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Sarah Palin: Is Mitt Romney conservative enough for GOP nomination?Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin had been making big headlines even before her speech on Saturday in front of a group of conservative activists gathering in Washington, D.C. In an interview before the speech, she said that unlike nearly every Mitt Romney supporter in the country, she might welcome a brokered convention. “I don’t think that it would be a negative for the party, a brokered convention,” she said. “That’s part of the competition, that’s part of the process. And it may happen.” She didn’t go so far as to call for a brokered convention in her speech to members of the Conservative Political Action Committee. But she did give a shout-out to the benefits of competition. “Competition elevates our game. Competition will lead us to victory in 2012,” she told a fired-up, “Sarah” chanting crowd. And although she never mentioned him by name, she did, as one person in attendance put it, “put a knife into” Mitt Romney. Palin told the crowd that she is looking for someone who will ignore “bullying campaign expert advisers,” who aren’t fit to run for “dogcatcher” but will tell a candidate what to say. “Our candidate must be someone who will instinctively turn right,” she said. “It’s too late in the process to spin it.” The lines got major applause. By this point in the speech though, they were an applause-happy crowd. If nothing else, Sarah Palin knows how to read the mood of a audience and to give it what it most wants. What this one wanted, at least initially, was red meat, and she gave it to them raw by the bucket with lines like, “We aren’t blue Americans. We aren’t red Americans. We are red, white and blue, and President Obama, we are through with you.” And, “President Obama….Keep your change, we’ll keep our God, our guns, our constitution.” And perhaps the best zinger of the speech: “When was the last time you saw EPA block construction of new government building? Maybe instead of calling Washington a swamp, we should call it a wetland." So by the time she got to the competition part of the speech, and by the time she got to excoriating what she often refers to as the “permanent political class,” she had them ready to listen. “This was a very sophisticated speech,” said Stephen Bannon, who wrote and directed the pro-Palin movie "The Undefeated" and who was in the crowd. “By the time she started talking about the permanent political class, the audience leaned into it. There was huge energy in the room. It wasn’t even comparable,” to the other speeches, including those given by the presidential candidates at the event, he said. Her speech, he said, was “better than all of the others combined to the tenth power.” Bannon said that after the speech, one member in the audience turned to him and said, “Imagine what could have been.” It was Palin’s first major speech since she spoke at a tea party rally in Iowa in last September. There, in an Iowa corn field, she tantalized those who wanted her to announce a presidential run by talking about her “plan” for the country. It was a "bona fide working man's plan,” she told the crowd. And the working men and women in the crowd ate it up, sure that she was going to be the next president. Although there is a small sliver who still think that Palin might jump in the race, few in the room at this speech believed it. For most Palinistas, she is now a party leader and an activist, someone who sets the agenda and will lead them down the best path. Peter Singleton, who spent a year away from his home in California to Iowa to organize for Palin in Iowa when he was sure she was going to run, was at the conference. He said that for him it was really never about Sarah Palin, rather it was about principles and ideals. He still believes that she will continue to have a big voice in the party. “She’s still sets the agenda on our side, the conservative side,” he said. “Nobody else had the kind of reception at the conference that she had.” Contact Amanda Coyne at Amanda@alaskadispatch.com Sarah Palin is a robot speaker for a small wing of the republican party who apparently believe they can take any old "a whole" out there and, as long as he gives the TPer's lip service, like Newt Gingrich, get them elected. The Tea Party, is a more or less permanent extension of the campaign strategy that was successfully implemented in the reelection of G.W. Bush. That strategy is: a. Silence the majority with a cut tax promise. The problem with the Tea Party is it hasn't produced a single quality candidate with the intellectual and political range to draw in outsiders. All the TP has done this election is to permit itself to be hijacked by Newt Gingrich in his utterly self-serving personal campaign. Why would a political movement on the rise support a hack with a history, both personal and political, like Newt? The bottom line is the TP has demonstrated it's own hypocrisy by supporting a man like Newt. Newt is devoid of character, a man who makes a mockery of so called family values. Don't forget Newt's redemption, his third, I understand. Newt get's redeemed whenever his future may rely upon it. It is sad to read the comments below and understand apparently they were clueless as to why they elected Sarah Palin as Governor, clueless of why she was enormously popular why she was governor, clueless to understand that she DID NOT abuse her office concerning Troopergate (just ask the Personal Board and not the politically created Branchflower Report, that stated Sarah let Todd yell at the Chief - God forbid), clueless as to why she resigned, and clueless as to why Conservatives thinks she is just great. Your loss, our gain. You wouldn't know a terrific person if she left lipstick on your cheek! It's "Personnel Board" not "Personal board". Although Palin did stack it with