The GOP establishment may not like her, but she doesn’t seem to care. Sarah Palin knows that whatever shot she’s got at the big job won’t come through traditional means. She’s mapped out another strategy, which Politico’s Andy Barr explains today:
Palin is declining an invitation to address the Conservative Political Action Conference next month because, a source said, she does not want to be affiliated with the longtime organizer of the traditional movement confab.
At issue is the role of David Keene, head of the American Conservative Union which organizes CPAC. In September, POLITICO reported that Keene asked FedEx for between $2 million and $3 million to get the group’s support in a bitter legislative battle with rival UPS.
CPAC was one of the first events I attended after arriving in DC last spring. Back then Rush Limbaugh was sporting 90 more pounds and bouncing like a bobble head on stage, clearly nervous, caffeined up to give a speech way too long and uninteresting even for someone of his stature. Rush’s darling, Sarah Palin, want’s none of it.
Chris Cilizza writes something else revealing today, which is just going to make the Republican hierarchy even more annoyed.
Former Alaska governor Sarah Palin’s decision to attend — and speak at — the Southern Republican Leadership Conference in New Orleans in April transforms that event into the first legitimate cattle-call of the 2012 Republican presidential sweepstakes. …
Sarah Palin’s presence is what defines the Republican horse race for 2012 for traditional media like Cilizza. She’s got the juice. If her non-traditional event picking continues, can the Tea Party base and conservative voters be far behind?
Or a better question, if Palin isn’t part of the Republican president party will anyone tune in?
While I keep wondering… The GOP establishment took a trip to Crawford to hand pick George W. Bush, who was then tutored and spoon fed Paul Wolfowitz’s and Dick Cheney’s neoconservatism. Why don’t Republicans do that with Sarah Palin, especially since she’s already emotionally connected with a loyal following of voters? She’s certainly no dumber than Bush.
Sarah Palin simply isn’t as pliant.
I still think Palin is more interested in money and life style than political power.
My understanding is that Palin is speaking at the SRLC because they are paying her $75K to attend. CPAC was not going to pay her a dime to speak. Palin is a crackpot who will perform for the highest bidder like any other trained bear. Or monkey. Peace
Sarah Palin has dreams of being the first female President of the United States.
She isn’t pliant. Yeah, and it’s the thing I like the most about her, being contrarian myself.
I’m enjoying watching this play out. I admire her rogue-ishness [didn't look it up, probably not a word, will let it stand anyway.
] and I’m interested in seeing how it all plays out.
I think to reduce her intention to $75,000 is simplistic. She isn’t doing it for the money; she’s doing it as part of a strategy. She’s aligning herself with voters who consider themselves “independent” now; she’s interested in speaking for the voters who attend Tea Party protests, who want a third-party, the very same people really, who supported Ross Perot, it seems to me, only in a new generational era. I hope she’s boning up on her foreign policy issues, though. She doesn’t have a full background there, loathe as she is to admit it, perhaps. But, her basic core beliefs seem to be TEA PARTY to me, just as an off the cuff analysis.
I’m enjoying this. But, I’m not sure it’s about becoming the first female POTUS….I just don’t know. She’s clearly not interested in being part of the Republican Party; she’s got other goals. A third-party run for the first female POTUS? Highly dubious, but then again a politically naive person, or a highly idealistic one, might think it’s possible. I’m a cynic, so I doubt it’s possible. On the other hand, I love a good shake-up of the establishment! I could cheer it on, at some point, just on that basis alone.
heh.
Did I say Palin could be “politically naive?” Oh, mea culpa. Shrewd may be a better word…She’s calculated the political landscape:
http://hotlineoncall.nationaljournal.com/archives/2010/01/gop_insiders_so.php
Palin will be the keynote speaker at Tea Party Nation’s First National Tea Party Convention. It will be held February 4-6, in Nashville. http://www.nationalteapartyconvention.com/
That, obviously, is several weeks before the April Southern Republican Leadership Conference. Whatever else she is or isn’t, Palin is serious about those dreams of the WH you mention, Taylor. And whatever ends up happening, at least to this point, she’s having an impact.
Heya Joyce. Wrote about that yesterday:
http://www.taylormarsh.com/2010/01/07/palin-to-headline-tea-party-convention/
I saw it, Taylor, and then naturally forgot to acknowledge I was repeating
. Sorry about that.
Watching where she’s spending her time, and current political currency, is very interesting. As you say, Noogan, she’s “calculating.”
Very interesting article of the NYT on the tea party movement, the influence of Palin but particulary the florida race between Crist and Rubio.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/10/magazine/10florida-t.html?pagewanted=8&src=twt&twt=nytimes
There is a war within the GOP and the enthusiam is on the side of the tea party movement. One of my favaourite quote from Obama during his inauguration speech is “the ground has shifted below the feet of our opponents” or something close. Well it looks like just a year after his election, the ground is already shifting. The era of bi-partisanship is over because many on the right are clearly rejecting it. It is a pity…how democrats led by Obama respond will be interesting.
Sorry the link is
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/10/magazine/10florida-t.html?pagewanted=1&src=twt&twt=nytimes
It is hard to divine what someone like Palin is thinking.I agree that she is shrewd and she knows how to run against the establishment,that is how she won the governorship in Alaska. I would guess she found out she loved the big time and the limelight and does not want to give it up. I think she will fly as far as she can but it is hard for me to believe she really,really wants the job. If she does she is a little crazy to think that she can do it. Are there any “serious” GOPers who support her? By that I mean money.
I agree Lake Lady.
The Repugs have made the right-wing crazies their base, and the crazies will excommunicate anyone who is not of sufficient ideological purity, which is damn near everyone. Apparently the birthers are now going after Glenn Beck. If Beck’s not pure enough, ain’t nobody pure enough.
The coalition between Repug moneyed interests and red-faced Palin-loving Angry White Guys is falling apart, and neither one will be able to win elections without the other. Deep down, they loath each other. Twenty-somethings are not about to suddenly get Republican Religion. The Repugs are in a demographic death spiral.
I half expect Sarah and the Angry White Guys will form a 3rd party movement which will completely torpedo the Repugs.
Palin and Dobbs, 2012.
The future is anyone’s guess, but I think Sarah Palin would first of all like to be independently wealthy so that she can do what she wants. (I wonder how much she will make from her book and speaking engagements) I think she also likes power and probably wouldn’t mind being a thorn in the side to the party establishment, who basically dismissed her. Who knows? It’s not so far fetched to think Sarah also might have learned a thing or two about women gaining power from Hillary’s attempt at the Presidency. I agree, she is calculating.
We all have dreams. As the Italian proverb says “A runaway monk never speaks well of his monastery.” Peace
Sarah Palin’s next book:
How to make Million$
Taking Suckers to the Cleaners
_ (Copyright 2013)
Sarah Palin’s next bumpersnicker:
Vote President
Sarah Palin 2012~14
“I’d like to try THAT for a While!”