Don't Count Saint Sarah Palin Out for President in 2012!

Don't write off Saint Sarah all you political pundits, press smartypants, and Washington insiders. You're out of touch with the men and women who love Sarah Palin--always have been and clearly will be. In your mind--Mr. Rove, Mr. Steele, and Mr. Huckabee--Sarah Palin has thrown away her chance to take the White House by handing in her resignation as governor. That's not what presidential candidates are supposed to do. They're supposed to toil away for years--decades, even--as senators or governors--before announcing their candidacy on the long haul to The Big White House.

Well guess what, boys--election rules are now made to be broken. Didn't you all just watch Barack Obama steal the White House right out from under the feet of the establishment-anointed Hillary Clinton? And he did it by forging a new path to the presidency based on an enormous grass roots movement that got its momentum from regular folks.

Oh yeah. Sounds familiar. Well Sarah Palin, despite her Katie Couric missteps, is no dumb bunny. The lady from Wasilla didn't leapfrog from nowheresville to Alaska governor by accident. She is a canny operator in her own right, with the ability to understand and embody the opinions of her audience. And they already like her better than before!

A new nationwide USA TODAY/Gallup Poll has found that two-thirds of Republicans want Palin to be "a major national political figure" in the future. In fact a whopping 71% of Republicans say they'd likely vote for her if she ran for president in 2012. And this poll was done after her resignation!

In fact, announcing her resignation on the eve of Independence Day wasn't done so the deed could slide under the radar of a long holiday weekend.

No way. She did it BECAUSE it WAS Independence Day and she wasn't really announcing a resignation. No, she was actually proclaiming "my independence...no more politics as usual."

When Sarah Palin shared the presidential campaign trail with Mr. Maverick himself, John McCain, she quickly learned that The Maverick is still a path with enormous appeal to the conservative small government crowd. That crowd still gets teary-eyed over the belief that every man or woman can make it for him or herself with just spit, vinegar and hard work. No need for government intervention. And don't forget, Obama won the presidency because he was the Maverick Democrat.

Now, the Lipstick Pitbull is banking on the fact that over the next 3.5 years there will be a behemoth of a backlash against Big Government, Big Spending, and Big Big Deficits--all the things that she and her supporters abhor.

And you know what--she's probably right. No matter how successful Obama's policies for routing a recession, there will be a swing back to the ideal that less government is more. America is just like that--cycles happen.

In the meantime, Saint Sarah can spend her time advancing her "higher calling" out of office. She made it very clear in her resignation speech that she has a mission and a missionary's fervor.

In her own words, she is done with conventional "politics as usual." Big Government spending is "amoral." She needs to "BUILD UP" and "FIGHT" for our country. She will support others who "seek to serve for the RIGHT reasons."

Sarah sees herself as the Joan of Arc for hardworking "average Americans." And like saints and missionaries of the past, when you have a calling that necessitates taking a bigger, more important road than regular roads, then you can't be bothered by accusations of "frivolous ethics violations," or by the typical "blood sport of the national political process."

I don't agree with critics that claim Sarah was speaking gobeldy gook when she was announcing her resignation. No, she was saying exactly what she wants to do. And it's clever.

No more time wasted on unproductive opposition that she would face in office. Instead, she'll take her message successfully on the road. And whether she's a new fox at Fox or reads speeches in front of sold-out auditoriums, Sarah Palin does know how to speak in a way that emotionally connects with her audience.

So beware to all Republicans and Democrats who count her out of the 2012 presidential race. These are unprecedented times, and unprecedented approaches that are not politics as usual will work. Saint Sarah has years now to go grassroots and spread her gospel. And guess what? It could work!

Photos: AP

For more on Sarah Palin, follow Bonnie on Twitter at www.twitter.com/bonniefuller.

Follow Bonnie Fuller on Twitter: www.twitter.com/bonniefuller

Comments

[totaldisbelief]

The TIN HATS are on the loose.

