“What was said is that Palin is the one most likely to win the nomination and election” the latter claim defies polls that showed higher negatives for Palin than for others, so its premature at best to make that claim.
“Palin “oozes” charisma.” - To base voters yes, but certain parts of the electorate (eg urban yuppies who think Alaska is another continent), she’s a turnoff. It’s a dichotomy.
“Jindal aside, who do you think would be a better CONSERVATIVE president???”
Previous post mentioned a few others, such as Haley Barbour, Mitch Daniels, etc. Mike Pence would make a good conservative President. I could live with Jim DeMint, George Allen, and a few others.
I am not saying any would necessarily be better, but as of today, we have not gotten from Palin (or many other folks) the in-depth domestic policy prescriptions and agenda that we need for possible post-Obama era. The next President will have to have a clear and specific agenda for cutting spending, taxes and regs and rolling back the incremental socialist Obama agenda items. It would be better to know ‘where’s the beef?’ on the critical agenda items for 2013-2016. Right now, its too early to know. She is a conservative, true, but so was GWB claiming in 1999. one concern I have is immigration, where she has said nothing except a few parrotted McCain-lite things in 2008.
In between the time I wrote my original post on this thread asking some of those questions and this post, I watched her Hannity interview. She did well and might be an appealling candidate, but she wisely deflected the 2012 stuff, and I frankly come away with as many questions on those as I did prior. It may be best to not assume anything good or bad just yet, and see how things shake out in 2010 first.
I’ll give Palin kudos for following Fred Thompson and being out front on the Hoffman endorsement. As she speaks out on issues one by one, it will shape her platform and persona in a more complete way.
It's obvious that you do NOT understand the "Palin phenomenon". All those folks getting in line to see her and get her to sign their books are not "the base", they are "the people", and are the same "silent majority" that Reagan ignited. Poll after poll has demonstrated that there are more conservatives than liberals. This has not translated into conservative presidencies, because the left-coast elitists at the handles of the two parties have prevented the selection of real conservative candidates. Palin has the charismatic horsepower (as did Reagan) to by pass those "handlers". And this is why she is catching so much hell from some REPUBLICAN sectors.
"Previous post mentioned a few others, such as Haley Barbour, Mitch Daniels, etc. Mike Pence would make a good conservative President. I could live with Jim DeMint, George Allen, and a few others."
I don't see any of those guys being electable. The thing they lack is what I referred to above---the ability to mobilize the "silent conservative" majority. None of them has demonstrated the capability to do so. They appeal to "the base", but not the larger available pool of conservative support.
"I am not saying any would necessarily be better, but as of today, we have not gotten from Palin (or many other folks) the in-depth domestic policy prescriptions and agenda that we need for possible post-Obama era. The next President will have to have a clear and specific agenda for cutting spending, taxes and regs and rolling back the incremental socialist Obama agenda items. It would be better to know ‘where’s the beef?’ on the critical agenda items for 2013-2016.>
Oh, bullshit. You know what her agenda is....the conservative one. You want 10,000 word policy statements, then Jindal is your man.
Right now, its too early to know. She is a conservative, true, but so was GWB claiming in 1999.
No, it is not. The difference between Bush and Palin is that Bush was a "compassionate conservative", and Palin is a "toughlove conservative".
"In between the time I wrote my original post on this thread asking some of those questions and this post, I watched her Hannity interview. She did well and might be an appealling candidate, but she wisely deflected the 2012 stuff, and I frankly come away with as many questions on those as I did prior."
Here is the crux of the matter. The ONLY legitimate criticism of Palin is that she didn't do well in media encounters during the campaign. And what you see her doing is 1) getting maximum on-the-job training in how to handle those, 2) going directly into the oppositions base (Oprah and Walters), 3) going over the heads of the media directly to that silent conservative majority.
This speaks of high intelligence, excellent strategizing skills, and sheer political smarts.