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Sarah Palin sparks 2012 elections speculation
POLITICO ^ | 05/25/11 | ANDY BARR

Posted on 05/27/2011 3:51:37 PM PDT by reformjoy

Palin moves spark 2012 speculation

By: Andy Barr
May 25, 2011 07:41 PM EDT

Sarah Palin is fond of saying she’ll feel compelled to run for president “if nobody else were to step up.”

It just might come to that.

The recent departures of Mitch Daniels and Mike Huckabee from the 2012 GOP field, combined with a flurry of recent moves by Palin—staff changes, the purchase of a home in Arizona, the Iowa premiere of a new feature-length film extolling the former Alaska governor—is rekindling speculation that she sees an opportunity in 2012 and may be thinking more seriously than ever about a presidential run.

John Ziegler, a conservative filmmaker and activist close to Palin, said he believes the ex-governor is closer to a run now than she’s ever been.

“I have felt for a while that she is probably running and its seems more clear than ever that she is,” said Ziegler, who interviewed Palin for a different film, “Media Malpractice: How Obama Got Elected and Palin Was Targeted.”

“The movie is a great idea. I suggested a similar concept to her a long time ago and I am sure it will be fantastic viewing. I am concerned though that it seems there are at least some people involved in it who are not actual Palin loyalists and that its hoped for impact may be based on an overly optimistic view of the nature of the electorate,” he said.

Palin herself has stoked the fires with her comments, including telling Fox News’s Greta Van Susteren that she indeed has “the fire in the belly” to make a bid for the White House.

The launch of a new SarahPAC website last month also fanned speculation since it provided a vehicle to collect email addresses of her supporters and start interacting more directly with her potential donors and activists. Palin recently used the growing list to send a fund-raising mailer to supporters in South Carolina, a common strategy that those close to Palin say will continue to bring money into her organization.

“No ands, ifs or buts about it, Sarah Palin is going to run for president,” asserted Alaska pollster Ivan Moore in a column last week, pointing to a convergence of conditions that make the timing for a Palin campaign perfect.

The former governor’s aides declined to speak to POLITICO about her thinking, but have acknowledged in discussions about the 2012 race that there is an opening for her and have said repeatedly that no other candidate’s decision would affect her own. Palin’s camp has ignored outside pressure to commit to running and is privately eying July as the last month they could enter the race, if the former governor wanted to throw the switch.

For months, Palin’s camp has been talking about hiring additional staff and planning high profile travel — though much of it has yet to come to pass. Still, her staff is keenly aware of filing deadlines and is preparing as if she is running, even if they don’t know the final decision. Palin’s team also closely monitors the actions of her potential 2012 GOP rivals, particularly what the other perspective candidates say about her.

The purchase of a home in Scottsdale, Arizona — confirmed by a source close to Palin — may have solved one of the major logistical impediments to a campaign by providing her with a perch near a major airline hub in the lower 48 states that would allow her to travel more freely. Her staff has repeatedly declined to answer questions that Palin would run a potential campaign from Scottsdale—and there is scant evidence that discussions have yet gone that far.

The former governor’s team expects to have one advantage that other prospective 2012 candidates do not—due to her stature in the party, they don’t believe they have to operate by the same rules as the other campaigns. Those who would make up team Palin are counting on a flood of small dollar donations if she enters the race and believe her strong core of support and near-universal name identification keeps them from having to take part in the early stages of the long slog toward Iowa.


Ed Morrissey, an influential conservative blogger for the site Hot Air agreed that traditional campaign rules don’t apply to the 2008 GOP vice presidential nominee.

“Palin’s got a longer window to make this decision than most of the other candidates do,” said Morrissey. “She has almost universal name organization and I’d imagine her organization would come together rather quickly…She could probably wait until at least Labor Day.”

A Gallup poll conducted after Huckabee’s exit from the presidential race confirmed that Palin remains well-entrenched near the top of the field, taking 18 percent and finishing second only to former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney.

Palin has been quiet since her trip to Washington a few weeks ago to rub elbows with the city’s elite ahead of the White House Corespondents Dinner and speech to an anti-abortion rights group in Bethesda.

