I Don’t Think We’ll Be Seeing a President Palin
July 3rd, 2009 by Steven GardnerUPDATE: Thank you for all your comments. In Sunday’s Washington Post there is a story that, assuming those commenting are right, sheds light on why Sarah Palin quit as governor. I stick by my hunch that there will be no President Palin, ever. I wouldn’t bet money on it, though. Give her a few years in the U.S. Senate and out on the speaking tour and she could become viable. No way that happens by 2012.
Toast.
That may have been my thought, but I’m actually quoting someone else. This from a Fox story:
Larry Sabato, the director of the Center for Politics at the University of Virginia, said Palin is political toast.
“If she wants to run for president, what she’s done is hand a tremendous two-by-four to all of her opponents, Democrats and Republicans alike,” he said.
He comparing (I think they meant “compared”) her to Ross Perot, saying the third-party presidential candidate was widely viewed as erratic and unstable despite drawing support for his position on deficits.
The one way I would hedge my bet on the headline is by saying 2012 would not be her year. I just don’t see enough Republicans backing her for the nomination, then enough Americans voting for her. It’s difficult enough for a loser. Try being a quitter. Palin does have a solid base. So did Ross Perot, solid enough to help Bill Clinton get elected twice.
She could win a Senate seat in Alaska and gain some more national cred that way. Not for a presidential run in 2012, I don’t think.
Then there are the reasons she says she’s leaving. What I heard was, “I’m a lame duck so I can’t be of any real good to Alaskans.” Her announcement Friday seems to impugn the integrity of any elected official who stays in office with no thought of running again. By that logic, George W. Bush should have resigned on Jan. 21, 2005. Anywhere there are term limits the electeds should quit as soon as they win their final elections, if we are to follow Palin’s assertions today.
To hear someone else question the wisdom of Palin’s move, should it be some angle to run for president in 2012, check out Joe Scarborough on MSNBC.
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July 3rd, 2009 at 9:25 pm
Stick a fork in her. She’s done.
July 3rd, 2009 at 10:04 pm
We rarely agree, Elliott. But on this we do.
I’m extremely disappointed in the reasons I’m hearing for the resignation and wouldn’t vote for a person who previously resigned for these reasons. If it was for a health reason or specific family issue that arose unexpectedly, that is one thing. But “I’d be a lame duck” or “there is too much side show”… well, frankly, those are lame excuses.
I’ve been a strong supporter and a fan up until now. But I’m extremely disappointed tonight and would not consider Palin a good candidate for any elected office in the future.
One final thing I do want to say about this. Because I’m disappointed in Palin does not mean that I now think that the ferocious witch hunt that has dogged her since the nomination was appropriate or fair. She and her family were subjected to some of the worst behavior I have ever seen by media and critics. It has been shameful, hateful, and at times nearly obscene.
Regards,
Kathryn Simpson
July 3rd, 2009 at 10:31 pm
Toast? I think not.
Perot quit clearly marking him as poor material for president with the entire country depending on him – not just his family.
Had to believe anyone could look at what Palin did today as a ‘quit.’ What she did was a great act of dedication for her state. She turned the reins over to the Lt.Governor to allow her great state of Alaska to carry on without constant distraction and cost of harassment and lawsuits filed against Palin. She won the lawsuits but it had to have taken her attention away from the state she was voted in to govern.
How much money have taxpayers lost due to crooks in office and taxpayer dollars spent on recent REAL, not imagined scandals involving governors and elected political figures – all male it seems.
How many of those scandalous, formally trusted public ‘servants’ did the decent thing and resigned for the sake of their office? Few considered their office over personal desire and gain – costing taxpayers even more money. Most denied almost to the end, their guilt. They were proved liers.
I too heard Palin talk about ‘lame ducks’ but have a different conclusion.
Maybe she is too honest…we’re not used to honest, upfront politicians… and too used to disbelieving anything they say.
Palin isn’t smooth and sophisticated. She probably didn’t go to Vassar or graduate from Harvard, not attended a charm school.
What she has is energy, decent, honest and forthright courage and conviction. I don’t think Palin knows what ‘quit’ means. Few Alaskans do.
President Palin? Maybe someday. We have most certainly done worse, in my opinion.
Sharon O’Hara
July 3rd, 2009 at 11:22 pm
Sharon,
If an elected official allows themself to be intimidated into resigning because others are trying to distract them from their duties then the elected official is allowing the election process to be subverted by a few radicals that get their way instead of those that elected the person to office to get the full measure of their vote (a full term by the person elected).
