Scarborough wonders: Is Palin still a viable presidential candidate?
posted at 9:27 pm on June 10, 2009 by Allahpundit
Answer: Yes, but time’s running out. As much as you guys may hate Kathleen Parker, there’s some wisdom in her latest Palin-bash. Even Ann Coulter, in naming Palin 2008′s conservative of the year, acknowledged that she needs to master national policy before making another run at higher office. There’s been precious little evidence thus far that she’s done so; on the contrary, aside from a pro-life speech or two, most Palin headlines have been devoted to her photo op in front of the turkey slaughterhouse or the endless Johnston/Palin family drama or the “will she or won’t she” attendance sagas at GOP events, from the congressional dinner clusterfark to the CPAC clusterfark. No more drama. Either buckle down as a serious candidate or declare now that you’re not running and let the freak-show coverage run its course. Can we agree at least on that?
Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy










Blowback
Note from Hot Air management: This section is for comments from Hot Air's community of registered readers. Please don't assume that Hot Air management agrees with or otherwise endorses any particular comment just because we let it stand. A reminder: Anyone who fails to comply with our terms of use may lose their posting privilege.
Trackbacks/Pings
Trackback URL
Comments
Comment pages: 1 2 3 … 10 Next »
ALLAH YOU LIBERAL!
YOU TRAITOR!
/arrrghh!
blatantblue on June 10, 2009 at 9:28 PM
if somebody wonders about something on a network that nobody watches … did it really happen?
joey24007 on June 10, 2009 at 9:29 PM
Good post. I agree. I cringe when listening to Palin speak. She needs to learn policy and when to stop talking. Her answers go on and on.
taney71 on June 10, 2009 at 9:31 PM
I think she should run for the Senate before she tries for a POTUS/VPOTUS bid.
txag92 on June 10, 2009 at 9:31 PM
Many won’t — because criticism of Sarah Palin is simply unacceptable
blatantblue on June 10, 2009 at 9:31 PM
Well she is speaking out publicly against Obama on domestic issues. The foreign policy studying can be done behind closed doors, can’t it?
Doughboy on June 10, 2009 at 9:31 PM
Will she ever be a “foreign policy expert?”
after all, to the media and the beltway … Joe Biden is a foreign policy expert
joey24007 on June 10, 2009 at 9:32 PM
Palin in 2012 is unlikely. 2016 is more realistic, unless Obama is a one-termer.
Slublog on June 10, 2009 at 9:33 PM
No. Why should she declare anything now? She’ll do it at her convenience, not yours and if you think a column by parker will scare her off, you are a joke.
BTW, Sarah is clinching a landmark deal this week with Exxon which should secure her legacy in Alaska and free her up to pursue national ambitions.
I have a sneaking suspicion that she’s going to inject herself into the coming healthcare debate in a big way.
promachus on June 10, 2009 at 9:33 PM
OH SNAP.
Allahpundit on June 10, 2009 at 9:33 PM
I guess they missed the speeches on Obama being bad on the economy or how Alaska and America need missile defense to protect it from North Korea.
William Amos on June 10, 2009 at 9:34 PM
lol…her accent and speaking style reminds me very much of some of my family in Central/Northern MN.
coyoterex on June 10, 2009 at 9:35 PM
Okay, dude. That’s two snaps in one day.
You’ve reached your limit. :-)
Slublog on June 10, 2009 at 9:35 PM
Scarborough . . . who cares? The man is at best irrelevant.
rplat on June 10, 2009 at 9:35 PM
Obama IS a one-termer. Palin or somebody else will be able to take him out.
promachus on June 10, 2009 at 9:35 PM
Palin in 2012 is unlikely. 2016 is more realistic, unless Obama is a one-termer.
Slublog on June 10, 2009 at 9:33 PM
2012 it is.
txag92 on June 10, 2009 at 9:35 PM
the only people caring about whether Palin should run for President is EVERYBODY ELSE.
I don’t think she has actually thought about it since returning home. Unlike the Huckster, Newt and Romney she has a REAL JOB.
and she is 46 years old.
joey24007 on June 10, 2009 at 9:35 PM
Gov. Palin needs to take that incredible heart and passion for this country and add some polish. In my perfect world she would be tutored by Mr. Krauthammer and Liz Cheney. As unfair as it is, she can’t afford to be much less than perfect because those who sold us The Won will do just the opposite for her and be equally disingenuous in attaining that goal.