In the absence of any hard evidence that Palin is building the infrastructure for a presidential bid—and a number of incentives to stay out of the race—many Republicans continue to doubt she’ll plunge in.

“She has a fulfilling array of activities with a solid income, adoring fans at her speaking engagements, and time for a wonderful family life,” said Fred Malek, a major Republican fundraiser in Washington and one of the former governor’s few friends among the Republican establishment. “I haven’t talked to her in four months but seriously doubt it’d be in her interests to change that.”


Republican strategist Mary Matalin pointed out that Palin is one of the few politicians who can “pull rabbits out of hats,” but expressed little expectation that she will.

Matalin suggested Huckabee’s decision to stay away from the campaign could prove to be key to Palin’s decision-making process.

“Huckabee’s departure would be a greater factor in her strategic thinking than the departing (that is, never entering) candidates who were not playing to her strength,” Matalin said of Palin.

Jonathan Martin contributed reporting to this story.



TOPICS: Editorial; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: 1hotlady; 2012palin; 2smart4hillary; election; johnziegler; martin4romney; mediamalpractice; notrunning; palin; palin2012; politico4romney; pollutico; pr4therinoromney; president; rinobots4mitt; rinoromney; rinoromneypr; romneybotstench; romneybs; romneydirtytricks; romneyflack; romneyprrep; rumors4romney; sarahpalin; stenchofromney
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To: Windflier
RE :"I only phrased it that way to entertain your frame of mind about the possibility of Sarah running. I've been convinced for a long time that she's going to run. "

See, now you can really let me have it when she files for her candidacy. I will really look foolish :)

41 posted on 05/27/2011 7:48:47 PM PDT by sickoflibs (If you pay zero Federal income taxes, don't say you are paying your 'fair share')
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To: sickoflibs
”You still didn't say if you'll dig in and scarf down on that crow pie, if Sarah runs. “

I have done it before, but I usually dont have to.

Come on, now. Yes or no. Are you going to admit that you were wrong about Palin not running WHEN she jumps into the race?

I'm trying to make this real easy.

42 posted on 05/27/2011 7:50:06 PM PDT by Windflier (To anger a conservative, tell him a lie. To anger a liberal, tell him the truth.)
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To: sickoflibs
you can really let me have it when she files for her candidacy. I will really look foolish :)

Fair enough. If for some unfrikkenbelievable reason she doesn't run, you'll have every right to say, "I told y'all!!!"

43 posted on 05/27/2011 7:52:41 PM PDT by Windflier (To anger a conservative, tell him a lie. To anger a liberal, tell him the truth.)
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To: Windflier
RE :"Fair enough. If for some unfrikkenbelievable reason she doesn't run, you'll have every right to say, "I told y'all!!!"

What reasons would you accept as valid? The evil MSM attacks? (many of them appear to be convinced she is running). Her family? her Prayers? You seem darn convinced she is running for a reason.

44 posted on 05/27/2011 8:03:00 PM PDT by sickoflibs (If you pay zero Federal income taxes, don't say you are paying your 'fair share')
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To: sickoflibs; Windflier

She’s not going to run per se. She’s going to trample.
She’s not a normal politician. I don’t even see her as a politician. Unlike the none, she really does hava a gift. There is no lying in her. She sees the problem and wants to fix it. Nothing more and nothing less. No ego.
Real unemployment is at 20%. People’s home values have fallen at least 20% on average, if not substantially more. With the GOP being against her when she wins the nomination she’ll actually be running as more of a independent, than a pub. She’ll get more disappointed dem votes than you might imagine. Not unlike Reagan. It would actually be stupid of her not to run. The stars are aligned for a landslide.


45 posted on 05/27/2011 8:58:03 PM PDT by TwoSwords (The Lord is a man of war, Exodus 15:3)
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To: Windflier
I'll try real hard to remember your momentous declaration. Really, I will.

Remind me later?



