Sarah Palin: I Am Engaged In Deliberations About Running For President
Yet another sign that the GOP's biggest nightmare may actually end up coming true.
There’s much to say about Robert Draper’s 7800-world piece about Sarah Palin that will appear in Sunday’s New York Times Magazine, but the part that will have everyone talking, no doubt, deals with Palin’s statements about the 2012 Presidential race:
“I am,” Sarah Palin told me the next day when I asked her if she was already weighing a run for president. “I’m engaged in the internal deliberations candidly, and having that discussion with my family, because my family is the most important consideration here.” Palin went on to say that there weren’t meaningful differences in policy among the field of G.O.P. hopefuls “but that in fact there’s more to the presidency than that” and that her decision would involve evaluating whether she could bring unique qualities to the table
And one of the central messages of her campaign, it seems will be same war-on-the-media victimhood card that she’s played so well since the 2008 campaign, and which 2010 candidates like Sharron Angle and Christine O’Donnell used in their campaigns as well:
She went on: “I know that a hurdle I would have to cross, that some other potential candidates wouldn’t have to cross right out of the chute, is proving my record. That’s the most frustrating thing for me — the warped and perverted description of my record and what I’ve accomplished over the last two decades. It’s been much more perplexing to me than where the lamestream media has wanted to go about my personal life. And other candidates haven’t faced these criticisms the way I have.”
I asked her if by avoiding the national press, she didn’t bear at least some responsibility for the way the public viewed her. “I’m on television nearly every single day with reporters,” she shot back. “Now granted, that’s mainly through my job at Fox News, and I’m very proud to be associated with them, but I’m not avoiding anything or anybody. I’m on Facebook and Twitter. I’m out there. I want to talk about my record, though.” Palin was referring to “getting in there and cleaning up corruption, taking on the oil companies and the good old boys in the party, things like the natural-gas pipeline” and “getting things out of the government’s hands, like the state-owned dairy creamery in Alaska.” Asked if she believed in 2008 that these accomplishments made her at least as qualified as Barack Obama to be president, her response was immediate: “Absolutely. If I had any doubt in my ability or administrative experience that would’ve been put to good use in a McCain administration, then I never would have accepted the nomination.”
Palin told me that because of the media’s unfairness toward her, “I fear for our democracy.”
This isn’t a new theme for Palin, of course, but one that she’s keeps going back to ever since she burst on the national scene. During the 2008 campaign, she complained that journalists who were asking questions about her and her record were violating her First Amendment rights and that such journalists were “a threat to democracy.” During the Carrie Prejean beauty pageant/gay marriage kerfuffle, she accused the media and pageant officials of violating Prejean’s First Amendment rights. Back in May she essentially said that journalists who printed stories she didn’t like were a threat to freedom of the press. Most recently, she’s raised this same freedom of speech arguments in her bizarre defenses of Dr. Laura Schlessinger and Juan Williams. Meanwhile, while she criticizes the media for its “unfairness,” she sits safely behind the protective shield of Fox News, Facebook, and Twitter where the probability of ever having to answer a serious question is pretty low.
In a separate part of the interview, Palin makes clear that she didn’t care much about the polls showing that she isn’t very popular outside of the Republican Party, or the concerns of Republican insiders that nominating her in 2012 would be a disaster for the party:
I reiterated, didn’t she believe that the Republican establishment’s predominant worry was that she would lose to Obama? “Then perhaps they should vent some of their paranoia toward all of the potential G.O.P. candidates,” she said. “Because obviously there’s no guarantee that any one of us would win. But I do believe that much of this is a threat to their hierarchy, because I’ve never shied away from a battle and because I’ll put principle before politics.”
In that regard, though, one wonders where Palin’s principles really lie when you consider something she recently said about her 2012 ambitions on Fox:
I’m certainly going to take a good lay-of-the-land look, and see if there are others out there, who are electable, who are willing to make the tough decisions, won’t care what the heck the media says about them, but will do the right things and shrink the government so the private sector can thrive.
If there are others out there, willing to do that and make the sacrifices, then I’ll support them. If there’s nobody else, I would do it.
So, Governor Palin, does that mean that if a candidate isn’t electable, they shouldn’t run for President?
Perhaps you should think about that for a second.
