AWR Hawkins: Governor Palin is "Already Running for President"

By Adrienne Ross - www.motivationtruth.com

The first time I heard discussion about a Palin 2012 run for the presidency was November 5, 2008, the day after Barack Obama was elected to be the next President of the United States. The conversation has not since shifted. It has only intensified, it seems, with each passing day.

Like so many Americans, I immediately grabbed onto the idea of President Palin. I became involved in the 2012 Draft Sarah Committee, which is the only draft committee registered with the Federal Elections Commission. Some people gravitated to the Committee, while concerns were raised by others, the most repeated of which were "Do we really know if she wants to run?" and "It's too early to think about 2012."

It's amazing how quickly time flies, though, isn't it? The 2012 race is soon to get underway, and we realize that it wasn't really that far off after all. As for whether Governor Palin wants to run, well, that's been debated every single day since she returned to Alaska to resume her duties as governor and John McCain to Washington to pick up where he left off in the Senate. The subject is not about to change, either.

The conversation has gone back and forth with crazed rapidity. When the Governor resigned from office in July of 2009, some speculated she was going to run, and she was freeing herself up for that run. Others argued that after that controversial decision she couldn't possibly plan to run. Upon releasing Going Rogue, pundits just knew she was taking the opportunity to set her record straight so the road would be clear for a run for the highest office in the land. Other pundits said she wrote the book mainly with the hopes of exposing McCain staffers and media members who had done her wrong.

When she began to travel the nation giving policy speeches and meeting more Americans, some were convinced she was planning to run, that she was voicing a common sense message to which so many can relate and counting on that message to carry her forward. There were those, however, who said, no, she's having too much fun being a voice crying in the wilderness, so why would she put herself through the rigors of another merciless campaign?

She's definitely running, some said, when her PAC began releasing Mama Grizzly and Tea Party videos full of the faces and the fervor of a nation desperately desiring true change. Nonetheless, others maintained she was simply setting up public servants to take leadership roles as her PAC raised record money so conservatives could take back Washington. And with the emergence of "Sarah Palin's Alaska," observers have declared that the Governor is doing more than than just sharing her family and her state with America; she's showing us who she is, the upbringing she's had, and the state resources she is so ready to introduce to the nation at large--as President of this nation. Doubters, like Karl Rove, however, see the "reality show" as evidence that she could not possibly be seriously contemplating a run.

Obviously, the will she or won't she? question has been beaten to death as badly as Governor Palin beat that halibut in the second episode of "Sarah Palin's Alaska," and I'm not sure anyone truly knows the answer, except, as her friends and family in her home state say, "God and Todd." Today, however, AWR Hawkins, writing for Pajamas Media, gives a different take on it. He neither subscribes to the notion that she will run nor the notion that she won't run. His angle is this: she's already running.

Hawkins writes:

Questions about Sarah Palin’s future political plans are ubiquitous. From the left and the right, political pundits wonder aloud if she’s really thinking about running for the office of president in 2012. And depending on the pundit, the questions over whether she will run are usually tied to reasons why she should or shouldn’t.

But missing in all this guesswork over Palin’s intentions and the weighing of the pluses and minuses of her possible candidacy is the simple fact that she’s already running for president, and so far, she’s beating Obama and the mainstream media at every turn.

[...]

Counting her time on the national stage as a vice presidential candidate with John McCain, America has had over two years to watch Palin speak from the heart, while listening to Obama speak from a teleprompter. They’ve heard her relentless calls for a strong military, while watching Obama try to appease (instead of destroy) terrorists the world over. They’ve heard her defend the free market, while living with the ramifications of Obama’s stimulus package, nationalization of industry, and takeover of health care.

The American people have even seen a microcosm of a Palin-versus-Obama matchup via the 2010 midterm elections in which 30 of 43 of the House candidates she endorsed won, as did 7 of the 12 Senate candidates she supported. Moreover, those elections proved that while rank-and-file citizens largely support Palin’s worldview, they are rejecting Obama’s.

No wonder CBS News’ Nicolle Wallace said of Palin: “She is one of the shrewdest political figures in our country at this moment. She’s also one of the most electric.”

So while the pundits guess, stabbing blindly into the air in an attempt to come up with proof of whether Palin will or won’t run, the rest of us should just sit back and watch her go, because she’s running for the White House right now.

And if I had to place a bet on who wins in 2012, my money would be on Palin.

Read the full article here.

If AWR Hawkins is right, then as the nation habitually discusses what Governor Palin might do in 2012, she's marveling at the fact that we haven't yet noticed she's already doing it.

That's just one person's perspective, but it's an interesting one, is it not?

Governor Palin Believes She Can Beat President Obama

By Adrienne Ross - www.motivationtruth.com

In a Barbara Walters special, "Barbara Walters' 10 Most Fascinating People," set to air on December 9th at 10 p.m., Governor Palin discusses considering a run for the presidency. When asked if she felt she could defeat President Obama, the Governor didn't hesitate. Mary Bruce reports:

Sarah Palin says she is seriously considering a run for the White House, and she believes she could beat President Obama in 2012, the former Alaska governor told ABC News' Barbara Walters.

"I'm looking at the lay of the land now, and ... trying to figure that out, if it's a good thing for the country, for the discourse, for my family, if it's a good thing," Palin said in an interview scheduled to air in full Dec. 9 on ABC as part of Walters' "10 Most Fascinating People" of 2010.

Asked Walters: "If you ran for president, could you beat Barack Obama?"

"I believe so," Palin said.

I believe so, too.

Anonymous GOP Sources: 'Stop Sarah Palin'

By Adrienne Ross - www.motivationtruth.com

Politico put out a Palin piece highlighting more...you guessed it...anonymous sources speaking negatively about Governor Palin. This time the comments are attributed to the establishment Republicans and 2012 hopefuls who supposedly are committed to one cause: "Stop Sarah Palin."

Politico reports (emphasis added):

Top Republicans in Washington and in the national GOP establishment say the 2010 campaign highlighted an urgent task that they will begin in earnest as soon as the elections are over: Stop Sarah Palin.

Interviews with advisers to the main 2012 presidential contenders and with other veteran Republican operatives make clear they see themselves on a common, if uncoordinated, mission of halting the momentum and credibility Palin gained with conservative activists by plunging so aggressively into this year’s midterm campaigns.

[...]

"There is a determined, focused establishment effort … to find a candidate we can coalesce around who can beat Sarah Palin," said one prominent and longtime Washington Republican. "We believe she could get the nomination, but Barack Obama would crush her."

This sentiment was a nearly constant refrain in POLITICO interviews with top advisers to the candidates most frequently mentioned as running in 2012 and a diverse assortment of other top GOP officials.

