (Conforming to non-conformity is conforming just the same.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: freekitty
I really want somebody who can get the job done forcefully with absolute destruction to special gov. programs.

He seems to hold the biggest weapons.

32 posted on 01/26/2011 9:57:00 AM PST by Porterville (Methink'st thou art a general offence and every man should beat thee.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 24 | View Replies]

To: 2ndDivisionVet
Sarah I like.
her fans are as annoying, very annoying. Most of them are more about being in love with her, or seeking the second coming of Ronald Reagan.
It's a lot like in high school; there were bands that were pretty good, but their fanatic devotees turned me off to them.
She promulgates some things i like, some I disagree with, but the idiots who take any criticism of her personally are as annoying as Obamabots.
33 posted on 01/26/2011 9:57:25 AM PST by RedStateRocker (Nuke Mecca, Deport all illegals, abolish the IRS, DEA and ATF.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: 2ndDivisionVet

It’s scary that people as informed and passionately conservative as Freepers still let the perception of the media seep into their souls.

Sarah’s the man!


34 posted on 01/26/2011 9:57:38 AM PST by altura
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 16 | View Replies]

To: Porterville

http://sultanknish.blogspot.com/2011/01/governor-christies-dirty-islamist-ties.html


35 posted on 01/26/2011 9:57:44 AM PST by listenhillary (20 years in Reverend Wright's church is all I need to determine the "content of his character")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 19 | View Replies]

To: 2ndDivisionVet

Rush pretty regularly goes over this point.

SHE is not part of the Republican ‘club’. SHE hasn’t done her ‘time’. It’s not HER ‘turn’.

The mainstream Republicans are corrupt too. Sarah Palin isn’t.

She is like the honest citizen who joins the police academy because she believe in good and upholding the law honestly - then has to deal with the ‘good ol’ boy’s club who are lazy and corrupt and don’t want any green rookie rocking the boat.


36 posted on 01/26/2011 9:57:44 AM PST by J40000
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Gen. Burkhalter

If you’re not a lightning rod for the left, you’re a RINO.
It’s just that simple. I voted for my last Rino. There are only a handful of people that I’m willing to vote for, Palin is #1. If we nominate Mitt, or Huck just to name a few, I will write in...
If we nominate Palin, Demint, Buchmann, Pence, or maybe Cain, I’ll back’em with my money and my vote. I say maybe Cain, as I know the least about him. but at first blush he seems very conservative. However, I won’t vote for anyone that writes a check, like he’s buying the Nomination.
He needs to raise money like everybody else.


37 posted on 01/26/2011 9:59:04 AM PST by Robbin (If Sarah isnÂ’t welcome, IÂ’m not welcome, itÂ’s just that simpleÂ…)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: E. Pluribus Unum

LOL!

ineluctable, I love it!

I’m going to use that to taunt my liberal friends.


38 posted on 01/26/2011 9:59:11 AM PST by mamelukesabre (Si Vis Pacem Para Bellum (If you want peace prepare for war))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 18 | View Replies]

To: RedStateRocker

Well, that is such a good reason to ignore Sarah and vote for Romney.

Sorry about annoying you for being passionate about a candidate.


39 posted on 01/26/2011 9:59:13 AM PST by altura
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 33 | View Replies]

To: freekitty

I LOVE SP. I am a big fan. I just don’t think she is going to run for POTUS based on everything I’ve seen so far.

Would love to see SP run for Mark Beigich’s senate seat in Alaska.

Would love to see Michele Bachmann run for Amy Klobuchar’s senate seat in Minnesota.

Would love to see Rudy Giuliani run for Kirsten Gillibrand’s senate seat in NY. Yes I know Rudy is RINO on social issues-—but we are talking about NY.

That’s the problem with our party....Everyone wants to run for president and start off at the top without paying their dues first.


40 posted on 01/26/2011 9:59:39 AM PST by Gen. Burkhalter
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 20 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-80 ... 161-163 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