Alaska's Sarah Palin

The past few days there have been quite a few visits to this blog coming from people doing google searches on Alaska Governor, Sarah Palin.  Back in February I posted on the possibility of her being a serious choice for vice-president on McCain's ticket, after a story in Alaska Magazine titled, Meet America's Hottest Governor...

Now John McCain's vice president advance man, Arthur Culvahouse has been spotted in Juneau.  Coincidence?  Nah.  It does seem as though the McCain team is vetting just about everyone these days, but I do like the idea of giving Palin a serious look.  She's certainly not as dowdy and dull as so many of the other vetted possibilities have been.

Comments

[K-Lo]

I love Palin.

She has Conservative leadership written all over her.

[Ted]

Here's an important piece of advice: If it looks like it's going to be McCain/Palin anyway (and that should be a "no brainer" for Team McCain), McCain should announce NOW or VERY SOON, rather than later towards the convention. There's currently a growing chorus for Obama/Hillary (as VP) ticket (in fact the Dems are likely aware of the Palin phenomenon). If the GOP waits while movement for Hillary as VP grows -- even worse until after it is solidified that Hillary will/could be VP pick -- selecting Palin will be portrayed by Dems/liberal media more as a reaction by GOP selecting its own female (overshawdoing Palin's own remarkable assets), rather than McCain taking the lead on this. Selecting Palin now or early (contrary to the punditocracy) will mean McCain will be seen as driving the course of this campaign overwhelmingly, and the DEMS will be seen as merely reacting. And, there's absoultely no down-side to this because even if Hillary is a no-go as VP for Obama, the GOP gains by acting early. McCain the maverick. Palin the maverick. Do it now!

There's no reason, and actually substantial negative, in McCain waiting to see what the Dems do first insofar as his picking Palin as VP, because, no matter who Obama picks, Palin is by far (and I mean far) the best pick for McCain and the GOP, especially in this time of GOP woes. The GOP can be seen as the party of real 'change' (albeit I hate that mantra, change, change, bla bla), while not really having to change from GOP core conservative values, which Palin more than represents.

In light of the current oil/energy situation, as well as the disaffected female Hillary voters situation, and growing focus on McCain's age and health, Palin is more than perfect -- now.

(Perhaps Team McCain is already on to this.)

[diane]

You might have something there, Ted

[Conservative Alaskan]

Are you aware of the fact that Sarah Palin-Chavez proposed and pushed through the largest socialistic tax increase in the history of the world? It’s a 400% increase on the state’s #1 taxpayer that funds roughly 90% of the state’s budget. (See ACES)

Speaking of budgets… do you know that she increased the fy09 operating budget by 23%?

And what do you think of her left-wing socialist energy rebate debit card for $100.00 and utility reductions for every Alaskan resident? And people wonder why she has high approval ratings… ha! If you can’t figure that out, you’ve never been to Alaska were people love free money from the government!!!

Oh, and... you may want to read this: http://community.adn.com/adn/node/124285

[Ted]

There’s been noted buzz of late on rising GOP star Louisiana Gov Bobby Jindal as a McCain prospective Veep. Certainly Jindal is more than very good, However, I believe there’s some “strategerie” going on here. The “real” beneficiary of the Jindal talk is the other rising GOP star, Alaska Gov Sarah Palin. Palin’s got everything that Jindal has (new/exciting, wildly popular, ethics and spending reformer, core conservative etc.) and more — mother of 5 w/remarkable bio, she’s 8 yrs older than Jindal, Alaska energy issue, and set to garner the disenfranchised female Hillary voter (I don’t believe Dem leaders can dump Obama).

Getting Jindal’s name out first — at Team McCain’s BBQ for instance — sets the stage for the obvious choice, Palin. For example, albeit Rush Limbaugh introduced Palin’s name, and later Jindal’s as good Veep choices, of late Rush has been praising the name of Jindal while on his very same shows discussing at great length the frustrated female Hillary voter and the global warming hysteria/need for energy development, without mentioning Palin’s name as the obvious beneficiary of those two issues. Rush walks a fine line, introducing Palin, yet can’t, at least yet, reiterate much, knowing that his praises may be counter-productive to many a swing, moderate and/or formerly Dem voter (who’s against Obama and switching to McCain). Moreover, while I feel that Palin has more real accomplishment, experience and qualification than Obama (and Hillary combined, albeit w/Obama the bar is pretty low), the only potential argument against Palin is she’s a newbie to the national scene. By having Jindal out there first as a VP prospect “passing” the “experience” and “new to the national scene” test, implicitly passes Palin as well. (For that matter Palin’s got as much if not more experience and accomplishment than Florida Gov Crist who’s only been Gov for 2 yrs — and the media has been touting Crist as a VP prospect.)

That’s my thinking at least.

[Conservative Alaskan]

Mmmmm… let’s see. She was on the city council and mayor of Wasilla (population 5,469 in 2000), an Alaska Oil and Gas Commissioner for 9 months, and now Governor of Alaska for a little over a year.

National experience and expertise? None.

International experience? None.

If the GOP is seriously looking at Sarah as a VP candidate, they are truly desperate.

[LLM]

http://www.newsweek.com/id/139335/page/1

"Ever the populist, Palin has asked the legislature to pass a bill that would give every resident $1,200 to help pay for gasoline. This proposal isn't a slam-dunk either, but no doubt Hugo Chavez would be proud."

[Ted]

Bottom line, with Palin as VP, McCain WINS.

Without Palin, McCain likely does not win.

Case closed.

[Ted]

Q&A How can McCain SIMULTANEOUSLY attract both Hillary AND Bob Barr voters? Answer: PALIN Veep!

[Patti]

What people fail to remember is that Obama has no experience internationally. So in my opinion that evens the playing field with Palin. But Palin blows Obama away with more accomplishments as Govenor and she is also Pro-Life living by example. She has a son fighting for our country and Obama won't even place his hand over his heart during our pledge. The biggest thing is she is running for VP with a man McCain who has all the international experience one needs. What a great teacher to have.
Obama is running for President trying to sell people on his experience with his grandfather's life (rest his soul). When the truth is Obama has no experience what so ever. I would put Palin as President before Obama any day. But I am excited and proud to have her as our VP of our country someone we can have confidents in that she and McCain have been and always will be proud of their/our country the USA.

So here is a question for people. What happens when congress doesn't support Obama if he makes it as President is his wife going to turn her back once again on our country, after all she only became proud of our country once her husband got nominated. McCain and Palin have been proud a life time. Wake up America. May God Bless our country and all those that fight to keep us safe.