Cindy Munford on June 10, 2009 at 9:36 PM
She hasn’t thought about running for prez since she got back?
blatantblue on June 10, 2009 at 9:36 PM
Good Greif those lackeys at those organizations are hired gun mercenaries. They only care about the bucks they get not the issues.
The so called “insiders” are mostly a drain on campaigns not contributers. Its easy to buck the system Sarah need only go around to other like mind conservstives and sell conservative ideas.
Those Ideas will trump and “experience” said insiders have.
William Amos on June 10, 2009 at 9:37 PM
Because 2012 is just 3 and a half short years away, gosh darn it, and all the other GOP hopefuls have already declared!!!!!!
I think, most of the time, and with very few trips out of state, she’s basically buckling down as a serious governor, since that’s, you know, her JOB.
notropis on June 10, 2009 at 9:37 PM
how many fundraisers has she held for her PAC?
one Human events email letter.
joey24007 on June 10, 2009 at 9:37 PM
I agree. Run her for the Senate, but she’s not POTUS material in my book. (and no, neither is Obama, but that doesn’t make her any more ready)
p40tiger on June 10, 2009 at 9:38 PM
she was reading THE definitve book in Islam and the run up to 9/11, “the looming tower” (won a Pulitzer) on a campaign plane last time I checked. She handled the KSM waterboarding stuff rather well in the debates and campaign
What the $&@” do you want her to do
I swear, she could recite the magna carta standing on her head and all the media (and the mitt/huck republicans) would comment on was the height of her bootheels
battleoflepanto1571 on June 10, 2009 at 9:38 PM
when will you cons learn???
there are more people that are liberal than conservative
Indies the way to go
g0tmylifeback on June 10, 2009 at 9:38 PM
why declare now? That makes no sense at all. The governor will be re-elected next year and 10-15% unemployment and inflation courtesy of Obama economics would catapult her to the presidency in 2012. By the way the freak show coverage will never run its course, toughen the hell up would you!
rob verdi on June 10, 2009 at 9:38 PM
That doesn’t mean she hasn’t put any thought into it
Come on she knows how well liked she is. You KNOW she KNOWS she’s expected to run.
blatantblue on June 10, 2009 at 9:38 PM
McCain!
joey24007 on June 10, 2009 at 9:39 PM
Joe Scarborough, Ann Coulter, Kathleen Parker… they’re all liberal commie elitist DNC trolls. They should STFU and get behind the greatest conservative candidate/thinker/goddess EVER!!
Oh, and where the birth certificate?
/Palintologist rant
JohnGalt23 on June 10, 2009 at 9:39 PM
You’re so cute, rising from the dead like this.
blatantblue on June 10, 2009 at 9:39 PM
real job – governor of Alaska
no fundraisers for her PAC
just doing her thing in Alaska
joey24007 on June 10, 2009 at 9:40 PM
Allahpundit,
The freak show coverage will never run its course just ignore it and drive forward, victory is all that matters, toughen the hell up would you!
rob verdi on June 10, 2009 at 9:40 PM
g0tmylifeback on June 10, 2009 at 9:38 PM
Good grief. You said you were leaving in the other thread.
txag92 on June 10, 2009 at 9:41 PM
What exactly is POLICY? Energy is not policy. Missile defense isn’t policy. Healthcare isn’t policy. So, what exactly qualifies as policy?
promachus on June 10, 2009 at 9:41 PM
joey24007:
That’s it in a nutshell. All this rending of the garments about Palin’s perceived sins is a giant circle jerk. The fact is, Joe Scarborough has a new book out and Sarah Palin gets attention because Sarah Palin is fantastic and Joe Scarborough is trying to ride her coattails.
Allah is a snob. People like him buy the common wisdom that Palin is an idiot because they’re afraid of social rejection by other elitist snobs just like them. Remember the awestruck silence Palin earned after her convention speech from all the pundits, including Olbermann and Matthews. They knew they had seen a star, and that star had to be destroyed, as all apostates and threats must be destroyed by the left-wing hate machine. She’s crucified every time she shows up at any event, no matter how innocuous the occasion.
Sorry to say, Allah and Parker are part of the lynch mob, though in his defense, Allah has learned to be more temperate.
But if you think this is not a war, you are naive and confused. A lot of people are going to learn this in the next few years.