[...]

Top Republicans, from presidential hopefuls Mitt Romney and Tim Pawlenty to highly influential advisers such as Karl Rove and Ed Gillespie, are said to be concerned she will run, and could win, according to the officials.

A Palin adviser declined to comment.

Shortly after the article was posted, Palin went on Fox News, where she is a paid commentator, to criticize POLITICO and any unnamed critics.

"[T]hese are the brave people who want to lead the nation and run the world. But they're not brave enough to put their name in an article," she told Greta Van Susteren. "I learned back in the day that who, what, when, where, why of journalism. You report that facts; you let other people decide what their opinion is going to be. So having unnamed sources in an article like this is very, very, disappointing, you know. And it doesn't do anybody any good. It doesn't educate anybody. … I'm getting used to it though."

Read the full article here.

I agree with the Governor. These are the same people who want to run the country and tackle national security, yet they hide their identities out of fear. Pitiful!

Nearly all of these interviewees insisted on keeping their views on background, fearing the wrath of conservative grass-roots activists who are enthralled with the former Alaska governor and who have made plain that the establishment’s disdain for Palin and her devotees is mutually reciprocated.

The truth is they're scared to death that Governor Palin will do what she did in Alaska throughout her political career: destroy the good old boys network, expose their corruption, and whip their tails in elections. This all just goes to show that the "anonymous sources" who think they, not she, are ready to lead the nation, clearly are not. As common sense people have been saying since November of 2008: "Run, Sarah, Run."

(Video courtesy of PalinTV)

Karl Rove Hypocritically Criticizes Governor Palin

By Adrienne Ross - www.motivationtruth.com

I'm not going to spend a whole lot of time on Karl Rove because he's so yesterday, it's ridiculous. He's had his underwear in a wad since his establishment Republicans have gotten the boot from people like Christine O'Donnell in Delaware, endorsed by Governor Palin. He's been pouting, whining, and complaining since she shocked the country with her Primary win. Now he's trashing Governor Palin.

London's Telegraph reports:

Karl Rove, the former senior adviser to George W Bush, has cast doubt on Sarah Palin’s viability as a White House candidate, questioning if the American people thought she had the “gravitas” for the “most demanding job in the world”.

“With all due candour, appearing on your own reality show on the Discovery Channel, I am not certain how that fits in the American calculus of 'that helps me see you in the Oval Office’,” Mr Rove told The Daily Telegraph in an interview.

Rove is a hypocrite, as Josh Painter points out, for after criticizing Governor Palin's series, he applauds President Obama's appearance on the Comedy Channel:

Karl Rove applauded Jon Stewart for his interview of President Barack Obama on The Daily Show, saying that “Stewart was questioning from the left,” but that “it was a serious attempt. I mean, it was actually a pretty good interview.”

Again, Karl Rove is a hypocrite whose real problem is jealousy that Governor Palin's influence has pushed people like him and his establishment buddies to the back burner.

Sheya, writing for C4P, states:

I’m just curious, what does a candidate have to do to "help" Rove see that he or she "fits in the American calculus" of being President? Having multiple states that you call home...does that do it?

Hey, here’s an idea. After Sarah Palin’s Alaska succeeds in showing the American people who Governor Palin really is, contrary to what you and the media have been trying to manipulate them into believing, and her numbers begin climbing upwards, Mitt Romney can do his own series. He can pick one of the following as a title: “Mitt’s Massachusetts,” “Mitt’s Michigan,” "Mitt’s Utah," or "Mitt’s California." Or you know maybe it’ll be easier to keep it simple, as a friend suggested, maybe he just calls it "Mitt Romney's Estates".

With all due respect to Mr. Rove, I think he’s way past his buy-sell date. It’s no longer 2000. Much has happened since the architect couldn’t get his candidate to win the popular vote even when the climate was all in his favor.

Read more of Sheya's post here.

Governor Palin Tells Entertainment Tonight She'll Run for President If...

By Adrienne Ross - www.motivationtruth.com

Governor Palin was recently interviewed by Mary Hart of Entertainment Tonight. That interview will air tonight on CBS at 7:30 PM Eastern. However, you can get a preview now by watching the clip below, in which the Governor discusses whether she'll run for president in 2012.



(Video courtesy of Sheya)

Read more about the interview here.

Carl Paladino is Looking for a 'Real Leader'

By Adrienne Ross - www.motivationtruth.com

Carl Paladino, New York gubernatorial candidate, who somehow acquired the "Tea Party Favorite" title, has shown himself once again to be a jerk at best and a complete nutcase at worst. His "angry boy" persona has not served him well up till now, and it's not getting any more promising.

His own self-defeating antics are responsible for the butt whoopin' the numbers show him receiving from Andrew Cuomo. And while I am all for a no-nonsense kind of leader, especially in my state of New York, I would like one that can combine no-nonsense with common sense--at least a hint of it. Not so with Paladino.

Knowing Americans are fed up with the damage political correctness has done, Paladino has tried to sell himself as the antithesis of such, assuming by so doing he is endearing himself to fed up New Yorkers. While refusing to wear the fear the Left tries to impose upon people is admirable, the wannabe governor's words and actions are not quite so admirable. His behavior has been disgraceful at a time when New York could really use a level-headed--albeit strong--public servant. Paladino, however, has too often shot himself in the foot. And again, he has taken a cheap shot at Governor Palin. With Election Day fast approaching, I ordinarily wouldn't ride the Republican candidate's tail too hard, but since he continues to wag it, since he's totally killed his own chances, and especially since he's used his platform to try to take down Governor Palin, he's got this coming.

The Huffington Post reports:

New York gubernatorial candidate Carl Paladino took aim at the prospect of Sarah Palin pursuing a presidential run in 2012 in an interview with the New York Times published on Monday night.

In voicing his opinion on the matter, the Tea Party-backed hopeful reportedly criticized Palin as a "TV personality" in the making who isn't ready to serve the country in the White House.

It's not the first time that Paladino has stated the view in the wake of whispers about plans in the works for Palin to mount a presidential campaign in 2012.

"We need a real leader," explained the Republican candidate to New York-based station WNYC last month. "Not someone who just wants to go and throw a bunch of words around and proverbs and -- I want somebody that is going to be totally responsible. Someone that is a student of that government."

First of all, the media's obsession with asking politicians about Governor Palin and a 2012 run for the presidency is really telling. They have allowed her to rule and reign in their minds, and they are more concerned about what her next step may be than they are with the issues the candidates have espoused. Even though she has set her attention on 2010, they have visions of 2012 dancing in their heads. One must wonder, with all the hoopla surrounding this topic already, what in the world can we expect should she actually decide that she is running in 2012?

