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Can Sarah Palin translate celebrity into real political power?
The Washington Post ^ | February 14, 2010 | Dan Balz

Posted on 02/13/2010 8:31:36 PM PST by 2ndDivisionVet

Sarah Palin has proved that she can draw a crowd. What she has yet to demonstrate is that she can translate the appeal of a phenomenon into a political force that can attract or mobilize sizable numbers of voters.

The former Alaska governor is the Republican Party's biggest celebrity. She has given voice to a grass-roots movement grounded in anger with Washington and President Obama's policies. But her political future remains in question. Is she presidential timber? A force only within the Republican Party? A protest candidate like George Wallace (minus the racial divisiveness) or Ross Perot?

--snip--

"Right now, she is a figure like [George] McGovern or [Barry] Goldwater, two candidates who led the most intense movements in our country's political history, but who couldn't win the middle."

If Palin harbors presidential ambitions, she has a huge mountain to climb. A new Washington Post-ABC News poll found that 71 percent of Americans do not think the politician who was Sen. John McCain's running mate in 2008 is qualified to be president.

Those numbers are so daunting that some Republicans who otherwise admire what she has accomplished doubt that she will run in 2012. Others say that unless she can transform attitudes dramatically, she cannot hope to win a general election. Still, GOP strategist Phil Musser said, "if she ran for president today, she would be the Republican nominee."

Musser's comments are notable because he is an adviser to Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty (R), who is eyeing a 2012 candidacy of his own. Palin's political future remains "very much an open question," Musser said, "but the intensity that she brought to the ticket in 2008 hasn't faded, and one could argue that perhaps it's been enhanced."(continued)

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


TOPICS: Issues; Parties; Polls
KEYWORDS: 2010polls; 2012; dnc4romney; msm4romney; mythromney; obama4romney; operationleper; palin; pimpingromney; politics; romney; romney4obama; sarahpalin; schmidtheads; teaparty; teapartyrebellion
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At least some GOP operatives are waking up and smelling the 2012 coffee. As I've said before, she'll get my help (and $2 million in bundled funds) from me if she runs.
1 posted on 02/13/2010 8:31:36 PM PST by 2ndDivisionVet
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

No. The Dems will riducle her into obscurity. And she makes it easy.


2 posted on 02/13/2010 8:33:26 PM PST by CaptRon
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To: CaptRon

It used to be the question was, “Can she turn real political power into celebrity status?” Well, that question has been answerd and so has the other one.

The answer is yes to both questions.


3 posted on 02/13/2010 8:35:34 PM PST by John Valentine
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

The libs are SO scared of her...they can’t let the subject drop.


4 posted on 02/13/2010 8:36:37 PM PST by capt. norm (Never underestimate the power of very stupid people in large groups.)
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To: capt. norm

‘Can’...?

She ‘already has’!


5 posted on 02/13/2010 8:40:19 PM PST by LibFreeUSA (Show me what Obama brought that was new and there you will find things only blind and destructive.)
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To: CaptRon
She does need to present more detail more often. Calling her out for lack of detail is not fear.

Only in your biased and illogical mind.

And in case you haven't been paying attention, they have been ridiculing her in a manner unseen by any previous Statemen/Statewomen and all she does is get stronger.

Suffering from PDS, I see.
6 posted on 02/13/2010 8:42:20 PM PST by SoConPubbie
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To: LibFreeUSA
She ‘already has’!

And the GOP establishment is mighty nervous about it.

Dan Balz is a lib but he's doing the GOP's bidding with this article. Keep raising the doubts, that's the strategy. I'm no fan of Alex Castellanos, but he frames the GOP's problem:

But the others should be paying close attention, Castellanos said. "Mitt Romney, Pawlenty and every other Republican contender ought to be worried," he said. "An authentic, populist voice has emerged as the anti-Obama and that voice doesn't belong to the Republican establishment. It belongs to Sarah Palin."

7 posted on 02/13/2010 8:49:02 PM PST by Al B.
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
Just give ‘er some time. The current POTUS sure didn't need much experience to get the job, eh? She actually has more experience than he had and everyone is finding out that the supposed “gravitas” he had was just being able to read speeches well. So what that she has a few words on her hand? He can't utter a complete sentence unless it's written out on the teleprompter.
8 posted on 02/13/2010 8:51:06 PM PST by boatbums (A man is no fool who gives up that which he cannot keep for that which he cannot lose. - Jim Elliot)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
“Can Sarah Palin translate celebrity into real political power?”

