Audio: Palin hinting at 3rd-party run?
posted at 11:53 am on December 8, 2009 by Ed Morrissey
Allahpundit has this in the headlines, and it’s worth having the audio up here to catch the heavy qualifications Sarah Palin gives Lars Larson in this radio interview from last week. Larson asks whether she’d be willing to launch an independent run for the presidency if Palin was dissatisfied with the GOP, and while she didn’t say no, the conditions she lays down to remain within the Republican Party seem rather easy to meet (via The Right Scoop):
LARSON: Governor, I know you’ve successfully dodged the question on a thousand interviews on whether or not you’re going to run, but if run again, for something, whatever it is, would you run as a third-party candidate?
PALIN: That depends on how things go in the next couple of years.
LARSON: That sounds like a yes.
PALIN: Well, you know, it really does depend on — I think there are enough Republicans who are realizing, ‘Oh, whoops, some of those liberal Republicans have screwed up’ — I’m not including myself in that group — enough liberal Republicans have screwed up, and … the base of our party is common-sense conservatives, not obsessively partisan, but just wanting common-sense, free market principles, strong military principles to be implemented to get our country on the right track. And if the Republican Party gets back to that base, our party is going to be stronger and there’s not going to be a need for a third party. But I’ll play that by ear in the coming months, coming years.
I see this as less of a story than it seems. It helps to remember that Palin made her political bones as a reformer, an outsider to her state’s GOP. In fact, Palin scored her initial statewide success by exposing corrupt practices within her own party. Being an outsider is part of her DNA, and part of her appeal within the party.
It’s also not terribly unusual for any reformers to talk about the potential of running outside of the establishment. Ron Paul’s supporters practically formed their own third party without Paul himself in the last election cycle, and still remain a potent political force. They overlap on some of what Palin mentions in this interview, with the obvious exception of military/foreign policy.
The GOP will have to return to its “common sense, free market principles” if it wants to win in 2010. In fact, they’ll need to focus almost exclusively on those in order to win a wide, governing mandate in the midterms. All Palin is doing is reminding the GOP that they can’t take generic unhappiness with the current Congress and administration for granted and just offer business as usual — and that’s helpful indeed.
Update: I missed a “not” in that transcript, which I’ve fixed. Thanks to Philip J for the correction.
Blowback
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haha, thanks! I’m an unhinged female tho, thank you very much.
scalleywag on December 8, 2009 at 1:23 PM
she sounds like an unhinged loon better?
seriously I can understand you do not like Palin for whatever reason but picking anyone but Palin is not very logical. I don’t like Mitt, TPaw, Newt not because of their personilities or the fac tthey are white or male but because they represent the RINO position of party over principle. They stand for nothing and say what i want to hear to win my vote then govern how ever they want. they are the “tiger woods” of politics. manufactured realities like tiger was a manufactured persona to sell golf.
I want real people in office warts and all not made up poll focused sound bites. when I listen to Mitt or Newt I hear the pollsters behind them putting certain words in their mouths. I see no passion in their eyes when they talk, no overriding principle that they come back too.
In Palin I see that. Sure I see some of the other too but mostly I see realism in there.
and then even that would not be enough. The fact that what she says is what I believe. that she speaks of the consitution with respect and the country with pride is another reason she gets my support and vote.
Are there others out there with less baggage? possibly but as of now I see none. So instead on concentrating on that baggage I concnetrate on the good which is 85/15 IMO
unseen on December 8, 2009 at 1:36 PM
You see, I don’t agree with this entirely. Sarah Palin ran as a Republican, on both the state and national level. She was not a third party candidate. In fact, she said one of the reasons she liked McCain was that they were both mavericks…not always easy to classify.
Fine, but too many people want it both ways. On one hand, they complain about RINOs, Republicans in name only and then they turn right around and remind us that they are not really Republicans, and they really don’t like or trust the GOP. Well, then aren’t they the ones who are Republicans in name only or maybe not Republicans at all? And if they aren’t Republicans, should they be telling the Republicans how to run their party?
Just saying that sometimes it seems to me that people on the right can not get out of their own way.