[dagdavid]

"Well Sarah Palin, despite her Katie Couric missteps, is no dumb bunny. " Which Sarah Palin are you writing about? I have yet to hear her say something intelligent or coherent. Sarah Palin knows how to connect to other right-wing, christian, neo-cons, that's it. You conveniently forget to mention polls that include non-repbulican voters which clearly demonstrate that more people dislike her than like her. By the way, no need to caution dems like me - I pray Palin runs in 2012.

[kannita]

Oh, she will run, you betcha! wink..wink

[idesign]

Be careful of what you wish for!

[hoagie76]

In a way you're right. The same people that voted for W cuz "he's a guy I'd have a beer with" voters are still out there and have not learned the lessons from the past R-POTUS. W grew government, deficits, spending (on a frivolous war), destroyed the constitution and took away freedoms of the American people. The idea that she got to where she is threw hardwork, spit and vinegar is a complete misnomer. Her home town of Wasilla had a surplus before she took office and now has a $22million deficit. The abuses of her power on a local and state level are so frequent and atrocious, just imagine what damage she would do in the white house. If you think she will reign in big government you're dead wrong.
The grassroots movement for Obama was because he actually did start a new grassroots movement by going into neighborhoods and actually helping people and getting people to volunteer to help make their neighborhoods a better place. Palin has simply not done any such work.

[KillgoreTrout43]

Palin has had some pretty negative things to say about community organizers.

[gypsysailor]

I see that a lot of people don't agree with the author of this article. Well, I do. Sarah Palin is one of the most dangerous people in American politics now. This 'pit bull' has not let go of what she was hanging onto, rather she let up just long enough to get a better grip on the rung to the ladder that will help totally destroy our country. Palin does not speak with many smarts, instead she speaks from emotion. And with emotion it's easy to manipulate people. All you have to do is go sit through a Sunday morning evangelical church service to see the truth of my statement.

[blrpalms]

A M E N !!!!

[CitizenJ]

That works for the 20% who don't think. When she gets into a debate and can't speak in coherent sentences, it's not so good.

[IndyGirl19]

I'm still amazed when Palin lovers claim that she cleaned Biden's clock in the VP debate. What she did was put on a comedy show. She didn't answer ANY of the questions posed to her. The actual debate NEVER HAPPENED.

It's as if the Palin people watching forgot that it was supposed to be a debate. It became the se.xy winky woman versus the guy in the boring suit. Yeah, sure the cute girl wins that one.. but, nonetheless it was supposed to be a debate.

[micost51]

Aren't Republicans tired of playing to ignorance and stale points of view? Aren't they tired of candidates who are proud of their lack of knowledge, inability or unwillingness to understand the subtle points of issues, and unwillingness to compromise for the good of the country?

First we had "W," now you folks have put forward "Sarah," and you hope for her resurgence. Instead of political messiahs who know a Texas two-step or the best way to build a deer blind better than the English language, shouldn't you folks search for someone who can actualy govern, and wants to do so? Palin lacked both qualities.

[Rothgar]

No Micost the Republicans are completely fine with ignorance and stale points of view. They base their economic theories on even flimsies bases. Ignorance and stale points of view are a step up for the GOP.

[20090120]

The headline reads something about being "Vaulted to the Oval Office". It should also say...."When Pigs Fly".

[nvr2late]

Unfortunately, I believe Bonnie is right on. I loved following the Obama campaign. But if she runs, I will not even turn my TV on. Not only her but to see all those Republicans backing her will be unbearable for me. No big government, huh? But she can pocket thousands, abuse her power, and get away with it. So it's minimize government so that individuals can become CEO's and "rape" their employees so they can live high on the hog giving out huge bonuses. That's what the kind of freedom that the Republicans say they are losing now means to me.

[marylandtravelinman]

Couldn't agree more! The issue really is, are there enough Republicans to elect a President and can she win over D and I.

[Lilly-G]

I really doubt it - they are falling like flies.

