Conference call: Tim Pawlenty and the Freedom First PAC
posted at 8:48 am on October 1, 2009 by Ed Morrissey
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We had an opportunity to talk with Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty to discuss the launch of his Freedom First PAC. Pawlenty says that he’s worried that freedom is being corroded by a “tyranny of a creeping bureaucracy.” Pawlenty wants to re-elevate the principles of freedom and liberty, including an effort to educate people on their value and to impact current policy. Pawlenty plans a particular effort to reach out to younger voters and a “purposeful outreach” to urban areas.
The measure of this will be the ability to grow small business without getting smothered by government regulations. That will create jobs and economic freedom. Pawlenty plans to push school choice as part of the Freedom First PAC. We should be free to choose our own doctors and medical care without government making those decisions for us. The founding fathers understood the importance of individual choice, but those principles have been diluted over the last several decades.
Freedom First PAC will be supporting like-minded political candidates. They will have a large New Media contingent and experienced political hands on its board.
Questions:
- What will be the focus of Freedom First PAC? — Mainly economic freedom. Are we being true to the notion of a limited government? Measures: How much we spend, how many regulations we have to enforce, etc. Average budget growth in MN had been 19% before Pawlenty, under Pawlenty, it’s been 2%. The last budget decreased spending 7.6%, which is the first time that has happened in Minnesota history. We need that on a national level.
- What will be the role of FFP in Pawlenty’s future plans? — Pawlenty says “it cannot be nor will it be about a future presidential campaign.” Pawlenty “feels very strongly” about the need to speak out on these issues. He’s vice chair of the Republican Governors Association and has to focus on New Jersey and Virginia this year and a number of races next year.
- His thoughts on popular resistance to Obama’s agenda — Did the Obama election represent a significant shift in the political poles of the country? That question has been answered by the negative reaction to the stimulus, the bailouts, ObamaCare, etc. This confirms that the country remains center-right and that the pendulum is swinging back. However, conservatives have to have more than a hope that the “other team will kick the ball into the dugout.” That’s why FFP is important. Education and intellectual support for conservative principles have to use freedom and liberty to push back against the “free stuff” sales pitches of statists and progressives.
- “Tyranny can come in many forms … even in a well-meaning bureaucracy.”
- Cap and trade – Pawlenty opposes cap and trade. We can support the general goal of reducing pollution, but we have to do that in a way that follows “good science” and without wrecking our economy. There are more reasonable ways to reduce pollution, especially by “massively expanding nuclear energy.” He supports R&D through private-market efforts in energy production and usage. Encourage basic research and let the private market make the rational decisions on application. Carbon and natural gas are tremendous resources; the latter alone could provide our baseline power needs for 75 years.
- The first order of business for federal government is national security. We can’t be a free nation unless we feel secure. FFP will include foreign policy as part of its portfolio because freedom and liberty depend on it. Pawlenty is very concerned about the softening of our national security posture in this administration, and deeply troubled over the change on missile defense in eastern Europe. The abrupt change and the betrayal of our allies has damaged our standing there, to the point where Lech Walesa says publicly that Poland cannot trust the US to stand up for them.
My thoughts:
Most readers know that I consider Pawlenty a strong potential candidate for Republicans on the national level for the next several cycles, should he choose to pursue office. This is the next logical step for those ambitions, although it could also be a way for Pawlenty to shift to an activist track instead, like Newt Gingrich did with American Solutions. FFP would allow him to become an influential player on a national basis through fundraising and speechmaking, both critically important to building credibility as a national voice for the GOP. He has already begun that work with the RGA and with his increasing appearances on national television on policy issues.
Pawlenty correctly asserts that we need better foundations for arguing on behalf of freedom and liberty, and the last election shows that we need to do a better job of educating the public on these principles and how they apply to public policy. We’ll see how FFP plays a role in that effort over the next three years, and especially in next year’s midterms.
Update: My good friend Scott Johnson of Power Line was also on the call, and has his thoughts here.
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Didn’t Pawlenty invent the idea of calling a tax a “fee”?