Terrye on December 8, 2009 at 1:38 PM
Any conservative, even the fictional one you created in your post, would have to go through the firestorm of the media and would instantly be tarnished. You’re not walking with reality if you truly believe that someone on our side can bypass the hysterical hyenas in the media that live to tear apart conservatives.
Palin has proven herself time and time again that she’s able to withstand the slings that keep coming her way. Over time, the public is going to begin to notice she keeps “taking the heat and continues to stay in the kitchen” and this will be one reason why her image and poll numbers will improve.
The public likes their candidates tested and last year, they were bamboozled into believing that Obama withstood a withering test because he beat Clinton. When Sarah keeps beating the expectations that the media and pundits keep putting on her, watch her numbers soar.
yogi41 on December 8, 2009 at 1:38 PM
All I am asking is that conservatives be more forceful. My experience with Rep. McCotter is Red Eye. He’s very funny. Rep. Pence, I hear on Bill Bennett. I think that’s called preaching to the choir. I would invite members of the press out for a meal, lay out in black in white what they think the current Bills will do and then show the alternatives. They have historical precedence (if I may borrow the president’s favorite words) as to why the Left’s plans won’t work and the Right’s will. Instead they will twist themselves into pretzels to make sure no one thinks they are mean and uncarrying.
Cindy Munford on December 8, 2009 at 1:41 PM
Yep right back.
russcote on December 8, 2009 at 1:41 PM
I don’t think it is this simple. Sure, anything can happen. I get that. But who exactly are these old dogs? The same ones who made it possible for Sarah Palin to be VP on the national ticket? I mean come on, she was on the very top of this party…and even if some obnoxious pundits say unkind things, those people do not have any real power. Rush Limbaugh has a lot more influence than David Brooks ever will.
Terrye on December 8, 2009 at 1:41 PM
Cindy:
I am from Indiana and I have watched Pence for some time, I really like the guy overall, and I can honestly say that I never got the impression that he cared if people thought he was a nice guy.
I think people should be more supportive of conservatives in the Republican party like Pence, there might be more of them if guys like this got the support they deserved.
Terrye on December 8, 2009 at 1:44 PM
I think Governor Palin will wait to see if the GOP does man up in 2010 or continues to be the party of craven, gutless, plodding, statist Dem-lites before she commits to anything.
Because I believe I know who she is and what she stands for, I am with her. I don’t have a clue as to what the GOP believes in or stands for anymore. The only thing I’m sure of is they don’t care what I think. They expect me to vote for the (R) because it’s the (R). That’s the attitude that made the NY GOP think they could palm off some useless RINO blob like Sozzafava on the voters.
Frankly, I have little confidence that they learned a damned thing from that fiasco. We shall see.
SKYFOX on December 8, 2009 at 1:44 PM
Here’s what I’m getting at…
Suppose Sarah were to replace Michael Steele as the Chair of the RNC?
To unite the conservative and moderates.
We’re going nowhere, without unity.
And, another 4 years, on top of the 3 remaining is, unbearable.
She could always run in ’16.
franksalterego on December 8, 2009 at 1:48 PM
What? By stepping down in the middle of her first term? Don´t explain it to me – I like Palin – but there is no way to explain it to sceptical voters.
el gordo on December 8, 2009 at 1:49 PM
A third party conservative candidate will ensure Barry gets re-elected. It is Clinton’s triangulation strategy replayed.
Vashta.Nerada on December 8, 2009 at 1:49 PM
Addendum to,
It would also pull the party away from the RINO’s and towards the conservatives… Where it belongs.
franksalterego on December 8, 2009 at 1:53 PM
Terrye on December 8, 2009 at 1:34 PM
Terrye, it’s really simple: those who are Conservative, not Republican see what pop culture does to Republicans, and they decide to try everything in their power to say “Hey, I’m not like those guys,OK?”
Just something to think about the next time a good conservatives uses his “issues” and “principles” crutches.
BradSchwartze on December 8, 2009 at 1:55 PM
Sooner or later, you’re going to come to the humbling admission that you believe anyone not named Sarah Palin or Rush Limbaugh is a “GOP Elite.” Then you’ll have exposed yourself for the popular culture addict that you are, and that anything you say about “issues” and “principles” will be a big smokescreen.
