Sarah Palin Should Not Run For President

Leo McNeil ^ | January 30, 2015 | Leo McNeil

[LeoMcNeil]

Sarah Palin made headlines last weekend when she said she was interested in running for President. Palin has been an important part of the Tea Party and conservative movements in this country since she came onto the scene in 2008. Nobody on the right throws red meat to a crowd quite like Palin. Her ability to sarcastically tear down liberal sacred cows is second only to Rush Limbaugh. Best of all she drives liberals up a wall. They hate her more than any other conservative in this country, including George W. Bush and Limbaugh. Watching liberals fall to pieces over Palin is always amusing. Palin has also been an important player in the Tea Party political scene. The candidates she campaigned for, particularly in 2014, generally won. She has an excellent track record in that regard.

The question is whether Palin should run for President and perhaps as importantly whether conservatives should support her candidacy. The answer is clear, she should not run and if she does conservatives should not support her. There are any number of reasons why Palin shouldn’t be the Republican nominee beginning with the fact that her experience is limited and at this point remote. Palin was Governor of Alaska for all of two and a half years. She resigned ostensibly to make money in personal appearances. If Palin was serious about running for President, she should have stayed in office and run for re-election. In the alternative, she should have run for a winnable Alaska Senate seat in 2014. Instead, Palin has shown a lack of interest in actual governing. We need to nominate someone with experience and if we look at the slate of candidates out there we can clearly see there are other conservatives who have a lot more experience than Palin. Surely the GOP can find someone with more experience than Obama had in 2008, we can’t set the bar down to his level.

Palin’s ability to attract people other than conservatives is near zero. Fair or not, Palin is a polarizing figure in American politics. On one hand she’s brought it on herself by tearing down liberal sacred cows. On the other hand, the left-wing media has relentlessly attacked her for no other reason than she’s a heretic to the feminist cause. Let’s be honest, Palin has egged the left-wing media on and it’s been amusing to watch her set them up and tear them down. Doing that makes for great giggles for Tea Partiers but it does nothing for Palin’s likability. Because of the media, people actually think Palin said she can see Russia from her house. The media has pushed that narrative, knowing full well that Tina Fey said that on a Saturday Night Live sketch. People other than conservatives think Palin is a crass moron. That is a hurdle she won’t be able to overcome if she runs for President.

Sarah Palin has a place in conservative movement of the Republican Party. She’s an important part of the Tea Party. There’s a difference between being the flame thrower for conservatives and running for President. Palin is great at what she’s doing right now. She’s made a good living for herself and her family by giving speeches and making media appearances. She’s done a terrific job campaigning for conservatives in House and Senate elections. She’s found her calling in politics, it makes no sense for her to give it up to run for President. Conservatives shouldn’t want her to give it up either. Her record was magnificent in 2014. We’re much better off having her back conservative candidates for Congress than we are watching her flame out in a GOP Presidential primary that’s likely to be crowded with too many conservative candidates. If she wants to get involved in the primary, she should act as kingmaker and endorse someone. For her to run though will result in her ultimate defeat, which will likely limit her opportunities to influence politics in the future.

We conservatives need to find someone who has more than the right views. We need to find someone who has experience and can translate that experience to the White House. That person isn’t Sarah Palin. Two and a half years as Governor of a small state isn’t good enough. Eight years as Mayor of a town of less than 8,000 is not good enough experience. Palin is great at what she’s doing now, conservatives should be happy that she’s found something she’s both successful and influential at. The Democrats set the bar low for experience when they nominated Obama. The Republicans need to raise that bar. Scott Walker is just as conservative as Palin and he has a lot more experience. He’s balanced budgets and taken on unions in a blue state no less. Ted Cruz has more experience than Palin between his time as solicitor general in Texas and the US Senate. We need someone who is more skilled than Obama is. We have candidates like that on the right in the GOP. Sarah Palin just isn’t one of them.

[strider44]

Did you read my posts? Is any criticism of Palin fair? I said if she were a CEO of a major corporation that would be great experience. Or a senior military officer maybe. What private business experience does she have? She makes money on TV and by giving speeches.

That’s a fine way to make a living. I’m sure she’s a multi-millionaire. Again I will vote for her if it comes down to it.

Call me a liberal if it makes you feel better. I’ve put in over 20 years of military service to this country. Bled for it. I’ll criticize anyone I damned well please. Even Palin.

[C. Edmund Wright]

This is what you said: She should have run for Senate. Instead she made a bunch of stupid TV shows

You are elevating being an elected politician over someone in the private sector. She didn't just make "stupid TV show" - though call it that if you want - she's crafted an empire of influence and made money at the same time. You may not be a liberal per se, but you have at least been bitten by the lefty bug a time or two.....

[ez]

I think Sarah should wait and challenge Murkowski for the AK Senate seat.

[strider44]

Yes she crafted an empire. Good for her. If you think that empire would exist if she wasn’t extremely attractive, you’re crazy. That is a valid opinion. Being extremely attractive does not qualify you for president. That opinion doesn’t make me a Liberal.

Reagan was extremely attractive and charismatic right? He also served in the military as an army officer. 8 years as Governor of far and away the largest US. State in terms of economic impact. You just can’t compare Palin and Reagan. She gives great speeches and I agree with everything she says. Doesn’t mean I think she should be president.

