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Well, she didn't quit to run for president.
Nobody would do that, could possibly do that, could at any point be told by any person that an idea that crazy might actually work out. It's not just that it's irrational; it's that it's insane. There is no political playbook (there will never be a political playbook) that calls this play.
Whatever the reason, it isn't that.
Keep in mind that if you could pick any day in the year to dump a story like this, to try to damp down negative coverage, you'd have to go with the Friday before July 4th. If you wanted to keep the story low-key you'd hold a small press conference, hastily announced, before all of the press could arrive to ask questions. If you thought the story was a bad one, you'd do exactly what Sarah Palin just finished doing.
What kind of scandal could cause a resignation before the story has even broken? Pay-for-play, Ted Stevens style? A briefcase full of cash? Will there be handcuffs? Is there an ethics investigation bombshell about to be dropped? Did she kill Michael Jackson?
It's just so exciting to think about.
But while Democrats have taken joy of late, impressed by how utterly fulfilling the twists and turns of Republican scandal can be, the total collapse of political characters like Sarah Palin and Mark Sanford may actually be the best thing that could happen to the GOP.
There is no doubt that the Sarah Palin of only a week ago would have been a leading contender to win the Iowa caucus in 2012. Her celebrity would have been a useful tool for building the kind of ground game necessary to compete there and her appeal among the religious right is high (60 percent of Iowa Republican primary voters are evangelicals). But had that win been her springboard to the nomination, it could have literally destroyed the GOP.
Against a powerful Obama organization and with a massive intellectual disadvantage, Palin's lack of discipline and intelligence, her unyielding preference for trite rhetoric over even the illusion of substance, her total lack of self-awareness and her obvious lack of readiness would have caused unknowable damage to her party.
Every week, she finds a new way to embarrass herself. Lucky for Republicans, her latest train wreck means a future disaster avoided.
Mark Sanford too could have torn his party apart. Surely under the scrutiny of running for national office, Sanford's exotic personal life would have been uncovered. Having this saga unfold now is far better for the GOP than having it unfold two weeks after Sanford's nomination.
Whoever is unlucky enough to take on Obama in the 2012 race is going to face the most formidable incumbent in the history of American politics. The size and scope of his campaign organization will be so massive, so all-encompassing, that defeating it will be nearly impossible.
If there's anyone who can, they aren't on the stage right now. Not a single name mentioned as a potential Republican presidential candidate has anything near what it would take. The party needs to look elsewhere for its savior.
Though they may not realize it, the best hope of Republicans is for more scandals among their starting lineup. For a backbencher to emerge onto that stage, it helps to have Palin and Sanford falling off of it headfirst.
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It's way too soon to know how Obama will do in 2012. If the economy gets better, he wins. If not, he loses. His poll numbers are way down in Ohio. That's really bad. Palin won't be the GOP nominee in 2012. Most likely it will be Mitt Romney. And he has a very solid resume iin the area of economics and business. It's still the economy stupid. Pray that the job losses STOP.
Palin is a red herring to distract focus from getting us out of Iraq. How many American "advisers" died today in Iraq and Afghanistan?
Good analysis. But really -- I think George Washington was probably the most formidable incumbent in American politics.
Anyone ever think President Obama may not want to run another term? When he walked into the office and opened the door and mega crap of 8 years come tumbling down on his head. I can imagine his thoughts.
I'm sure he never thought his Presidency would compose of all of this crap. Nor Michelle thinking she would be knocked for everything she wear or say. So I would guess, if mama says don't run again he won't.
And so far the Dems' or the Repugs don't have another good candidate to run. We all really would be up the creak.
Is it happenstance that two of the GOP front runners for 2012 get out of the game mere weeks apart?
I may not like what Palin stands for, but she sure has shown grit. What do they have on her anyway is what I wanna know? Is her youngest 'son' really her grandson? Did she authorize the hunting of Innuits with helicopters? I wanna know
You are partly right. The repub nominee in 2012 will be a sacrificial lamb, but Palin would be as good a sacrifice as anyone.
As a progressive Democrat I sincerely hope you are right and that Obama is as formidable an opponent as you have stated However I also feel that unless, and until, he stops skirting the hard ,but compelling issues, like Don't ask, don't tell, Public funded health care , military reductions to include withdrawal from all these silly wars and out dated bases in S. Korea, Iraq, Japan, Germany, Diego Garcia,Okinawa, Formosa, etc.etc.et
He can if Dems would give him longer than 6 months to do it! A lot of these issues have been around for decades yet we want everything done RIGHT THIS SECOND. I'm willing to give him the first full term(he's no quitter) of office to see how his policies have played out.