Okay I will. But let me give you my reasons. People on FR are giddy about Sarah Palin. They think she's the greatest thing since Ronald Reagan. They think she walks on water. But these people only talk among themselves. Right or wrong (and I think wrong) the general public seems to have different opinions about her. Yes, she was thrust upon the public before she was really ready. And the country's liberal intelligentsia absolutely despises her. They will stop at nothing to destroy her. These people have zero effect on me but many will be influenced by the MSM. They will trash her even worse than they did in 2008. And she's got this publicity seeking daughter who doesn't help things. But as VP I think she has a better chance and won't face the security that she would on the top of the ticket.

Perry on the other hand has a lot going for him. He's a popular governor of a large and successful state. He's conservative enough and just might be able to unite the economic and social conservatives. He's a former Air Force Pilot and understand both agriculture and economics. So he's got a good all around background academically, militarily, business wise and government. No other candidate has as rich a background. He photogenic. He's tall enough and has a full head of hair. Yes, that's petty to me and probably you but to a number of people that important. I hope he doesn't have any skeletons in the closet. The nomination is his unless Christie decides to jump in. I'd prefer Christie but I don't think he wants it. So I'm not predicting Perry, only saying he's the best shot we have at getting rid of the wretched Obama.
46 posted on 05/27/2011 9:00:49 PM PDT by truthguy (Good intentions are not enough.)
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To: sickoflibs
You seem darn convinced she is running for a reason.

Well, for myself and most folks on the right, it's been plain as day that she's been gearing up for a run at the White House for at least two years now.

I suppose it boils down to observation and perception.

Take her Alaska special that ran on TV, for instance. Some folks looked at that and said, "She's given up on politics, and is now just a money-grubbing reality show TV star."

Quite a few others looked at that TV special and said, "How very shrewd of her. She's bypassing the media's negative portrayals of her, and giving Americans an inside look at who she really is, in order to correct those mis-perceptions."

Many of us further concluded that she didn't go to all the trouble of filming that series just for fun, or simply for the money, but that she was actually building a bridge to the American public as part of a larger plan to bring more Americans into her orbit.

Her subsequent moves on the national stage have likewise been in perfect alignment with an overall master plan to get her message to as many Americans as possible, and to convince them that she has the best answers to our national problems, and that she is the best qualified person for the job of president.

Those of us who have watched Palin through the lens of political strategy these last two years, have had no questions about whether she's running or not.

47 posted on 05/27/2011 9:03:47 PM PDT by Windflier (To anger a conservative, tell him a lie. To anger a liberal, tell him the truth.)
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To: TwoSwords; Windflier; EveningStar
RE :" With the GOP being against her when she wins the nomination she’ll actually be running as more of a independent, than a pub. She’ll get more disappointed dem votes than you might imagine. Not unlike Reagan. It would actually be stupid of her not to run. The stars are aligned for a landslide."

Very good, I appreciate your enthusiasm. Not everyone has your guts.

So she will get the GOP nomination with the GOP against her? That will be a remarkable achievement.

eveningstar, is Reagan on the list yet?

48 posted on 05/27/2011 9:16:49 PM PDT by sickoflibs (If you pay zero Federal income taxes, don't say you are paying your 'fair share')
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To: sickoflibs; TwoSwords; Windflier
eveningstar, is Reagan on the list yet?

Yes. Of course. In fact he was a one of the earliest entries.

This is an ongoing list of historical, popular, Biblical, and fictional people that Sarah Palin has been compared to on FR:


49 posted on 05/27/2011 9:24:14 PM PDT by EveningStar
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To: Windflier
RE :” Many of us further concluded that she didn't go to all the trouble of filming that series just for fun, or simply for the money, but that she was actually building a bridge to the American public as part of a larger plan to bring more Americans into her orbit. Her subsequent moves on the national stage have likewise been in perfect alignment with an overall master plan to get her message to as many Americans as possible, and to convince them that she has the best answers to our national problems, and that she is the best qualified person for the job of president. Those of us who have watched Palin through the lens of political strategy these last two years, have had no questions about whether she's running or not.

I appreciate you sharing your rationale here. I always try to understand people.

