Sunday, July 5, 2009

Sarah! Sarah! Sarah!

By Alan Caruba

Sarah Palin’s stunning announcement on July 3rd that she would step down as Governor of Alaska at the end of the month left all the political pundits gazing into their crystal ball desperately looking for an explanation.

The most obvious answer was the one she offered. She had done as much as she thought she could do for Alaska and now she wanted some time with her family. We are conditioned to never believe what politicians tell us and, in most cases, that is the wisest thing, but Palin breaks the mold in many ways.

The first thing everyone wants to know is whether she will run for President? She is enormously popular with many rank and file Republicans, but probably not with the power brokers within the party. She is, unlike John McCain, a true “maverick” because she actually believes in the major tenets of conservatism, limited government, strong defense, and fiscal prudence.

The GOP has long since strayed from those Reaganesque values and there is no better recent example than George W. Bush. For the life of me, I still have no idea how McCain got the nomination and things got really bizarre when he plucked Palin out of the wilds of Alaska and near total obscurity.

She was, after all, a woman. The last time a presidential candidate selected a woman as his running mate was Walter Mondale who chose Geraldine Ferraro and that turned out to be a Democrat disaster. What was McCain thinking? Of course, that’s what Republicans keep asking no matter what McCain says or does as he seems like some kind of stealth Democrat most of the time.

Palin was an instant hit; a sudden political superstar and, at the same time, also a candidate in over her head when it came to a national election. The press quickly lampooned her as a Moose-shooting rube from the only state less far away from the lower 48 than Hawaii. Even so, she was dynamite on the stump. And she still draws large, enthusiastic crowds to the consternation of Democrats and some Republicans.

Palin suffered from one of the worst political campaigns in recent memory. McCain had no central message, few new ideas, and poor delivery whether delivering a speech or in an interview. The man was painful to watch. He looked old. He sounded old. The contrast with his young running mate made some think the wrong person was on the top of the ticket running for president.

Palin was, by virtually any political standard, unique. Plain-speaking, possessed of a photogenic family and with personal, religious, and political values that rang true with a lot of people who sensed she was the real deal as a conservative.

She also did not appear to have much depth when it came to the major issues challenging the nation. She tended to speak in clichés and still does.

She brought out the very worst in Democrats/liberals. I cannot recall when a candidate was so viciously attacked. The mainstream media parachuted reporters into Wasilla, Alaska in a desperate effort to find anything bad to say about her. On Saturday Night Live, a devastating satirical portrait by Tina Fey turned her into a joke; someone who “could see Russia” from her front porch.

If the GOP could bottle whatever it is she does that drives liberals like New York Times columnist Maureen Dowd insane, we could begin to win some elections again. Citing another hit job, a profile by Todd Purdum in Vanity Fair, Dowd notes that some regard Palin as suffering from narcissistic personality disorder, but clearly has not noticed any evidence of this in President Obama.

So why did she quit and what will she do now? I think the girl from Wasilla wants some time with her family while she and they are still young. She has five children and one grandchild. They are Track, Trig, Bristol, Willow and Piper. Unwed, teenage Bristol is the mother of Tripp. This is definitely not the Brady Bunch.

She probably also needs time away from the horrid attacks. I don’t think most of us give much thought to the toll such savagery takes on a public figure. She surely has done nothing to deserve it other than to become a rising star among a fairly dull Republican roster of potential presidential candidates.

Larry Kudlow, the columnist and radio host with a brilliant take on economic issues, thinks she is the new head of the Republican Party and I think he may be right.

And, finally, I keep thinking she would really like to take off the gloves and tear into Barack Hussein Obama. The Alaskan Governor’s office is not the right place to do that. Combine that will a quarter million in legal expenses to defend against spurious charges, and the reason for leaving early seems fairly obvious.

She needs a bigger platform and her new freedom gives her one.

The President becomes more vulnerable to serious criticism with every passing day and, so far, Republicans have been too quiet. Palin is likely to do politically to Obama what she has already done to a Moose.

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

The last line was the one I want to come true.
C. Bensing

Alan Caruba said...

Me,too!

Carolyn said...

Hi Mr. Caruba. I like her. I remember during Bush/Kerry campaign, one of the questions that was floating around, was "Which candidate would you rather invite for a BBQ". I could apply the same thing here with Palin and every other candidate we've had - even among republicans. She's real. I always felt that with the liberals- if I was ever to meet one and shake their hand, they'd soon after, rub their hands on their pants to "get the common off!" Sarah has more in common with gun totin' Bible clingin' folks like myself. I don't know though. I wouldn't be disappointed if she decided to run, but maybe I'm kind'a gun shy now- seems like normal decent folks become brain dead and corrupt as soon as they get elected. If I can vote by then, I really will have to look hard to make sure someone didn't go back on what they said. I think the main reason I am shy with Sarah, is that she gave in too much to McCain's handlers, and backed off on a lot of things. I know she was probably told it's for the good of the party blah blah, but when she spoke down here in South Florida- she ROCKED! She spoke from her heart- not from the handler's words. Does this make sense?! Sorry again, I'm always so long winded! God Bless!

Unknown said...

The liberals fear her, tell me why else would they attack her so viciously?
She's everything they dreamed they would be, but alas can't be.
One thing I liked about Sarah, she didn't take this Letterman thing lieing down. She attacked and he backed off. Good for her.
Alan, you couldn't have put it in better words about McCain.
After, the Obama, our country will be in tatters , if we have a country left?
We need someone strong to stand up !!!

