I like Sarah Palin, I really do. When oil was spiking to all time highs Larry Kudlow interviewed the Governor of Alaska. She was attractive and intelligent and very well versed in the energy arena. Her track record as Governor is impressive. We need a lot more politicians just like her. She started on the City Council, then Mayor and onto Governor, all while raising a family. She remains grounded.
As the VP derby got into swing her name was tossed about but it seemed Pawlenty or one of the others who’d been fully vetted would get the nod. When McCain made his surprise announcement I was pleasantly surprised. She was then and remains now a better candidate and politician than McCain, who has “reached across the aisle” to sponsor some horrible legislation. Who knows, if he were elected we might have passed “cap and trade”.
She made a splash with her convention speech and her vibrant style. But the buzz didn’t last long. It was evident from the start that this was a campaign stunt by McCain and it failed as miserably as his “suspend my campaign” gag.
Soon we heard she had a pregnant teenage daughter. This alone should have steered McCain elsewhere. Then came the interviews where she couldn’t name the papers she reads. Snotty Charlie Gibson posed the “Bush Doctrine” gotcha question. As sick as I am of slick politicians who don’t give direct answers I am more nauseated by the liberal media. That said her handling of that was amateurish at best. I prefer not to defend her answer. McCain and Palin both had to know that only Mr. 57 states would be cut any slack and anyone who threatened the inevitability of the chosen one would be attacked mercilessly.
I’ve said that I or many of my friends would make a better President than Obama and I am not kidding. Sarah Palin was the best candidate of the four top ticket nominees. Biden is a buffoon and McCain is not even a good senator. Obama is proving to be the disaster many of us warned of.
Sarah Palin is many things Obama is not. She is an unapologetic, patriotic American. She is a capable administrator with an understanding and appreciation of American business and free market capitalism. She would have surrounded herself with the best and picked a competent cabinet. We will never know how good she could have been.
McCain-Palin lost. It’s impossible to know if a proper VP choice, say Sen. Tom Coburn or Gov. Tim Pawlenty would have made a difference. Frankly, I think a president McCain might have done more harm than good. What further damage would he have done to the Republican brand? What would have been the result of the midterms? Who would win in 2012? Probably a Democrat.
As horrifying as the Obama era has been so far, we can hope to repeal much of the horror-but we’ll need a Republican president to sign the bills.
So what candidate gives us the best chance to take the White House? I think there are several quality candidates who are likely to enter the race-and there is Chris Christie. He is adamant that he is not running. The best reason to think he might be persuaded comes from Ann Coulter: “Because the country needs him.” Christie gives us two big things: the right stances on the issues and an incredible ability to speak bluntly. There are many candidates who can deliver the right message but a Christie / Obama debate would be fantastic television.
First let’s toss out virtually the entire 2008 primary crowd. Mitt Romney can’t seem to admit his colossal health care mistake as Governor of Massachusetts. He is not the guy to champion repeal of Obamacare. Giuliani is a great executive and has an interesting blend of fiscal conservatism and social centrism but he seemed unable to run a national campaign. I doubt he can repair that image. Huckabee is a TV huckster now and would not be backed by the tea parties. Ron Paul is too far out.
Newt Gingrich was not a candidate then and I doubt he will be in 2012. He’s thought to be smart but his ego was and is a problem. Sitting on a couch with Nancy Pelosi calling for action on climate change is a deal killer. Shame on you Newt. When smart people do stupid things we are left to wonder.
Pence, Perry, Thune and DeMint. Don’t think so.
From the short list we’ll hear about Tim Pawlenty, Haley Barbour, Mitch Daniels and Bobby Jindal. I’m ruling Daniels out for his embrace of a VAT tax. That is unforgivable. While his record in Indiana is solid, some of what he tried to do and didn’t, like raise taxes, disqualify him. Jindal can recover from that awful speech. Barbour and Pawlenty are fine. It’s all about the message.
Charles Krauthammer says 2012 will be the year that dull can win. It will be a backlash to the Obama style over substance debacle. I don’t know about that. Charisma matters-but a little can go a long way. It will take a combination of enough charisma and solid, even perfect pitch on the issues.
We need to hear a message about pro-business policies; how low, steady tax rates are essential for the growth that will bring jobs. Our next president will be proud of America and proud to be an American. No more apology tours. He or she will point out that bad government policy led to the economic crisis-not tax rates that were lowered in 2003 and brought years of prosperity and increased revenue.
We didn’t know Bill Clinton just a few years before he became president. Clearly most voters didn’t know enough about Obama before voting for him, no thanks to the mainstream media. It’s possible we will get to know a Pawlenty or other candidate much better in the months to come.
What’s crucial right now is that we avoid recycling the hacks form the past, doomed candidates like Newt Gingrich, Huckabee and Romney. And it is crucial that we do not nominate Sarah Palin.
She is everywhere and not in a good way. There’s the Alaska reality show and her idiot daughter on Dancing with the Stars. Please. She is not helping her image. It doesn’t matter. She is damaged goods. You do not get a second chance to make a first impression.
I don’t care if the GOP base loves her. You win elections by winning the independents. That is what puts you over the top. They voted for Obama in droves. They hate Palin. They think she’s stupid. She’s not. It doesn’t matter. When they vote they don’t have to reveal that they just can’t stand her voice-or whatever.
This country simply cannot afford to re-elect Obama-or will it be Hillary this time? It doesn’t matter. If we don’t repeal Obamacare and get this economy on track we’re in big trouble. We can’t afford a couple more liberals on the Supreme Court. We can’t afford to kick the entitlement pyramid down the road a few more years.
Sarah Palin has a good gig now. She needs to do the right thing and announce right now that she is not running. She should issue a statement that says she will endorse the Republican candidate, whoever that may be. She should express hope that they are free market advocates who believe in American exceptionalism and a strong defense.
The left loves her now because they view her as the unserious, weak and beatable candidate. If Obama breezes into the primaries without a serious challenge from Hillary or another lefty then Democrats can jump over and vote in the GOP primary in many states. The primary system is already a joke. It gave us McCain before we here in Illinois got to vote. We can’t let them pick Palin for us this time.
Sarah Palin is a good American and a good Republican. She needs to bow out now so the serious contenders can duke it out.
Pat Duggan
CenterDebate 