One of the biggest reasons I voted for Obama was energy independence. I was busting on GM long before for their lack of innovation and long-term thinking in developing the cars we need to get the heck off of oil.
We have been addicted to oil for over 100 years (especially the last 30 years). I would not in a milllion years think Obama could pull us off this in 6 months.
However, he brought former adversaries together (some of them were embroiled in lawsuits against each other) to create a single, natiowide standard for mpg (which saves us and car companies money), put billions into renewable energy, emphasizing energy like no other president (who usually just does campaign talk), etc, etc, all in his first 4 months. And he did all this despite having the M.I.C., powerful oil and gas companies, Bush burrowers still in the govt, GOP standing in his way.
And that's just that part of the economy he has begun to tackle. Some of these things are going to take a little longer than others. Progress doesn't happen in one fell swoop.
And look what he has already accomplished in the Middle East and Russia!!!
He is turning hearts and minds and bringing respect and admiration back to the U.S.A.
Could Palin do that?
I think the thought that Obama is invincible in the next election is beyond premature ... what has the man done so far?
Stimulus ... right, it's not working at all so we need another one of same size
Car company bankruptcies ... yeah, they are a mess with 10000+ of jobs lost.
Healthcare ... um, going nowhere fast with all sorts of compromises on the table
Financial reform ... what reform? unless you count giving all the power to the Fed as *new*
Iraq ... yup, more bloodshed and lives lost
Afganistan ... yup, more govt contracts for the powerful elite with even more lives lost
Gay rights ... ahuh, caved at every turn, but with promises of reform in the future
Job creation ... hello, more like job destruction and middle class disintegration
He is mimicking the Republicans at every turn, he has promised then caved, he said he would speak truthfully to the American people and then lies ...
If this is a precursor to the next 3 years, he will not be in office for another 4.
I'm not so sure.
If Palin is finished, why is HuffPO still committing 60% of its daily space to her?
I understand we dare not focus on the economy, but this Palin stuff is a bit much.
it's job is to sell 'clicks'. the hype is where the profit is. sorry, but that's the reality of a capitalist society.
Sixty percent? Gosh, your ruler's whacked!
Try 5%. Maybe.
It was a lot worse this weekend - seems to be quieting down somewhat. Guess the drugs are wearing off.
By the time 2012 has rolled around, Sarah's base would compose the entirety of the Republican party itself. You forget, they lost 4% of their voters in 2 months and falling. Rush Limbaugh has been outed as the leader of the party. Even the Republican constituents are tired of their own party, much less independents and Democrats (who are still behind the president).
On top of that, when you are so ideological, you root out a lot of talent that would otherwise join your "moderated" circle. Their moderates are fleeing.
It won't matter if they select a charismatic, good-looking, male version of Sarah Palin. If they speak to only 10-20%, then that's all they get. And that goes for 2016, 2020....An
A looooong way to go before 2012. I still don't see anything that suggests Obama isn't capable of dealing with the current mess. I could be wrong, but the proof of an admin is in the legislation they pass and the state of US national security.
Huff seems increasingly to be home to cynics and haters, so I doubt I'll get any agreement. But it seems the pres is doing "okay" with a weak hand. Let's see after the health care bill is proposed.
I agree with you about the cynics and haters on this site.
When you mention Plain your are sure to get what Orwell called it "two minutes of hate".
That is why I want to see Palin President. Just to see the expression on the faces of these lefty shock troops.
You just want to see someone's shocked expression. Great reasoning for picking a president. Obviously, being a Palin supporter, you have no concern for the good of the U.S.
Exactly.
Whoever is unlucky enough to take on Obama in 2012??
It may be the one the citizens of the U.S. want to dig us out of the increasing hole called the deficit. The government is spending money like a drunken sailor and doesn't even know where the money is going. This spending is out of control and will collapse this economy (and will take the world's economy with it). America wanted change, and that's what they are getting. More spending, government owned car companies and financial institutions, and maybe (God help us) healthcare. Name one thing the government subsidizes and improves their performance - the post office? Amtrack?
when you're done watching the sky fall (and complaining), what is the correct course you feel we we should be on?
any time I have a complaint, I ALWAYS suggest another way to go. otherwise, I don't want to hear it.