Is this a sad attempt at satire?

Sarahcuda successfully ran against Republican incumbent Governor, put corrupt Alaskan State pols in jail, backed down three Big Oil Corporations, brought biggest gas pipeline project to fruition, governed Alaska with an 80% approval rating, and then question: "Does she have political power?
It has to be satire or criminal stupidity!

9 posted on 02/13/2010 8:52:00 PM PST by J Edgar
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To: Al B.

“I’m no fan of Alex Castellanos, but he frames the GOP’s problem”

When Castellanos begins the Requiescat in Pace over the good ship Romney, you know Mitt is all but finished. Castellanos is a big establishment guy who has been unremittingly hostile to Palin and if even he is acknowledging the handwriting on the wall, then Palin is rapidly assuming “inevitability” status.


10 posted on 02/13/2010 8:54:35 PM PST by Brices Crossroads
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
The socialists, RINOS and other government thugs
are scared to death of this fine woman.

Sarah Palin is my first choice!

11 posted on 02/13/2010 8:56:57 PM PST by HuntsvilleTxVeteran ((B.?) Hussein (Obama?Soetoro?Dunham?) Change America Will Die From.)
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To: SoConPubbie
A new FReeper I see. You are all testy and nasty and don't have much reading comprehension. This used to be a civilized forum.

What did I say that sounds illogical? Or biased? And I know they have been ridiucling her. It will get worse. And the MSM will pile on. I also do not think she is qualified for the job.

BTW, you needed some S's in the Statemen/Statewomen thing, genius.

And the quote you have in your post is not mine.

12 posted on 02/13/2010 8:57:39 PM PST by CaptRon
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
"A new Washington Post-ABC News poll found that 71 percent of Americans do not think the politician who was Sen. John McCain's running mate in 2008 is qualified to be president."


13 posted on 02/13/2010 8:58:09 PM PST by ari-freedom (Chris Wallace: I can tell you, Ronald Reagan would never have quit.)
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To: HuntsvilleTxVeteran

“Sarah Palin is my first choice!”

She is my first choice, my second choice and my third choice. In the words of the old advertisement, “Accept no substitute!”


14 posted on 02/13/2010 8:58:46 PM PST by Brices Crossroads
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To: Al B.

“Dan Balz is a lib but he’s doing the GOP’s bidding with this article.”

Thanks for the informative insight.
I totally agree that GOP Leadership would like to see Sarah disappear off into the sunset on a dog sled!


15 posted on 02/13/2010 8:58:58 PM PST by J Edgar
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To: CaptRon
No. The Dems will riducle her into obscurity. And she makes it easy.

Ah, there you go, you were right on the spelling and the incorrect reference, and the increasing intensity of the negativeness of the press, however, your opinion of how she makes it easy is quite ignorant.

A new FReeper I see. You are all testy and nasty and don't have much reading comprehension. This used to be a civilized forum.

By that I take it to mean you used to be able to get away with posting negative, biased, unproven crap without anyone calling you on it, right?
16 posted on 02/13/2010 9:06:38 PM PST by SoConPubbie
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
Can Sarah Palin translate celebrity into real political power?

This isn't actually a serious question. With one single Facebook posting using the phrase "Death Panels" this unemployed housewife turned the national debate over health care in her own direction. Like her or hate her, that's real political power, and only a fool would suggest otherwise.

17 posted on 02/13/2010 9:08:32 PM PST by Billthedrill
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To: SoConPubbie
I have a reputation for NOT doing that.

Ignorant? I made my living gettying Repulicans elected for 5 years. She is unelectable. What is your experienced. Conecticutt? How many Repubs in office there?

18 posted on 02/13/2010 9:09:35 PM PST by CaptRon
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To: SoConPubbie

Oops sorry. California. Same question. How is that state doing. You leading the charge?


19 posted on 02/13/2010 9:10:49 PM PST by CaptRon
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To: CaptRon
A new FReeper I see.

I always like the posts where someone spouts on either directly or indirectly about how much longer they have been around in FreeRepublic and how that makes them ever so much more erudite, intelligent or knowledgeable.

You'd do better to let your positions and your postings make your point for you then your senoirity.
20 posted on 02/13/2010 9:11:37 PM PST by SoConPubbie
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