Buddahpundit on October 1, 2009 at 10:14 AM
Let me guess, you’re a conservative who voted for Donald Reagan and you love to shoot those gun thingies, but you are a bit anxious about the path the GOP is currently taking. Did I miss anything?
Bishop on October 1, 2009 at 10:14 AM
I like Pawlenty. I voted him into office the first go around when I lived in Woodbury, MN. BUT, I fear he is a political light weight at the national level. For me he has two things going for him:
1) he comes from a great state with downhome values (except for libs that have taken over Minneapolis).
2) he played ice hockey that way it used to be played…tough and gritty.
jbh45 on October 1, 2009 at 10:15 AM
So Pawlenty…
believes in man-made climate change,
was at one time suggesting a regional cap-and-trade scheme,
supported shamnesty…
Not looking good for T-Paw in my book at this point.
Vatican Watcher on October 1, 2009 at 10:15 AM
Very convincing statement there…. guess you wouldn’t vote for any of us? But you would vote for:
Mr Government Health Care
Mr Raise Your Taxes
Mr Global Warming
CC
CapedConservative on October 1, 2009 at 10:15 AM
Pawlenty is a joke. He couldn’t even stop the Democraps from stealing a Senate seat for Al Franken. For that alone he deserves eternal condemnation. Maybe he’d make a good Czar of the Telestrator.
Percy_Peabody on October 1, 2009 at 10:16 AM
Is that something like…
Roses are red, violets are blue, I’m a schizophrenic and so am I.
katy on October 1, 2009 at 10:18 AM
Sorry jb, Minn. voters have once again shown their stupidity.
First a WWF clown, then an admitted Communist, Al Franken.
No thanks, let another state lead us. Perhaps ALASKA
Jeff from WI on October 1, 2009 at 10:18 AM
Hate? Wow, though I’m not sure that referring to them as “morons” endears you to them either, so I suppose it all evens out in the end.
Bishop on October 1, 2009 at 10:18 AM
I wouldn’t be surprised if some HA commenters were already sending their kids to school with a Palin action-hero lunchbox.
Enthusiastic support is one thing, but there’s a definite “Palin can do no wrong and I’ll cut you if you suggest otherwise” vibe going on among some here.
She ain’t perfect. She’s made mistakes and has some flaws- no doubt she’d agree. She can not part the Red Sea, nor does she walk on water.
Palin has a role to play; she’s an asset to the Republican Party and conservatives in general. The Only Woman Who Can Save America, however, she is not.
Hollowpoint on October 1, 2009 at 10:20 AM
James on October 1, 2009 at 10:10 AM
Yeah. Some quitter. She left her office because all the frivolous lawsuits brought against her and the constant anal probe of reporters and Democratic operatives (same thing), was detrimental to the future of the state of the Alaska. She was not able to serve the citizens of Alaska like she wanted to. Now she’s a “Rogue”. She tweets and posts on Facebook and get tremendous national attention. It’s driving her enemies crazy. All the Elitists are ordering 2 apple martinis at the Country Club instead of one. And now she’s poised to have a #1 Best-Seller and doesn’t even have a cover on the book yet. Quitter? Yeah, she quit being a punching bag and is now delivering body blows.
kingsjester on October 1, 2009 at 10:21 AM
It’s too early to tell.
If the GOP becomes a Congressional majority and stands by defending entitlements, individual mandates, government guarantees of industry and Wall Street, “reasonable” regulation, “reasonable” taxation, “essential” deficits, energy stagnation, unwar nonfighting, and the ol’ Aw-Shucks Frank Capracorn “civility” with theives and traitors, then the 2012 nominee is gonna have to run on kicking the ass of Congress.
Chris_Balsz on October 1, 2009 at 10:21 AM
OK Hollow, fair enough, a bit of the excitement from Palinistas is over the top, but let me ask you one question, exactly WHO in the Republican Party excites YOU??!
Jeff from WI on October 1, 2009 at 10:23 AM
Wow. That’s all the qualifications I require. Anything above and beyond that is icing on the cake. My kind of woman.
Gang-of-One on October 1, 2009 at 10:24 AM
Nope… but if she were to say “As I’ve always said”, she ALWAYS SAID IT. If she says she is NOT going to do something, she WON’T do it. There is no pretense or feeling of a hidden agenda that she wishes to hide from you.
