FWIW, I Think Michael Is Right on Palin July 3, 2009
Posted by daveintexas in News.trackback
How fucking often does THAT happen?
Look, I’m just spitballin here. Sarah’s move today has handed the left a huge, if somewhat superfluous victory. They feel as if they have defeated her, taken her down.
They are all about the feelings, the goddamn rats.
I don’t pretend to understand her motives. I know she took some hits that were ramped up lately by that Schmidt fucker. And also more on the right, including Krauthammer and Goldberg.
I’m just asking for a timeout, and some consideration of what the hell just happened.
I have lamented, recently more perhaps than I should have, the reaction from Palin fans whenever we offer up an honest criticism of her ability or motivation. I ain’t gonna dig into em now even the hugest fans at their gut level know what the hell we’re talking about, if for no other reason than when one of your own goes “huh”? you treat it differently than when your sworn enemies spit on her.
And yet, when you have a kitchen pass, and you still ask a question, you often get a visceral reaction from your own side that is largely “goddammit, look at all the shit she has had to take, and now YOU’RE doing it too?!? You FUCK”.
Yeah.
Politely, we seemingly cannot or will not separate legitimate criticism from the illegitimate vomit that has been spewed upon her in spades. Unlike how we treated Bush over say, Harriet Meiers or amnesty.
She has been treated unfairly because of what she espouses and what she represents. Yes. All true. Fucking duh. She’s been treated precisely the same way George W. Bush was treated. The same way.
Question. Did she think she would not be so treated? Her family? Her kids? And herself?
I believe the answer is, because I believe she isn’t an idiot, has to be “of course”.
So my question today is why the hell would she do this?
And my stupid answer is “I don’t know”. Honestly, I have no idea. But because I believe she isn’t an idiot I do believe she understands the ramifications of her decision. And they aren’t good. There is no spin that works here. Not the “I want to protect my family” spin (unless you’re out for good, then I believe that). Not the “goddamn lawsuits are wearing me out” spin, she could raise a half million or more for legal defense standing on her head, witness Billy Jeff’s ability to do the same from people who were fucking disgusted with him.
Nope. I don’t buy either one.
Why? I don’t know. I think the answer lies in what she does next. And that’s the only answer that means jack shit.
Michael took a stab at prognistication, over at H2:
FWIW, I thought her explanation of the resignation on her official website was awesome.
Now, she either retreats into private life, or she does what she says she is going to do — keep on fighting, and support others.
That means, basically, that she makes a ton of appearances in support of Republicans in the upcoming Congressional elections. She uses her star power to help them raise money. She collects chips. She also forms a PAC and starts collecting money with lucrative speaking engagements.
I’m with Rosetta (meaning, I agree that Dave is a doofus). I think Sarah knows exactly what she wants to do, and she can’t do it as Governor of Alaska. She’s looking at Obama, she’s looking at the weak Republican field, she’s looking at tea parties and unemployment data and the general fear of the public, and she smells blood on the water.
Could be wrong, but I think she is a very smart and very ambitious politician. And I agree with an earlier comment — she needs advisors, not “handlers.” She did not appear in Runners World by accident. She’s poking the MSM in the eye.
So my qualified assertion is Michael is right. Psychotic, but right. What she does after this tells us what the hell she’s thinking (duh again). We’ll know what we know when we know it.
My prognostication is she’s done. I would rather it not be so, and I would rather she fight. But if this has moved her to “fuck this shit”, well hell, who am I to say “no?”.
Nobody, that’s who.
Added: If she fades out, then I totally believe the “I’m tired of my family getting dragged through the mud” idea. Again, who could blame her?
How fucking often does THAT happen?
I’ll let you know. I’ve been keeping the scorecard for 37 years. I’ll tally it up and let you know, Dave.
We’ve been discussing this at
NiceDeb also…
btw — I noticed some wonderful things while listening to her speech.
1) She used the word “WE” when talking about our nation, her state, and her staff. Not much “me” “I” or “my” going on there… THANK GOD!!!
2) She affirmed the work of others first and foremost.
3) She honored the military.
4) She spoke positively about progress.
5) She was happy, smiling, and kind (no evil-eyes or frowns to try and control people).
6) She obviously plans to remain a cheerleader for Alaska.
7) She spoke in complete sentences.
8 ) She made sense!!!
9) I didn’t see a teleprompter anywhere. Correct me if I’m wrong on this. She did it from her lawn.
I hope she sticks around. She’s good for the GOP.
I hope she does too. I’m just saying we don’t know.
Also saying if you question anything about her, some supporters tend to get tetchy.
Also saying if you question anything about her, some supporters tend to get tetchy.
Like anyone gives a shit what Rosetta thinks.
The important question right now is this — how do we move past Palau on the Flag Counter?
Rosetta thinks?
I will paste a few thoughts I had at H2 here.
I can understand with all the lawsuits and the money to fight them. Also having a kid Trig’s age would really make one think. The hate is strong too. So many reasons to resign.