ILB on June 10, 2009 at 9:41 PM
;-)
g0tmylifeback on June 10, 2009 at 9:41 PM
“Still??”
What do you mean by “still”????
The Final Cut on June 10, 2009 at 9:41 PM
Unrealistic!
She knows how many people love her and want her to run for 2012. She knows the effect she had on McCain’s campaign — doesn’t make her cocky or arrogant, but she’d have to be dumb as a bag of nails for her to not realize that.
She knows what is expected of her in the future. She might not be fundraising (yet), but the general idea IS on her radar
blatantblue on June 10, 2009 at 9:41 PM
Please no!! D.C. ruins people.
Cindy Munford on June 10, 2009 at 9:42 PM
But then i saw the letterman post
that he crossed the line on
Not cool. Just like calling Meghan Mc a whale is not cool.
Stop the HATE!!!
g0tmylifeback on June 10, 2009 at 9:42 PM
I can’t stand your trolliness, but I gotta say
Pretty clever tagname
blatantblue on June 10, 2009 at 9:42 PM
For now, yes it can.
But at some point, she has to develop a mastery of the material in public. She has to go out and give a cogent analysis of American foreign policy, and how she would differ from the current administration. And up until now, I have yet to see any such mastery, or even a healthy curiousity in that direction.
JohnGalt23 on June 10, 2009 at 9:42 PM
Reincarnation?
Thats for me to know and you to find out
g0tmylifeback on June 10, 2009 at 9:43 PM
As governor of Alaska, she gets things done, unlike ZERO
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/6469570.html
joey24007 on June 10, 2009 at 9:43 PM
If Obama is seen as a failed president in 2012 I doubt people will want to vote for someone else who is young and has a short track record.
JDwinston on June 10, 2009 at 9:43 PM
There is only one GOP politician who can mobilize the base and offer an alternative to the left based on policy and reason. That would be Palin.
rob verdi on June 10, 2009 at 9:43 PM
she needs a foreign policy expert like Joe Biden to teach her
joey24007 on June 10, 2009 at 9:43 PM
Sarah Palin has zero chance of becoming President and you people know that.
SoulGlo on June 10, 2009 at 9:44 PM
Total reincarnation!
Or just zombie-fication!
You have risen!
The one and only!
GETTTTTAAAALIIIFFFEEEE
How’s it feel to be King Troll?
Cause honestly, benny shankar is just a punkazz biatch
You put a lot of effort in
blatantblue on June 10, 2009 at 9:44 PM
Like Obama is a master of foreign policy?? That’s funny.
JellyToast on June 10, 2009 at 9:44 PM
I always wonder how that dead girl wound up in his office.
TheBigOldDog on June 10, 2009 at 9:44 PM
JDwinston,
A solid point, but 6 years as governor and a vice-presidential run are hardly a thin resume.
rob verdi on June 10, 2009 at 9:44 PM
That’s actually a pretty good point to chew on for a while
blatantblue on June 10, 2009 at 9:45 PM
Can she be pres if she hasn’t been in the military?
I thought that was a biggy for you guys
g0tmylifeback on June 10, 2009 at 9:45 PM
For what purpose? It seems that you not knowing is creating a problem for…….you. So I disagree, keep people guessing it hurts nothing. And she isn’t running in 2012. IMO
Amadeus on June 10, 2009 at 9:45 PM
I don’t think she needs to declare now, but she can start talking about national policy issues. I agree the drama should stop, but the drive-bys have instigated that nonsense.
I think she can be ready in 2012 if she comes out substantively and offer alternatives, but it doesn’t have to be ASAP.
That being said, I love her to death. She’s unique and real. There’s nothing false or fake about her, she lives her life according to principles that we here hold dear. I love the way she speaks and would be disappointed if she were to get some “polish.” The One has polish and look at what he is!!!! GO SARAH!!!!!!!
theenforser on June 10, 2009 at 9:45 PM
SoulGlo,
they why are you scared of her?
rob verdi on June 10, 2009 at 9:45 PM
Bennys confused
He’s not embracing Obamas message
g0tmylifeback on June 10, 2009 at 9:45 PM
Palin needs experience? You mean like the guy in office now? No experience at all worked out just fine for him. Have you forgotten already?
kahall on June 10, 2009 at 9:46 PM
But does she know who the Secretary of Sanitation in Singapore is? Huh? Huh?