If Palin has “decent, honest, and forthright courage and conviction” then she would finish her term as the people of Alaska elected her to do.
Regards,
Kathryn Simpson
July 3rd, 2009 at 11:34 pm
There are many, many political commentators who have said that it was a shrewd move on her part. Quite the opposite of the opinion stated here.
We’ll see.
July 4th, 2009 at 1:00 am
Kathryn, Have you seen Sarah Palin seem intimidated at any time since she burst onto the scene?
I doubt she can be intimidated by much of anything…least of all to give up her duty to the people of Alaska who elected her governor. She resigned for Alaska’s sake… a pure motive, not from intimidation.
We’ve seen her look annoyed, irritated – especially when she must have realized Katie Couric had her own adgenda during her interview and it wasn’t pro Palin…it wasn’t even objective, certainly not fair. Palin didn’t know what hit her.
If memory serves, Mike Wallace did the same sort of thing to Barbra Streisand on a 60 Minutes interview some years ago. It was the first time I ever saw a newscaster seemingly ‘attack’ the person being interviewed.
I think Palin and her family learned some hard lessons during the last campaign and since…that some folks including media are or can be cruel, mean and just plain nasty – for no apparent reason. No matter what Palin says, the most amazing spins will tumble out from never land.
I like Alaska and the Alaska folks I’ve met are tough and honest. They are independent and self sufficient.
Sarah Palin stands out unique in a company of too many state side political and media sly sharks and jackals. Or so it seems.
Sharon O’Hara
July 4th, 2009 at 7:49 am
To be intimidated you first must be aware.
I love Sarah Palin for her posture and her intense humor,
but the one thing she is not, is aware.
Is it shrewd to walk away from the job you were hired for two years early?
Only if you’re a complete failure.
Quitting just solidifies that assessment.
July 4th, 2009 at 7:51 am
Sharon,
She was elected to a four year term. You don’t just hand 30% of your term over to the Lt. Governor because you won’t be running for re-election and the state is getting a lot of FOIA requests. The excuses are lame.
Mary,
I haven’t been particularly impressed with “many, many commentators” for a long time. It should surprise no one that there are many,many citizens who don’t just parrot what pundits pontificate.
Regards,
Kathryn Simpson
July 4th, 2009 at 9:21 am
Sarah Palin is a certifiable nut-job, everybody just wait and see, we will all find out that she is bailing out because somebody, somewhere was about to reveal some extremely scandalous information about her, and or, her family. I have read countless news articles, and watched many interviews of folks from Alaska who have stated, not in as many words but, that the Palin family has many skeletons just waiting to bust out of every closet in their house.
July 4th, 2009 at 9:43 am
And the emails are beginning to leak out…..Source CBS News
This comes exactly one day on the heels of Keith Olbermann’s Countdown publishing a vociferous email exchange of then, John McCain campaign staffer Steve Schmidt, which provides strong evidence that Sarah Palin was attempting to enlist the McCain campaign in a fraudulent cover up of
her husband Todd Palin’s 7 year membership in the Alaska Independence Party, whose specific agenda is to get Alaska to succede from the United States.
“Please get in front of that ridiculous issue that’s cropped up all day today – two reporters, a protester’s sign, and many shout-outs all claiming Todd’s involvement in an anti-American political party. It’s bull, and I don’t want to have to keep reacting to it…Pls have statement given on this so it’s put to bed.”
[October 15th 2008, Gov Palin email to Steve Schmidt, Source CBS News]
The following is a quote by Mr Schmidt who was a McCain campaign staffer who leaked a series of emails to the press which was published on Keith Olberman’s Countdown earlier today where literally hours later Sarah Palin announced her resignation.
[quote]“Ignore it. He was a member of the AIP? My understanding is yes. That is part of their platform. Do not engage the protesters. If a reporter asks say it is ridiculous. Todd loves America.”
[October 15th 2008, Steve Schmidt email to Gov. Palin, Source CBS News]
Palin’s email reply to Mr Schmidt:
“That’s not part of their platform and he was only a member BC Independent Alaskans too often check that Alaska Independent box on voter registrations thinking it just means non partisan. He caught his error when changing our address and checked the right box. I still want it fixed.”