Yes or no. Would Palin be a better candidate now if she had 4 years as Governor and 2 years as Senator on her resume? Would she have no impact as a powerful Republican senator?

We can disagree without calling each other Liberals.

[gogeo]

Ping.

[gogeo]

I think this may be the 1,000th article this week bashing Gov Palin.

Yes, and he's written at least two of them.

[C. Edmund Wright]

your reading comprehension is still pathetic.....you are arguing points I never even brought up. I said in what, 15 posts that I do not want her to run for President? HOW the F many times do I have to say it.

About 98% of your drivel is not even pertinent to my points, which are over your head.

[C. Edmund Wright]

your resentment of her looks makes me wonder.......

[onyx]

Your Argument is Invalid.

I'm certain his argument is invalid and also false, when it comes to his support?/touting of Senator Ted Cruz.

Heretofore, I had never heard of this poster/member, but here on FR words live forever and in your case, in infamy.

BTW, I don't think Governor Sarah Palin has any interest in running in 2016. I think she will be 100% on Team Cruz.

---

To: G Larry

I’m not sure Ted Cruz is the answer. Cruz has just as much experience as Barack Obama did two years before the election. While I’ll grant Cruz is a fighter, I’m not sure that he isn’t better suited in the Senate.

There are other conservatives out there like Scott Walker who have experience managing an executive branch of government. One of Obama’s biggest problems (which Republicans are the beneficiaries of) is that he has no idea how to lead or manage. He had no experience at it before getting elected and it’s really hurt him. Imagine how bad things would be if he were an effective manager of a massive socialist government. Cruz is all talk and no experience. (Emphasis mine *onyx)

19 posted on 12/16/2014 9:05:45 AM PST by LeoMcNeil

=========================================

CRUZ or lose.

CRUZ or lose.

[onyx]

Heretofore, I had never heard of this poster/member, but here on FR words live forever and in LeoMcNeil's case, in infamy.

[C. Edmund Wright]

I agree...I think Palin will support Cruz. In her CPAC speech 2014, she clearly was pointing to Cruz as the type of leader the party, the movement and the country needed. She didn’t say anything bad about Rand Paul, but her support for Cruz was so obvious that the Rand supporters starting walking out on the speech.

I think she knows Cruz’ filibuster was a stroke of genius, and that it would help defeat the Democrats in Nov 2014. I think it’s 98% chance she’ll be on Cruz Control.

[onyx]

I’m in 100% agreement with you and looking forward to Senator Cruz’s run!!!

AND VICTORY!

[C. Edmund Wright]

PREACH IT BROS!!!!

[re_nortex]

PREACH IT BROS!!!!

Or in this case, PREACH IT SIS! :)

[C. Edmund Wright]

yeah, well, the “royal” bros.....unisex.....

[KC_Lion]

There are other conservatives out there like Scott Walker who have experience managing an executive branch of government. One of Obama’s biggest problems (which Republicans are the beneficiaries of) is that he has no idea how to lead or manage. He had no experience at it before getting elected and it’s really hurt him. Imagine how bad things would be if he were an effective manager of a massive socialist government. Cruz is all talk and no experience. (Emphasis mine *onyx)

Excellent Find Onyx!

What say you McNeil?

Speaking out of both sides of your mouth eh?

FIRST you hate on Ted Cruz and NOW Sarah Palin, both of which F.R. has declared for, and Yet You STILL have the Gaul to use F.R.'s Bandwidth to Pimp Your Blog?

What Say You?

[Political Junkie Too]

You are elevating being an elected politician over someone in the private sector.

That's it in a nutshell. Thank you.

Politicians want to ensure that society holds them in an esteem that is higher than the general public. This is a similar flaw seen in business; that wisdom and knowledge comes from height on the organizational chart. A politician wins an election, and overnight we are to imbue them with expertise that they lacked the day before.

Except when a Sarah Palin comes along to shatter the illusion. then she must be destroyed lest she expose the sham of the authority of the elites.

As exhibits I offer the current confirmation hearings for Attorney General. Given the facts that we know (ignoring what our politician betters would prefer us to believe), are we supposed to listen to the exhortations of an Orrin Hatch or Lindsey Graham over a Sarah Palin? Are we supposed to follow the Hatches and Grahams only because they currently hold office and Palin does not?

They have all the credibility and she has none?

-PJ

[C. Edmund Wright]

Leo Leo Leo......Cruz all talk and no experience? And Cruz as an analogy to Obama? Please Leo, don’t try this political analysis at home.

Let me help you out: it’s called “talent” - in just a short time, he is now considered the leader of Senate conservatives - he led a critical filibuster that was validated last November - he is already the most important Senator in the country. McConnell wields more power, but with Reid out of power, Cruz is now the most important, the most newsworthy.

If he were “all talk” - this would not be the case. We would never have heard of him.

[C. Edmund Wright]

A politician wins an election, and overnight we are to imbue them with expertise that they lacked the day before.

Ain't it the truth??? I mean, it's bad enough when lo fo's and liberals do it - but when Freepers step into that same steaming pile, it's infuriating.

[sakic]

I never said Cruz doesn’t like Palin. I said he’s the real deal. She’s in it for the money and fame. When she actually runs again, get back to me.