However if she were to get out on speaking engagements etc to pay off the legal bills and keep in front of the people she could up her numbers and build her base. I mean after all if she is making 100k a year as the Gov and she can make 50k doing speeches she can pay off those legal bills much faster.
She is going to take a hit from the media and the party elite for resigning, but she is being pilloried daily and can do little to defend herself while running the most remote state in the union.
If she can fund raise for 2010 congressional appointments and pay off her legal bills while all the while raising a bigger base I think it might work.
I am a moron so what do I know?
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Sarah Palin could raise a half million bucks to defend herself without raising a pinkie. And more.
Sarah Palin could raise a half million bucks to defend herself without raising a pinkie. And more.
How could she do that as Governor of Alaska? Are there any precedents of a state Governor doing so? The Dems have been hitting her from every side with ethics charges; raising money for a legal defense would only fuel that fire. I think raising money is much easier for her if she is not the Governor.
Yes, there are precedents.
http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/003690.php
Although I think the state should foot the bills myself.
From your link:
See what I mean? If she tries to do this as Governor she is going to have 50 times more crap then this thrown at her.
Do you honestly think a $10,000 limit per donor would keep her from succeeding at raising the necessary cash? Were you gonna write one for eleventy hundred?
Ninja please.
Do you honestly think a $10,000 limit per donor would keep her from succeeding at raising the necessary cash?
No, but maybe a $5 limit would. You seem to want to avoid the fact that this person has been charged with 15 ethics violations in the past 6 months and there is nothing from stopping her from being charged with 1 for every donation she receives. Why is it so hard to accept that maybe she doesn’t want to got through that anymore?
Were you gonna write one for eleventy hundred?
Sounds like if you don’t agree with the Palin ‘questioners’ they get a might tetchy.
I’m not avoiding anything. 10 large per person can do the job.
Look, if she doesn’t want to do that, I get it. I said so. Quitting this bullshit is understandable.
Calling it a super scary secret political manuever is something else entirely.
Calling it a super scary secret political manuever is something else entirely.
May I ask why you hate Sarah Palin so much? Just because her state is bigger then yours?
May I ask why you project your disappointment so much? Did you do this when I kicked Bush’s ass over amnesty? Just asking.
I can’t find my flag counter edit button. I don’t think I can edit mine.
And I like your observations, Cathy.
For the record, I thought that Jonah Goldberg’s remarks were mostly on the mark.
May I ask why you project your disappointment so much?
I’m actually not disappointed because I take her at her word as to why she is resigning. If you want to posit that she just committed political suicide I would not argue with that. Its going to be tough to run for a higher office if you quit a lower one. But you seem to want to take it one step further by saying she is lying. I don’t agree and I’m just trying to understand why you think that is so.
For the record, I thought that Jonah Goldberg’s remarks were mostly on the mark.
He sounded like a jilted lover. Meh.
I’m not saying she’s lying Brew, I’m just saying there are two possibilities and we’ll know when she does something down the road, that’s all.
FWIW, I think the nonsense about “scandal” is just that, it’s crap.
I’m not saying she’s lying Brew
Ok, my bad. And I agree; her next move will tell the tale.
Also, I watched the vid you posted of your worship piece. Awesome.
Now I am off to bed for some much needed beauty sleep. It never seems to work but I keep trying.
Thanks. WE ARE AT DEFCON 5, ALL CLEAR, ME AND BREWSTER
Dang.
Hit the neighborhood bar for a burger and beer and miss the cat fight.
I don’t think Palin’s problems, and those of her supporters, are with the left. It’s the constant back-stabbing, critiques and “suggestions” from the Republican intelligentsia. You know, those folks that brought us the consensus builder, MAVERICK. I think Palin recognized that the Krauthammers, Noonans, Wills and the paid political hacks of the party would be constantly yapping and biting at her ankles. I’ve already expressed my opinion on why they feel the need to constantly “help” the Governor.
It’s one thing to play 5 on 5 and take on the opposition. It’s an entirely different story when it is 2 versus 8.
Then she can’t take it MCPO. It’s that simple. It isn’t fair, but it is what it is.
I still don’t pretend to know her intentions, and that’s the whole point of my post. And if she’s had enough, well God bless her, who wouldn’t have at this point? But I can’t rally around her if she’s done now, can I?
Nor can I. I was attempting to explain why many of her supporters react differently to criticisms of Palin than to those of Bush. The see a woman to whom they connect and view the sniping of pundits and blog writers as piling on.
I do not believe Palin will run for elective office again. Rather than viewing as some sort of victory for the left, I view it as a victory for the Rockefeller RINOs. . . which is worse.
I agree with MCPO. Personally, I believe the relentless attacks from her own side, be it the Clueless Beltway GOP, the Yachting Class GOP Punditry, or the unchecked leaks from McCain’s people, with no hope for help from Our Betters, may have worn her down more than anything from the left. The leaks from the Maverick people in the Vanity Fair piece were disgraceful, and something in my gut tells me that that piece was a signal that the Establishment will never embrace or defend her, and she figured “why bother?”