You pretty much make the argument that if she doesnt run then ‘she did it all for money and politics’ the past two years, and that she will run because she is much better than that and her sole intention was to save the country.

50 posted on 05/27/2011 9:26:22 PM PDT by sickoflibs (If you pay zero Federal income taxes, don't say you are paying your 'fair share')
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To: Windflier
correction, sorry getting late:

RE :” Many of us further concluded that she didn't go to all the trouble of filming that series just for fun, or simply for the money, but that she was actually building a bridge to the American public as part of a larger plan to bring more Americans into her orbit. Her subsequent moves on the national stage have likewise been in perfect alignment with an overall master plan to get her message to as many Americans as possible, and to convince them that she has the best answers to our national problems, and that she is the best qualified person for the job of president. Those of us who have watched Palin through the lens of political strategy these last two years, have had no questions about whether she's running or not.

You pretty much make the argument that if she doesnt run then ‘she did it all for the money and fun’ the past two years, and that she will run because she is much better than that and her sole intention was to save the country by running for president. I like it, thanks :)

51 posted on 05/27/2011 9:35:19 PM PDT by sickoflibs (If you pay zero Federal income taxes, don't say you are paying your 'fair share')
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To: sickoflibs

Sarah has been running since July 09.Stepping back in to the Gov’s office hit with relentless attacks,gumming up her work time.And facing personal financial ruin.So she did just what her Dad said she was doing.”She’s not retreating,She’s reloading.This talk of will she or not is really pointless.


52 posted on 05/27/2011 9:35:38 PM PDT by hwkbeer (I will pursue my enemy and not stop till I consume him.)
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To: hwkbeer
RE :"Sarah has been running since July 09.Stepping back in to the Gov’s office hit with relentless attacks,gumming up her work time.And facing personal financial ruin.So she did just what her Dad said she was doing.”She’s not retreating,She’s reloading.This talk of will she or not is really pointless"

Not sure what you mean by running since 2009, you mean for president 2012?

53 posted on 05/27/2011 9:38:33 PM PDT by sickoflibs (If you pay zero Federal income taxes, don't say you are paying your 'fair share')
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To: sickoflibs

Yes,when she left the Govs office I thought then and still do that she is running and not only that she will win.Now if I have to eat some crow then serve it up hot and I will scarf it right down,Don’t ya know.


54 posted on 05/27/2011 9:42:16 PM PDT by hwkbeer (I will pursue my enemy and not stop till I consume him.)
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To: hwkbeer
RE :"Yes,when she left the Govs office I thought then and still do that she is running and not only that she will win. Now if I have to eat some crow then serve it up hot and I will scarf it right down,Don’t ya know."

..and resolve to yourself why this happened, thanks!

55 posted on 05/27/2011 10:04:23 PM PDT by sickoflibs (If you pay zero Federal income taxes, don't say you are paying your 'fair share')
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To: truthguy
People on FR are giddy about Sarah Palin. They think she's the greatest thing since Ronald Reagan.

And rightfully so. We have not seen an American politician stand so strongly in defense of America's innate greatness and its still ample promise, in at least a generation.

Sarah Palin speaks in a language we recognize. It's the language of the Founding Generation. It strikes cords of patriotism deep within our psyches and our bones. She reminds us all of the good which is our inheritance and our legacy. She very nearly shames us for ever having doubted ourselves, or our countrymen. We resonate naturally, and in rhythm to what she says, because it's what we believe, and what we are. We are her, and she is us.

With Sarah Palin, what you see is what you get. There isn't a hint of artifice or cunning in her words, or her body language. She's as real as you or I. She can be trusted, and has proven so throughout her public life. She is the real deal, as they say.

How can anyone who truly loves this country not be touched by this woman? How can they not desire to see her lead the way back to a better America, when she has proven that she is not only ideologically perfect to so, but that she's also got the right frame of mind and the temperament (not to mention fight and intelligence) to take us there?

There are only a few reasons why someone who claims to love their country would not support Sarah for president, and they all fall into the category of diminished capacity to perceive, or to comprehend. There are also those who don't have the desire or inclination to know much about people and events which are shaping our lives.