Second, with the mess New York state is in, one would think there is a plethora of more pressing issues to discuss with this man who claims to have the goods to move the Empire State forward. Yet somehow his opinion of Governor Palin as a contender for the presidency manages to find its way into the conversation. He should have his hands full. Where does he find the time?

Furthermore, Paladino's decision to take the low road and demean Governor Palin speaks more about his leadership--or lack thereof--than hers. His words concerning her demonstrate a gross lack of insight and awareness of the issues. He presents himself as a maverick who has come to turn things around, one who can buck the establishment and make a difference in New York. But what he illustrates is he's been missing in action or not paying attention. If he were more aware, he would recognize that Governor Palin has both accomplished more and laid more on the line for the sake of tea party conservative principles than anyone else to date. She has given herself completely to these mid-terms elections--making endorsements, donating funds, traveling the nation at an incredibly busy pace, her life even threatened in the process. She has done nothing less than put her efforts, her name, and her reputation on the line so that she can help restore sanity to Washington. All this while some others have taken the safer route--some too cowardly to make the long-shot endorsements, others making endorsements after Governor Palin's candidates have gained ground (but enough about Mitt).

The Governor is responsible for drawing attention to the danger of Obamacare, demanding we "repeal and replace," calling out cap-and-tax, and heralding fiscal responsibility. She has supported our military, taken a stand for common decency at Ground Zero, and stood on the side of border states determined to keep themselves safe despite the federal government's negligence. The work she has done toward energy independence will outlive each of us. She has promoted a culture of life and respect for those with special needs. Governor Palin has almost singlehandedly brought the revival we now see in this country, and it shows no signs of slowing down.

Paladino states that Governor Palin merely throws a bunch of words around. Really? Well, with just one word spoken or written, the Governor has repeatedly raised thousands of dollars to help elect yet another common sense conservative who will serve for the right reasons. And we're supposed to take this guy's opinion of her seriously?

Carl Paladino says he wants someone responsible for president, and apparently Governor Palin doesn't fit the bill in his mind. Is he offering himself up as an exemplar of responsibility? Should she be taking notes from him? Well, let's take a look at his version of responsibility in both word and deed. Then you decide who has more credibility--and sensibility.

Douglas Feiden of the New York Daily News provides some background information on Paladino:

Framing everything in take-no-prisoners terms, Paladino weeks ago predicted his primary win and promised the same against Andrew Cuomo, the odds-on front-runner in the race for the governor's mansion.

"I promise you, I will take down Little Ricky [Rick Lazio], and after that, I will take out Prince Andrew," he said.

Paladino, 63, offered up a healthy dose of threats and invective while dining at Sinatra's, his favorite Italian eatery in his hometown of Buffalo.

"There will be blood on the floor," he said, washing down pork braciola with red wine.

"It won't be pretty, it won't be clean, but I will take them down."

Subtle as a pit bull, but with a fast smile and a mischievous glint in his eye, Paladino will vilify any foe and blurt out anything that comes to mind.

He told building contractors in Ronkonkoma that Gov. Paterson was "a wimp . . . really, he's pathetic." Former Gov. George Pataki? He's a "degenerate idiot."

Tough campaigning is a part of running for office, but Paladino's words work to show him as a loose cannon more prone to insults, profanity, and threats than anything else--and it's simply not working for him. In fact, it's worked against him and killed his chances. Paladino's track record shows his brand of responsibility to involve having no language filter, making serious personal allegations without sufficient evidence, and being commitment challenged.

In addition, he almost ruined his Primary chances when disgustingly racist, sexist, and pornographic emails he forwarded were leaked. His defense? He simply stated that he's not politically correct, that the emails were "just humor." The problem is New York state--and the state New York is in--are no laughing matters, and he has hurt the efforts to turn things around.

If Carl Paladino holds himself up as the example of a "real leader," if he is the standard by which leadership is measured, thank God Governor Palin doesn't fit his mold. Why in the world would anyone ask him to validate someone else's leadership credentials, especially someone with the success Governor Palin has enjoyed? It just shows, again, the state of the lamestream media.

Carl Paladino, who fancies himself a no-nonsense voice, needs to add some common sense to his resume'. Until then, he might just want to say nothing at all. Besides, instead of assessing Governor Palin's ability to handle the presidency in 2012, shouldn't he be spending all his energy between now and next Tuesday finding a way out of the hole he's dug for himself in New York?

(h/t Ron Devito, Stacy Drake)

Roberts: Sarah Palin Really Can Become President

By Adrienne Ross - www.motivationtruth.com


Irish Central breaks down the new CNN poll and discusses why Governor Palin can indeed become President of the United States.

Patrick Roberts writes:

Yes, children Sarah Palin really can become president of the United States.

Take a look at yesterday's CNN poll.

It shows Mitt Romney just three points ahead of Irish American Palin right before the kickoff for the 2012 republican nomination which begins the day after the November mid-terms.

That three points is within the margin of error.

It is also within the margin of error of those pundits who say that Palin has no chance to be selected.

They are dead wrong and this poll bears that out

This poll says otherwise, as do a slew of results, including last week's primary in Colorado which showed the grassroots activists in the party are not going to settle for the status quo and whoever head office is pushing.

That is bad news indeed, for Mitt Romney who is the anointed one.

He is a very skilled politician, who was an excellent governor of Massachusetts and did an amazing job with the Olympic Winter Games in his native Utah.

By right he should be the front runner.

But he's stuck in neutral, not ever drawing the kind of love from the grassroots that Palin can engender just by showing up.

Americans are mad as hell over what has happened to their economy and that throws the 2012 race wide open at this point.

Palin has a realistic shot if she decides to run.

Right now she'd be my favorite to win the Republican nomination.

I've written this before and now the CNN poll bears it out.

In this current deeply unsettled political climate President Palin is not far-fetched at all.

Remember you read it here.

I may not share the same positive sentiments regarding Mitt Romney as does the author of this article. However, this isn't about Romney. It's about Palin, and those who continue to dismiss her as a potential 2012 winner are in denial and may very well be in for a great awakening.

(h/t Kelsey)

Dick Morris: Sarah Palin Is Still The Clear Front Runner For 2012

Dick Morris offers that Sarah Palin is the clear front runner for the 2012 Republican nomination, and always has been. Morris, who was Bill Clinton's political guru, is a best selling author, political commentator, as well as a consultant to leaders world wide.

From the Newsmax interview:

By: David A. Patten

Fox News commentator and best-selling author Dick Morris says former GOP vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin is the clear front-runner for the Republican nomination for president.

Morris says that, despite his respect for the political and intellectual talents of former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, who expressed keen interest Monday in running for the nomination, Palin remains the favorite.