BradSchwartze on December 8, 2009 at 1:27 PM
Elite to me means pretty much anyone in the present Gop leadership or the dems leadership. Pretty much the entire culture of washington DC can be considered part of the political class(elite) and the majority of those are part of the problem. does that mean they are all bad no. Some are ok….I like demint, I can stomach Sessions, Kyl has his moments so does Inofoe. I can not stand Burr as my Senator and if he gets primaried I will vote against him. I consider him part of the elite because he votes on the issue depending on the way the wind is blowing. he voted to allow amnesty to go forwarded would not commit to voting against the bill until it was shown to go down in defeat. then comes out and acts like he was always against it.
So far the only person on the national scene that is not part of that elite power structure is Palin are there others? sure jindal, Perry (maybe, rubio, houffman etc. but none of those others are talking about putting government back on my side.
Rush is part of that elite culture. I like what he has to say most times but he carried the water for Bush for many years and he too placed power over principle for a couple years. I give him alittle leeway because like Mark levin, and others they at least understood that the base left the gop in 2005.
unseen on December 8, 2009 at 1:57 PM
It was the right thing to do.
BPD on December 8, 2009 at 1:58 PM
And, another 4 years, on top of the 3 remaining is, unbearable.
She could always run in ‘16.
franksalterego on December 8, 2009 at 1:48 PM
If the house or senate switches parties Obama will be sidelined to a large degree.
I’ll take gridlock over a RINO admin anyday
unseen on December 8, 2009 at 1:58 PM
I want to be more supportive. This isn’t personal, our guys are out numbered, if the Dems weren’t such a mess they could march anything they wanted into law. I just want them to be more forceful. I feel like we are in a war, they seem to think it’s a game of poker. If there is a strategy to take advantage of the disarray it must be so subtle that I haven’t figured it out. The odds are against them, I am not there, maybe this is the best they can do. This is why they are still down in the polls, they messed up when they had the majority and they are rolling over as the minority.
Cindy Munford on December 8, 2009 at 2:04 PM
Well, then aren’t they the ones who are Republicans in name only or maybe not Republicans at all? And if they aren’t Republicans, should they be telling the Republicans how to run their party?
Just saying that sometimes it seems to me that people on the right can not get out of their own way.
Terrye on December 8, 2009 at 1:38 PM
well it seems to matter which part of the party controls the levers of power. Is it reagan’s vision or bush’s vision? One trusts the people and wants to give power back to the people and states. One wants to buy votes and keep power centered in DC.
since the base is the largest part of the party they should be at the wheel IMO. The country club reps have the cash but not the numbers and they think they should be at the wheel. since the two groups want to take us in two different directions they can not both be at the wheel at the same time. I have no problem give the other group some power as long as it does not go against the core principles of the consitution. It would be easier to just kick them out but that would lead to defeat. so instead we just need to make them less powerful in the party and try to get them to adhere to the core principles that the base hold dear.
unseen on December 8, 2009 at 2:07 PM
TheAlamos on December 8, 2009 at 2:08 PM
Cindy Munford on December 8, 2009 at 2:04 PM
What’s so subtle about letting the Dems impale themselves with their own swords? I presume you’ve noticed Rush has dialed back his rhetoric on Obamacare, right?
And maybe you should, too. A war? Please. At the very least, if Obamacare passes, it gives the GOP impetus to pass its own Holy Grail (partial privatization of Social Security) in the first few months after the GOP gets total power back again. At the most, the whole issue of Obamacare gets managed down and tinkered with so many times that passing Obamacare ends up being one of US History’s most Pyrrhic victories.
BradSchwartze on December 8, 2009 at 2:11 PM
Do you realize what you are saying? With 500T debt? And your salary as Governor in 4 years is not enough to pay for that debt?
Please know this. In an ordinary American family … that will immediately result to AN UGLY DIVORCE.
She’s really a conservative. Strength of the American Family first.
TheAlamos on December 8, 2009 at 2:13 PM
And besides. She didn’t leave the Governorship in squander. She made it sure that her sidekick will rightfully handle the rest according to what they have promised during election.