I dunno. Just a wild ass guess on my part.
Also, who will Allah hate now that Palin may be done for?
And it bugs me, selfishly, that she gave em that. But I do understand if that’s the case.
Dave,
I saw her speech. I think she is not quitting politics. We will see.
Rather than viewing as some sort of victory for the left, I view it as a victory for the Rockefeller RINOs. . . which is worse.
Bingo.
At this point, I am starting to hate RINOs more than I hate leftist Democrats.
Oh, and Dave: I agree with you. If she tries to come back now she better have a damn good explanation, because her opponents and enemies will make what they did to her since Mid August 2008 look like a wet book of matches.
Like I said in another post, Bush quit to say he was running.
Also, the establishment picked him. Sarah doesn’t have that, granted.
I think there is a difference in the way Bush was attacked and Palin is attacked. The real vitriol against Bush did not start until after the initial blitz of Iraq. Before that, it was the usual, ‘he is a GOP President/candidate, so he must be a dunce’ type of stuff. And the venom did not reach these levels.
With Palin, they started the slashing and burning the moment she was announced as a VP candidate. I don’t think any politician was so systematically and viciously ever attacked in the history of US politics.
I, of course, could be wrong.
Also, another shitty part of this deal is that in the eyes of her haters, this vindicates them an heir tactics. And I have a real problem with that from a petty, selfish POV.
Of course we do. It’s why people are so goddamn pissed, and willing to come after people on their side.
Just spitballin’ here, but I suspect the Beltway chattering class picked a fight with the wrong lady.
Look for the Sarah Palin American Values Tour to start soon.
Unlike McCain, or herself under the tutelage of McCain handlers, she will not be afraid to kick Obama and Pelosi in the nuts at every stop.
Here’s an observation I posted at Nice Deb’s:
Speaking of the Runners World photoshoot . . .
Let’s be frank about this, Palin is throwing down the sexuality card. I respect her for that. She’s not going to pretend that she’s not hot. She’s being who she is. She has an attactive husband, and everyone pretty much figures that they probably fuck like crazy.
Did that hurt JFK, or Obama? Nooooo.
Of course, it drives the libs and feminists batshit crazy. Does that bother Palin? Nooooo. They are not going to vote for her anyway.
On the other hand, think about the red state base that she has to solidify in the South and West to even get started.
Do they like the fact that she’s hot? Yeeessss!
IF she is serious about running, I don’t believe she is, I cannot fathom how this helps her make the case. Distractions? Fucking fuckety fuck fuck, Presidents deal with a dozen serious ones a day.
Don’t get it.
The wigout from Palin faithfulfollowers, and I’m not talking about those who postulate scenarios, I’m talking about people who got all over my tits today, that I get.
My guess: she really is out for good. And I wouldn’t blame her – think about the amount of shit that would get heaped on Willow and Piper and especially Trig.
For the libs, an acceptable female leader is a brainy lawyer chick with cankles whose husband cheats on her, and she’s rumored to be a lesbian.
Small wonder that they have issues with Palin.
I’m thinking that Palin, unlike McCain, has an understanding of which segments of the electorate can be safely written off, and which segments she needs to cultivate.
Don’t get me wrong, I think Sarah can take whatever they pile on her, and give as good as she gets (actually, better, since she won’t stoop to their level, and also is actually funny ["why the long face, John?" heh]). But she may not be willing to allow her kids to be targets. And should she be?
See, I’m guessing, but I’m also looking at her history. By all accounts, she has been a vicious and ambitious political knifefighter, ever sense she ran for office in Wasilla. There are a lot of people in Alaska who hate her because they got in her way and she stomped on them. People criticize her about this (remember the kerfuffle about the Wasilla librarian she fired?), but that’s actually one of the things I like about her.
^yeah. That’s why this is so baffling.
I hope you’re right, Michael. I just don’t think it makes sense unless she decided she wasn’t willing to put the kiddos through the wringer any longer.
>> I’m thinking that Palin, unlike McCain, has an understanding of which segments of the electorate can be safely written off, and which segments she needs to cultivate.
I see it exactly 180, she’s unwilling at least by present evidence, to do what it takes to pull in enough of the uncommitted to win.
What part of the electorate, aside from energy and guns, has she cultivated?
And how in the world, if she’s serious about running, does this help her?
And how in the world, if she’s serious about running, does this help her?
I already gave you my opinion — this frees her up for the Sarah Palin American Values Tour, leading up to the 2010 Congressional elections, which is all about money and political chips. She has the star power to draw in the crowds and the dollars. She has a weak Republican field lining up for 2012. She has a hugely vulnerable incumbent president. She has the credibility of being a true “maverick” who eschews politics-as-usual, and her resignation was calculated to reinforce that image (note that this was the big theme in her resignation speech — “I am not a normal politician, I place my family and the public interest first”).
We’ll see. Watch her schedule, especially appearances in the bellwether states, and whether she forms a PAC.