[October 15th 2008, Gov. Palin email to Steve Schmidt, Source CBS News]
Schmidt reply to Sarah Palin:
“Secession, it is their entire reason for existence. A cursory examination of the website shows that the party exists for the purpose of seceding from the Union. That is the stated goal on the front page of the website. Our records indicate that Todd was a member for seven years. If this is incorrect then we need to understand the discrepancy. The statement you are suggesting be released would be inaccurate. [sic] The inaccuracy [sic] would bring greater media attention to this matter and be a distraction. According to your staff there have been no media inquiries into this and you received no questions about it during your interviews. If you are asked about it you should smile and say many Alaskans who love their country join the party because it speaks [sic] to a tradition of political independence. Todd loves his country. We will not put out a statement and inflame this and create a situation where John has to address this.”
[October 15th 2008, Steve Schmidt email to Gov. Palin, Source CBS News]
July 4th, 2009 at 9:43 am
I would like to offer another possible explaination. I believe that her personal legal fees is a legitimate concern and may well have been a factor in her resignation but let us also consider her rise to governor. She defeated incumbant governor Frank Murkowski based on charges of corruption. His daughter is US Senator Lisa Murkowski who is up for re-election in 2010. Lisa has had some questions raised about some of her ethical dealings as well. Lisa’s political leanings are also to the left of Sarah Palin. The Lt Governor is a republican so the move does not damage the party but may well strengthen the parties position as the Lt will now be the incumbant. If victorious in a senate race she would strengthen here credentials in national politics. Perhaps she is not looking to 2012 but to 2016, but even so a short term in the senate did not hamper Obama so why would a short term in the senate hamper Palin if she were to run for president in 2012?
July 4th, 2009 at 11:32 am
Interesting to see how the comments fall. There is the “she’s a flake, I would never vote for such a person” crowd, and unlikely many of those were ever considering doing so, and the “she is shrewd” crowd, also unlikely anyone can know for sure about the shrewdness factor.
She has made her decision for her reasons and, right or wrong, only time will tell the outcome. The wisdom or lunacy of her move will be debated, but cannot be known in the present.
All of the pronouncements, including this one, are bombast. Uh, check that definition before firing back.
July 4th, 2009 at 1:37 pm
HarCol,
You call it correctly. We do not know the wisdom or lunacy of her move and whether it was motivated by finances, political aspirations or family concerns.
That is what I meant to say when I said that many commentators think it was a shrewd move. We don’t know her motivations and how things will turn out for her.
I never liked the woman. I felt that her policies were dangerous, but I have felt sorry for the abuse she has taken regarding her family.
July 4th, 2009 at 4:06 pm
Ah Mary. I also agree with MarCol but I’m curious to know from what source you feel Palin’s “policies” were dangerous? Dangerous how?
Dangerous to whom? I’d say our present state of affairs in the nation were brought about by our inattention and indifference to the people we elected to represent us.
I am not ‘blaming’ anyone… not Obama, though I didn’t vote for him….and we can’t lay it at Bush’s doorstep either.
WE, the taxpayer, are responsible for electing too many self serving idiots…such as the folks who dipped into Social Security and diverted the funds so the people who paid into it all their working lives paid into a system that has how many years before its bankrupt – ten years?
We’ve got people right here, blogging common sense and cutting directly to the core of issues and they do not run for office. Why not?
For starters: Why should they subject their family and themselves to media abuse such as Sarah Palin’s family has been subjected to?
We seen to like charming liars and those without personal accountability. We must because we vote them into office election after election and have for decades.
Palin did not bankrupt our country… how is she ‘dangerous?’
In my opinion… Sharon O’Hara
July 4th, 2009 at 4:51 pm
“Dewey Beats Truman!”
July 5th, 2009 at 8:53 am
I did not get a clear understanding of Sarah Palin’s reasoning for leaving office from her speech. Even though it was quite long, she made vague references to her reasons and used sound bite language that left me feeling that indeed, we do not yet know the whole story. I suppose the next chapter will write itself.
However, I do feel that Gov. Palin was not seasoned for the national stage and all that brings when she decided to run as Sen. McCain’s VP. It takes time and experience to learn to deal with the press, political machinations, late night comedians, fierce competitors (from within one’s own party as well as without). She clearly has still not learned the value of clear concise press statements. What ever she is doing her speech came across as rambling and lacking a straight forward, logical message. It was lacking polish and professionalism – the sort needed to play on the national field, though perhaps it could have worked in Alaska.
And I’m sorry, but who quits before their term is up, particularly in this economy with all the problems states are facing? That is irresponsible, no matter how little one likes the job and all that has come with it.