I don’t doubt she would make mistakes. I also feel she would own up to them. It may be a novel concept to you… a responsible politician.
CC
CapedConservative on October 1, 2009 at 10:25 AM
See, the problem with the Republican Party is that it’s had no strong leader, on a strategic mission, since Newt. The party basically drifts around, usually getting it’s clock cleaned. The line up of typical white guys that may run in 2012 are as exciting as watching paint dry.
Jeff from WI on October 1, 2009 at 10:27 AM
I am definitely a big time ‘Cuda fan, but it is totally clear that we need more than just one voice spreading our message. In a primary between Pawlenty and Sarah, she’s got my vote, but there is more to conservatism than elections. If we choose only one candidate that we support and knock down all the others at every chance, what good does that really do for our side? Huck is not going to get my vote in a primary, but I’m glad to hear him when he comments on the news shows. Same thing for Pawlenty, Jindal and a slew of other folks. We need an army of people spreading the message. It’s ridiculous to beat down anyone doing that just because we have another we’d vote for – such actions show that maybe you don’t have as much confidence in ‘your guy’ as you put on. I trust that Sarah will do just fine if this effort of Pawlenty takes off. I think what Pawlenty is doing is to be commended – ANYTHING to get the conservative message out there helps our side.
miConsevative on October 1, 2009 at 10:30 AM
He had little authority over the process. The MN Attorney General is a Dem and acts independently from the Governor.
The overall blame goes to Coleman- both for a poor campaign strategy that resulted in a close race, and for not being aggressive enough during the recount proces.
Hollowpoint on October 1, 2009 at 10:31 AM
I think that Sarah Palin,the first woman president, will be the one who knocks Obama, the first black president, out of the White House.
Pawlenty seems like a nice guy but he is not a conservative and that is what we need. The poor guy is just to blah too…
CCRWM on October 1, 2009 at 10:32 AM
Cleanest, best dressed fishin’ fool I ever laid eyes on.
Gang-of-One on October 1, 2009 at 10:33 AM
This is a strawman. Of course supporters are going to be upset if you come at them spouting off the MSM caricature of Palin. Which is all I’ve ever seen, some variation of Katie Couric, Tina Fey, and Quitter!!!
Palin supporters are supposed to just take that because it’s coming from another so-called conservative? I don’t think so – you’re going to get called out for that same as a leftist would.
Cut you? Really? Hyperbole much?
Nat Hound on October 1, 2009 at 10:34 AM
Only time he ever fished was for a compliment about his new suit at the country club.
Jeff from WI on October 1, 2009 at 10:37 AM
In terms of the 2012 election, nobody just yet. It’s too soon to get excited (or pessimistic) about 2012 and any of the potential candidates. The primary season is over two years away, and a lot can happen in that time.
Hollowpoint on October 1, 2009 at 10:37 AM
Well considering the TRAITOR Communist we have in the Oval Office right now ruining this country, you’ll please excuse us few Palin supporters projecting the only candidate we can see so far not being a repeat of DOLE for the next election, OK?
Jeff from WI on October 1, 2009 at 10:41 AM
Loxodonta on October 1, 2009 at 10:47 AM
LOL…I like those quotes, don’t YOU?
Jeff from WI on October 1, 2009 at 10:48 AM
Is the media artificially pumping this guy up like they did with McCain? Establish a foundation so this guy gets into the mainstream Republican leadership…then were back to the 08′ elections.
b1jetmech on October 1, 2009 at 10:49 AM
Good point..they sure did that with Mc Cain
Jeff from WI on October 1, 2009 at 10:50 AM
No doubt. Decent guy. Angler. NOT.
Gang-of-One on October 1, 2009 at 10:53 AM
Amen!
Jeff from WI on October 1, 2009 at 10:54 AM
The Powerline guys covered the PAC announcement and the reader comments are less than enthusiastic.
