The Arctic Fox And The Iron Lady .... Sarah Palin To Visit Margaret Thatcher?

But, as it happens, I know Margaret Thatcher. Margaret Thatcher is a friend of mine. And as a matter of fact, Margaret Thatcher and Sarah Palin have a great deal in common.

~ John O’Sullivan

According to a report by the notoriously left wing UK Mail Online, Sarah Palin will visit Margaret Thatcher in the near future. They report this like it is some sort of photo op, the kind of thing that only a shallow person, like say, Barack Obama, would try and pull off.

In reality, if this meeting happens, it will be the event of a lifetime for all of those involved. Think about it, along with the great Ronald Reagan, Maggie Thatcher was part of the conservative leadership that won the Cold War. Like Reagan, Thatcher understood the meaning of "peace through strength." as does Sarah Palin.

Simply put, Reagan and Thatcher strengthened both of our countries’ militaries to the point that the Soviet Union just couldn’t keep up, and ultimately sought a peaceful end to the nearly 50 year stand-off between Freedom and communism, between Liberty and oppression.

Sadly, no one can sit down with Ronald Reagan and learn from him, but the opportunity to sit and visit with Mrs. Thatcher, and discuss those amazing times is an opportunity of a lifetime that no one could pass up.

Since Sarah Palin has come on the national scene, the comparisons to her and Margaret Thatcher have been inevitable. Both are strong Conservative women, with solid records of achievement. Back in December of 2008 John O’Sullivan, a long time aide to Mrs. Thatcher, wrote about this very comparison in the Wall Street Journal:

Conservative Snobs Are Wrong About Palin

I know Maggie Thatcher. The two women have a lot in common.

By JOHN O'SULLIVAN

Being listed in fourth place for Time magazine's "Person of the Year," as Sarah Palin was for 2008, sounds a little like being awarded the Order of Purity (Fourth Class). But it testifies to something important.

Though regularly pronounced sick, dying, dead, cremated and scattered at sea, Mrs. Palin is still amazingly around. She has survived more media assassination attempts than Fidel Castro has survived real ones (Cuban official figure: 638). In her case, one particular method of assassination is especially popular -- namely, the desperate assertion that, in addition to her other handicaps, she is "no Margaret Thatcher."

Very few express this view in a calm or considered manner. Some employ profanity. Most claim to be conservative admirers of Mrs. Thatcher. Others admit they had always disliked the former British prime minister until someone compared her to "Sarracuda" -- at which point they suddenly realized Mrs. Thatcher must have been absolutely brilliant (at least by comparison).

Inevitably, Lloyd Bentsen's famous put-down of Dan Quayle in the 1988 vice-presidential debate is resurrected, such as by Paul Waugh (in the London Evening Standard) and Marie Cocco (in the Washington Post): "Newsflash! Governor, You're No Maggie Thatcher," sneered Mr. Waugh. Added Ms. Coco, "now we know Sarah Palin is no Margaret Thatcher -- and no Dan Quayle either!"

Jolly, rib-tickling stuff. But, as it happens, I know Margaret Thatcher. Margaret Thatcher is a friend of mine. And as a matter of fact, Margaret Thatcher and Sarah Palin have a great deal in common.

You can read all of John O’Sullivan’s essay here.

Interestingly, in September of ‘08, Janet Daley, writing in the decidedly more conservative UK Telegraph, compared the treatment Sarah was getting from the radical left in America, and some on the right, to the "spiteful treatment of Margaret Thatcher" which you can read here.

It would seem Marxist-progressives world wide have a long history of hating women who don’t tow their liberal party line.

Those snobs among the Republican elite and the "Good Old Boy Network" haven’t changed either. They still remain blissfully ignorant, and educated well beyond the level of their actual intelligence. It so happens that Stacy Drake has just published a brand new article on this very subject and takes these clueless GOP snobs to task. You can read Stacy’s Sarah Palin vs Snobbery here.

More thoughts on Sarah visiting Great Britain and possibly Israel come from an article Ted Belman wrote for the American Thinker back in May:

Sarah Palin Is On A Roll

Since resigning from her governorship last July, Sarah Palin hasn't made a false move. This is surprising for someone who is more passionate than cautious and one reputed to be...well, you know, a dummy.

Her book tour went exceedingly well. She has received thousands of invitations to speak, notwithstanding her $100,000 price tag. She continues to raise huge sums of money for her sponsors and draw sellout crowds. Her policy announcements have been spot-on, whether delivered in her speeches, interviews, or Facebook posts.