her own political appointees so maybe you are right. She couldn't be re-elected anywhere in Alaska, not even dog-catcher in Wasilla because we now know she is The Quitter, our half term governor who bailed when she realized there is actually work involved with being governor. They dangled a $14 million book contract in front of her and she was gone, but not until after she lost the 2008 election for McCain. She swore an oath to serve the people of this state for four years and she broke her promise. Good riddance. Thank You Amanda Coyne for being FAIR! I too watched the CPAC weekend of speeches and not only witnessed Sarah's speech being the most Motivational and well received, but I KNEW that this would happen. Anyone who has ever been in a room, an arena, field, or in a park when Sarah Palin speaks, experiences an energy few get to witness by watching a lifetime of politicians speak. You immediately understand that this is not a person who is going to tell you she will "lower the Seas, or heal the Planet", or make you feel that she have to "Explain it to you." She is going to talk reality, even if she makes you uncomfortable. Yes she told a Washington audience that your living in one of the few comfortable places in the country. When she speaks you feel as though she is part of the audience and it just happen to be her turn to speak. She says what you would say if given the chance. So the guy across the room is as pumped as you, because he is thinking what you are thinking. Call me a Palinista (I prefer being a member in the REFUDIATION Party) and was in the Iowan restaurant listening to Peter Singleton, and I agreed with him its not about Sarah Palin. What Sarah brings is the willingness to speak to reality that the Establish Parties and their pundits are unwilling to speak to. How many leaders are willing to say we need to GUT Washington. I read your co-worker Craig Medved's response to Sarah Palin's speech. He must believe his readership didn't watch CPAC. He was probably right. So it was easy to imply that Palin's role was to painstakingly lay out policy plans to an already exhausted audience. He didn't mention that everyone else had already spoken and offered their version of America's VISION. Obviously his readership thinks their just smarter than everybody else in that pact room. The last impression he will ever espouse to his scholars is that politics is about POPULARITY, not erudition. Sarah does not claim to speak for the Pedantry, but she sure is popular with us regular folk. Of course competition is good--as long as it's not against Sarah. As for another part of her speech, stop talking about running against the "machine" and "corrupt politicians!" We get it, you won the 2006 primary that a burrito could have won. Stop talking about it! COPEPOD from your statement -- Palin was not a "conservative" governor, economically. She raised taxes on the job producers, and redistributed income to the citizens-- COPEPOD, You do not know what a conservative is. COPEPOD You have conservative confused with another word have to do with sucking on oily drill stems. Frank Murkowski when challenged by the oil companies told them their job was to minimize the return the State of Alaska and it was his, Murkowski, job as governor to maximize the return to the State of Alaska. Being a conservative does not mean selling your City, Borough, State or Nation out. Just the opposite. Conservatives protect the public interest Palim also hired Petro Tel to study the production of Point Thomson. The way Exxon planned to produce Point Thomson, "Gut and Run" would have have deprived the Nation of tens of billions of dollars in Oil, condensate and gas liquids. The AOGCC stated during the legislative gasline hearings in Anchorage in 2007 that the way Exxon planed to produce Point Thomson Exxon even risked the production of gas because of the strong possibility of retrograde condensation. I don't think Palin even yet understands how well she served the State by hiring Petro Tel. Palin, like Murkowski, got sucked into the oil companies rhetoric and thought the oil companies expressed desire for a gasline was for real when in fact it was not. So bitter and sad. She must really need to bathe in the adulation of her few remaining supporters. Palin is the ultimate political strip-tease, thrusting and rubbing her self all over a White House column. The dollars reign down and she gives them another sneak peek at what’s under that dress. See just how nasty America’s Top MILF will get for the cash at http://dregstudiosart.blogspot.com/2011/06/ecstasy-of-sarah-palin_15.html ~giggle~ “Our candidate must be someone who will instinctively turn right,” she said. “It’s too late in the process to spin it.” Which is code for Palin to unleash her solutions to what ills America. Available in one easy bumper sticker. Absolutely hilarious that an obtuse political dilettante runs the show for the GOP. Bless her heart! Jon Stewart... are you behind this? Does Palin think that her tawdry record as governor isn't known to the political class? Like her huge tax increases? Huge budget increases and growth of big state government? Cronyism at its worst? She didn't favor competition in 2008 when she was annointed and thought she was on her way to her coronation. Palin apparently hopes a brokered convention will select her. That way, she never has to debate. Palin knocks the "political class" yet brags about spending 20 years in politics. Palin says entitlements must be reduced, ie social security and medicare that we have paid for, yet never volunteers to overhaul the Alaska Native health care through IHS.org, basically free medical care through the federal government, the entity she mocks most often. Palin belittles politicians who are "Washington", yet has winked an endorsement at Gingrich for weeks. Palin brags of upsetting the corrupt system in Alaska, yet was