BigD on October 1, 2009 at 10:55 AM
This our most desperate hour. Help me,
Obi-Wan KenobiSarah Palin. You’re my only hope.Hollowpoint on October 1, 2009 at 10:57 AM
Wrong movie. I always thought of her more like Rocky
Jeff from WI on October 1, 2009 at 11:01 AM
Tpaw isn’t the perfect conservative but in general he has been a good Govenor in an otherwise dismal Blue State.
jpmn on October 1, 2009 at 11:02 AM
Could be, you got lucky. Our voters are real morons. But the fact still remains, you couldn’t pay me to go to any of the male GOP contenders speeches. I’d fall asleep.
Jeff from WI on October 1, 2009 at 11:04 AM
Rogue? Sounds good. It’s a quantum leap in the right direction from that weenie maverick stuff she had to peddle for McCain.
No, she’s not my cult leader, but if she does toss her hat into the ring I’d have to give her some very serious consideration. Well, sh!t, being a moron I’d have to give them all serious consideration–except the scoundrels from the stinkin’ party of government cheese.
Gang-of-One on October 1, 2009 at 11:11 AM
Note from Minnesota:
Calm down about Pawlenty already!
He is an anomaly. He never cracked 45% in either election. The DFL was split between the suicidal DFL (Hatch & Moe) and the more suicidal sorta-DFL in exile (Penny & Hutchinson). The intra-party grudge match resulted in the conservative DFLers bolting the Donks for Jesse Ventura’s old party (the Independence Party, which recently gave the nation Al Franken, thanks to another 3-way…)
Bottom line: Timmy squeaked out twice.
No 3rd party to siphon off the disaffected DFLers, no Timmy.
OK, breathe out.
Bruno Strozek on October 1, 2009 at 11:12 AM
Yeah, because deviating from that standard worked SO well, didn’t it? Oh the joys of diversity…
In a horrible kind of irony, 0bummer’s failures may well have killed the chances of another minority getting elected. Voters who aren’t plagued by false guilt and who have more brains than a housefly will think “hey, the last time we picked a black guy he sucked even worse than GW and Clintoon! No way!”
But perhaps you have a point…I do have to remember that the large part of the voting pool in the USA are gullible sheep.
Dark-Star on October 1, 2009 at 11:20 AM
Which Rocky sequel had him throwing in the towel during the fifth round? I forget.
Hollowpoint on October 1, 2009 at 11:21 AM
Thanks, now I have “Don’t stop believing” stuck in my head.
“Just a small town boy….blah blah blah blah south Detroit…”
portlandon on October 1, 2009 at 11:22 AM
Que the violin music….
portlandon on October 1, 2009 at 11:25 AM
Younger, slightly less annoying version of John McCain. Pass.
Don’t know if Palin is the best choice but she’s the only one out there that I actually enjoy listening too. I can’t wait until the talking up of Charlie Crist starts; that promises to be pure comedy gold trying to mold that mega douche into some kind of GOP standard bearer.
austinnelly on October 1, 2009 at 11:32 AM
I am sick and tired of you people… I like palin but I hate you farkers… this thread is about Pawlenty, not Palin… so STFU…
ninjapirate on October 1, 2009 at 11:42 AM
20% of the comments in this thread.
Loxodonta on October 1, 2009 at 11:42 AM
Tim Pawlenty is a good guy, he’s smart, and he has enough conservative and moderate credentials to be taken seriously. He has given nods to global warming and other nonsense at times, but he hasn’t let anything damaging pass, and that’s how it goes here in Minnesota, which is a purple state at best. I’ve always supported him and will continue.
whysoangry on October 1, 2009 at 11:46 AM
RINO bromides from the McCain of Minnesota. Snuff his candidacy in the cradle.
Western_Civ on October 1, 2009 at 11:50 AM
Forming groups such as this to promote conservative policies and values and running for president are two different undertakings. The former seems laudable, but in Pawlenty’s case the latter is totally futile.
But I doubt he’ll listen to me.
rrpjr on October 1, 2009 at 11:53 AM
Better get used to it. I fully anticipate that the Palinistas will turn every thread about a potential or current presidential candidate into a Palin thread. The Mittbots did the same thing last primary season.
Thou Shalt Have No Other Candidates Before Me.