Because of her charge of "death panels" to decry Obamacare, she more than anyone is responsible for the overwhelming majority now opposed to the law. Although Obama's supporters denied such "death panels" at first, many experts now openly admit to them.

In foreign affairs, she coined the Obama Doctrine as "coddling your enemies and alienating your friends." This characterization is now commonplace. Palin also decried Obama's statement that the U.S. would not retaliate with nuclear weapons if it were attacked by WMDs and suggested that the U.S. was asking to be hit. Obama, in his non-response, replied with "I really have no response to that. The last I checked, Sarah Palin is not much of an expert on nuclear issues." And "What I would say to them is, is that if the secretary of defense and the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff are comfortable with it, I'm probably going to take my advice from them and not from Sarah Palin." Palin came back, quick as a flash, sarcastically honoring "the vast nuclear experience that he acquired as a community organizer, part-time senator, and full-time candidate." Within hours, Obama was retracting his original statement.

Finally, Palin has come down squarely on the side of Israel, Israel's right to expand, and a united Jerusalem. She fully supports Israel's right to self-defense and said that we shouldn't be second-guessing her. Such policies are the polar opposite of what Obama is pushing for, and the former enjoy the support of a large majority of Americans.

Palin's energy policy of "Drill, Baby, Drill" and "all of the above" also has broad support. She was the first to attack Obama's proposed drilling legislation that she characterized as "Stall, Baby, Stall." This support is rapidly decreasing in the wake of the disastrous explosion or malfunction of an oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico, which promises a looming environmental disaster for America's southern coastline. But Palin is sticking to her guns, if you'll pardon the expression. She didn't retreat. She reloaded and reaffirmed her support for drilling despite the risks. Sarah Palin lived through the Exxon-Valdez disaster that devastated her home state of Alaska. As fate would have it, she was responsible for finally bringing Exxon to judgment when she was governor after a twenty-year battle. So she knows the devastation firsthand and will do everything she can to minimize the risk. But still, she wants to "Drill baby drill."

[ .... ]

During the next six months, Palin will continue making speeches and supporting candidates of her choice. She will be coming out with a book on policy in the fall and will do another book signing tour. Then she will be off to Europe to visit with political leaders and stir up the people. I predict that huge crowds will embrace her and her message. No doubt, she will also visit Israel with her entire family, where they will be mobbed. It will be a media feeding frenzy.

A strong embrace in Europe and Israel will give her an enormous boost in America.

You can read more here.

We think this is an excellent plan. One simply cannot pass on the chance to visit with such an iconic figure as Maggie Thatcher, someone who absolutely changed the world for the better. As for Israel, Sarah has shown such strong support for our friends there, and most certainly is on the side of the Israelis as they struggle for survival against pretty much the rest of the world. Her visit would signal, that even though the Obama regime is siding with the terrorists of the world against Israel, the American people support Israel, and the Israeli people.

Nothing has been officially announced, and we have absolutely no idea when these trips to Great Britain, and possibly Israel may happen, but one thing about it, if there is an exchange of gifts, I doubt Sarah will be handing out iPods loaded with her speeches, or DVDs that aren’t formatted for their machines, .... like someone else we all know.

Sarah Palin: Happy Birthday Margaret Thatcher

Following is the complete transcript of Governor Palin's birthday with to Margaret Thatcher, former Prime Minister of the UK:

I would like to extend warm birthday wishes to Margaret Thatcher today. Baroness Thatcher continues to remain a role model to many people, particularly women, around the world. Her career is a collection of "firsts." She was the youngest female Conservative Party member to stand for election in history, she was the first woman to hold the title Leader of the Opposition, and she was the first woman to become Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (Palin, 2009, ¶1).

As Prime Minister, she took an active role in defending economic freedom and democratic ideals. Her push to privatize British industry and lower tax rates led to a substantial economic expansion in the United Kingdom. She was just as influential in foreign policy. Along with President Ronald Reagan and Pope John Paul II, Prime Minister Thatcher recognized the evil of Communism and worked tirelessly to erode the power and influence of the Soviet Union (Palin, 2009, ¶2).

Her life and career serve as a blueprint for overcoming the odds and challenging the "status quo." She started life as a grocer's daughter from Grantham and rose to become Prime Minister - all by her own merit and hard work. I cherish the accomplishments of Margaret Thatcher and will always count her as one of my role models (Palin, 2009, ¶3).

- Sarah Palin

Commentary:

Governor Palin said everything that can be said. I will only add that Margaret Thatcher's life in relation to Governor Palin's is rather providential, and I am firmly convinced that history is repeating itself. The last glass ceiling will be smashed in the US, just as it was in the UK by a woman's sonic boom.