When Gov. Palin decided to run for VP what concerned me was her own lack of appreciation that she did not yet have the experience or knowledge to run for national office, and that she nonetheless was seduced by the grand idea of doing so. That she had so little idea of the experience necessary to run the most powerful nation in the world that she thought she could go from small town mayor, a couple years as governor of a rural state, to VP of the United States of America? Her resume was simply lacking. To run anyhow spoke of naivete and ego. That the press took her apart does not make her a special victim, just another victim, and naive if she thinks otherwise. Buck up and deal with it.
Who knows how much happier and more successful she might have been if she’d followed a more traditional career path and earned her stripes first. If she’d been tempered by time she might have handled this differently. Instead she has apparently been overwhelmed.
I hope that she takes about six months off to settle down. Then hires a (seasoned and wise) manager and follows their counsel. She undoubtedly could salvage something here and have future success, but not if she keeps up the way she has been. If she doesn’t learn from these things, she’s doomed to repeat them. And the one thing that is clearly being repeated is that she intends to stay on the national stage (America vs Alaska). My bet is that she will succeed best as an author, pundit, speaker, and tv or radio host. She could become quite rich, have more flexibility, and be held to a lower standard. I think serving in office may not be her forte.
July 5th, 2009 at 9:59 am
HarCol is right…it will be a year before the motives are even known and if it was her decision or the result of collective thinking that resulted in the decision.
She always used the one term I always will associate with her, her governance and her campaign……reform…..soon to be needed in this country more than ever.
July 5th, 2009 at 12:03 pm
Sharon,
in some ways, I think you are right. However, I disagree strongly with Palin’s decision because she wasn’t in a job. She ran for a four year term and was elected to serve that term. Stepping aside because some radicals are attempting interference only incitest
those radicals to persist in their methods. She has ceded 30% of her term and that is a victory for them, not Palin or her ideals.
In my mind, Palin has ceded the liberty of the voters in Alaska. It would be a different matter entirely if Palin had done something wrong a violated the public trust. That merits resignation to restore public trust. But she is superceding the choice made at the ballot box. That bothers me. Alot!
Regards,
Kathryn Simpson
July 5th, 2009 at 12:07 pm
Wb,
Well said.
July 5th, 2009 at 1:15 pm
wb – You are way off.. and should she follow the course you set, she will end up another ‘politics as usual’ political hack.
Haven’t the politics as usual crowd done enough damage to our country? You make good points for the current standard for politicians and they are exactly how this country got into the mess it is in – the same old ‘politics as usual.’
It is time to look toward fresh ideas …not the seasoned and smooth politicians you advocate. They have led us into financial ruin and overall loss of personal accountability – for starters.
Sharon O’Hara
July 5th, 2009 at 1:21 pm
Well, I’ll tell ya. I was a fan of Gov. Palin before she was picked as McCain’s running mate. I was delighted at the pick and I thought her a breath of fresh air. For Obama to claim she is inexperienced when he has hasn’t even run so much as a Dairy Queen is one of the most laughable things I ever heard in the election. I think the invective hurled at her from the left was absolute garbage and showed the socialists as they truly are. They’ll do anything to get their way and I absolutely detest the earth they walk on. I think they will kill this country.
I give you that background because, in my view, Palin just blew it. It’s all over for her. This is a total screw up on her part. You can’t do this kind of thing and get away with it. I’m extremely disappointed and I’m afraid I have to write her off. Too bad, but bye bye.
July 5th, 2009 at 7:47 pm
Sharon,
I appreciate your point of view. I am thinking carefully about your suggestion that it is “politics as usual” that I’m essentially advocating. That is not my intention. Is “politics as usual” equivalent to experience, insight, and knowledge? Is an understanding of the layers of motives and meanings behind the language and actions of our competitors, friends and enemies around the world, and being able to wisely determine, along with cabinet and congress the best course of action, “politics as usual”? Is possessing knowledge of world politics and economics not a good thing for the President who commands the enormous might of the US military? Is being allowed to gradually develop the thickness of skin to not take personally nasty, callous, deliberate or indifferent insults and judgments by the press, by constituents, or by colleagues, rising above their words to calmly and dispassionately make the best decision with a view to the long term, is that “politics as usual”? I think of it as a maturing process, of gaining experience, not of a polluting process. It’s like any professional gaining necessary experience. What they do with that experience is determinative.
To me, politics as usual is political self interest over the national interest. It is being manipulative as opposed to being strategic. Compromise can be recognition of and respect for the diversity of opinion and values in a democracy or it can be lack of character.