"Oh, I think she always had front-runner status," Morris tells Newsmax.TV in an exclusive interview. "The person who is the vice-presidential nominee last time almost automatically has front-runner status if they did a good job, which she did. And I think that she was a fabulous candidate for vice president."

The problem Palin will face, Morris says, is that the media treated her so badly "with sexist and biased coverage" that it "built up this huge pile of negatives against her."

Adds Morris: "I'm just worried that that might be too heavy a burden to carry in the 2012 election against Obama. But I think she's fabulous. I think she's wonderful."

Morris also notes that candidates Palin has endorsed have a very good track record of winning their races.

"The reason the people she endorses win is not only that her endorsement is significant, but she has good taste," Morris tells Newsmax.

Obviously we agree with Morris that Sarah is the front runner, and has been since, oh .... around November 4, 2008. You knew Sarah had struck a cord with the American people when you saw groups like Our Country Deserves Better running national television advertisements like this one, and the one below, at Thanksgiving, just a few weeks after the election, simply thanking her for being her. America knew Sarah Palin was someone very special.



Since then Sarah has only raised her profile, and had more sucess. Besides going nationwide supporting Common Sense Conservative candidates, patriots who are solid winners, Sarah has been the one strong, clear, consistent voice speaking up for Liberty and Freedom. Sarah has been leading the fight to stop the Obama regime and the tyranny and oppression that comes with it.

Throw in a best selling book, over 2.5 million sold and counting, with a new one on the way, a sold out speaking tour, and a high profile gig that finds her talents as a political analyst in big demand at both Fox News, and the Fox Business Channel, and it's easy to understand why Sarah Palin has become such a powerhouse in the political arena.

I do take issue with Dick a little though. The idea that somehow the corrupt "lamestream media" has damaged Sarah Palin's reputation one bit is just wrong. Remember, this is the same corrupt media that fawned over Obama, called him the "Lightworker" and other such nonsense. They built him up as a "Messiah" and "The One." Half the country already knew you couldn't believe anything the media told you, or at best you needed independent verification of everything said. Now the other half is waking up to that fact, as well.

Americans realize the same people that lied to them about Obama, also lied to them about Sarah Palin. They no longer trust the dinosaur media when they spew their nonsense. Couple that with the new media, and the ability to find the truth at the touch of a button, and everything one once thought about how this thing called politics worked is out the window.

Past that, Sarah is incredibly media savvy in her own right. No one uses the new media, and social networking, as effectively. One strong Facebook post, or even a pithy tweet, can start a firestorm of activity. She's like the E.F. Hutton of politics. When she speaks, everyone listens. No one else commands that sort of attention.

It's really this simple. Every single bit of "news" the left wing media has put out there about Sarah Palin has proven to be a lie. I mean all of it. None of it was based on anything substantional. It never is.  It was all petty nonsense. The left can't compete in the marketplace of ideas, so it's all about the smears. In Sarah's case, this all has backfired magnificently.

The results from the two year (and counting) smear-fest aimed at Sarah have actually been positive, for her. For one thing it turns out Sarah Palin is one of the most vetted human beings in history, and will certainly be the most vetted presidential candidate ever.

After sending platoons of "journalists" to Alaska to dig up dirt, and all of the other nonsense, it turns out that Sarah is just a normal person, and has nothing to hide. No scandals, nothing. What all of this craziness ended up doing was prompt people to do a little reserch on their own about Sarah. Unfortunately, for the left, people discovered a solid public servant with a record of great success and accomplishment, instead of who ever it was the corrupt media was talking about.

The second result of the left's intense panic, is a real case study in the law of unintended consequences. They hoped all of the nasty attacks would scare her off. The vile sexist, racist stuff, most too nasty to print, only did one thing. All of this proved that Sarah Palin can stand up to anything and everything the Marxist left has, and not only survive, but flourish, and fight back. This is a quality absolutely none of the other GOP hopefuls possess. It's something few people anywhere possess.

Sarah Palin is a person of such strong character, who has such deep faith, that she cannot be intimidated by these people. That's a quality that Americans love and respect about her. No one can picture any of the other potential Republican candidates withstanding a tenth of what Sarah has, let alone have a career after the fact.

As we are already seeing, with all of the hateful rhetoric coming from the left, 2012 will be the nastiest election any of us have every witnessed. We need someone who isn't phased by it. Someone who looks evil right in the eye, smiles, and says "bring it!" Sarah Palin is the only one who fits that description.

Morris mentions Newt Gingrich by name.

Newt has recently been talking 2012. Personally, I think he's just getting a buzz going for his new book, but who knows. Gingrich has a LOT of baggage, both personal and professional. I'll let someone else go into the personal. The professional is big stuff.

The two things that make him a non-starter with Conservatives, the base of the party, are his embrace of Al Gore, and DeDe Scozzafava. When Newt teamed up with Nancy Pelosi to shill for Al Gore's global warming scam, and sat canoodling with her on a bench for a TV commercial pushing it all, that ruined his street cred with Conservatives. However, the real kicker, the last straw, was his stuborn backing of DeDe Scozzafava over Doug Hoffman in the New York special election.

Even after Sarah Palin, and every Conservative worth mentioning, endorsed Hoffman, Newt clung on to Scozzafava. When it was pointed out that Scozzafava, a "Margret Sanger Award" winner, was to the left of the Marxist-democrat in the race, Newt started badmouthing Conservatives, and claimed she was "conservative enough." Newt went through some serious verbal gymnastics trying to justify his pick. In the end, Scozzafava dropped out while Hoffman surged. To pay back Newt and the rest of the GOP establishment elite for their loyalty, she promptly endorsed the Marxist-democrat, who won in a squeaker.

Newt ain't happenin'.

Same can be said for Mitt Romney. Oh, he'll run, but between his less than stellar record as Governor of the Bay State and his lifelong record of flip-flopping on every single issue, depending on who he needed to be to what group, it seems like the supreme exercise in futility. Oh, and do we even need to mention RomneyCare?

No one, but Sarah Palin knows what her plans are for 2012. Right now she is focused on November, like we all must be. She knows if we don't take back Congress, and stop Obama, there won't be anything left to be President of. It's our gut feeling though that once she helps place some strong leaders in Congress, and takes a short breather to promote her new book, she will indeed announce her run, most likely on Ronald Reagan's 100th birthday. This will be the time to celebrate.

Obama and the rest of the Marxist-progressive movement will never know what hit them.

Sarah Palin Interview: Will Pursue A Presidential Bid In 2012

Governor Sarah Palin keeps the door wide open to a White House run! In an interview The Governor said she "doesn't know politically what is next for me."  Governor Palin said she will "pursue" a 2012 presidential bid if she decides it's the best way to help the American people with their challenges.

