On Wednesday night, former Republican vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin ended the speculation: She will not be running for president in 2012. Not as a Republican. Not as a third-party candidate. Did Palin make the right decision? How does her decision shape the presidential race going forward? What’s her role now? National Review Online asked some Palin-watchers.
DAVID BRODY New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg can breathe a sigh of relief. He won’t have to run as an Independent presidential candidate. The haters can stand down. They can put their hate on hold. And Jon Stewart? Sorry. No Sarah Palin jokes this election cycle.
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The fact that Sarah Palin is not running for president doesn’t really come as a surprise. It may be heartbreaking for her fans but it comes as a dose of good news for Rick Perry . . . and he could use some. The Texas governor can be thankful she won’t detract from his base of support. Bachmann, Cain, and Santorum are smiling a little more, too — knowing they now have a shot at a lot of those folks who were holding out for Palin. And Mitt Romney? He would have liked to see Palin run only so she could splinter the tea-party and evangelical voting blocs even further. That won’t happen now, so it’s a bit of a negative for Romney — but definitely manageable.
As for Palin’s future, she is still a force to be reckoned with and young enough to run in 2016 if Obama gets a second term. Heck, she can run in 2020 and age wouldn’t be a problem. In the meantime, watch the focus turn to Palin’s quest to remake the Republican party into a band of constitutional conservatives. That’s the future, and Palin will be one of the big leaders in this movement.
— David Brody is chief political correspondent at CBN News.
NANCY FRENCH Maybe — just maybe — had she run, more Americans would have gotten to know the Sarah Palin I know: a woman of genuine warmth, quick wit, and fearless conviction. The presidential race could have used her fire, and a debate schedule missing even the hope of her undeniable charisma makes me feel sleepier than Rick Perry in hour two.
There are others who mourn her absence as well, but for more malevolent reasons. Across America, leftist hacks are lamenting diminished web traffic and lost book sales. The woman they love to hate will not in fact lead the Republican party (at least not this election cycle). I must admit I would have enjoyed Andrew Sullivan’s head-spinning rage, Bill Maher’s spittle-flinging tirades, and NPR’s funeral-dirge interludes during All Things Considered with each uptick in her poll numbers. Across America, Priuses (Prii?) would have sported door-kicking dents and Whole Foods would have stocked pure (organic) grain alcohol as liberals raged, then drowned their sorrows.
It would have been quite the spectacle. It would have been a wild ride. She is a warrior by nature, and I look forward to seeing her enter the next arena — whenever and wherever that is.
TERRY JEFFREY
I heard Sarah Palin explain her decision on my friend Mark Levin’s always-outstanding radio show. She did not offer her resignation from American political life, but rather a stirring battle cry for the forces of right in the very real struggle for the soul of our country. “We cannot afford this fundamental transformation of America, turning it into something that we don’t even recognize,” Palin said, speaking of President Obama’s design to organically change our nation. “Instead, we need to restore this country. We need to restore all that is good, and right and free about America. Our republic is worth defending. We do not need a transformation, we need a renewal. We need a restoration of America.” The 2012 election may not be Sarah Palin’s Agincourt, but as with the young Prince Hal who became the fearsome Henry V, we are seeing the emergence of a leader who will someday crush the fools who arrogantly underestimated her.
— Terry Jeffrey is editor-in-chief of CNSNews.com.
As I reached the end of the NRO Symposium on Sarah Palin, I was surprised at the lack of Sarah-bashing. But then Larry Sabato saved the day, tossing about the same tired criticisms we've heard from the left, the right and the middle for more than two years. There are certain things we can count on in life and one of those things is that no matter what Sarah Palin does, some will find reason to criticize her.
"There are certain things we can count on in life and one of those things is that no matter what Sarah Palin does, some will find reason to criticize her."
Right. Because Sarah Palin must not be critcized. Right? That's her position, too. It's pretty ridiculous if you think about it.
You said it, Jenna.
But there are two things I wish now:
1) That those friends of mine, liberal and conservative who assured me Palin will not run, and who will probably gloat at me in a "see I told ya" way, will at least notice her greatness as Palin gets our message out loud and clear and changes the Republican party to the right and helps get more of our own elected as well as a conservative president in 2012.
and
2) That the field of candidates gets winnowed down to the most conservative and that they stop dithering and picking at each other and start going after Obama and that the best conservative wins.
Posted on another thread already, but this seems like the main one.
Palin knew she wouldn't win or even help the party. I would love to see her in a cabinet post if a Repub wins.
