Free Republic

I can't give you proof, just as you can't prove that she is electable. What I can do, like you have, is offer my opinion on the matter based on what I have observed from anecdotal. For many people fist impressions matter, and no matter how you spin it (McCain's handlers, biased media, etc.) Palin did herself no favors with her Couric interview. Was she treated unfairly, probably, but life ain't fair and perceptions do matter. Additionally, she did resign before her term was up no matter how justifiable (to us) her reasons. The more I see and hear from Palin the more I like her, but again I'm inclined to like her because I generally agree with her...it's hard to get people to take a second look, especially when her subsequent action of resigning reinforces the first impression that she is unserious.

I'm not saying she isn;t popular, because she obviously is. I have no doubt that here support is deep among conservatives...but I suspect her support as a candidate isn't wide outside of that group.

Alaska electoral politics isn;t evidence that she is electable on a national level. 2006 was a good year no doubt for Palin even as a Republican, just as it was generally a bad year for incumbents. Susan Collins won reelection to a third term in 2008 by over 10%, defeating a dem congressman in a state that went for Obama by a wide margin. Despite all that, I wouldn't use Collins victory in Maine as an indication of anything just as I wouldn't use Palin’s victory in Alaska as anything.

Would I love it if Palin was to prove me wrong...absolutely. Am I ready to say that she is our only or best hope of actually winning...absolutely not.

FR has lots of smart people no doubt, but that is exactly why I am befuddled by the belief that Palin is the best option. I like Palin, I respect her and I know her treatment by the media has been extremely unfair, but I’m not going to let emotions drive my support for a candidate. Paul is a joke and most of us know it, but Palin has no chance and most of us fail to recognize it. Palin is our Hillary...you either like her or you don’t and there is very little she can ever do to change that. Her electability is her Achilles heel...and yes electability is important.

I'm pissed that it passed...those 8 republican congress critters put the Ds over the top thus giving some of the vunerable dems the ability to vote against it. Beaten by our own....yet again.

A shorter video than the original posted to youtube

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WK6GE0uSlPk

I with you. Experience as a Senator would give her a bigger stage and would allow her to develop into a more articulate messenger for conservatives. Washington won't change who she is, or what she is about...it will give her the exposure and practice she needs to become a viable candidate in the future. I love Palin, but unless she can shake the inexperienced image (a media creation) she has no real chance.

It wasn't their hate - it was the economy and our failure to articulate a message. We ceded the ground on the economy and didn;t challenge the Dems, just like we let them get away with controlling the Iraq debate. We were right, but our message wasn't articulated.

We disagree with him, but as sad as it is, he is our president (if the projections hold up). Unlike the dems lets be a LOYAL opposition. Pretending that he didn't win and not cling him president accomplishes nothing...take our lumps with class and we distinguish ourselves from the DUmmies who made it their mission to destroy W. We need to challenge Obama at every turn, but we need to do it because our ideas our better not because we hate him.

I'm with you on Palin. I love her, but I'm enough of a realist to understand that we need somebody who can ARTICULATE our message. Just as I love W. we can't afford to get behind someone who can't articulate our message of smaller government, personal responsibility, etc.

I think Oabama just stepped in it...look at this article:

http://graphics.boston.com/news/politics/campaign2000/news/McCain_character_loyal_to_a_fault+.shtml

“McCain gets emotional at the mention of military families needing food stamps or veterans lacking health care. The outrage comes from inside: McCain’s severe war injuries prevent him from combing his hair, typing on a keyboard, or tying his shoes. Friends marvel at McCain’s encyclopedic knowledge of sports. He’s an avid fan - Ted Williams is his hero - but he can’t raise his arm above his shoulder to throw a baseball.”