I don’t know why she would have to declare anything right now. It’s friggin’ 2009.
ddrintn on June 10, 2009 at 9:46 PM
By the way wasn’t she talking about North Korea las month> Wouldn’t that qualify as a “serious” issue.
rob verdi on June 10, 2009 at 9:46 PM
g0tmylifeback – you know AP opened registration just to resurrect you right? You must be so honored.
TheBigOldDog on June 10, 2009 at 9:46 PM
This may be the one case in which you and I agree.
By the way, disagreeing with us is fine, but it’s dishonest to promise to ‘bow out graciously’ and not follow through.
jazz_piano on June 10, 2009 at 9:46 PM
Who is this Josephine Scarreddopey?
bill30097 on June 10, 2009 at 9:46 PM
I’m not a Palin fan (sorry) but here’s what I’d have her do on a PR front, since I doubt anyone would take my policy suggestions seriously:
- go overseas. Visit the troops in Iraq/Afghanistan, but also take time to visit with European leaders. Surely there are some center-right politicians willing to have their picture taken with her (just steer clear of the BNP)
- do more interviews, and not just on Fox News. The reason she got so tripped up by Gibson/Couric is because they waited so long to unleash her, which built up a lot of expectation. She should be hitting the Sunday talk shows regularly. David Gregory is not exactly the gotcha machine Tim Russert was, I don’t see how she’d have a problem here.
- Show she has a sense of humor. Ask Tina Fey if she can do a guest spot on 30 Rock (when the Alaska legislature is not in session, anyway). People will be skeptical, but I guarantee you they will be walking around the next day saying how surprisingly funny she was.
Siobhan on June 10, 2009 at 9:47 PM
You have to work on Benny
He just waltzes in, in a drunken stupor, and says something stupid
blatantblue on June 10, 2009 at 9:47 PM
Who ever it is does a pretty poor job. When the wind blows just right the smell will damn near knock you out.
TheBigOldDog on June 10, 2009 at 9:48 PM
Well, she is a woman. ;) (Sorry ladies.)
ddrintn on June 10, 2009 at 9:48 PM
I know. Just the Letterman post was too much. Obama should reprimand him.
ok got to be good
ill sit back and watch and try not to be mean ;)
OK?
g0tmylifeback on June 10, 2009 at 9:48 PM
Have Huckabee and Romney, the other top two contenders, shown such curiosity? Romney has given exactly one foreign policy speech at Heritage and that was too broad-based to qualify as policy. I don’t watch Huckabee’s show but I haven’t seen him talk about foreign policy either. I mean, what exactly did they propose they’ll achieve and they both ran for President? And yet Palin is supposed to reveal all this 6 months after new administration gets inaugurated?
promachus on June 10, 2009 at 9:48 PM
Is that the dead girl’s name?
TheBigOldDog on June 10, 2009 at 9:49 PM
Romney is a foreign policy genius because he ah ran Bain Capital
joey24007 on June 10, 2009 at 9:49 PM
there are many that have bush hatred
we got to move on (as do you all)
look at the country
maybe the recession is over, but we have to heal.
g0tmylifeback on June 10, 2009 at 9:49 PM
The woman is a three-ring circus with a carnival barker. Her family should be on Jerry Springer. She craves attention and is ditzy. Please, put her out on the national stage and watch the freak show begin. The gop has officially imploded.
athensboy on June 10, 2009 at 9:49 PM
We love Sarah.
suzyk on June 10, 2009 at 9:49 PM
Have you forgotten the article in which he referred to America’s ‘arrogant bunker mentality’?
jazz_piano on June 10, 2009 at 9:49 PM
She has the foundation in place for a run, if she decides to make it.
She’s probalbly building/strengthening the relationships she will need to run.
Remember, she’s often underestimated by her opponents; (go back and read what her gubernatorial opponents said about their expectations vs. the reality of debating her.)
All this is good; she can spend at least another full year “doing the work” to plan and build her candidacy, while making careful policy statements. She’s already doing this, on a variety of issues.
IF she runs, she’ll be a credible candidate.
massrighty on June 10, 2009 at 9:50 PM
Thanks Michelle for open enrollment for these kooks.
suzyk on June 10, 2009 at 9:50 PM
Oh no you didn’t…
Siobhan on June 10, 2009 at 9:50 PM
LOL
What CRACK are you throwing down there, Athens?