Sarah Palin said her and her family have had an "exciting and full ride" since the 2008 Novermber election. Travels all over America have given her a glimpse of some of the struggles and the greatness of regular Americans.

"If I can help provide some encouragement, some inspiration, some hope for them to get through their battles and make good decisions and get through a challenge, because that's what we've been able to do, then I am going to stay focused on that," 

"Whether that's on a local level in my own little town of Wasilla, or in the Oval Office, if it's right, then we will pursue that."

"I do believe that it is a wise thing for us to put our lives in our Creator's hands," she said. "I put my life into God's hands and say, I'm going to do the best that I can every day to bring positive change to people that perhaps need some help. Need opportunity, too."

"That's what I'm going to do, day to day, not necessarily knowing what will bring to my family, to my country, to my life, in the next year, two years, three years down the road," she added.

Sarah Palin 2012 Response At 1:16

Sources:

CNN: Palin on 2012: 'If it's right, then we will pursue that'

Conservatives4Palin: Sneak Peak from Sarah Palin's Interview with Connie Smith

(Full Interview) Always Good News With Connie Smith

Original Post:

Citizen Palin 4 President: Sarah Palin Interview: Will Pursue A Presidential Bid In 2012

Sarah Palin Electrifies Salina Kansas Friday Night

On the night before her big keynote address to the nation via the National Tea Party Convention that will be carried live on Fox News, CNN, Pajama TV, and many others, Sarah Palin was in Salina, Kansas addressing a huge enthusiastic crowd.

From Barbara Hollingsworth at the Topeka Capitol-Journal:

SALINA — Before a crowd of 6,000 cheering fans, Sarah Palin received rock star treatment Friday night.

The former vice presidential candidate and former Alaska governor drew a sell-out crowd to the Bicentennial Center for the Salina Area
Chamber of Commerce annual meeting — an event that routinely draws big names to the central Kansas community. Past speakers have included Colin Powell, George H.W. Bush, Bob Costas, Margaret Thatcher and Cal Ripken Jr.

"We've had great speakers in the past," said Todd Davidson, of the chamber. "No one has generated this amount of interest — even
President George H.W. Bush, who came here when he was a sitting president, did not drive this kind of a response."

Since her role in John McCain's ill-fated presidential run, Palin has attracted plenty of attention from people who both love and loathe her. Palin recently joined Fox News as a pundit, released her best-selling book "Going Rogue" in November and is on her way to speak at the first national Tea Party Convention this weekend in Nashville, Tenn.

On Friday, the crowd treated Palin as a conservative darling while she served up her mix of tough talk and folksy mannerisms.

"Everyday folks love you because you are one of us, and you tell it straight," said Rep. Jerry Moran, R-Kan.

Even Palin couldn't ignore the excitement her appearance
generated. Back stage, she said, a chamber member told her, " 'Man, this is like a Van Halen concert.' I said, 'Man, I wish.' "

In her speech, Palin sounded off on national security, government bailouts and limited government ideals. And she offered lots of praise for the hometown crowd.

"In a time when folks so fear that much is going wrong, your town is an example of how to get it right and how to soar," said Palin, who was joined in Salina by her daughter, Piper. "Shoot, your state's motto even has it right: to the stars through difficulties."

Palin began by relating her experiences as a city councilwoman and mayor in Wasilla, Alaska. What worked there, she said, was cutting taxes, focusing on a few core services and spending responsibly. As governor, she said she learned to take tough stances.

"I'd have to butt heads with my own party officials and the other party, of course, too, and the media," said Palin, who didn't meet with reporters on her trip to Salina. "Some things never change. It wasn't always the easy path, but it was the right path."

Telling the crowd she was going to "call it like I see it," she said
Washington, D.C., politicians need to "back off." While Americans have lost jobs and learned to live with less, she charged that government has become more bloated.

"Over the past year, Washington has replaced private irresponsibility with public irresponsibility," she said.

The country, she said, needs health reform "not backroom deals." She suggested measures like allowing insurance purchases across state lines and tort reform.

Also, she said the country needs to go after an "all-of-the-above-approach to energy." She said increased drilling for oil must be pursued.

"Drill here and drill now, and tap our own plentiful energy supplies," she said.

The Obama
administration, she said, has lost its way on foreign policy. She said people wonder if the United States is still a "beacon of hope" for freedom.

"We need a foreign policy that distinguishes America's friends from her enemies and recognizes the true nature of these threats that we are facing," Palin said.

In the end, her speech brought the crowd to its feet.

Earlier in the night, Verlene and Joyce Jackson, of Chapman, said they
hope to see Palin as president someday and like the fact that she hasn't "always been in that ivory tower."

"She has a fresh outlook," Verlene Jackson said. "She speaks for us. She's a down-home girl. I feel like personally, I think she would do a good job representing us."

DeVee Smalley drove in from Superior, Neb., to join her two daughters for Palin's speech.

"I think she is somebody who is trying to reach out to the heartland of America," Smalley said.

Palin will be back in Kansas on May 2 to speak in Wichita at a fundraiser for a Christian school.

We were following Barbara live on Twitter tonight, and at one point she mentioned that this may have been the largest ever Chamber of Commerce gathering in the United States. You can check Barbara out on Twitter here.

This is a very big weekend for Sarah. Kansas Friday night, then she is doing an interview with Chris Wallace that will air on Fox News Sunday on Saturday morning, followed by her historic speech Saturday night,

It must be said, Sarah is giving her keynote speech to the nation on what would have been Ronald Reagan’s 99th birthday. I imagine Ronnie is looking down and smiling at this too.

Sunday Sarah will be in the Great State of Texas, Houston, to be exact, headlining a campaign rally for Governor Rick Perry. Then on Monday morning she will be one of the stars of the Get Motivated! motivational conference, also in Houston, before hopping a plane for Reading , California where she has two sold out speeches booked.

Then of course, next week she will be in Daytona, speaking to their Chamber of Commerce. From what we understand, the venue for the speech there has changed to a larger facility to handle the huge sellout crowd!

You know, if one didn’t know better, one would think Sarah was running for President or something! One thing is for sure, Sarah is tirelessly spreading her message of commonsense conservatism nationwide.



*Photo courtesy Thad Allton C-J Online

Zogby: Sarah Palin Front Runner For 2012 GOP Nomination

In a brand new Newsmax Media-Zogby poll, Sarah Palin tops a huge list of possible contenders for the 2012 Republican presidential nomination.

From Newsmax:

By: David A. Patten

Sarah Palin's recent book success and her new high-profile role on Fox News are having a stunning impact on her political standing with a Newsmax-Zogby poll showing the former Alaska governor now leading the GOP field as the party's preferred candidate for president.