Alan Caruba said...

Note to Redvel:

The URL you provided was not accessible.

Maja Hi Maja said...

"I don’t think most of us give much thought to the toll such savagery takes on a public figure". How about always calling "Barack Hussein Obama" as if you are trying to show that he is a muslim. Since day one, Obama too has faced similar ridicule with people trying to portray him as a Muslim terrorist who was trained in Indonesia. He has taken all this attack with a laugh and all I can see of Ms Palin is crying foul. The fact is that she is not fit for a bigger platform. The bigger the platform the bigger will be her mistakes.
I see the conservatives trying to scare people how bad the country will be after Obama. It cannot be any worse that what Mr Bush left. So cheer up.

Red said...

Good post. My feelings are the same.
As far as Maja Hi Maja crying foul over folks implementing Barry's full name, cry me a river. He IS muslim. He came out and said as much. Everything about him is fraudulent and narcissistic. Worst president since Carter! I can only hope that Palin is regrouping and educating herself more in regards to world affairs so that (hopefully) she can come out swinging and taking names in 2012. Speaking of the Letterman debacle, check out Cynthis Yockey's call to fire David Letterman, a worthy cause for sure. http://www.aconservativelesbian.com/2009/07/03/how-to-bring-the-campaign-to-fire-david-letterman-to-your-local-tea-party/

Guy said...

Alan, thanks for letting another leftie demonstrate their ignorance. Calling Barack Hussein Obama by his full and real name is, of course, FACTUAL, whereas nearly every vicious lie the left has spewed about Palin has been a total falsehood. I believe that being the governor of a state certainly qualifies as adequate experience for the Presidency. This country just elected someone with virtually NO experience. How can the Obama lovers justify that? What the left just doesn't understand (or the Republicans for that matter) is that the SOLUTION to this mess we're in is a candidate who ISN"T part of the status-quo. Washington needs fresh blood, fresh thinking, and a President who isn't connected to all the power brokers and special interest groups that have destroyed this country. That's why Ross Perot got so many votes, but that's also why BOTH sides of the aisle wasted no time destroying them both. People are looking for REAL change, not the pocket change Obama is giving us, and these fresh candidates pose a real threat to the old cronies who are busy feeding on the American taxpayer. Bush was a member of that group of cronies, entwined in the increasingly oorrupt system we call a government. He failed us miserably, and I can understand the political shift that has ocurred in this country as a result. However, the simple fact that Sarah Palin is a registered Republican is no reason to destroy her. I simply can't understand why the left cannot put their partisan politics aside and see that Palin would be good for this country. She certainly wouldn't be dragging us down the path to Socialism as Obama is. Maybe she should run as a Liberatarian? Regardless, thanks again for posting MHM's comment. It highlights the fact that those who are infatuated with Obama haven't even begun to see the light yet. Let's hope that when they do, it isn't the "blinding flash" type ....

Travis sez said...

Such a great angle on why "our" Sarah chose to cut short her lame-duck status. She sees a need to brush up on history, using her innate moral and conservative compass. She may be "The One" destined to lead us out of the hellish, apocalyptic mess caused by the Dear Leader, Barack Hussein Obama. We need such a libertarian and conservative champion to take back both houses of Congress and unseat the POTUS.

ajdshootist said...

You might like to point out to many people BHO is a Mulim as under the Muslim faith you line decends though the male line and as his father was a muslim so is he,in the Jewish faith you faith goes throught the female line,anyway i belive BHO is a Kenyan Muslim as he was born in Kenya his Grandmother said so but then he wont show his birth cert or any of his records so what is he hiding!

Anonymous said...

HARD TO KNOW WHERE TO START

You hit so many resonant points, and concluded with what will be the icing on the cake if it is true. And, if what made us all like her in the first place was the real deal, I have no doubt it is.

Regarding your comment "...Dowd notes that some regard Palin as suffering from narcissistic personality disorder..." (You can tell a lot about someone by the lies they tell about others.)

Yes, she won't accuse her herself, she'll just use the anonymous "some" who shall remain nameless, but who the dowdy old duper obviously wouldn't be citing unless she thought they were authorities, because she is as honest as the day is long, ...in the winter in North Alaska.

Dr. Sanity has some excellent material on the Left, who viciously "project" their own pathology onto their opponents.

The reason Palin is such a magnet for their malignant hysteria is that she is not only a decent person, but wants to bring that decency into public office. But, dig as they may, they can't come up with any but all too normal human failings, which drives them into an even greater frenzy because Palin deals honestly with them, as all well balanced people do.

I also don't know what McC was thinking when he chose her, but his "mistake" will be our gain if only she will be able to rally real Conservatives, and do it in time to fix what the Dems are destroying at record speed.

In a way I'm thankful she isn't the vice president, because I think she'll do much better in the Oval Office. She's certainly much more intelligent, honest, and decent than the disingenuous dufus we are currently stuck with.

Anonymous said...

@Guy

"I simply can't understand why the left cannot put their partisan politics aside..."

Evan Sayet does an excellent job addressing that very puzzling behavior of theirs.

Anonymous said...

"It cannot be any worse that what Mr Bush left." -- maja hi maja ho maja haha (Zero-zone)

It already is. (and that's just the tip of the oncoming iceberg)

And before Zero-bama and his pirate crew are done, America will never be the same.