And in fact, he has already accomplished all her promises during her campaign as Governor. The rest would just be “personal accolade” to her resume … which is selfish according to some dirty Republicans and Democrats in AK.
TheAlamos on December 8, 2009 at 2:18 PM
Okay so how about you look up Retired Lt Col Allen West and then tell me what you think.
Hmmmm?
upinak on December 8, 2009 at 12:53 PM
scalleywag on December 8, 2009 at 2:20 PM
“No way”? Hardly. It can be expained by its explanation. Unless one simply hates Sarah Palin, in which case nothing can be “explained.” I think it will even work to her advantage. Most people are impressed by a politician who steps down for reasons of selfless principle. The argument that “she couldn’t take the heat” is preposterous by dint of the heat she’s taken already and the manner in which she’s taken it. The question will always be — did she leave her state in worse or better shape? Better, incontestably.
rrpjr on December 8, 2009 at 2:25 PM
We will have to agree to disagree. If you think what is going on is nuanced strategy worthy of a chess master, I don’t see it. But I care enough to hope you are correct. Considering the odds, maybe they are doing everything they can.
Cindy Munford on December 8, 2009 at 2:28 PM
Looks like another 4 years of Obama.
Boxy_Brown on December 8, 2009 at 2:29 PM
He’s running for the House. Scared me, I didn’t want Mr. Rubio to have any more competition.
Cindy Munford on December 8, 2009 at 2:31 PM
oh, sorry. my mixup.
scalleywag on December 8, 2009 at 2:35 PM
“I really like Lieutenant Colonel Allen West of Florida”
thats dud is awesome. he’s a Conservative Congressional Candidate running in florida.
check him out:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VP2p91dvm6M
palin/west 2012
sidewinder22 on December 8, 2009 at 2:37 PM
Interesting comment. She’s definitely not going to simply “lose” to the traditional GOP.
That’s a warning shot, for sure.
AnninCA on December 8, 2009 at 2:37 PM
Gee, after all that time with the other end of the elephant telling us we’re not really needed….. guess they get to watch the lead dog for a while.
CC
CapedConservative on December 8, 2009 at 2:40 PM
Ok, I like the way that guy talks. And at least he HAS led before, unlike the guy who could talk but turns out he can’t lead.
scalleywag on December 8, 2009 at 2:44 PM
Yeah, oh well, life sucks. That line of attack is not going to work–not that I really care to dump on you personally, for I don’t, and therefore you have my apologies. But I wish to be clear. There are those on the right who need to come clean on the mistakes of the past–and I mean all of them–or I have absolutely no problem with having a vicious little conservative knife fight lasting the next eight to ten years. For it can happen, and needs to happen, since there are those who finally need to choose to do the right but don’t seem to be able to do so of their own volition, but would willingly let anyone and everyone else be a sacrifice to atone for their own mistakes. Well, if that is the case:
I will support a third party unless certain things change.
Horatius on December 8, 2009 at 2:46 PM
Palin cannot run in 2016 for a very simple reason: she will not longer be attractive, which is her main asset.
Do we want to see her age before our eyes?
Seven Seas on December 8, 2009 at 2:48 PM
No, she’s not hinting at anything of the kind. She said what she said. Anything other than reading what she said as an answer, like Ed said, about a process of reform is pure speculation. And some of you all are running with the speculation just like it was Gospel and are getting angry at the conclusions you’re drawing from nothing.
Reminds me of the old nursery rhyme Pop goes the Weasel.
All around the book signing rush, Sarah Palin taunts the media.
If triple entendere is possible here, Pop! goes the media.
Tennman on December 8, 2009 at 2:54 PM
Do you have a frog in your pocket?
Cindy Munford on December 8, 2009 at 2:55 PM
This is much ado about nothing. She is a Republican. She will run as a Republican. She will win as a Republican. If she is running they will come(and vote for her)
BetseyRoss on December 8, 2009 at 3:04 PM
Horatius on December 8, 2009 at 2:46 PM
Care to elaborate on ALL THE CHANGES that need to happen in order to prevent you from going the “It’s my ball, and I’m going home!” route?