The exclusive Newsmax Media-Zogby poll released Thursday asked likely GOP voters: "If the Republican primary for president of the United States were held today... for whom would you vote?"

The poll gave voters a selection of top tier potential candidates as well as some dark horses, the list included Scott Brown, Jeb Bush, Newt Gingrich, Mike Huckabee, Sarah Palin, David Petraeus, Tim Pawlenty, and Mitt Romney.

Despite the size and diversity of the field, Palin grabbed a solid 22.2 percent to take the lead with former Massachusetts Gov. Romney close behind with 19.4 percent.

Also making a strong showing was former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich with 12 percent, followed by former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee at 11 percent.

The Newsmax-Zogby poll suggests the rumble for top dog among GOP candidates is anything but static.

In early December, a CNN/Opinion Research poll found Mike Huckabee led the Republican field of presidential candidates with Palin trailing him for second place.

The latest data is clearly good news for Palin.

"It suggests to me that reports of her political death are exaggerated," political strategist and Democratic pollster Douglas Schoen tells Newsmax. "In American political life, politicians have not only second and third lives, they have nine lives. And Sarah Palin is on her third or fourth life."

The poll's results offer a stark contrast to earlier surveys on Palin.

In November, a Washington Post-ABC News poll reported that 52 percent of voters viewed Palin unfavorably, although her positive rating among Republicans in that poll was 76 percent.

Since then, Palin has continued making appearances associated with her blockbuster bestseller "Going Rogue: An American Life."

And earlier this month she inked a deal as an on-air contributor to Fox News, followed by several high-profile appearances on the network.

The poll indicates that, among Republicans at least, Palin has overcome the various and sundry attacks leveled against her in the media and remains a powerful political force.

She recently kicked off a series of campaign appearances on behalf of Republican candidates who hope to ride the current wave of anti-incumbent animus into Washington.

GOP political leaders are taking notice.

California Republican Rep. Kevin McCarthy, the chief deputy whip for the GOP, tells Newsmax he's not surprised by Palin's strength in the Newsmax-Zogby poll, "but I imagine there are a few networks, that it might surprise them."

McCarthy says Palin has become the voice of an electorate increasingly frustrated with federal governance.

"She has the common sense to go out, to listen, to talk, to tell exactly how she feels from the heart," McCarthy tells Newsmax. "They can try to go out there and say whatever they want about her but she's really the voice of the people. She raises a family, she understands those challenges. … I think that's what America is looking for."

"America is not looking for a party," McCarthy says. "They're looking for a leader and those who will help change Washington."

The Newsmax-Zogby poll asked voters to select from among a diverse field of candidates, including newly elected Massachusetts Republican Scott Brown (5.2 percent), Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty (4.9 percent), and former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush (3.9 percent).

The poll also probed voters' interest in a dark horse in the race, Gen. David Petraeus, the commander who received high marks for his performance in executing the Bush administration's successful "surge" strategy in Iraq.

Petraeus placed fifth among the candidates with 5.6 percent of the vote, indicating he's clearly on the radar of GOP voters. The poll's margin of error was 2.2 percent.

Of course, polls taken months or years before an election often don't reflect what actually happens on Election Day. A Gallup poll taken in November 2007, for example, showed then-Sen. Hillary Clinton with a seemingly insurmountable 27-point lead over a young senator from Illinois named Barack Obama.

Schoen points out that 15.6 percent of those surveyed in the Newsmax-Zogby poll were undecided. Considering that frontrunner Palin received just over 22 percent, "it's anybody's race" according to Schoen.

"I think the greatest degree of certainty we have now," Schoen says, "is that uncertainty reigns." The tea party movement did not exist a year ago: It's now one of the most powerful forces in American politics. Scott Brown was a little known legislator. Barack Obama was a very, very popular president.

"So the world has changed, and it will undeniably change to a much greater extent."

Schoen points out that the grassroots-conservative movement has yet to coalesce behind a favorite candidate, adding, "The activist conservative right is probably the most visible, active, aggressive force in American political life today."

The poll isn't all good news for Palin, cautions Fox News contributor and bestselling author Dick Morris.

She is the clearly highest profile candidate listed, he says, yet she garnered less than three-quarters of the vote.

"Sarah Palin has a strong group of dedicated supporters who really, really like her – with good reason, I might add. I think they believe, and I think they're right, that she was an enormous asset to the McCain ticket," Morris tells Newsmax. "And I think that group is going to be there buying her books, tuning into her programs, coming to her book signings, coming to her rallies, voting for her in the polls. But the fact that it's less than a quarter of the Republican electorate, to me indicates some trouble ahead for her."

Morris tells Newsmax the 2012 Republican nominee is likely to beat President Obama.

A couple of key points. Zogby uses the best sample, "likely voters." This is generally the most accurate sample. One has to watch for this in polling. Often lesser pollsters will use "registered voters" which is a slightly less accurate sample, or simply poll "adults" which is can be wildly inaccurate. With that said, we feel this poll is a true reflection of the voters at this point.

Also, while I respect Dick Morris, and agree that Sarah will still have to earn the nomination, one must look at this poll in context. Newsmax offered up a large group of potential candidates for those questioned to choose. That diluted the percentages to each candidate.

Something else that is not mentioned here, but should be, is this: The front runners, Sarah , Mitt Romney, and Mike Huckabee remain about the same, in relationship to each other, as well as to the rest of the potential challengers. None of the other potential candidates are ever able to pull out of the single digits in any poll.

2012 is a long way away, and absolutely anything can happen, but as it stands today, Sarah Palin is the front runner. Sarah is the front runner for exactly the reasons Kevin McCarthy mentions above. Sarah connects with the voters because she is one of them. When she speaks folks know she has had the same experiences they have had.

Sarah is truly a woman of the people, and that is exactly the type of leader America is looking for.

Sarah Palin: The Shadow President. Obama: State-Run Media’s Favorite Harvard Elitist.

Several reactions to Sarah Palin’s facebook post. Many from a great resource: Doug Brady of Conservatives 4 Palin.

Chris Cillizza at WaPo:

We've noted before in this space that former Alaska governor Sarah Palin is using Facebook to serve as a sort of shadow president, a constant counter to President Obama on nearly every issue. Palin's latest missive came late Tuesday when she decried Obama's approach to terrorism as "fatally flawed" because the administration sees the issue through a law enforcement lens rather than a national security one. Palin's Facebook riffs allow her to speak directly to those who share her worldview without having to wade through questions from the news media seeking deeper answers to the complex problems she is addressing. The goal? Perhaps to install Palin as the obvious foil to the current president thereby giving her the right of first refusal when the 2012 Republican presidential primary fight comes around.