Hollowpoint on October 1, 2009 at 11:59 AM
Name another. Hurry.
Onager on October 1, 2009 at 12:02 PM
I’ll make a deal with you Ninja. I’ll stay out of the 3 Pawlenty threads and you stay out of the 300 Palin threads.
Fair?
portlandon on October 1, 2009 at 12:03 PM
closing his eyes to a rigged election doesn’t count?
Onager on October 1, 2009 at 12:04 PM
Would vote for him in the GE, might even give a couple of dollars, but no way in hell does MN Nice beat Chicago Thuggery in the GE.
Lou Budvis on October 1, 2009 at 12:14 PM
Palin is a Republican. She will run as a Republican. However, she will run like Reagan as the outsider.
She will not go third party.
And she is not a quitter like BO. Palin is slamming BO like nobody else and doing it only part-time.
She outflanked Axelrod, and I’m sure O’s camp is having trouble trying to combat her. Note the trolls on HotAir appearing on Palin threads.
If she was a quitter, why are the paid trolls still on the payroll attacking her?
Sapwolf on October 1, 2009 at 12:26 PM
Yep. Pawlenty just does not inspire. He comes off as timid and not a real leader.
I don’t want an administrator as POTUS. We need a leader. That is the nature of the modern presidency.
Sapwolf on October 1, 2009 at 12:28 PM
No. You STFU. You’re the troll.
Sapwolf on October 1, 2009 at 12:29 PM
Pawlenty?
RINO!!!!!
PappyD61 on October 1, 2009 at 12:48 PM
Good grief man, get out of Dakota county occasionally!
The Land of the Loon is blue as blue can be.
Have you looked at who runs the State Legislature lately? Or represents us in the US Senate?
Reality check!
Bruno Strozek on October 1, 2009 at 12:59 PM
Wonder if Global Warming Alarmist Tim Pawlenty will be parsing out his PAC funds to candidates who share his view that human activity is the primary cause of elevated global temperatures?
Pawlenty won’t be a factor in 2012. He’s not an Ayatollah and he’s not a Liberty movement guy either. He’s incredibly boring, looks like a kid out of high school, and his current job is Jesse Ventura’s last job.
Anything else?
Oh yeah … I’ll add that the picture of him that Allah and Ed keep throwing up here at HotAir makes him look like a lounge singer.
HondaV65 on October 1, 2009 at 1:03 PM
Let’s also snuff all RINO’s from running for Congress or any other office in the United States. And while we’re at it, let’s snuff all RINO’s from voting in Republican primaries.
That way we can remain uncompromisingly pure. A minority party forever, but pure.
Loxodonta on October 1, 2009 at 1:15 PM
HUH!?! WTF does that mean? Yea, I trust Pawlenty on this. What is this the Pawlenty campaign website?
Sultry Beauty on October 1, 2009 at 1:34 PM
Okay, I hardly ever comment here – mostly a lurker – but OMG, Pawlenty as the GOP savior for 2012?
He’s a greenie-weenie McCain mini-me with no spine; he KNEW that ACORN was heavily involved in that Franken-Coleman Senate race recount – and he signed off on the certification anyway. Squish.
Just what we need. /s
Give us someone with some cajones to stand up to these Marxists/Socialists/whatever you want to call them . . . and that includes women. Liz Cheney, Michelle Bachmann, Marcia Blackburn, Sarah Palin, who are all more courageous than this guy.
Marybeth on October 1, 2009 at 1:39 PM
LMFAO.
alliebobbitt on October 1, 2009 at 1:39 PM
Scott at Powerline says that Pawlenty says were center-right. Yes, this is what we need another Centrist to lead the GOP to victory. UGH! You people won’t stop. Palin popularity makes it clear that Centrist are NOT as popular as Conservatives.
Sultry Beauty on October 1, 2009 at 1:41 PM
I don’t see him as much of a candidate, but Pawlenty looks like he can probably belt out show tunes with the best of them at the hotel piano bar.
and,…does he wear a rug?
james23 on October 1, 2009 at 1:43 PM
I love Liz Cheney, Michelle Bachmann, and Sarah Palin.
Love.
