Alana’s question as to why Sarah Palin continues to toy with the public and the Republican presidential field and refuses to issue a firm endorsement of one candidate is a good one. I believe the answer, however, has more to do with her desire to try to hog the spotlight for as long as possible than it does with any inane hopes on her part of a deadlocked GOP eventually turning to her as a savior or even her obligations to Fox News. But after last night’s Florida result, there is an even better query to be posed to those who spent much of the last week touting the former Alaska governor as a difference maker in the South Carolina primary.
If Palin’s unofficial endorsement was thought by some observers, including smart people like the Weekly Standard’s William Kristol, to have had some influence on the outcome in South Carolina, what conclusions should we draw from the fact that her call for Floridians to “rage against the machine” and vote for Gingrich doesn’t seem to have had the same effect?
The answer is obvious. While there may be a few conservatives who look to Palin for guidance, most disregarded her advice. Exit polls of those voting yesterday show Romney had a slight edge among Tea Party backers over Gingrich (winning 40-38 percent), and finished in a virtual statistical tie with him among evangelicals (losing them by a 38-37 percent margin). These are, after all, the two groups we are told are Palin’s base of support. Yet Romney–not her choice of Gingrich–held his own among them and won the overall vote by a huge margin.
We will, no doubt, continue to hear a great deal from her so long as she remains on Fox’s payroll. But as the primary season proceeds with more opportunities for her counsel to be ignored by GOP voters, her stock will continue to sink. All of which ought to remind Palin’s credulous fans as well as journalists that the idea of her influence over Republican voters is more myth than reality.
I don't enjoy the way Sarah continues to humiliate herself, with no apparent self awareness whatsoever. I want to remember her good points but she is making that impossible. It's very much how I feel about Newt. This whole FoxNews conservative celeb thing which has churned out so many political profiteers has about burned itself out. I can barely stand to watch Fox anymore, except for Krauthammer on Special Report. n nWe really need to shake off the idol worship and conspiracy theories… it reeks of the Left's Obama worship. The good news is, Florida showed me that voters ARE beginning to get very serious. Palin can have her cake and eat it too, I don't care one bit… she has zero impact or influence on me. TV Pundits are the main reason God created the mute button.
If Sarah Palin is so inconsequential, why do you spend so much time belittling her? Don't you have anything more substantive to say?
Three reasons. 1) Sarah Palin is the topic of this discussion, 2) I'd like to see the idea that Sarah represents some huge army of right wingers dispelled, 3) I do not approve or respect the political profiteers' preying on citizens, though thankfully it appears more and more people are catching on every day.
I think it's sad that Commentary writers seem determined to denigrate and ridicule Sarah Palin. As governor, Sarah: n n* Balanced the budget by holding spending below revenue for two of her three years. n* Gave Alaska's citizens a record high tax rebate, in addition to a special, and unprecedented, one-time extra tax rebate. n* Opposed corruption in her own party. n* While restraining spending, managed to increase funding for special education kids. n* Achieved a natural gas pipeline deal that her predecessors failed to achieve. n* Cut the state subsidy for the natural gas pipeline from $4 billion to $500 million. n* Increased the state's reserve fund.. n nAnd I might add that Sarah Palin is ardently, passionately pro-Israeli and a great friend of the Jewish people. n n n
The real answer is that Sarah was not a factor against the 65-1 TV ad carpetbombing that went on. She has no skin in that game. n nTrue conservatives understand the value of a consistent belief-based politician. Mr. Tobin likes the porpoise.
Sarah Palin flummoxes the Elites who are obsessed with her. Sarah Palin speaks for a lot of people are live ordinary lives. Sarah Palin is a phenomenon. n nHow smart are the elites? They support Big Government Liberal Mitt Romney which means more of the same. Or Newt Gingrich, a Washington lobbyist, who has taken every side of every issue and who has made a mockery of marriage and family values. n n2d string the arrogantly, obnoxious Rick Santorum and from outer space Ron "End the Fed" Paul. n nAnd Jonathan Tobin throws stones at Sarah Palin?
The media is fascinated with Palin. They always have been. She has outlived her 15 minuites of fame.
Everything Sarah Palin touches turns to…….well it's not gold! She's so negative with her gutter language and jealousy of the Obama family. It's obvious that America's biggest political strip teaser is and always has been about the money and crowds screaming Sarah! Sarah! Sarah! My how she misses that. Poor Granny in Wasilla.
All of you voted for her. She's not the problem; you are.
Isn't it funny how Neocon-boy is obsessed with Palin? In fact, many of the so caleld high IQ types are obsessed with Palin. n nIsn't it funny that Palin has been proven right on many, many issues and the Neo-con boys have been proven wrong? n nDoesn't God work in mysterious ways.
She's become a joke, even among many who defended her for a long time. Like me.
I see little reason for more media attention to be focused on Sarah Palin. A marginal public figure, she has the soul of a high-school mean girl trapped in the body of an angry church lady with lotsa lipstick. Her "base," perpetually in need of being "energized," is small and dwindling. At this point, daughter Bristol is going to need a few more appearances on "Dancing with the Stars."