Another Black Conservative:

From the moment Janet Napolitano came out with her clown statement that the “system worked”, you just knew Sarah Palin was going to have something to say about how this administration handles terror.

In typical no nonsense fashion Palin points out the emptiness of Obama’s latest statements and calls out the various absurdities of treating terror suspects as common criminals.

How is it that Palin, who the left would have us believe is a hayseed, can in three simple paragraphs so clearly state who are enemy is, the threat that they pose and the correct way to deal with them, meanwhile the supposed “intellectual giant” Obama needs days and days and days to state the obvious that the system failed?

Mark Noonan:

This shows a clear sighted grasp of what we’re up against and likely reflects the fact that Sarah Palin has had far more real world and executive experience than Obama has - even after Obama has been in office for nearly a year. Obama needs to wake up from the leftist delusions about why terrorists do what they do. He also needs to lay aside ivory tower concepts of how terrorists should be treated when captured. If he doesn’t change, very soon, then the cost of his policies will be paid for in blood.

We made a horrendous mistake in November of 2008 and we can only partially undo it in 2010 - for the most part, we’re stuck with our foolishness until January 20th, 2013. Let this be a lesson to those who complain that this or that GOP candidate isn’t conservative “enough” - true, always better to have a true-blue conservative, but better a RINO than a liberal Democrat. Lives are at stake, and we can’t mess around and hope to put it all back together again later.

Blog Stella Pundit:

When the really hard times hit this year – and oh, they will – Americans will find no reassuring strength or warmth in the newly royalist White House. And in their pain and despair, they will turn to the motherly dynamo from Alaska, Sarah Palin, who spends Christmas with her family serving a community dinner in her hometown of Wasilla. Sarah Palin, who always lovingly mentions the troops and their family’s sacrifice everywhere she goes. Sarah Palin, the Alaskan fox with a servant’s heart and a lion’s strength.

By the time the election of 2012 rolls around, it will merely confirm what is already well-established in the people’s minds and hearts: President Sarah Palin.

Hillbuzz:

Whether Democrats or the MSM realize it or not, a Resistance Movement is forming in this country. Regular citizens are starting to band together in preparation to do what political leaders and those in government are too stupid to do: resist this current president’s desperate slouch towards socialism and his fey, effete, ludicrously naive approach to Muslim terrorists.

Islam wants to destroy the West.

Islam is not a religion: it is a political, commercial, ideological, and criminal organization disguised as a religion so that it can use Liberals within our own borders as Fifth Column enablers of its attacks upon US interests.

The Resistance needs a leader, and we hope Governor Palin stands up in 2010 and becomes that woman, so in 2012 she can become our president.

Jim Hoft at Gateway Pundit:

Sarah Palin schools the state-run media’s favorite Harvard elitist. From her Facebook page Sarah Palin lectures Obama on his lack of comprehension

Lisa Graas:

Governor Palin's firm, reasoned approach to combating terrorism ranks among her greatest strengths and her latest statement bears this out more clearly than ever. She is concise in her analysis and offers "no nonsense" language that cuts clearly through the obscurities in rhetoric commonly offered by President Obama.

Combating terrorism is arguably the weightiest issue falling within the realm of the President's responsibilities toward the American people. For this reason, this particular statement by Governor Palin could be among her most important ever.

[...]

It is comforting to me to know that Sarah Palin understands this threat and offers a clear and prominent voice in America's public discourse as President Obama sleeps at the wheel. Governor Palin is right to say that his approach to terrorism is "fatally flawed". In other words, any plan that is not based on an understanding of the problem outlined above is bound to fail.

It's clear that America made a huge mistake in November 2008. Hopefully the country will get through the remaining three years of Obama's tenure despite his reckless disregard for the safety of its citizens. I'm reminded of Governor Palin's prophetic warning at her RNC speech:

Al-Qaida terrorists still plot to inflict catastrophic harm on America ... he's worried that someone won't read them their rights?

Stephanie Condon for CBS:

Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin railed against President Obama today, saying "his fundamental approach to terrorism is fatally flawed" and that "the real nature of the terrorist threat requires a commander-in-chief, not a constitutional law professor."

The same day the president met with his national security team to discuss the security reviews he ordered after the alleged attempt to blow up a plane on Christmas Day, Palin posted a note on Facebook criticizing the administration's response to the event.

[...]

Palin fails to address the fact that the Bush administration prosecuted "shoe bomber" Richard Reid, an al Qaeda operative, in civilian court, and he is now serving a life term in maximum-security prison.

WHY DOES THE LEFT KEEP BRING UP THIS POINT? The response is the same, if it is Richard Reid or the Christmas Day bomber the same mistake was made. Which was allowing them to lawyer up and than clam up.

Original Post:
Governor Palin 4 President

Beltway ‘Conservative’ Blowhards Do Little to Impact Iowa Republican Opinion

I was over at The Bean Walker and noticed an op/ed by David Mastio at The Des Moines Register.  Who is David Mastio you may ask?  I’m not familiar either, but he is the “Senior Editor for Online Opinion” at The  Washington Times, and obviously he thinks we should care about his opinion regarding who Iowa Republicans support in 2012 and who we give our money to.

He chastises Iowa Republicans, and what is our crime?  Not only did Iowa Republicans give Sarah Palin a high approval rating in a recent Iowa Poll, but we also spent too much money on her book, Going Rogue: An American Life, as well as, time waiting in line for her book signing in Sioux City.  I’m also sure he’s wondering why establishment darling, Mitt Romney, still isn’t as well liked as Palin or Mike Huckabee here in the Hawkeye State.  As he peers down his nose at the unwashed masses who identify with the Republican Party of Iowa the Iowa Politics “expert” Mastio bloviates:

Once I thought there couldn't be anything dumber than the Democrats' combo of a giant auto bailout and "Cash for Clunkers." We'll squander untold billions, but completely fail to change the reality that there are fewer and fewer auto jobs, factories and dealers. When U.S. sales plummet from 17 million cars a year to around 10 million, there's not much a bailout can do other than slow the rout.

I was wrong. Iowa Republicans have come up with something worse. Call it "Cash for Quitters." A whopping two-thirds of self-identified Republicans have a positive view of former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, according to the Iowa Poll, and, as a result, they're willing to line up in the cold by the hundreds while shelling out cash for her new book.

But every dollar that goes to Palin - in book sales now or campaign donations later - is a dollar that can't be used to help a Republican who actually has a prayer of being president.

What is his reasoning?  Because she left office early.

There's no getting past the fact that Palin is a quitter. In more than two centuries, nobody has ever been elected president when their only turn in high office was aborted in the middle just because doing the people's work got to be too much of a drag.