Ann Coulter on the Supreme Court, Mark Levin for Attorney General, John Bolton for Sec State, Steve Forbes Sec Treas… and President Reagan finally on Mount Rushmore.
sigh
whysoangry on October 1, 2009 at 2:06 PM
Strategy wise, here is how this is going to boil down:
Pawlenty will be battling Romney for the Rino vote
Huckabee will be battling Palin for the Christians
Palin will be picking up the libertarian minded voters thare are repulsed by Huckabee.
Pawlenty will be picking up the moderates that have a problem with Romney.
Biggest loser is Romney.
2nd biggest loser is Huckabee.
Palin/Pawnelty or Pawlenty/Palin? Hmmmmmm.
portlandon on October 1, 2009 at 2:14 PM
Pawlenty will be battling Romney for the Rino vote
Huckabee will be battling Palin for the Christians
portlandon on October 1, 2009 at 2:14 PM
No real Christian would vote for Pawlenty or Romney because they’re not really Christians. Only Huckabee and Palin are real Christians. This is exactly the sort of Small Tent Republicanism Reagan used to win.
And then there’s Reagan’s Eleventh Commandment: “Thou shalt speak ill of all RINO’s.” That was one of Ronnie’s greatest messages for unifying our party.
Loxodonta on October 1, 2009 at 2:28 PM
Pawlenty may be a good guy, but when this guy is on TV, it’s better than No-Doze! Zero, and I do mean ZERO excitement factor.
It’s a fact of human nature, people vote for EXCITING people. And as Barry Soetoro has proven, having an actual plan, or experience is optional.
Back when Sarah was using twitter, I watched her followers TRIPLE in amount after she resigned. She ended up with some 130,000 plus. Pawlenty had, at the time, about 6,000.
On Facebook, the latest, up to date number for Sarah (and it increases every hour, on the hour) is 906,822. Pawlenty has 8,045.
To put that in context, my Congressman, John Carter, from Texas has 1,169.
Now I know that just being popular means nothing, except that you are popular.
But Palin is more than just popular because she’s popular. She’s popular because she has struck a very deep chord with the American people. Something deep in their souls.
Sarah Palin has something to say, and people like what she has to say. Sarah has a strong vision for America, and certainly isn’t afraid to share it. And from what I am reading, she lays a lot of it out in her book.
Sarah also has a STRONG record as a winner. Every election she has won, she won in a landslide. She’s lost some too. She lost when she ran for Lt Governor (second fiddle) and she lost when she ran for VP. (second fiddle) Which seems to say she should never run for second chair again.
And how many times did Reagan run for POTUS before he won? Nixon?
When Sarah ran for Governor, she beat Murkowski in a landslide in the primaries. That was kinda expected, really. But then she took on Tony Knowles, a very popular democrat and former Governor. She beat him in a landslide as well.
Sarah not only has the right ideas, what sets her apart is she can actually get those ideas HEARD.
Right now there is so damned much going on, so much political talk, that it all turns into white noise for everyone but political junkies like us. It just doesn’t resonate with the average person. To them it’s just more bloviating.
But anytime Sarah says or does something, it’s a media event. Those that love her go crazy, and those that hate her go completely insane. But while all of that is going on, HER MESSAGE gets out there.
People seem to think all of the attacks, all of the hate, have rendered her damaged goods. I couldn’t disagree more. It’s bloodied her, for sure, but it’s also toughened an already tough woman up. It has her focused like she was when she was winning championship basketball games.
But here’s the other, and maybe the real reason, why all of the attacks just don’t matter much. The left has already used all of it’s ammo. The magazine is almost empty. Nothing really left.
Even better, Sarah is the EXACT OPPOSITE of Barack Obama. Obama is STILL the Mystery Man. He was never vetted, not even a little. We still know almost nothing about the guy,his life, his vast communist connections.
On the other hand, I can’t think of a candidate, ever, who has been so well vetted as Palin. I mean we know stuff about her that you’d never know about others. But more importantly, for over a year, the entire world’s media, as well as the full force of the entire left wing’s attack division have been focused on her.