I don’t know. Whenever I hear Palin talking about a 2012 run, it seems to be more about keeping herself employed in the “political-entertainment complex” for the next few years than about running an actual campaign.
Blah Blah Blah. Yadda Yadda Yadda. More of the same for the Palin Hater. Since you’ve already made up your mind about her, why should she take any advice from you?? Elistist snobs are dismissing her all the time, so another elitist snob dismissing her and asking her loaded questions is par for the course. I will hand it to you though: You stayed away from your obligatory “Divisive” and “Polarizing”. In fact, I’m not sure if I’ve ever seen a post from you where you didn’t used either or both words to describe her.
Because the GOP establishment has such a great track record?
Why don’t any of the smart people who poo-poo Sarah Palin get out there and run?
It already has.
Hmmm, when I hear “Sarah Palin” how come I think “narcissist”?
“Hmmm, when I hear “Sarah Palin” how come I think “narcissist”?” Projection?
Dougies infatuation!
“Projection?” That’s it! Because every reasonable person knows, there is no such thing as a valid criticism of Sarah Palin…..
Doug, she may be your nightmare and the Democratic parties nightmare. Sort of like how Ronald Reagan was the Democrats nightmare. Actually, both she and Reagan are the nightmare of global communists such as yourself. I am beggining to think it was a girl who took away your lunch money and I’ll bet she looked a little like Palin.
What is your f ing problem? She is far more qualified to be President than the current office holder. I guess the ten or so people who read what you have to say will soon find you irrelevant.
Herb, you have never had a valid criticism of any republican. All you are capable of doing is repeating what your commisars tell you.
Right! That’s why I’m on television all the time, whoring out my oldest daughter, and have written a horrible book….oh wait a minute! I’m not on television, I don’t even have a daughter to whore out, nor did I ever write a book (which Michael Reynolds is probably very grateful for!).
Dammit!
“Hmmm, when I hear “Sarah Palin” how come I think “narcissist”?”
Thanks for the laugh. At least she never claimed to “make Oceans rise” or said “We are the ones we’ve been waiting for”. You have to be a real narcissist to make those statements. I can’t think of anyone more full of himself or herself than the community organizer and part time masquerading as President.
“I am beggining to think it was a girl who took away your lunch money and I’ll bet she looked a little like Palin. What is your f ing problem? She is far more qualified to be President than the current office holder.”
I honestly believe the guy (Doug) has it in for female Repub candidates. I say that because of his numerous posts attacking Sharon Angle, Kelly Ayotte, Christine O’Donnell and Gov Palin. And it wasn’t just because he trashed them; It is the manner in which he trashes them. Like an elistist snob he trashes them as bumpkin know nothings who don’t belong in Politics. I really think the guy has a problem with female conservative politicians. I really do. I cannot ever remember reading anything positive on this blog regarding any female Repub politician.
“Herb, you have never had a valid criticism of any republican. ”
Coming from you, that’s a compliment.
Sarah Palin is disliked (even hated) by the “professional Left” because:
She has a degree from an Idaho college instead of Harvard.
Is still married to the same man.
Is family oriented and maintains her femininity.
Elected to keep her Down’s Syndrome child instead of aborting him.
Can hunt, fish & shoot like a man.
Got elected to the highest post in Alaska
Did an excellent job there but chronic lefties kept suing her and defense was at her personal expense.
Wrote a best-selling book and now, a successful TV docudrama.
Is a mover and shaker in free market American politics.
Smooth Jazz — Do you really believe it’s snobbery to point out that a moron with no clue about how the country works is a moron with no clue how the country works? If so, you have a fascinating view of the concept. Anyone with an actual understanding can be dismissed as a snob and an elitist. Meanwhile, there are no rules that apply to the marching morons.
If you want to be governed by fools and thieves, that’s your choice. If you feel it’s snobbery to disagree, then I’m a snob, too.
You have to be a real narcissist to make those statements.
Title of Discovery Channel’s new reality series: “Sarah Palin’s Alaska”.
“Is a mover and shaker in free market American politics.”
Wins the Internet today.
Steve
“I honestly believe the guy (Doug) has it in for female Repub candidates. I say that because of his numerous posts attacking Sharon Angle, Kelly Ayotte, Christine O’Donnell and Gov Palin. And it wasn’t just because he trashed them; It is the manner in which he trashes them. Like an elistist snob he trashes them as bumpkin know nothings who don’t belong in Politics.”