The end game, by the way, could work out this way in her head:
-She runs and loses to Mitt in early primaries, and bows out gracefully to campaign for Mitt.
-Mitt picks her as VP for a “party unity” ticket to campaign against the discredited Obama presidency. They win. The Democrats are in disarray after the huge Obama mistake.
-Sarah is young now. After the Romney era, she will have grey hair and be a seasoned elder statesman of the Republican party. So she runs as his successor and becomes the first female president. By then, she certainly would have better credentials than Hillary did.
Also, note that it is Germany, my fatherland and the birthplace of Luther, which is poised to become the first non-English-speaking country to top 1,000 visitors on the Flag Counter.
Sweden, my motherland, is lagging far behind in position #14.
I like her. I hate this decision. Finish the term, kick ass, accomplish things in a tough economic climate. Make progress on the pipeline, etc. THEN decide if you’ve had enough. Take the way Mitt was hammered for his “flip flops” and times it by 20 to imagine the way this cop-out decision will be (justifiably) thrown at her if she runs for anything else. I also don’t think she is ready for prime time. Of course, because of her principals, I’d trade her right now for Obama, and I think Biden is an absolute joke, but I don’t think she’s electable without some serious grooming. Maybe another V.P. chance if she stays in the spotlight and works hard for the team.
I can see a good political reason to quit, and Sarah addressed this in her speech. When she talked about a point guard “passing the ball for the good of the team”, I saw a HUGE opportunity for her to campaign on a “clean out the Aegean Stables in DC” platform.
Follow me here, before you label me as a Palin fanboy: She’s currently the governor of Alaska, who can’t put an extra pat of butter on her morning pancakes without having 12 ethics complaints filed against her by noon. She has left wing assclowns lined up six deep to keep harassing her through the ethics system. These ethics complaints need to be addressed by the State of Alaska, at a cost to the taxpayers of that state. During a time where every State needs to watch their budget, her resigning to prevent this waste can be perceived as the acts of a True Conservative. It would be one thing if the criticism was limited to her actions in office and was all related to policy differences, but what’s admirable about holding onto the governorship by your fingernails while you’re costing the voters at least 3 times your yearly salary to investigate baseless ethics complaints?
This position is helped by the totally unhinged nature of much of the criticism pointed her way. Has there EVER been a political candidate in America being loudly criticized for faking a pregnancy and adopting her daughter’s illegitimate Down’s Syndrome son as her own to keep from being criticized for having an unmarried pregnant daughter? We’re in fresh territory here, and I think the electorate can be convinced that this sort of personal attack REQUIRES the victim to “clear the decks” and get ready to fight the battle without having to worry about not performing their gubernatorial duties properly.
Ultimately, while I don’t feel quite as negatively towards her decision as Dave does, I totally agree with him that the perception of what just happened depends HEAVILY on what she does next. I’m not sure about Skinny’s comparison to Mitt’s flip-flop charges: Mitt’s problem seemed to be that he came off as a glib politician who flip flopped to be “everything to everyone” at one time or another, while Sarah’s resignation can be justifiably explained as someone stepping aside to allow the team to proceed without the distractions. She’s reasonably saying “It’s not about me, it’s about doing what’s right for Alaska”, and I’m willing to give her the benefit of the doubt until shown otherwise.
Okay, I’ll revise my statement. Sure there are dozens of small good reasons for quitting. You can add them all up and together they don’t even come close to outweighing the negative. If a deranged writer can push you off the podium, well fuck. What the hell is that?
Sure, she could become experienced enough to be a national player, in maybe 10 years. The people of Alaska elected her to do a job right now. I believe they have a right to expect her to finish it, unless she’s resigning to do some other important thing. They don’t know because she didn’t say.
So, great! The left now knows it can get as vicious as it wants, and it works. Super.
Sarah already has a PAC: http://sarahpac.com/
So yeah…Michael’s wrong. Again.
http://bit.ly/cFPjV
Not going to have to wait very long to find out what she is up to…
Mark your calendars… July 26th – August 1st.
If you’re looking to Sarah Palin as the saviour of the GOP, you’re truly desperate.
Look, folks, she QUIT mid-term…if a dem governor did that, I doubt I’d be reading here about all the “good reasons” for doing that.
My advice: pick someone else — she’s done.
Mark Steyn has some interesting observations about her reasons for quitting.
http://www.marksteyn.com/
It’s the dirty tricks part that ticks us off, Mark. The unending vitriol over a woman who is utterly inoffensive.
Unfortunately I like to go to the lefty sites and see what they’re saying from time to time…these people are truly vile. The things they say about Trig, the about Palin’s young daughters (can you imagine a righty talking shit about Obama’s little girls??), calling Palin a fundie- and then in the next breath a slut…they are out of their tree about this fine lady.
It’s a goddamn shame they were able to harass and harpy her out of office. A sustained personal attack like that concentrated on one person merely for having had the temerity to run for higher office…disgusting.
As Dave says, I don’t blame her, but they shouldn’t have been rewarded for that kind of behavior. Going after her for wearing a printed jacket at a snow machine event? HELLO?