BradSchwartze on December 8, 2009 at 3:04 PM
No, not really. I think it will be understood as the very serious proposal it is.
And you misunderstand–it wouldn’t be about going home. A third party might not be able to win the first time. If it held strong, it would the second time. And if not then, then the third. Naturally, there would be chaos in between, but in these “Wars of the Roses”, sometimes these things just have to be. Now, it can be avoided, but I’m not sure will be. I would rather it be, but ce la vie. I’m fairly sure playing nice won’t get one anywhere, so perhaps its time to stop trying, especially if one thinks one is dished no matter what.
Horatius on December 8, 2009 at 3:13 PM
Don’t do it, Sarah. Big mistake.
capitalist piglet on December 8, 2009 at 3:17 PM
The point for us HotAirians is simple. Support conservative candidates wherever they are found. Dogcatcher, librarian, screwall board, city council, even labor union shop steward. It doesn’t matter how high the position. More conservative candidates draw still more conservative candidates. I predict a tsunami for 2010,12,14 … until my as yet unborn great grandchildren are forced to choose between a 99.2 % conservative candidate and a 99.6% conservative candidate. Carville got it backA$$wards. It’ll be 40 years before anybody dares to say dhimmicrap out loud.
I’ll stick with Sarah.
FREEDOM!
Blacksmith8 on December 8, 2009 at 4:50 PM
I hope she doesn’t go with a third party. All it will do is help re-elect Obama.
Voter from WA State on December 8, 2009 at 5:05 PM
Thank you Ed. Thank you very much.
Now this is exactly what it seems. This is a shot across the GOP’s bow.
This is Sarah saying: “get right, or else!”
Sarah is a student of the Great Renaldus Magnus, and absolutely understands a 3rd party would be a disaster.
But did you hear that idiot O’Reilly and Mr Scozzafava (Newt) last night? O’Reilly’s talking points was about Sarah going 3rd party, and Mr Scozzafava (Newt) was there to add his thoughts.
I got the impression that both think she could pull it off. Good! Keep ‘em rattled!
gary4205 on December 8, 2009 at 6:00 PM
Tea Party Candidates poll higher that lockstep GOP DIABLOs (Democrats In All But Label Only) which SHOULD say something to the GOP lockstepping fools but as usual, the GOP MISSES the point as they have in every election since REAGAN left office.
nelsonknows on December 8, 2009 at 6:21 PM
AND YET, we will consistently see GOP locksteppers blame EVERYONE but THEMSELVES for losing elections i.e Ross Perot.
nelsonknows on December 8, 2009 at 6:24 PM
Kinda sick of the third party stuff and the GOP. I thought she was pretty clear. I want to know when folks will start discussing the problems with the Dems. My only question is whether Obama gets a primary challenge from the left or the right.
Maybe Conyers. That would be fun. Or Ben Nelson or someone. Who will play Ted Kennedy to Obama’s Jimmy Carter?
Shotgun Messiah on December 8, 2009 at 9:58 PM
Obama’s copious failures as an inexperienced tyro will make the public skeptical of another pretty inexperienced candidate, Sarah Palin, who had only one term as Alaska Governor and quit midway through it.I believe that Sarah should again seek election-perhaps as US Senator this time and, later, seek the presidency from the strength of that political position.
As bad as the Republican Party has been it is better than Obama, Biden, Reid, Pelosi, Murtha, ad infinitum. My worry is that a third party candidate has NEVER succeeded and even a popular candidate such as Palin would not only fail but act as a guarantor of an Obama reelection.
It should be remembered that the actual rock bottom Obama vote (not matter how badly he screws up) will be about 43%. It will be impossible for the GOP or a Third Party (dividing the remaining 57%) to individually get more than that. How this will divide up the electoral vote is hard to determine but if the election goes to Congress and the Democrats are still in control—-you get the picture.
MaiDee on December 8, 2009 at 11:52 PM
Does anyone else see that as a slap in the face of McLame, or is it just me? ;o)
DannoJyd on December 9, 2009 at 4:41 AM
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