I voted for Obama because I wanted someone smarter than me to be president. he said this would be painful for a while (and it is), but I have all of the faith in the world in him.
it's funny...we
Maybe I could buy you a shovel, cause we are all going to be digging for a lot more then 8 years to pay off Obama's deficit. I could maybe get you a little one so your kids and grandkids (making an assumption here, my apologies) can help as well. Maybe I can also throw you a couple advil too, cause it's not going to be easy. The stimulus was a joke (yes, only 89% left to be spent.....
No matter who the GOP runs in 2012, all President Obama has to ask is "Do you really want the party that caused the greatest financial crisis since the Great Depression back in the White House?"
Republicans and their media will try to blame it all on President Obama (or Presidents Clinton, Carter, Johnson...
To think that Obama will be unbeatable in 2012 assumes that he will be affective as a president. If we look at his first six months I would say no. A stimulus package that hasn't stimulated anything. Yes it has only been 120 days but it wasn't designed to stimulate anything but government growth. A budget that is a trillion dollars more than any budget ever passed. A health care package that will cost over a trillion dollars and only insure 16 our of the 50 million uninsured. It will however destroy the health insurance on the private economy and pave the way for single payer which will also be a disaster. A cap and trade bill that will not stop global warming but will cost the normal American thousands and lose another 2-4 million jobs as industry moves from the nation to other countries.
What has he accomplished. He has grown government like no other president before. He has been given more power and done away with a lot of checks and balances with his 16 Czars with executive priviledge. He hires and fires CEO's and other board members in private industry. He owns companies and banks and regulates what they do. He bypasses the law to give Chrysler to the Unions and he bypasses the law to fire an IG that had something on a friend. This does not sound like a successfull presidency for the country but successful for Obama.
Where are you getting your facts, Fox or Heritage? I will now attempt to help open your eyes:
http://en.
http://en.
2008 US Federal budget = 2.9 trillion
2009 US FEderal budget = 3.1 trillion
As for the Recovery Act, the act was designed to be implemented over the course of three years, which means it will be proven to have worked right around the start of the next Presidential election cycle, no coincidence there but some astoundingly good politics if you, say, want to be reelected.
Your health care numbers are a joke played on you by Fox news, there are no real numbers yet because the thing is still in committee. Making sure that our citizens are healthy is perhaps the best possible way to promote the general welfare (as opposed to the corporate welfare). And your Cap and Trade numbers are way off. In fact I was watching Faux last night (knowthineenemy) and the numbers they reported were atrocious and misleading. Bill-o said that gas prices will rise by 50% in the next 35 years, a scary thought the way he made it sound. But the fact is gas prices have risen by almost 600% in the last thirty years http://www
And his/her response? ... chirp chirp chirp
Yes, his/her sources apparently were either Fox, Heritage, or the thin air.
you're a parrot. well trained by Faux News and Rash Fatbo. Everything you've said is completely unsubstantiated drivel. JoetheRealist has provided links if you wish to educate yourself. But first you must pull your head from the sand. (or your *ss, where ever it may be)
THE only way Obama will be re-elected is if he does not cave to the lobbyists and id iot ic "centrist" dems on a public option for health care. No matter what else he does, if this does not happen, he's out. And I am turning into a very disappointed supporter. The so called credit card reform bill was utter crap and should have been vetoed. He didn't fight for the cramdown measure in the bankruptcy bill, nor did he support it. He didn't fight the worthless tax breaks in the stimulus bill, he's not doing anything on DOMA or DADT. But the most important thing will be: No public option, no more president.
Agreed.
i am not as concerned with the GOP as a threat. I am concerned with the Democrats. How many are now showing their true colors, and how many are the same wolf in a different sheep suit, like Specter from PA?
The problems with Congress are NOT PARTISAN, unfortunately. So I don't care whether your name tag has an ass or an elephant.
I want new people in house that represent the working class.
There may be a few "good eggs" in Congress. Let's identify them, create a good list.
But the "bad eggs", D or R, need to be identified an eliminated. THIS MUST BE DONE ASAP.
NO MORE INETHICAL, GREEDY, CORRUPT POLITICIANS BOUGHT BY LOBBYIST $$
We need to identify trustworthy people for EACH STATE and get them into office ASAP.
There is a way to get America back on its feet. There is plenty of money, plenty of opportunity. The problem right now is that the elite are hoarding it.
Wall St has fresh pavement, but Main St is full of pot holes. WE MUST PUT OUR PEOPLE IN CONGRESS NOW.
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