What was the deal with her holding the fish in a photo? I tried googling it up but couldn’t find a reference to it.
Mark, family squabble. When I want your advice I’ll,
okaaaay, I can’t imagine ever wanting your advice. So stuff that “my advice” bullshit.
I don’t think Sully’s derangement pushed her out. I think the government gridlock caused by the astroturfing of the ethics process was going to end up costing the government of Alaska millions of dollars to investigate bogus complaints, so she stepped down to allow someone else to finish the job she started.
And as far as the left being encouraged to go further negative, that’s only going to happen if she’s leaving politics for good, and we don’t know if that’s the plan yet.
Where can I get a list of the complaints that were filed against her?
Dave, I don’t know what’s funnier: a Moby handing out advice on a semi-conservative blogsite, or someone from New Jersey thinking that the rest of us give two craps & a stroke about his opinion of a Governor. I mean, YEAH…….look at what a great job New Jersey has done at electing Governors lately!
Mark’s not a moby.
I don’t know. I’m just going by all the different things I’ve picked up in the media during the last 9 months or so, but it would be a good idea for someone to compile ALL the complaints in one place.
Unfortunately, I’ve got some brainstorming to do about a bottleneck in our sprayer parts distribution network over the next couple of days, so I’m too busy to do it properly.
Not a moby…still a dick.
…and “Moby” is a pretty charged word. I guess I shouldn’t have used it. Sorry about that. I still think Jersey residents don’t really have a place lecturing people about how Governors are supposed to behave. Not because they’re bad people, but because they don’t really have any experience with good government.
Mark used to hang out at Geoff’s and argue from the liberal side, so he’s no Moby. And usually he’s pretty polite. Minor slip up this morning, I’m sure he’ll adjust.
I really don’t think Mark is a dick. Y’all need to be nicer to him. He’s been nice to us, and he’s not entirely unpersuadable – I’ve seen geoff manage to get him to understand (if not agree with) conservative viewpoints on certain issues.
I still think Jersey residents don’t really have a place lecturing people . . .
Russ – Please confine your complaints to North Jersey. South Jersey, with the exception of Camden, is semi-rural and conservative. Check out the Republicans elected to Congress from that area of the state.
Mark hasn’t said anything rude. A little hurtful if you’re a Palin supporter, yes, but nothing actually rude to us.
That’s what I was trying to address- the ’stick a fork in her, she’s done’ attitude coming from lefties after a few dedicated cranks made it impossible to do her job is just galling.
Leaving her post was the right thing to do for her state in the circumstances, IMO. She knew that they weren’t going to let up, ever.
Whether she turns lemons into lemonade, we’ll see.
Yeah, it seemed a little mean spirited about two seconds after I posted it, just going for teh funnah.
I withdraw my charge of Mark in NJ bearing any resemblance to a male reproductive organ.
I will also agree with Mark that Sarah Palin will not be ‘the saviour of the GOP’, however, I disagree that she is finished as a player in the conservative movement. If she chooses to remain in the arena, she will continue to be a major draw to us dumb hicks in fly-over country because, gosh darn it, we like her. You betcha.
>>I still think Jersey residents don’t really have a place lecturing people . . .
Fine! I will go away then.
Sarah should come down here and campaign for whoever primaries He Who Must Not Be Named in 2010. That might be enough to get that nasty old crank out of office. (I don’t care if the Democrat wins – I’m sick and tired of being represented by a nutjob.)
Hmm…I wonder if I could convince my dad to run against him. My dad’s already an appointed political figure in the state and a volunteer political figure in his city, albeit extremely, extremely low-profile. (I just googled him, and you have to add his profession to get him on the first page of results.)
>>>Fine! I will go away then.
Wait, we’re only talking about Jersey residents with that annoying Jersey accent. Not a problem in your case.
Wait, we’re only talking about Jersey residents with that annoying Jersey accent.
What accent??
HAHAHAHAHA
>>He Who Must Not Be Named
Are we talking about an individual whose name rhymes with Pon Raul, by any chance?
Yes. Yes, we are. You cannot imagine how much it galls me to be represented by him. UGH.
I swear I wasn’t trying to be rude (or a moby, or a dick or a moby dick) – I thought my perspective was actually kind of non-partisan in this case…
Whether viewed from the blue swamps of (central) NJ or the red plains of Reaganville, I don’t see how quitting her post can be viewed as a good move for her political future. Even if quitting was due to media savagery, she still looks like a quitter and raises the inevitable “what’s she gonna do when she’s president?” question…and if she quit because of impending scandal, then it’s all over anyway.
No doubt the media’s treatment of Palin and family was over-the-top horrible, but that’s the game she chose, so tough luck.
On the other hand, I don’t see this diminishing her GOP star-appeal, so she probably has a great future in TV, fund-raising, other non-elected-office-type activities.
>>“what’s she gonna do when she’s president?”
Easy. She has to treat the media like dirt, just like the current President.