I honestly believe that if you gave Doug a female Repug who actually knew SOMEthing… He might actually say they belong in politics (even if he did not agree with them).
As is, your examples back him up. Try again.
And Doug, please stop obsessing over Sarah Palin…it’s so unseemly.
I mean, what are you doing writing about an ex-governor, ex-VP candidate, Fox News commenter, reality-show star, self-appointed Tea Party Spokesperson, and now potential candidate for POTUS?
What does any of THAT have to do with politics?
“Title of Discovery Channel’s new reality series: “Sarah Palin’s Alaska”.”
Yeah, because “Sarah Palin’s Real America” just didn’t sound right….
I do love John425’s reasons why the left hates her. Almost all of them are bunk, but they do fit nicely in the victim mentality the Palin family has perfected.
“Is still married to the same man.
Is family oriented and maintains her femininity.
Elected to keep her Down’s Syndrome child instead of aborting him.”
Yeah……keep telling yourself that, homes.
She has to win the nomination if she runs. Running for president is hard work. Harder work than being governor of Alaka. Requiring either good organizational skills or the delegation or responsibility to people that have good organizational skills. These are not areas where Sarah Palin is likely to excel.
I can’t wait for the Republican debates with Gov. Palin, Gov. Romney, Gov. Huckabee, Gov. Barbour, Gov. Pawlenty and Gov. Jindal.
Sarah Palin is disliked (even hated) by the “professional Left” because:
John 425: Not sure what world you live in, but for the record…
“She has a degree from an Idaho college instead of Harvard.”
I don’t care where she got her degree OR how many years it took her to get it, Hats off, she got it.
“Is still married to the same man.”
So? So are half the people I know… Means what?
“Is family oriented and maintains her femininity.”
What the hell does that mean? That she is still a woman? Great to know she has not had an addadicktome…
“Elected to keep her Down’s Syndrome child instead of aborting him.”
Again, good for her. WTF has that got to do with anything?
“Can hunt, fish & shoot like a man.”
If you believe that, (that she can do all that and still look like a barbie doll) than you are far more naive than you deserve (I wonder how she would look all covered in blood after gutting a moose?)
“Got elected to the highest post in Alaska”
And then quit…
“Did an excellent job there but chronic lefties kept suing her and defense was at her personal expense.”
I repeat: She QUIT!
“Wrote a best-selling book and now, a successful TV docudrama.”
If you think she actually wrote that s**t when she could not recall what she reads…
“Is a mover and shaker in free market American politics.”
Free market WHAT?????????????
“Doug, she may be your nightmare and the Democratic parties nightmare.”
Right Zels.
There’s no way the Democrats want the ditz Obama crushed by 10,000,000 votes in 2008 to face him again in 2012.
Paliniana
From clotted North, the vibrant voice
nails drawn across the national blackboard
comes the daughter of the midnight sun
to slay liberals with her whatever
half a governor, half a wit,
she strides the foxy boards
baton twirling, flags unfurling
her magic regnant to her thralls,
immaculate, unblemished, tongue-tied.
Glorious Sarah, thy wisdom undiminished
the Couric beside thee withered, impuissant,
in the brilliance of thy nonresponses;
to not know is to know that not knowing
is the knowledge hardgained through
not reading, not thinking, not.
This notknowledge is the raiment,
the scepter, the crown, the corruscating
plenty of thy aspect.
When Albion’s detritus upon these shores
washed up, when Jefferson, and Madison, and
all those guys, this nation did fashion, in
the bosom of revolution — not evolution —
in no dreams of patriots unheralded, could
thy advent find a home, gravespining as
they are, thou is beyond their ken:
Thou hast had witches cast out, it’s on Youtube;
So, you betcha, and you betcha, and you betcha,
The world awaits pants damp.
Tom P — Half the people you know are married to the same man? Do you live in Utah?
Prediction: she’s going to run, and the GOP will nominate her, and then she will lose to Obama.
You heard it here first.
@ Herb
Book of John 4:25 reads:
The woman said to him, “I know that Messiah is coming (he who is called Christ). When he comes, he will tell us all things.”