The left has looked for skeletons is her closet and have fond none. They deployed a small Army to Wasilla and Anchorage looking for dirt, and even offering rewards for it. Nothing.
They even tried as hard as possible to MANUFACTURE issues in the form of phony-baloney “ethics complaints” and all of them crashed and burned.
Now, they THOUGHT the succeeded when Sarah “quit” her job. But those that keep saying she “quit” are beyond ignorant.
This has proven to be the most astute political move we’ve seen in decades. And, she saved the Alaska tax payers millions of dollars by stopping all of the “complaints.”
It’s obvious, now, that Sarah was not going to run for re-election, that she had a different idea, and was going to defy conventional wisdom, as she has done her entire career. But these idiot democrat/communists, directed out of the White House, merely sped up her time table.
One more reason why the attacks on her have failed, and will continue to fail. The American people ave gotten to the point they believe nothing the fringe media says. Also they all believe the media actively worked to elect Obama, that they were basically campaign house organs for the guy.
If America thinks the fringe media lied to them to elect Obama, they will certainly take everything Said about Sarah with a grain of salt.
Case in point. The New York Post ran a deal yesterday on “Page Six” attributed to anonymous sources. In other words, they made it up. They claimed Sarah couldn’t sell her speeches, that she couldn’t get booked because she was a “blithering idiot.”
Before the ink was dry, other fairly left wing papers were attacking the post, and citing a Politico story of about a month ago that laid out the fact that she had 950 offers for paid speeches, most in the six figure range, and another 120 or so requests from politicians to come and help.
Again, these were other fringe media outlets knocking the story down.
Unless the democrat/communists engineer some sort of media bailout/take over I have a feeling that many of the so-called big players in the media will be gone, or on their last leg.
In other words, except for the criminally stupid, I think the old established media will have less and less effect on the public. Their days as opinion makers, opinion shapers is over. By 2012, they will be irrelevant.
Sorry for the lengthy diatribe, I got on a roll. But the bottom line is while Pawlenty might be a nice fellow, and a reasonably good Governor, and maybe even have some good ideas, he no more has what it takes to be President than I do. Nor does he have a better chance than I do.
The only way Sarah Palin will not be the 45th President of the United States*, is if she decides not to run. And I seriously doubt that is even a possibility. She knows that she has millions of folks that will not only vote for her, but WORK for her, get out the vote for her. Man phone banks, raise money, whatever.
*One caveat on being # 45. If Obama somehow screws up enough and gets impeached, Sarah will obviously not become POTUS at that time. (duh) So she will be #46. But however you slice it, come January 20, 2013 you will awaken to hear the words Madam President, Sarah Palin.
gary4205 on October 1, 2009 at 2:47 PM
POST OF THE DAY!
+ eleventy-eleven!
BTW, did you know that Sarah Palin was the state chairman for the Steve Forbes POTUS campaign way back when?
gary4205 on October 1, 2009 at 2:53 PM
You can’t expect to beat the 0bamabots with MN Nice. The GOP candidate will need their own hard-core cadres who will work phones, give money, go to rallies, give $$, etc. So far there is only one GOPer who can generate that type of heat. And her book is topping the charts weeks before its release.
Lou Budvis on October 1, 2009 at 4:14 PM
LMAO, what a snoozer.
Pawlenty supposedly has his BIG BIG PAC announcement. Lots on RINO elites signed up for support. Gets the coveted headline on Drudge.
Result: 160 or comments on HotAir in 5 hours. Gains about 18 followers on FB. Yippi.
ZZZZZZZZZZ
Norwegian on October 1, 2009 at 4:18 PM
How then would you define “enthusiastic support”? Let’s not forget that “Palin can do absolutely nothing right and if you disagree with me you’re a knuckle-dragging fundie socon cancer-on-the-party cultist” vibe going on among some here.
ddrintn on October 1, 2009 at 4:33 PM
That said, I think Pawlenty is a good man. Let’s see how it all shakes out.
ddrintn on October 1, 2009 at 4:34 PM
I’ll get excited about Pawlenty when Sarah picks him as his running mate…well, maybe not even then.
Dr. ZhivBlago on October 1, 2009 at 5:12 PM
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