References:

Palin, S.L.H. (2009, October 13). Facebook, Sarah Palin. Retrieved October 13, 2009 from: http://www.facebook.com/sarahpalin?v=app_2347471856#/note.php?note_id=153403008434

Sarah Palin Rocks Hong Kong

As expected, Sarah Palin made a worldwide splash with her speech at the 16^th Annual CLSA Investor’s Forum. According to CLSA’s website it was standing room only with over 1100 institutional fund managers and heads of leading Asian, Australian and US corporations.

Reports are Sarah received a lengthy standing ovation at the end of her speech. It’s also reported that a couple of whiny liberals left before she was finished., I guess they couldn’t handle the truth! They also wouldn’t go on the record. No guts, no glory!

In his introduction, CLSA Chairman and CEO, Jonathan Slone, quoted President Eisenhower on the responsibilities of citizens in a democratic society to debate issues that matter.

Following her remarks, Governor Palin responded to questions from CLSA’s clients.

You know how one knows this thing was a home run? The New York Times ran a fair story about Sarah’s speech without an ounce of snark! I imagine Maureen Dowd had a stroke!

From the New York Times:

HONG KONG — Sarah Palin, in what was billed as her first speech overseas, spoke on Wednesday to Asian bankers,investors and fund managers.

A number of people who heard the speech in a packed hotel ballroom, which was closed to the media, said Mrs. Palin spoke from notes for 90 minutes and that she was articulate, well-prepared and even compelling.

"The speech was wide-ranging, very balanced, and she beat all expectations," said Doug A. Coulter, head of private equity in the Asia-Pacific region for LGT Capital Partners.

"She didn’t sound at all like a far-right-wing conservative. She seemed to be positioning herself as a libertarian or a small-c conservative," he said, adding that she mentioned both Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher. "She brought up both those names."

Of course, the comparison’s of Sarah Palin to Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher are inevitable We’ve done it ourselves. No less than Michael Reagan, son of the great Renaldus Magnus, has compared the two favorably as well, as he did in his piece: "Welcome Back Dad."

Last December, writing in the Wall Street Journal, John O’Sullivan wrote a piece called "Conservative Snobs Are Wrong About Palin." In his article, he compares Sarah favorable to Lady Thatcher, and cites Sarah’s executive experience as a major reason for why she will be successful on the larger stage. It should be noted that O’Sullivan was a special adviser to Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher.

Now let’s be honest. Sarah Palin is not Ronald Reagan, or Maggie Thatcher. Sarah is her own person, with her own ideas, and her own brand of conservatism. But Reagan was a huge influence on her, and as Reagan and Thatcher really dominated the world stage in their day, I’m sure some of that interaction made an impression on a young Sarah Palin.

"Common sense conservatism" was a common theme from those that heard her speech.

Here’s the reason why everyone and their uncle compares Sarah Palin favorably to Ronald Reagan. Like Reagan, Sarah Palin is strong, and unwavering in her beliefs. She will tell you what she thinks, straight up, just like Reagan. And like Reagan, Sarah says what she means, and means what she says.

Sarah also articulates conservatism, real conservatism better than anyone out there today. This too is something she shares with Reagan, along with an unabashed love for America, and an unbridled optimism. Reagan’s optimism was key to his success. Reagan, like Sarah, was a realist, he knew we had issues, but at the end of the day, He knew America had it in her to shine. You hear that same spirit in Sarah Palin every time she speaks.

So fairly, or unfairly, this is why the two are always compared, and compared favorable. As a recent Rasmussen poll pointed out, "being like Ronald Reagan" is the only positive political description that voters care about. It’s the gold standard that all conservatives are judged by.

More from the Times:

Cameron Sinclair, another speaker at the event, said Mrs. Palin emphasized the need for a grassroots rebirth of the Republican Party driven by party leaders outside Washington.

A number of attendees thought Mrs. Palin, the former vice presidential candidate, was using the speech to begin to broaden her foreign policy credentials before making a run for the presidency in 2012.

"She’s definitely a serious future presidential candidate, and I understand why she plays so well in middle America," said Mr. Coulter, a Canadian.

And this from a New Yorker and an Obama supporter who attended:

Melvin Goodé, a regional marketing consultant, thought Mrs. Palin chose Hong Kong because, he said, it was "a place where things happen and where freedom can be expanded upon."

"It’s not Beijing or Shanghai," said Mr. Goodé . "She also mentioned Tibet, Burma and North Korea in the same breath as places where China should be more sensitive and careful about how people are treated. She said it on a human-rights level."

Mr. Goodé, an African-American who said he did some campaign polling for President Obama, said Mrs. Palin mentioned President Obama three times on Wednesday.