Did you miss that?
***Prediction: she’s going to run, and the GOP will nominate her, and then she will lose to Obama.You heard it here first.****
ya about a miilion times allready. I smell fear…….
@ Top p
As I recall, scads of politicians quit their offices this year rather than face the ire of their constitutes. Nobody is throwing tantrums over that. Why Not?
oops … @ Tom P
As I recall, scads of politicians quit their offices this year rather than face the ire of their constitutes. Nobody is throwing tantrums over that. Why Not?
“scads of politicians quit their offices this year rather than face the ire of their constitutes.”
Name one. Does “scads” mean “zero?” Because “not running for re-election” and “quitting your office” are two different things.
“As I recall, scads of politicians quit their offices this year rather than face the ire of their constitutes.”
So, explain to us, Rock, why all these fire-eating, budget-cutting teatards are running away from the House Appropriations Committee like it’s a plague pit? Say, here’s an idea: they don’t want to be associated with the cuts they’ve been howling about for the last year, and, you know, incur “the ire of their constituents”.
I feel sorry for you guys, in a way — all the future holds for you is disappointment, and not a liberal in sight to blame it on. Get ready to suck it up.
ya about a miilion times allready
What you’ve heard “about a miilion times allready” is that Obama will beat her if she runs and if the GOP nominates her. But who else is predicting that she will run and the GOP will nominate her? I’m making that prediction. I don’t see a lot of other people making that prediction.
And I have a pretty good track record with my Palin predictions. Four days after McCain picked her I predicted that she would end up with a reality show. Who else was saying that?
http://volokh.com/posts/1220358062.shtml#425689
I smell fear
Please continue to delude yourself. Why should I be afraid? One recent poll found that “67 percent saw her as unqualified to be president” (as cited in the Draper article). Good luck with that. All Obama will need to do is remind voters what Romney et al said about her in the primaries (the 2012 primaries, that is). The “fear” you smell is coming from the few sane people remaining in the GOP.
All Sarah has to to is remind voters about the terrorists Obama pals around with, and point out the loose screws he brought into the White House with him
remind voters about the terrorists Obama pals around with
What a great idea. Why didn’t anyone think of that two years ago? Oh, wait.
Pay no attention to the fact that this strategy didn’t work last time. Try it again! It will help demonstrate that the GOP is packed with creative new ideas, and is determined to not repeat its old mistakes. Makes perfect sense.
“Doug, she may be your nightmare and the Democratic parties nightmare.”
While she may be Doug’s nightmare, for the Democrats, she is more like their salvation, as nothing more could help the president to get reelected than to have her as his opponent…
“I smell fear…….”
There’s something wrong with your nose, as it is more like amusement and glee, not fear…
“All Sarah has to to is remind voters about the terrorists Obama pals around with…”
Oh yes, because that worked so well for the ticket she was a part of in 2008…
Then Sarah can remind the voters about all the politically connected pals, unions, insurance companies, and large corporations that have received waivers from Obamacare. Seems as if they are too important to comply. These exemptions or waivers are admissions that Obamacare will be an abject failure.
She’ll have to shut down that foul-mouthed snotwad Willow Palin. Paraphrased — “You’re just jealous because my family is famous and yours won’t go anywhere. And f**k you offsides.”
My mother would be beside herself.
> I smell fear…….
Take a shower.
Any of you dipsh*ts talking about quiting your office have to pay your own legal bills? Of course not, you are all a bunch of liberal nascar democrats (always turning left). If you were governor of a state and had to eat your own legal bills, and they amounted to more than 2 mil in less than 2 years, because people like you kept filing baseless lawsuits and running up the governor’s legal bills and taking up her time fighting baseless lawsuits (has Palin lost a lawsuit yet?), yet the state wasn’t going to pay her enough to cover her legal bills making it an untenable position to continue to be governor. Yet quitting is all you dipsh$ts can talk about. Maybe all the lost legal suits should have to have paid the legal bills of Palin, maybe then she wouldn’t have had to quit and you could all get your thongs out of your a$$e$. But your friends in Alaska kept filing frivolous lawsuits and drove Palin out of office and onto the national stage where the rest of you nascar liberals get your thongs in a wad about her. So it is liberal Alaskan’s fault for forcing Palin onto the national stage and you all have to suck it up and live with it, at least it isn’t as expensive as living with the failed policies of Obama that me and my children and their children are going to have to live with. mpw
> But your friends in Alaska kept filing frivolous lawsuits and drove Palin out of office
Do you remember the right’s war on Clinton? What did his legal bills run into? Oh yea, millions.