Now if she decides to run, a big if, no doubt that will be an item of discussion.  But to say “doing the people’s work got to be too much of a drag,” tells me that Mr. Mastio doesn’t have a clue about what was going on in the State  of Alaska, and he further proved it by writing:

Conservatives can say a lot of bad things about Bill Clinton, but one thing we can't say is that he ran from a fight. When voters took the House of Representatives and the Senate from his party, he still came in to work. When Republicans impeached him, he didn't give up and walk away, he bombed the former Yugoslavia. Liberals can say a lot of nasty things about George W. Bush. Even if he was a dumb warmonger, he kept right on dumbly warmongering, no matter what voters or the Democrats threw at him…

…If anything, politics in Washington, D.C., is tougher than the game they play in Juneau. If Palin can't handle cold politics on a glacier, she's not going to fare much better in the hot politics of the D.C. swamp.

In many ways, the 1994 elections did President Clinton a favor.  He got to govern from the center which is what he wanted to do anyway.  As far as his impeachment, fair or not, it was his behavior that led to that point.  Let’s not paint President Clinton to be an innocent victim or holding on to his position as not running from a fight.  I’m glad he was able to function and continue to accomplish the role of Commander-in-Chief.  As did President Bush… that is precisely the point.

Juneau is not D.C., and Governors do not have as much protection, or in many ways, power to continue to govern when their administration is in gridlock.  Governor Palin accomplished her agenda in the 2 1/2 years she was in office.  She stepped down to make sure that agenda would progress under an administration that wasn’t having frivolous ethics charges & FOIA filed against them left and right.  Her administration was in gridlock, and the state was wasting taxpayer money.  Governor Sean Parnell, so far, has had a pretty smooth tenure.  When she stepped out of the Governor’s Mansion she was able to take the fight to the next level.

She wouldn’t have been able to speak out on the health care debate, cap and tax, climate change, Afghanistan, and common sense conservatism in general if she were still Governor.  She wouldn’t be able to campaign in 2010 for good candidates, why?  Until the Alaksa Executive Ethics Act is addressed she’d still be incurring more complaints and incurring more debt (which this book I’m sure helped her pay off since her legal defense fund is frozen due to… you guessed it, another ethics complaint).

Perhaps wasting taxpayer money in order to be in a better political position is ok with Mastio.  That shouldn’t surprise us as he’s used to operating within the Beltway and that is how the game is played.  We in Iowa, if I can be bold enough to speak on behalf of those who do have a favorable opinion of Palin, are sick of politics as usual.

If she decides to run, and Iowa Republicans give their backing to her it won’t because of “just hope.”  It will because we see her as the real deal, and that we believe she has the right policies and experience to undo the damage that has been done.  It’ll be because we trust her over plastic, change as the wind blows, type of candidates like Mitt Romney.  Snarky and condescending op/eds won’t do much to change our mind.

In the meantime, I encourage all Iowa Republicans (and any Republican, independent, or conservative Democrat anywhere) to continue to “waste” their money by purchasing her book or by donating to SarahPAC.  It will be money better spent than sending it to anyone Mastio supports.

Shane Vander Hart is the editor of Caffeinated Thoughts.  He loves to connect with fellow rogues so feel free to follow him on Twitter or friend him on Facebook.

Sarah Palin in Iowa Brings Out 2012 Speculation

By Shane Vander Hart, Caffeinated Thoughts 

Governor Sarah Palin stopped in Sioux City on Sunday as part of the book signing tour for her new book, Going Rogue: An American Life.  I had hoped to be there, but alas I was not one of the 625 who had books signed and able to shake her hand.  As always any stop in Iowa brings about 2012 speculation.  Carl Cameron of Fox News reported live:

Now when politicans come to Iowa, I've been guilty of jumping on the "oh they are definitely running" bandwagon. So I'm not faulting speculation (though has any other tour stop brought out national networks and even international attention?).  I’ve said that while I hope she runs I have no idea of whether she will run.  She has certainly been influential and effective in promoting common sense conservatism without a title.

Though that hasn’t stopped people from taking swipes at a potential Palin candidacy.  In an AP article Eric Woolson was quoted:

But some questioned whether Palin could turn her star appeal into votes in a state where face-to-face campaigning has usually played an important role.

Republican strategist Eric Woolson worked for Democrats early in his career, and he saw some comparisons to the campaign of former Sen. John Glenn. The former astronaut drew huge and admiring crowds when he ran for president in 1984 but that didn't translate into votes.

"They went to see John Glenn the astronaut, not John Glenn the Democratic candidate for president," Woolson said. "A tremendous amount of her appeal is as Sarah Palin the celebrity, as opposed to Sarah Palin the potential 2012 nominee."

Just some background on Eric Woolson, he’s currently working for Bob Vander Plaats Gubernatorial campaign.  He also worked for Mike Huckabee’s campaign in 2008.  Maybe he’s just jealous that Huckabee didn’t have near the turnout for his book signing in West Des Moines.

Steve Scheffler, head of the Iowa Christian Alliance and the Iowa National Committeeman on the Republican National Committee in the article said:

…many people were attracted to Palin because "they like Republican leaders who call a spade a spade."

But, he said, the former Alaska governor still has a lot to prove.

"Her biggest challenge will be to convince people she's got the depth to be a successful president," he said. "In the perilous times we live in, people are going to want to know if she's up to snuff."

I agree with Scheffler in his assessment why people are attracted to Palin, but I think what he said about her having a lot to prove could be said about a good number of potential candidate, including Mitt Romney, who was also only a one-term governor, and not a very effective one at that (RomneyCare, governing as a liberal).

Listening to Jan Mickelson on WHO Radio this morning people who called in were saying.  She “represents our values,” “she’s trustworthy,” and “I think she’d straighten out the party, Congress” (though has there ever been a President able to do that).  So Woolson’s claim that it’s just celebrity appeal is unfounded.

Then there’s it’s Iowa of course she’s running mantra ala Tim Albrecht (former Romney staff, now working for Branstad Gubernatorial campaign) in the same AP article.

"No politician comes to Iowa by accident," Republican strategist Tim Albrecht said. "Every politician knows the implications when they set foot here."

Wonder what he would have said if she didn’t come to Iowa?  Oh boy!  Or if she planned two stops?  And it isn’t even 2010 yet.

Update: Kevin Hall, the Des Moines Conservative, declares Sarah Palin the frontrunner for the nomination. We'll see if future polls will back that up, but right now if she decides to run she'll be in good shape. (HT: Josh Painter)

Shane Vander Hart is the editor of Caffeinated Thoughts.  He loves connecting to fellow Rogues, so please feel free to follow him on Twitter or friend him on Facebook.