found by the legislature to have violated the ethics laws of the State of Alaska. Palin, IMO, is obsessed with the President and makes fun of him and his wife when possible, for instance ridiculing efforts to improve childhood nutrition. Palin was not a "conservative" governor, economically. She raised taxes on the job producers, and redistributed income to the citizens. Most of the raw meat in Palin's speech can be applied to herself. All she did was rearrange her salad condiments, but what the heck, she sure can scream out WTF! She raised taxes on the job producers, and redistributed income to the citizens. isn't that called socialism? Sarah Palin is a socialist not a republican! And $arah rants against 'cronyism' -- $he who is famous in AK for appointing unqualified but loyal pals to positions of power in her administration. "I like cows!" $he is so delusional it is scary. Everything about the woman reminds me of fingernails on a chalkboard. Did her voice sound slightly less nasal? Did she actually say anything that suggested a direction for the nation. She just seemed like a middle aged cheerleader up there leading a rally cry...but any real substance or strategy seemed absent. The single objective of getting rid of Obama does not make one a leader nor does it suggest a committee with viable long term solutions. -TomClark Palin did what she does best, she delivered a speech written by someone else that was filled with "snark" and sarcasm. She really should consider becoming an actress. She only shines when she is reading someone else's words. Left to her own devices, she just makes a fool of herself. Palin's probably been hoping for a brokered convention all along. Although we may question her capabilities, we should never question her ambition. Oh, yes, she has ambition, but only for the attention and the applause. She has no desire to do the work. I never voted for her, but Palin wasn't a bad governor BEFORE she got consumed by national politics. Nor were others in her administration including Colberg. That national election was a big disruption to the State of Alaska and to our State government. It caused a real crisis here and Palin sure didn't do anything to help Alaska. It was all about her-- it seems Palin was all that mattered to Palin at the time. Regarding my unpopular comment above, Oops! Ouch! Or as my cast iron frying pan would say, "BONG!" Seriously thanks for the feedback-- guess I was trying to be too nice! Troopergate annoyed me too but I placed some of the blame on our sharply divided legislature for burying the issue. They should have done their job. As we can see here, public opinion on Palin runs boiling hot or ice cold but there doesn't seem to be anything out there in the cool to luke warm range. I don't see how she'd ever attract many centrist voters. She may understand that herself when she chooses places like CPAC for a venue. Sorry, but I am of the opinion that we just hadn't heard about it yet. The perception of her popularity was still present and those who knew there was a fly in the ointment were simply afraid to air their opinion. And then there was the fact that Palin had become known to go after any of those who dared to cross her and she didn't worry about a fair fight, she would fight dirty. However, that said- I saw nothing different in her speech tonight. She was as petty and vindictive as she has always been. She used the same tired old words and the same digs, demonstrating that those in attendance were looking for red meat since none of the presidential candidates are really to their liking and none of them will come out and say what she will. Of course, while she makes such statements about "red, white and blue" she is more separatist in her language than any other. Frankly, I was enjoying the peace without having to listen to that most irritating voice. Certainly one like nails on a chalkboard. Here's hoping she will submerge again very soon. Jim, Sadly, unlike you, I did vote for her and was interested in her "rise" from the start because I thought she would walk her talk to the benefit of Alaska. Unfortunately, there were negative issues with her term before she went national. Troopergate was just one example that indicated a tendency of abuse of power, a lack of understanding and indifference of due process, a petty vindictiveness and negative attack dog personality that continues to be on display and for some reason, as we saw again last night, endears her to many of her supporters. I still don't understand why they are so angry. I am reminded of an old Russian Peasant saying, "My neighbor has a cow. I don't have one. I want my neighbors cow to die." This has never been part of the American mindset, but it is the philosophy of so many of these disgruntled americans today. What happened to the old American (and very much Alaskan attitude) of "My neighbor has a cow. I don't have one. I am going to work hard and save up for one. Then I am going to lend a hand to my other neighbor so he can get a cow also." -TomClark She became governor in December 2006 and it wasn't until June 2007 that I started to think there could be problems. But then I learned of an action that seemed retaliatory and inappropriate, and I also disagreed when she vetoed appropriations for every public library in the State (I asked her administration why and was amused when they replied she'd allowed some funding for school libraries). But even after those experiences ACES and AGIA seemed o.k. -- yes, I admit, I supported AGIA. The legislature supported those things too. Early in her administration legislators could and did collaborate with her on some shared goals. That ended. Back to the future, I wouldn't be surprised if Sarah Palin and her speech writer are starting to position her for a scenario/ goal of getting nominated at a hung convention. |
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