Article Directory :: Politics & Government Articles

It Looks Like Sarah Palin Scares Republicans Just as Much as She Does Democrats

By Ed Bagley

Republish: EasyPublish™ Published: 25Feb2010 Word count: 1423 Viewed: 478 time(s) Get Free Content For Your Site

Copyright © 2010 Ed Bagley

George Will is a political columnist, and a pretty good one who represents a conservative point of view. I agree with George Will on a lot of issues, but take exception with his viewpoint in his article appearing in The Washington Post on 2-18-10, titled "Populism Gets Palin Attention, But It Won't Get Her Elected". George Will made a point with his article; here is my counterpoint.

George Will acknowledges that Sarah Palin has fueled the populist movement, he reluctantly acknowledges that she could be the Republican candidate for president in 2012, but contends that she "will not be the Republican nominee unless the party wants to lose at least 44 states."

In other words, Will does not want to see Sarah Palin as the nominee for the party because he thinks she is does not have enough seasoning. That is Will's opinion and he is entitled to it, especially since he gets paid to give his political opinion in the prestigious Washington Post.

I see things a differently, and I am eager to give my opinion on Sarah Palin—the person, the politician, and the possible presidential candidate, in 2012 or 2016.

The Person

I was not aware of what Sarah Palin was doing when she was governor of Alaska until she burst on the scene as John McCain's vice presidential candidate. Soon we learned what she was up to politically in Alaska, and learned more than we ever needed to know about her personal life, children and grandchildren.

Democrats were quick to discredit everything about her—perhaps because she was a new, appealing face in contrast to John McCain. She also appeared open, honest, direct, humble, transparent, enthusiastic and genuinely concerned about the needs, wants and concerns of the American voters.

She met the politicians, special interests and organizations in Alaska head on when she was governor and thought they needed to be taken to task. This included the small politicians with big egos, and the big politicians (the good old boys) with big egos, and even bigger pockets to hold the money flowing in from their influence. And, amazingly, she was the last one standing.

Do I like Sarah Palin as a person? I have never met her or worked with her but, given the only view I have had, yes, I like absolutely like Sarah Palin. Why would I not like someone who is open, honest, direct, humble, transparent, enthusiastic and genuinely concerned?

The Politician

McCain could have chosen a vice presidential candidate with more experience in running a large corporation like the federal government. But he chose Palin, who just happened to be the governor of Alaska. You can fuss about how the population and economy of Alaska compares to California, but she was in a pretty exclusive club—there are only 50 governors.

If you ask me if whether I would want to live in Alaska or California right now, I would choose Alaska hands down. Arnold Schwarzenegger can't even run California effectively at the moment, much less the country, so what does that say about Arnold Schwarzenegger?

If Sarah Palin had been the governor of California rather than Alaska, she would have more experience running a bigger operation, but would she automatically be more effective as a president?

Barack Obama burst on the scene nationally, just like Sarah Palin. He was a Harvard-educated attorney who appeared to be a very effective public speaker, and a community organizer in Chicago before he ended up as an Illinois State Senator and then U. S. Senator from Illinois.

Obama was 1 of 100 senators in Washington, DC, and joined 435 representatives to make up the 535 members of the United States Congress. When any of these members of Congress make a mistake, and the truth of the mistake becomes evident, it is good to be a fast talker and sell a lot of snake oil to divert attention from yourself to any or all of the other 535 members.

There is only 1 governor in Alaska and, yes, the buck stops with the governor, whether the governor is a man or a woman.

George Will slams Palin for quitting as the Alaska governor with 17 months remaining in her first term. Obama was elected as a U. S. senator in 2005, served approximately 2 years of a 6-year term, and officially started running for the presidency from his February 2007 announcement date until being elected president; Obama did not serve out his last 4 years as a senator.

Yet Obama, one of 535 elected members to Congress, is qualified to run for president based on his experience as a legislator and politician, and Palin is not qualified with her experience as a governor. Palin also had to be a politician to successfully run for and be elected governor of Alaska.

George Will pooh-poohs the idea that a governor, who governs well, could run the country. It is a good thing that former governors who became Presidents like Ronald Reagan, George Bush and Bill Clinton thought they were qualified enough to be president.

In fact, 17 former governors became president of the United States, including Thomas Jefferson, James Monroe, Woodrow Wilson, Calvin Coolidge and Jimmy Carter.

The Possible Presidential Candidate

George Will would have to be blind to not appreciate the relationship between the populist uprising that is occurring today (you can call it the Tea Party if you like) and Sarah Palin, who is listening and responding to the citizens' cries of discontent over what is happening in America. Yes, it is popular. At least Sarah Palin is listening and responding; Palin continues to echo the heartland values of our forefathers.

In the meantime, President Obama and his cast of advisors are busy trying to advance their own agenda of not what the citizens want, but rather what they think the citizens need. Democrats in charge do not need to poll the citizens, they already know what the citizens need and want, and are going to give it to them—whether the citizens want it or not.

How dare anyone question a Democrat in charge. Democrats are so brilliant and wise they do not need to listen to anyone but themselves, and their own inner circle. If they tell you to pass a bill, you better pass it. If they tell you to pass a bill you have not read, and what is in the bill is not clear and concise, you better pass it anyway.

Could Sarah Palin become president in 2012? The betting odds on anyone who is politically connected or thinks they know something about politics—like political commentators and Hollywood stars—is that there is not a chance in a million of it happening. Those political commentators include George Will.

As Johnny Carson used to say, "How soon they forget."

When President Obama announced his candidacy in February 2007, all kinds of smarty-pants politicians and political commentators had this to say:

"Illinois Senator Barack Obama's announcement this week that he's likely to enter the Presidential race adds a dash of glamour and excitement to the Democratic field. But all of his media attention doesn't change the basic truth of the 2008 primary contest: The race is between Hillary Rodham Clinton and everybody else." The Wall Street Journal Editorial Board, Jan. 18, 2007.

"What's a guy with only two years' experience in the U.S. Senate and none as governor, someone few outside his immediate family and the Internal Revenue Service ever heard of three years ago, doing running for president? And why is everybody--or anybody, for the matter--taking him seriously?" John Farmer, The New Jersey Star Ledger, Dec. 12, 2006.

"Barack Obama is not going to beat Hillary Clinton in a single democratic primary. I'll predict that right now." Bill Kristol during his Dec. 17, 2006 appearance on Fox News Sunday.

Not everyone predicted that Obama would fail. Here is what former House Speaker Newt Gingrich had to say on "Meet the Press," NBC, Dec. 17, 2006, when asked about Obama's lack of experience: "Well, Abraham Lincoln served two years in the U.S. House, and seemed to do all right."

So Barack Obama outfoxed all of his detractors, going on to be elected President of the United States.

And Sarah Palin? Maybe it is not a good idea to dismiss her so quickly. She may not be as stupid, inept and inexperienced as a lot of smart people think; she may just connect with citizens who vote. And especially with the independent American voter who is not excited about what is happening now that Barack Obama has been elected President, and surrounded himself with his current band of advisors.

EasyPublish™ this article - publishers click here

More articles by Ed Bagley

Free Report!
Ten Essential Secrets Of Article Marketing ... Grab Your Free
Copy Now:

Need Content?
Regular Top Quality Content for your Blog, Ezine or Website ...
Delivered Direct,
For Free!
Click For Details