Oh wait, she is a Republican.
Look, folks, she QUIT mid-term…if a dem governor did that, I doubt I’d be reading here about all the “good reasons” for doing that.
I’m not surprised that her resignation elicits that reaction – if a Dem politician ever quit for any reason, it would be an amazing event. They would serve out their terms from prison, if allowed.
Note to Governor Sanford: Resign. Resign, resign, resign.
During a time where every State needs to watch their budget, her resigning to prevent this waste can be perceived as the acts of a True Conservative.
I think you nailed it, Russ. I believe this is her main reason for bowing out now… the rest will come… later.
Folks on the left will spin her as looser or a wimp, and all the while be looking for blood in the water. This time Palin knows more about the full extent of what these folks will try. She can not control how folks interpret what she is up to. But I think she is vewy, vewy, smart and tenacious. We’ll just have to wait and see what she is up to.
“No doubt the media’s treatment of Palin and family was over-the-top horrible, but that’s the game she chose, so tough luck.”
That’s a good point, but it only makes sense if the media’s treatment of the Palin family was consistent with the treatment they give to every other political family in America.
Forget about the obvious R/D divide in how politicians are covered: Has any Republican had to endure the crap she’s had shoveled onto her family in the last nine months?
If a bunch of Patriots fans roughed up Archie Manning and his wife in the stands of a Pats/Colts game, would you tell Peyton to “suck it up and play anyway” because football is a contact sport and people get hurt? When the game spills off the field into the stands, people need to start standing up for what’s right.
Oh, and getting back to a previous question from the lovely lauraw: by googling “sarah palin ethics complaints”, I found that the state board has considered 13 separate complaints (many of them with multiple charges included) which have cost the state around $270k. That’s just the complaints that have made it to the board – no mention of how many have been dismissed outright because of obvious lack of merit.
>> No doubt the media’s treatment of Palin and family was over-the-top horrible, but that’s the game she chose, so tough luck.
Let’s not gild the lilly here Mark. It was a coordinated and well funded hit job, non-stop, intended to take her down.
The worst news in this to me is that the left now knows they can be a bunch of vicious shitbags and it’ll work.
For everyone else who’s thinking “oh this is just the next step to something great”, whatever that is, she could have made all of these plans, every one of them, without resigning from office. She also could have shared what they were, whatever they are.
I don’t know. I do know this, she is absolutely unviable in 2012 (actually I believed that already, she just sealed the deal).
Mark:
You secretly Allahpundit?
Alex says it in her own way.
http://doubleplusundead.mee.nu/thoughts_on_palins_resignation#c4
And fuck those on our side who allowed her to continue to get savaged
I could imagine her as the VP candidate again in 2012, depending on how she spends the next two years.
For everyone else who’s thinking “oh this is just the next step to something great”, whatever that is, she could have made all of these plans, every one of them, without resigning from office. She also could have shared what they were, whatever they are.
Gotta disagree with ya, Dave. You are a sweetie and you know I respect you, but I see this one differently. I see a bunch of reasons, and it makes sense to me that she is NOT discussing them right now, but we can… Here are a few…
1) She can make a TON more money outside the Governor’s office, both for herself and for other political candidates. Any speaking engagements made while governor have a very limited revenue to her. It’s the law.
2) She can spend time with other conservatives, networking and being an advocate for them, and they will LOVE her.
3) She can confront the liberal bullshit and come out swinging wherever and whenever she thinks it appropriate. If she were the governor of Alaska — this would need to be severely limited because it could hurt Alaska’s representation if she were doing it as governor.
4) She can be getting experience in other political matters in venues outside of her great state of Alaska, all the while preparing her for some of the next steps she may be planning or making. This LEARNING and GROWING her experience outside Alaska is essential, since this continues to be what people say is keeping her from being considered for the oval office or even VP. She may even stumble a few times in the coming years as she gets her feet wet, and the sharks will go for her. My guess is that she is already figuring that into the big picture.
I’m stickin’ with my original view of it…
She’s a vewy, vewy smart Lady, I’m thinkin’
Loves ya Dave.
AND HEY Happy INDEPENDENCE DAY all y’all IB MORONS!
Love you all.
I’m going to be getting off this computer shortly and making my jaunt up to South Fork Ranch to help at the Dallas’ America’s Tea Party. Michelle Malkin and others will be there. Quite a lineup. Expecting 50,000+ in 100 degree heat. Sounds like Texas-kinda-fun.
And the people of the State of Alaska can just go pound sand? A woman with less than 3 years on the job is going to do all that?
Hookay.
Leaving the governor’s office and announcing your intentions for greater things is a time-honored American tradition, it’s how you explain to the good people who elected you why you’re leaving the post midstream, provided of course you actually do say what the bigger and greater things are.
Otherwise you’re just quitting.
>>Leaving the governor’s office and announcing your intentions for greater things is a time-honored American tradition, it’s how you explain to the good people who elected you why you’re leaving the post midstream, provided of course you actually do say what the bigger and greater things are. Otherwise you’re just quitting.