Did he cut and run? Nope.
If you can’t take the heat, stay out of the kitchen.
“If you can’t take the heat, stay out of the kitchen.”
Nooooo!
Me and millions of other Americans will feel cheated if Sarah the Quitter doesn’t streak across the 2012 election sky like a spastic comet before crashing to Earth.
Maybe if we send her some money?
Um, the actual claim, by Sarah Palin, is that the TAXPAYERS were paying the “$1.9 million” to defend her, not that she herself was footing the bills.
Moreover, an investigation by the Anchorage Daily News demonstrated that that number was grossly overstated, given that most of the “1.9 million” was in the form of wages that state employees would have been paid anyway.
Now, it is true that the state spent $300,000 to investigate the “TrooperGate” incident, but that investigation was done at the request of…. Sarah Palin….
If you were governor of a state and had to eat your own legal bills, and they amounted to more than 2 mil in less than 2 years
Baloney. As Alex already pointd out, your claims are greatly exaggerated. See here:
http://www.law.com/jsp/article.jsp?id=1202432145600
And she earned her legal bills, because she abused her power. See here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alaska_Public_Safety_Commissioner_dismissal
And then lied about it, repeatedly. See here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alaska_Public_Safety_Commissioner_dismissal#Areas_of_possible_factual_inconsistency
And here:
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/fact-checker/2008/10/four_pinocchios_for_palin.html
Sorry to confuse you with the facts. I’ll be waiting patiently while you go find facts to support the phony claim you made.
Alex,
As an author here and someone who possesses a degree in law, you should have the capacity to understand the basics of the issues concerning Palin’s legal situation.
Democrats attacked on two legal fronts in an effort to destroy Palin after the election. One was focused on her in her capacity as Governor, which was consuming enormous state resources complying with FOI requests and legal fees. The other was directed at ethics complaints against Palin that Alaska law uniquely requires the Governor to defend with personal funds.
With your training, you must be aware that responding to even the most frivolous action is expensive and time consuming.
Would it be asking too much for you and Doug to apply your education and a modicum of research time to learn the fundamentals of the subject you choose to write and comment upon?
Tom p,
“Is still married to the same man.”
So? So are half the people I know… Means what?
Means she’s doing a hell of a lot better than Rush Limbaugh, Newt Gingrich, Glenn Beck or Ronald Reagan.
“Tom P — Half the people you know are married to the same man? Do you live in Utah?”
Ha! good one, wr.
ethics complaints against Palin that Alaska law uniquely requires the Governor to defend with personal funds
If this law is bad, then why has Palin never lifted a finger to try to change it? Either before, during or after her own problems with that law?
Whining is easier than solving problems. Her obvious preference is to do the former.
Would it be asking too much
Would it be asking too much for you to understand the facts of Troopergate? Because that was her most expensive problem, and it was a problem she earned.
Jukeboxgrad,
Would it be asking too much if you read the link you provided?
Final Conclusion
On November 3, 2008, CNN reported that the Alaska Personnel Board had concluded its probe and determined that Palin had not violated ethics laws, contradicting the earlier investigations. Tim Petumenos, the lawyer hired by the Board to conduct the probe, was quoted as stating in his final report, “There is no probable cause to believe that the governor, or any other state official, violated the Alaska Executive Ethics Act in connection with these matters.”
Sometimes, you need to look beyond Chris Matthews and Keith Olbermann to gain the knowledge to speak on a subject. I realize that deep in your heart you believe Palin is a criminal of the worst kind, and her involvement in the firing of a brave and loyal trooper like Wooten was an example of political power oppressing the common man, but at some point you need to accept reality.
Tim Petumenos, the lawyer hired by the Board to conduct the probe
The Petumenos report is a joke. I demonstrated that a long time ago, here:
http://volokh.com/posts/1225811385.shtml#476336
All the revelant facts about Troopergate can be found via here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alaska_Public_Safety_Commissioner_dismissal
When you look at those facts, it’s obvious that the Branchflower report is credible and the Petumenos report is not.