But really, what it makes me sad about is What Could Have Been. Imagine:
-In 2008, McCain picks a RINO. He doesn't get the boost at the convention, still does the weird TARP thing, and gets blown away even worse than he actually did. It shows everyone that RINOism doesn't fool anybody.
Palin labors away in happy Alaskan obscurity piling up accomplishments and building up her 80% approval rating. In 2010 she is re-elected by a huge margin and hits the national stage.
In 2012, she runs for president with 1 1/2 terms as governor under her belt. The excitement she generated when she first hit the scene is no different. The idiot condescension of the Left is also no different. But the one substantive argument they have, lack of experience, is gone. Just like actually happened, they spend the next four years spitefully sneering at somebody who is their superior in every way that matters. But this time they are doing it about President Palin.
Ah well.
As far as why we'd want that, James Pethokoukis clarifies why I would. I am mainly concerned about pro-life issues, but for those, the main thing we need is a willingness to fight for "controversial" Supreme Court nominees, and I am pretty sure she'd do that.
Palin made the right decision for the good of her family and the growing conservative movement. She is still young. If the Republicans win the WH in 2012 and Parry is elected rest assured she will be the secretary of energy and that will be a good thing for the country. Her contributions to the country are still ahead of her.
2/3rds of Republicans didn't want her to run in a recent poll. That's why she didn't...plus it would mean working hard for the risk that she would lose the Nomination and thus permanently become "tainted goods".
Now, she (and her fans) can
1. Endorse a candidate well after they have numerically locked up the Nomination and claim that her endorsement is "what put ____ over the top".
2. If the GOP Candidate loses, claim that "We coulda won it if it had been Sarah!"
3. If the GOP Candidate wins, tell us for eight more years how "she's gonna run in 2020 and win easily"....oh, joy!
I have found Larry Sabato to be 'right on the money' with his comments and predictions. He has a very good track record. Unlike journalism majors who are self annointed political analysts, he is a Political Scientist who knows his business. I agree with his comments and also find Sarah Palin to have a viable future in the GOP and the conservative movement.
Yep. I like Sarah, and if she will follow the path Dr. Sabato outlines here, she is still a good bet to be a White House resident some day. If she doesn't follow that path, oh well.
Thank you, Dr. Sabato. Sorry Jenna, but he's right. She would have never been taken seriously by most independents and many Republicans. While I don't doubt her heart's in the right place, and I'm sure she will be a force for change in America, she's more qualified to be a cheerleader on the sidelines than a quarterback leading the team to victory.
You mean she is not eminently qualified like obama was when he ran for President. Take a wild guess why he was even considered for President when he ran with NO relevant experience.
Multiple threads on this but interesting to get perspectives of others - predictable though they may be.
We're better served to have Sarah backing conservative candidates to help us keep the House and win back the Senate. If it comes down to George Allen vs. Tim Kaine for the Senate, how might we keep George Allen on message. Well, ... External Link
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I never thought she was going to run as I believe she always thought she'd have more power to influence Republican party affairs as a non-candidate AND she understood her ultimate unelectability (all the reasons. Like James Pethokoukis I am disappointed none of the present candidates appear to have seriously mentioned the crony capitalism that's so destructive to this country. Hopefully she'll bring her influence to bear on whomever wins the nomination to addressing this issue.
I agree, Larry Sabato hit the nail on the head; I never though Sarah Palin's decision to resign as Alaska's governor made any sense and Palin just proved it. Sarah Palin will now fad away as a footnote in American presidential politics.
I am quite relieved that she did not run, and am always surprised at the support Ms. Palin receives from those I consider the true conservatives. Ms. French, if America doesn't have some idea who Sarah Palin is yet, then that's a Sarah Palin problem.
I agree with most of her positions, however she lacks something required to be a substantial politician: the ability to speak in complete sentences and to sound intelligent while doing it. Bush made us cringe; Sarah makes me want to get up and leave the room. She's quite combative, which is fine if you're a good debater, but she's not. She has that 'the world is against me' look in her eyes every time she is questioned and it's not inspiring, sorry.
Amy Kremer and the TEA PARTY EXPRESS has been happy to exploit Sarah Palin. But they never offered support for her when she was being accused of accessory to murder in the Gifford shootings.
I made the mistake of donating to them last year when they needed money to defray expenses for the "searchlight" tour. Until I put a stop to it recently, I would receive 1-2 e-mails per day begging for money. They are shameless.