The oddest, though, are those who, while expressing a deep commitment to seeing this country restored, still fail to fully appreciate what an historic personage Sarah Palin is, and how she is perhaps the very person they've been hoping would rise to the top of our national leadership.

I can only believe that those people have either not perceived what most center-right Americans are perceiving, or have been crippled by lies in the press, which has distorted their normal mental clarity.

Right or wrong (and I think wrong) the general public seems to have different opinions about her.

There's nothing wrong with having different opinions about a politician. It's the politician's job to communicate their positions and values clearly enough to voters to convince them to allow them the great privilege of serving.

Many of those who are now ambivalent about Palin, or who even side against her, have not yet really given her a listen. That's part of what a campaign is for, but in the 21st century, politicians also have numerous other means by which to communicate to potential voters, most of which Palin has made use of. I expect to see her make even better use of mass media in the coming year.

...the country's liberal intelligentsia absolutely despises her. They will stop at nothing to destroy her. These people have zero effect on me but many will be influenced by the MSM. They will trash her even worse than they did in 2008.

The MSM is going to do this to any Republican contender for the White House, but it's true that they've waged a pre-emptive campaign against Palin out of abject terror. Sadly for them, it hasn't been all that effective, and one could say that it's even backfired. She's as (or more) popular now, as she was in 2008. Her announcement is one of the most eagerly anticipated moments of recent history. The question of whether she'll run or not, has the whole of the media intelligentsia preoccupied to a pathological level of distraction, and it's getting worse by the day.

That's power, my friend. Do not doubt that.

Palin remains the 800 pound gorilla in the room, and you can bet that she knows it. Even so, she's far too shrewd to simply rush into the ongoing pre-primary battle and duke it out in the mud with the rest of the field. As the weeks go by, her strategy becomes more and more clear - and boy does it look brilliant. There's simply no question that she is playing the game at a much deeper strategic level than anyone else in national politics today. No question.

I wouldn't worry about the media attacking Sarah. They've given it everything they've got for over two years now, and they've hardly scuffed her armor. Those who've fallen prey to the lies and distortions aren't really paying attention well enough to know what's what. Trust me - Sarah will handle that in due course, too.

Alrighty, this is getting far too long-winded, even for me. Gotta sign off, but I did want to address at least a couple of your points.

Good roads, friend.

56 posted on 05/27/2011 10:05:44 PM PDT by Windflier (To anger a conservative, tell him a lie. To anger a liberal, tell him the truth.)
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To: sickoflibs
Look,if you want to play in the minors go ahead.I said my piece.
57 posted on 05/27/2011 10:11:44 PM PDT by hwkbeer (I will pursue my enemy and not stop till I consume him.)
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To: hwkbeer
RE :"Look,if you want to play in the minors go ahead.I said my piece. "

You sound like a nice person. and honest too.

58 posted on 05/27/2011 10:17:12 PM PDT by sickoflibs (If you pay zero Federal income taxes, don't say you are paying your 'fair share')
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To: sickoflibs
You pretty much make the argument that if she doesnt run then ‘she did it all for the money and fun’ the past two years...

Please don't make that assumption. I'm making no such argument.

If Sarah decides not to run, it will be because some new and unforeseen factor entered the picture for her - not because she never intended to run in the first place.

As I said before, anyone who's watched through the lens of political strategy over these last two years, can't help but conclude that she's been steadily executing a masterful plan.

Unless a person looks at her actions through that lens, little of it makes sense, and can even look for all the world that she's simply enjoying herself. Nothing could be further from the truth. She's got her eye on something a lot bigger than celebrity, or money.

Listen carefully to everything she's saying, and it should become apparent.

59 posted on 05/27/2011 10:22:00 PM PDT by Windflier (To anger a conservative, tell him a lie. To anger a liberal, tell him the truth.)
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To: EveningStar

Get off my lawn.


60 posted on 05/27/2011 10:30:29 PM PDT by Windflier (To anger a conservative, tell him a lie. To anger a liberal, tell him the truth.)
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