And it would be helpful if you explained why she told a brazen lie about the Branchflower report. See here:
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/fact-checker/2008/10/four_pinocchios_for_palin.html
It would also be helpful if you explained her numerous other lies in connection with Troopergate, which are documented here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alaska_Public_Safety_Commissioner_dismissal#Areas_of_possible_factual_inconsistency
her involvement in the firing of a brave and loyal trooper like Wooten
Wooten was never fired. Nice job revealing that you’re not familiar with the most basic facts of Troopergate.
Jukeboxgrad,
If you insist, we can play by your rules and ignore the reports we disagree with.
In this new light, do you find it odd that an Indonesian born president would appoint the murderer of Vince Foster to be Secretary of State?
we can play by your rules and ignore the reports we disagree with
What a nice example of projection. “Ignore the reports we disagree with” is a description of your rules, not my rules. Have you even read either of the reports, let alone both of them? I didn’t “ignore” the Petumenos report. On the contrary. I read it carefully, and analyzed it in detail. What I found is that it’s a joke, and I demonstrated that here:
http://volokh.com/posts/1225811385.shtml#476336
If you can identify any problems with that analysis, I look forward to hearing them. And if you can identify any problems with the Branchflower report, I look forward to hearing about those, too. But so far you’ve described this many: zero.
I’m beginning to think James only brought Doug here to help raise ad revenues. Every time I hear “Sarah Palin” I think “Well, OTB just paid for another month of hosting”.
I will gladly stop writing about Sarah Palin if she will retire quietly to Wasilla and stop trying to insert herself into national politics.
Until then, it’s sort of hard to not write about Sarah Palin on a blog that covers politics. Heck, the number of news items about her I’ve seen this week that I chose not to write about would be enough to cover an entire days worth of posting
Every time I hear “Sarah Palin” I think “Well, OTB just paid for another month of hosting”.
There’s an important underlying truth here. Palin isn’t just good for ratings at OTB. She’s good for ratings everywhere. Palin loves to be stared at, and many people (both her fans and her critics) love to stare at her. She’s entertaining (often unintentionally). The desire to stare at her is not unlike the desire to slow down and stare at a wreck on the highway.
So even though she’s made a career of whining about the media, she’s the ultimate media creature herself. The media loves to give her coverage, because she’s great for ratings.
So this is why she’s going to run: because she’s all about maximizing the attention she gets, right now. That’s what drives her, not some long-term plan. And running will get her maximum attention.
And she will win the primary, because she will get an enormous amount of coverage (i.e., free advertising), because she’s good for ratings. The other GOP candidates will not be able to match that.
it’s sort of hard to not write about Sarah Palin on a blog that covers politics
Palin is arguably the most powerful person in the GOP, and the GOP frontrunner for POTUS (much to the chagrin of the sane wing of the GOP). So the idea of not writing about her is absurd.
Jukeboxgrad,
I’ve scanned the writings you linked to at Volokh.com and all I can say is “Wow”.
Although it’s obvious you’re a high-functioning obsessive, you might want to speak with some professionals who can help with issues of acceptance and disappointment. It appears this could be an issue that you lose sleep over and perhaps affects other areas of what should be your life.
If you find that you continue to get more upset with each success of Sarah Palin, some form of counseling is essential to help you deal with these feelings of perceived injustice. Channeling the feelings into writing is acceptable, but make sure you don’t do anything more “proactive”, even though you’re convinced everyone would agree with you if only you could get them to see the “truth”.
Left untreated, you could end up like Andrew Sullivan.
I’ve scanned the writings you linked to at Volokh.com
I’ve scanned your comment and I can’t find the part where you identify any substantive problems with my analysis of the Petumenos report. I guess this is your way of telling us that you couldn’t find any. But it’s nice to know that you think a gratuitous psychoanalysis is a substitute for dealing with the facts of the matter.
“But it’s nice to know that you think a gratuitous psychoanalysis is a substitute for dealing with the facts of the matter.”
Hey, don’t knock it, that’s worked for Charles Krauthammer for years…
Good point, I didn’t think of that. Maybe jwest is even Charles himself.