So your quibble is that she did not disclose her plans for 2012 in the same press conf where she announced her resignation? If she does that in next few days, it won’t count?
Mark, if it was just media harassment, I would think she was a ninny for quitting, even though so much of that vitriol was bizarre and/or aimed at innocent children.
No, it was the *legal* harassment that started immediately upon her return to Alaska. There was a naked attempt to bankrupt her family and drive her from political life without actually fighting her politically.
Didn’t you hear about that?
Can’t speak for Dave, but in my opinion it will ALWAYS count that she QUIT.
I still want to have her babies, but yeah…she quit.
>> So your quibble is that she did not disclose her plans for 2012
It’s one of my criticisms, yeah. In American politics it’s been perfectly acceptable for a sitting governor, representative or even senator to retire in mid term to announce that you are seeking election to a higher office. Keep in mind in many cases, you know you are going to quit and run for another office even while you are running for the one you hold, see George Bush. He asked Texans to put him back in the governor’s office knowing he was going to run for President, but it was too early to declare that.
You are asking for a lot of goodwill, and the goodwill in return is that you are resigning early to pursue a more important job.
So yeah, I suppose she could announce something in a couple of days, but why? I don’t think there is anything or she’d have said so (waiting days is just unorthodox and goofy).
So yeah, I suppose she could announce something in a couple of days, but why?
So that she and I can slip away for a hot weekend in Argentina.
“waits by phone*
Incidentally, The Revolutionary War is on The Military Channel today. Good stuff.
Charles Kuralt had a great voice.
Happy 4th everyone.
America the beautiful! (and that includes NJ)
Happy 4th to you too, Mark. Thanks for stopping by.
Happy 4th Mark! FWIW you are my favorite statist. Now don’t get all teary eyed on me.
We won the war again!
>>and that includes NJ
I live in NJ, but even I would not agree with that.
She quit to take on a tough community organizing job.
I’m like many here that don’t know their asses from sour owlshit about what she’s up to. But watching her for nearly a year leads me to believe that she doesn’t back down from fights. I think she’s clearing the decks, or girding her loins (do women have loins?), to come out and hand a bunch of mouth-breathers their collective asses. Don’t know how she’ll do it, but I’m bettin’ she will. I’m sure as hell hoping she does.
I know you’ve all been waiting for ole doc to weigh in on this, so here you go, lads and lasses: If beltway folks like Jonah and Chucky (I actually like both of them as writers and thinkers) are really making these points “to help” Sarah the politician, why make it public? Wouldn’t it be more helpful to the cause to send her a letter or make a phone call? I think this applies to bigger fish like Ace (huge fan) and maybe pallaundit (not so much a fan – not convinced he really cares a fig about conservatives and our goals, agenda etc. – if he smells the christianity on ya he immediately imputes every bad motive he can imagine to you). We do need honest critiques, helpful suggestions for our candidates, and robust discussion thereof. I wish we could have a private, conservative only venue for it, so it doesn’t feel like a public piling on. How do the liberal bloggers and their soulmates in the msm have it arranged? Someone get on this, chop-chop. Carry on.
I think you’re supposed to tap the slippers together while chanting the wish.
You know what I find interesting?
I mention the details of the kind of harassment that Palin had to go through, and lefties just disappear. They don’t respond to the details of the ridiculous legal harassment over holding a fish in a photo, wearing an Arctic Cat jacket at a public event, to name just a couple of the more well known items of the dozen or so complaints.
I think they won’t say that this treatment is objectively wrong because they don’t care. In her case, as with other big-C Conservatives, the ends justifies the means.
They think really rotten evil people like her and her children deserve to be bankrupted even after they go back to their regular lives. I would not be surprised if she continues to be stalked and harassed as a private citizen.
Why won’t lefties come out and say that this kind of behavior is not acceptable? We are headed down a very perilous road, guys.
The only question is ..what time slot will FOX give her?
Other blogs including some right of center are mentioning that she isnt too smart. I would gladly support a not so smart genuinely honest person over a lying ass subversive genius. No that there is anyone like that in politics…just saying.
Personally, I suspect that Sarah Palin is a very smart cookie. Just because she doesn’t make a parade of her intelligence (like some people I won’t name who are sitting in my chair wearing my shoes) doesn’t mean she isn’t bright.
>> Why won’t lefties come out and say that this kind of behavior is not acceptable?
I think you answered your own question. Even yesterday, Mark in NJ, a reasonably friendly and polite debater, totally low-balled the attacks on Sarah as “media criticism”. “That was the game she chose, so tough luck”.
Really. I find that as despicable as the attacks themselves and anyone putting out such utter bullshit should be ashamed of himself.
106:
The leftards will avoid mentioning photoshops or frivolous complaints directly, instead deflecting to the “she deserves it because she made her life front and center” (ignoring their own times where we were told to leave Democrats’ very visible private lives alone), blah blah blah. Actually, the disgusting nature of their attacks does not surprise me, since that is their raison d’etre, and to do otherwise would cause me to wonder about them.