I merely think that Gov. Palin could have eased into things a bit more gradually and in doing so, have had a chance to take life and its lessons in a more reasonable dose. Instead Gov. Palin seems to have found herself in the deepest end of the pool and out of breath, instead of athletically and gracefully doing her laps.
July 5th, 2009 at 9:52 pm
wb, Palin may well be in the deepest end of the pool, but she is far from being out of breath. Florance Chadwick was a powerful swimmer, athletic but not noted for graceful swimming. She was known for breaking swimming records and got the job done in her own style.
We have a president who didn’t follow your recommendations into office either…somehow he was elected with little experience for the job.
You are a smooth writer and make good points – but the folks who follow your guidelines usually follow someone else – they don’t lead. in my opinion.
Sarah Palin did what she believed best for her state and put her state ahead of doing what other people expected her to do.
I don’t consider hanging on to a job no matter how harmful it might be to the office, commendable. News reports have been full of politicians hanging on in spite of wrongdoing…they are doing as most here suggest, completing their term.
Thanks for your thoughtful comments – you have a nice writing style, but I disagree with the content.
Sarah Palin has only begun her service to this country, as I see it. She is an endurance swimmer…
Sharon O’Hara
July 6th, 2009 at 9:27 am
Sarah Palin, like Clarence Thomas, Dan Quayle and other potentially effective conservatives are attacked and maligned for one reason only. BECAUSE they are potentially effective conservatives. Sarah Palin and Dan Quayle were both the victims of a press scrutiny that would have sunk Al Gore and Joe Biden, on the very same grounds, if the media (and their liberal supporters) turned their full attention to their short comings.
I suspect that Sarah Palin is fully aware that she is not in a fair fight. This is not a country where our politicians can freely discuss the issues and work out advantageous solutions. It is a country where the press is so one sided that only politicians with liberal points of view are allowed true freedom of expression, while conservatives are shut down, not by debate and discussion, but by attacks and lies. The one network that doesn’t tow the leftist party line is also attacked. NOT praised for providing a healthy alternative, but mocked for being one-sided.
I just read an interesting quote out of Pravda, Yes, the Russian news agency. American capitalism gone with a whimperThere are real issues to be spending our collective political intellect on, and it is not on Palin’s poor family.
My greatest hope for Sarah Palin is that she has set her sights, somehow, on reforming the way our country does politics. How refreshing it would be to see both sides of the political debate get a fair chance to state their cases and not have a press that is so obviously and unashamedly in one camp.
July 6th, 2009 at 12:37 pm
I am reading interesting comments about Sarah Palin leaving office early. We see this all the time, for as long as I can remember, but her early resignation seems to grate. One need look no further than Kitsap County to see instances of politicians who left to move on to something else prior to completing their terms. The names Bozeman, and Shrader come to mind. And then, of course, there is the current holder of our highest political office. I am not going to pick on any of these people, but leaving early has been going on for decades and I am curious as to why this is such a big deal now.
July 6th, 2009 at 1:37 pm
Bozeman and Shrader won’t likely be seeking another political office in the future. So, those are pretty much mute points. Shrader’s was particularly grating, though, because she “retired” after running for re-election only 18 months before and still had quite a long portion of her term left. I liked Sharon, but I didn’t like that decision.
Obama was elected to another office. Some would call it an electoral promotion. Unfortunately, it is common practice in this nation to tolerate elected officials running for another elected office while serving their current term. I suppose it is fair because every incumbent would be in a predicament if you couldn’t run for office while seated in an elected office. I don’t like it, but it is common practice.
I would have a problem with Endressen trying for another elected office when she didn’t finish her term as county commissioner.
As for Palin, she may have aspirations for future office. She has certainly been posturing as if that is the case. I believe that quitting with 18 months of her term left prompts some legitimate criticism.
Now, I say this and I’m a fan of Sarah Palin. Would it cause ME to vote for Barack Obama instead of Sarah Palin? Not likely, because other issues would outweigh that issue to me. It might sway my decision in the primary, though, if I’m asked to make a choice between…say Romney or Palin. And it will certainly hurt her ability to sway those who are further to the middle or left of center than I am. Thus, she is shooting herself in the foot if she has aspirations for future elected office. Both within her known support base and the middle where she would need to pull in order to get elected.
Regards,
Kathryn Simpson
July 6th, 2009 at 10:37 pm
“I don’t consider hanging on to a job no matter how harmful it might be to the office, commendable.”
Speculative ‘to and fro’ regarding Palin’s future prospects aside, the above was perhaps the most lucid point in this thread.