[allonfla]

NOOOOOOOOO­OOOOOOOOOO­OOOOOOOOOO­OOOOOOOOOO­OOOOOOOOOO­OOO SHE CAN'T.

[luvangelHussein330]

This is why I stopped reading Bonnie Fullers fiction a long time ago.
If the lipstick wearing pitbull was the Joan of arc to the average worker then she and mcDidn't would have won and she never would have abandoned her position as govener. And if the reason she abandoned her state was to run for President wouldn't that mean that she is just a career politician looking out for her best intrest? DAH!

[KT8711]

UGH. Please don't even compare Obama to Palin. Granted, they were both relatively new to the political scene in comparison to political veterans like Hillary and McCain, but there are a few crucial differences that need to be mentioned:

Obama was still in office when he was elected. If Palin ran for president in 2012, she'd be running without currently holding political office. I mean really, what would her resume look like if she runs?

Attended 5 colleges to obtain a communications degree, no grad degree, local sports reporter, mayor of Wasilla, governor of Alaska for 2 years, and Fox News tv host (I'm betting that's going to happen)?

If Republicans think Palin is a viable presidential candidate, then they are morons. Idiocy like this is why i withdrew my membership in the Republican party. I don't want to be affiliated with such delusional fools.

[tomasedison]

Sarah is a train wreck happening in slow motion.

Please don't glorify her - she doesn't deserve it.

[YouCanKeepYourChange]

I think your life is the real train wreck if you feel that way!!!

[KT8711]

Wow, witty comebacks like that really affirm my confidence in the intelligence of the average conservative voter.

[skatoolaki]

You think someone's life can be compared to a "train wreck" if they feel that Sarah Palin doesn't deserve being glorified? Explain that, please.

[SuiginTou7]

Oh, I think we can safely assume Sarah Palin is done.

[VinceTeeter]

Damn, I hope not. I love Sarah Palin, she's the best thing that could happen to the Democratic party next to all those Rushpublican implosions.

[nogornc]

Absolutely. SAVE SARAH!!!

[atti]

I think a more appropriate theater for this article would be THE ONION.

[Thelma Richards]

Republicans, can you ever nominate someone who is intelligent, articulate, politically savvy, smart, well rehearsed, someone who would make a good candidate. First Bush and now Palin? That doesn't say very much for the republican party.

[Lilly-G]

No, it doesn't speak well of the repub party, Thelma. The GOP is seemingly incompetent to come up with a viable candidate considering all that are falling from grace. They can't keep their pants on or their mouths shut when they should. Family values is now a joke.

[VinceTeeter]

Wait a minute, you're talking about the party of Hoover, Reagan, and Bushes.

[Martha12]

By way of comparison, when Gallup in 2005 asked a similar question about Hillary Clinton running for president in 2008, 52% of registered voters said they were at least somewhat likely to vote for her, including 28% who said they were very likely to do so.

Predictably, most Democratic registered voters (70%) say they are not at all likely to vote for Palin. While most Republican registered voters (72%) say they are likely to vote for Palin, only about half of these (35% of all Republican voters) can be considered solid supporters who say they are very likely to support Palin at this time.

Does Governor Palin's decision to resign, make you feel more favorably toward her, less favorably toward her, or does it not affect your opinion of her either way?

%9 more favorably.­..........­...%70 no effect....­..........­........%1­7.....less favorably

As far as voting goes ...republicans are........%35 very likely to vote for her and %37 "somewhat" likely.

Read the rest here:

http://www.gallup.com/poll/121514/Americans-Political-Future-Palin.aspx

If you want a true story go here:

Palin takes a pounding in the polls

July 8: According to recent polls, three in ten Americans saw their opinion of Sarah Palin change after her resignation. Newsweek"s Howard Fineman discusses the decrease in her popularity.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3036677/vp/31807910#31807910

[YouCanKeepYourChange]

Newsweek"s Howard Fineman is a joke!!!