No, by now I believe you realize that my anger is at those on our side who either did nothing, or openly sided with the haters on the left, for reasons they can only explain. To them, I ask:
YOU FUCKING HAPPY NOW, FUCKFACE? Seriously, what do/did you want now that Palin is gone? You got your wish, she is probably gone for good. Now, what do you have to offer? Who do you support?
damn. I must have been typing my #110 at the same time Dave was.
Saaayyy…you know who this benefits?
(Sorry. I don’t really think the situation is funny. I just thought of that in the shower this morning, and it made me chuckle [more of a dark, rueful chuckle than an amused chuckle], so I thought I might as well share.)
(For lurkers who might not know, that’s a reference to Hugh Hewitt’s insistence during the 2008 campaign that pretty much everything benefited Romney. Naturally, it became a running joke over at AOSHQ.)
Maybe she’ll disappear and take care of her family for awhile. Wouldn’t blame her a bit.
^true. But will the same shitheads on our side who ran Palin off really defend/support Romney? Hell, since a certain whiny “betamale” blogger also had his hate on for Romney, who is left? Will the RINOs support Romney? Will the Beltway Cocktail Party GOP support him? Will the “moneymen” in the party support him? Will the think tankers support him?
Not like it matters. I get the feeling a certain element in our party merely wants to lose, regardless of who is out there.
Palin might have stepped down as governor, but it will probably take a year or two for her to be phased out of comedians’ routines
regardless of who is out there.
I think that’s an important point, Ed. Meaning, to me, it’s going to be Obama’s to lose. It’s going to be a vote for Obama or a vote for Not Obama. If his train-wreck policies don’t have enough time to bear their evil fruit and hurt enough people economically before his 2nd term, he’ll be re-elected. We know the media will continue to carry his water. Sure, I’m just guessing. But so is everyone else.
^exit question:
Will there be massive heartache, or will the beta males come out of their foxholes long enough to state who they support?
In all seriousness, though. Who knows what will happen between now and 2012, let alone 2010.
Just so I can understand a little better, who here considered Sarah a serious contender for a 2012 presidential run?
Full disclosure, I did not. Never did, still don’t. But I’m only referring to that, not whatever other plans or pursuits she might have.
She wasn’t a contender a few days ago, but she had the potential to become a contender. Judging by the learning curve she displayed back in September, I thought she had a good chance to get up to speed on some of the wonkier issues while polishing her delivery a little more (you can never be too polished, unless your name is Mitt).
And of all the known possible contenders who have their names in the hat, she scores the highest on my Trust-o-Meter.
for 2012 you mean?
119: but Russ, she was just some illiterate snowbilly, right?
Dave:
who knows?
2016 would give her more time to prepare, but the election of Barry “Training Wheels” Obama has taught me that experience & personal accomplishments all rank a distant second to “giving a pretty good speech at a convention”.
2012? Unless you can give me a better candidate, I’d have to give her a serious look. Even after the resignation.
*raises hand*
The important part of your question was ‘considered’. Still a fan-boy, I’m just not going to get Teh Fred-ed again.
She’s only 45. If I were her, I’d shoot for the VP slot in 2012, then run for president in 2016 or 2020, depending on what happens in 2012.
Pups:
I didn’t have my hand raised when discussing her, IYKWIM
Michael, if you were her, you’d spend your whole day in front of the mirror playing with your boobies.
I didn’t realize there was a big brouhaha at AoSHQ until I read some of it today.
Actually, I just wanted to type brouhaha. That would be a great band name. I was going to save it until Brewfan made a funny comment, but…uhm, yeah.
Michael, if you were her, you’d spend your whole day in front of the mirror playing with your boobies.
You’re right about that.
Michael is just trying to keep this “I think Michael is right” thread at the top of the recent comments for as long as possible. I refuse to help him.
Dammit!
Dave:
who knows?
I meant you, you goof, you personally. Unless you’re saying you just don’t know if you did or not.
^both
All kidding aside, I had/have no idea. And I agree, I am sure few, if any had an idea either.
Well it’s anecdotal Ed, but a ton of the grief I’ve seen flying over the past few days is coming from people who were very certain she was a viable ‘12 candidate.
So I’m just polling to get a frame of reference.
I’m probably further down the road than even Michael’s suggestion up top, I can see a political office future for her in 8-10 years, but not sooner.
I was at the Magic House with my daughter when this all went down, so all I could do was wait until I returned home to see what happened.
Glad I missed the initial wave.
I was always wary of “wasting” Palin or Jindal on the ‘12 race if Obama remained popular. They’re both young and time will only make them better.
Dave, so you and I are pretty much simpatico on this subject, other than the fact that you’re looking for a little more rebound time than I am? If I think that she COULD be rehabbed in 3 years, and you think that she could be rehabbed in 9 years…….splitting the difference would give us 6 years and make her a factor in 2015? I guess she would be peaking at the right time for the 2016 race, but if Obama wins again will there be much left to save by 2016?