"And there was nothing derogatory in it, no sleight of hand, and believe me, I was listening for that," he said, adding that Mrs. Palin referred to Mr. Obama as "our president," with the emphasis on "our."

Mr. Goodé, a New Yorker who said he would never vote for Mrs. Palin, said she acquitted herself well.

"She was articulate and she held her own. I give her credit. They’ve tried to categorize her as not being bright. She’s bright."

Appearing Wednesday night "On The Record" with Greta Van Susteren, Wall Street Journal’s Asia page editor Mary Kissel, who was in Hong Kong, told Greta that Sarah’s appearance generated the most interest in the forum’s 16 year history. That the media even followed her to the airport as she was leaving the country.







Speaking of which, the Wall Street Journal, had this to say:

The former vice presidential candidate understands Beijing better than the Obama Administration does.

The Journal added:

Sarah Palin was pounded by the media as a foreign-policy novice during last year's presidential campaign. But when it comes to the U.S. approach toward China, she has ideas worth listening to.

"Twenty years ago, many believed that as China liberalized its economy, greater political freedom would naturally follow," the former Alaska governor and Republican nominee for the vice presidency told a Hong Kong audience yesterday. "Unfortunately that has not come to pass."

Mrs. Palin sees China's authoritarian nature as a security concern for the U.S. and its allies in Asia-Pacific, and she has a point. North Korea, Burma and other rogue regimes couldn't sustain themselves without Chinese support. Not to mention the hundreds of missiles Beijing has pointed at Taiwan and its navy's increasingly muscular attitude in the South China Sea. "How many books and articles have been written about the dangers of India's rise?" she asked.

The solution, she argues, is to encourage political change from within China—a movement that regained momentum last year with the launch of Charter 08, a democratic manifesto.

Such developments, she argued, are in everyone's interest. "The more politically open and just China is, the more Chinese citizens of every ethnicity will settle disputes in courts rather than on the streets," she said. The more open China is, "the less we will be concerned about its military buildup and intentions."

Mrs. Palin also espoused the value of alliances with like-minded democratic countries in the region such as Japan, Australia and India. The U.S. "can, must and should" work with China to address issues of "mutual concern," she said. "But we also need to work with our allies in addressing the uncertainties created by China's rise."

The Obama Administration could take a page from this book. So far, the White House has gone out of its way to downplay human rights in China and tiptoe around recent crackdowns in Tibet and Xinjiang, preferring to focus on hipper issues like climate change. This "don't ask, don't tell" approach to Beijing does no favors to the Chinese people, much less to the West's core interests in Asia. At the same time, America's other alliances in the region have been largely ignored.

Mrs. Palin also made a timely call against trade protectionism—an issue that will be high on the U.S.-China agenda this week at the Group of 20 meeting in Pittsburgh. She spoke up for the U.S.-South Korea free trade agreement, now stalled in the U.S. Congress. She also called the Obama Administration's decision to slap a 35% duty on Chinese tires a "mistake," while adding that China needed to respect intellectual property rights and "improve its rule of law." Again, she made the connection with human-rights: "Our economic relationship will truly thrive when Chinese citizens and foreign corporations can hold the Chinese government accountable."

Mrs. Palin's speech will almost surely be dismissed by her critics as a scripted exercise. What we heard was a balanced and realistic view of China, founded on universal values that Westerners and Chinese alike can believe in.

Appearing on Sean Hannity’s "Great American Panel" Wednesday Night, famed Notre Dame coach Lou Holtz has this to say:

"Sarah Palin excites me. She stands for something."

Holtz went on to expand on this, noting that Ronald Reagan’s successes came from standing for something, and that this recent tendency to "moderate" the message in an attempt to draw people in is a mistake. This echoes what we have been saying for a long time. Be who you are, true to your school. Reagan had the same conservative message for every single American.

People want someone who stands for something, believes in something. Those are the people we know we can trust. Those are the people we know will never, ever waver under pressure.

Sarah herself, recognizing folks wanted to hear a little bit of what she had to say in her address, released excerpts of her speech on her Facebook page, which we covered here.

Having read the excerpts from her speech, it’s simple to say this was some serious red meat, a nice, thick, grilled ribeye steak with garlic mashed potatoes and some veggies on the side, in fact! A good solid meal that was very filling.

It’s going to be a lot of fun watching Sarah Palin out there being Sarah Palin. For long time Palinistas, this is the Sarah Palin we liked before it was really cool to like Sarah Palin!

Airport photo courtesy Asia Media, Speech photos courtesy CLSA.