If she was so HARMLESS
SO MORONIC
SO DUMB
SUCH A “BIBLE THUMPING BE HAIR HIVIN’ IDIOT”
Why is the left SAVAGING her?
Because they’re confident?
heh.
blatantblue on June 10, 2009 at 9:51 PM
And there are “those” that believe that no matter how well she does she can never do GOOD. So don’t take the high road there Mr. Pragmatic.
The Huffington Post Palin plagiarized debacle I went off on because I thought it was unfair. Having said that.
This time Allah you are 100% correct. If she can’t tell me on the spot when asked what her policy is on International Issues she has no business running. I don’t think she is ready yet, I don’t think she plans to run until 2016.
So yeah us “worshippers” realize what her capabilities are and what realities are.
I don’t think she is ready, I think she knows it.
broker1 on June 10, 2009 at 9:51 PM
repvoter on June 10, 2009 at 9:52 PM
No. He’s a foreign policy genius for the same reason he ran Bain Capital. The same reason he was a Baker Scholar while also simultaneously earning his JD. He’s a brilliant, logical, strategic thinker. However that’s not enough in today’s America.
TheBigOldDog on June 10, 2009 at 9:52 PM
Who cares what these knobs think.
BTW…I guess no neck-tie is the metro-sexual choice of the year. Fab!
RobCon on June 10, 2009 at 9:52 PM
Welcome Back GETALIFE. Clever name. Should we expect The Wall & Poptech back as well?
portlandon on June 10, 2009 at 9:53 PM
Well put Allah, I totally agree Allah, you’re a wonderful person Allah, we all love you Allah.
Now would you please bring out the ban hammer a rid of the resident, reincarnated idiot….
Pretty please?????
Knucklehead on June 10, 2009 at 9:53 PM
Allah,
You are just seeing it from your view, the pussy view.
You are not even ‘beta’ anymore.
You are an ‘omega’ boy.
Man up FCOL.
Sapwolf on June 10, 2009 at 9:53 PM
Yep.
WisCon on June 10, 2009 at 9:53 PM
hey, hey, hey! I had nothing to do with it! I hate the panhandle and wasn’t anywhere near his offices the night in question.
TheBigOldDog on June 10, 2009 at 9:54 PM
Great, another Sarah bashing post another donation to SarahPac!
Whenever Allah bashes Palin or whenever the clusterfarc Republican Party sends me a donation letter I send a donation to Sarah Pac!
Palin/Plumber 2012 the only ones willing to take on the Pinnochio Presidente in 08 and the ones the most correct about the Pinnochio Usurper, other than Rush of course.
dhunter on June 10, 2009 at 9:55 PM
I’ll take whatever road I’ll like, guy.
The fact is there are too many people that simply defend her no matter what.
I love Sarah Palin, but she is a) human, which means she is b) fallible.
I’ve witnesses too much idolizing.
And I’ve also noticed that any criticism makes the criticizer a “LIBERRRRAL!”
blatantblue on June 10, 2009 at 9:55 PM
If she wants to be taken seriously maybe she should spend some time at an anti-Semitic black church and do some Hamas fundraisers like Obama did.
elduende on June 10, 2009 at 9:55 PM
Get a life is on it’s best behavior
blatantblue on June 10, 2009 at 9:56 PM
That may be, but he doesn’t fire anybody up.
ddrintn on June 10, 2009 at 9:56 PM
Blasphemy! Heretic!
TheBigOldDog on June 10, 2009 at 9:56 PM
That is true. But he makes dumb people feel uncomfortably jealous…so they prefer Palin cuz she thinks just like them by damn!!!
The Final Cut on June 10, 2009 at 9:57 PM
More people liberal than conservative? Where did you come up with that?
bw222 on June 10, 2009 at 9:57 PM
Correct. He learned all the wrong lessons here in MA. I need 10 minutes alone with him. But who cares? Screw em.
TheBigOldDog on June 10, 2009 at 9:57 PM
And this brilliant, logical, strategic thinker got tripped up by someone like Huckabee and couldn’t even earn his stripes in the weakest GOP field.
promachus on June 10, 2009 at 9:57 PM
We he did give it to the Chinese. So he is really just like Obama.
William Amos on June 10, 2009 at 9:58 PM
Comment pages: 1 2 3 … 10 Next »