I continue to think Palin would be an excellent VP. In following her for 13 1/2 months I've been routinely impressed. The conventional wisdom about Palin that you might pick up from the media and Saturday Night Live seems like a weak parody compared to the Palin I've spent over a year learning about.
She is certainly not stupid nor dangerously inexperienced. Although her governorship has only been a few years long, she has a long list of accomplishments that regrettably never get mentioned in the media. Refreshingly, these accomplishments include very real and significant reforms to Alaska politics. All Americans would be lucky to have her bring similar reforms to the federal government.
It's ironic that the best coverage on Palin I've found in the media comes from outside the US, but I'd encourage anyone who landed here looking for information on Palin to read this excellent article from the UK's Telegraph.
You can access all the posts I've written about Palin here. Out of those, I'd call my top three: this one, this one, and this one.
Original post:
I recently came across the Draft Sarah Palin For Vice President blog via comments on a post on a friend's blog.Sara Palin is the Governor of Alaska and while I'm not yet ready to throw all (2 1/4 ounces) of my blog's weight behind the Palin for VP movement, I think Palin would make a wise (though unfortunately unlikely) choice for Republican '08 Vice Persident.
Quoting from an early entry on the Draft Palin blog:
This blog is the result of about a month worth of research on potential Republican Vice-Presidential candidates for the 2008 election. ... I developed the following profile for the perfect VP candidate (using Rudy Giuliani as my presumptive presidential candidate):
1) A energetic, young, fresh face who will energize the electorate
2) Not connected to the current administration
3) Pro-Life
4) Pro-Gun
5) A woman or minority to counter Hillary or Obama and put to rest the idea that America only elects white males
One of the first names I found that fit these qualifications was that of Sarah Palin, the recently elected Governor of Alaska. ... After looking at every GOP governor, senator, and congressperson, I found that Palin had only become more appealing.
From what I've read, she certainly is an "energetic, young, fresh face who [would] energize the electorate." Frankly, I think she could even give Obama's charisma a run for it's money.
She also has a reputation for shaking up the political status quo, knocking off incumbents and chasing down corruption (even when it was Republicans committing the corrupt acts.) That fits in really well with '08 being billed as "change election" and Americans being tired of the "political establishment."
She also passes the "extremely like-able" test with an 84% approval rating. And, I can't see anyone being able to effectively run attack ads against her. She would just come off as being too sympathetic. Not because they'd be attacking a woman; more like if someone were to run attack ads against Ned Flanders.
Actually, now that I've finished jotting down my thoughts I can't think of a better choice for '08 GOP VP. If nothing else, maybe the momentum behind trying to have her be the VP will show that Republicans really are OK with candidates that aren't just white males. (Not that that stereotype actually does hold water ... first woman SCOTUS justice? Appointed by Reagan. First African-American male Sec. of State? Appointed by G.W. Bush. First African-American female Sec. of State? by Bush. First Hispanic Attorney General? by Bush (but witch-hunted out by white (Democratic) males Schumer, Leahey, Biden, Kennedy and Finegold.))
Perhaps my one final (fleeting?) reservation is that she probably best pairs up with Guillani, and he's certainly not my first choice. But since he is (admittedly) the most likely choice, Run Palin Run!
6 comments:
Kazoo: Your support for Sarah Palin is an important moment in her quest for the V-P spot on the Republican ticket. Her quest? Trust me, getting that nomination would be the biggest event in her life, which has many big events. Anyone of your readers who's like to join the effort (and get a weekly update) should contact Adam at: palinforvp@gmail.com. His site, which you mention, is at: http://palinforvp.blogspot.com All of believe that she is a whole lot less of a longshot than she was a few months ago. Some of the most influetial journalists (Fred Barnes, Les Kinsolving, SJ Reidhead, and others) are backing Sarah. Your endorsement of her is one of the most intriguing -- as your fervor for Sarah grows during the writino of the column.
steve maloney (national coordination team, of which you're now a part)
http://camp2008victorya.blogspot.com
This comment is more of just an administrative note.
First, I have had the honor to have this post re-published on Steve Maloney's blog, Campaign2008VictoryA.
Second, I've been e-mailing back and forth with Steve (mentioned above) and Adam Brickley (who runs the Draft Sarah Palin For Vice President blog). There enthusiasm and optimism for Palin has only increased my own.
With recent national attention, like the Fred Barnes piece, the possibility of a Palin Vice-Presidency does look much more likely than my very initial thoughts led me to believe.
And I really do hope she winds up being on the ticket. It will make the GOP's '08 chances much more viable, and frankly, in many respects she's exactly what the country needs: a person with integrity with broad-appeal who can bring back energy, civility, and general-positiveness to national governance.
Amazing call!
She is now the VP candidate for the Republican ticket.
Congrats!
Wow - I just realized that I wrote this post one year and one day ago. So, exactly one year after I wrote this, McCain would have notified Palin. That's pretty wild.
I find myself in a moment in time that necessitates my writing to you.
Please forgive me if you feel this is an intrusion. You can stop reading whenever this becomes irrelevant to you and your life. You can delete this and be done with it, but for me the writing of it is essential. I am sending this to you and trusting you with it, because I believe it is of critical importance to us all and regardless of where you stand at this moment, I hope that you will, at least, take time to consider my plea.
I am old enough now to have a history. Many years ago I had a professor, whom I adored. This amazing woman told her young and eager students, who were yearning to be good, pertinent and uniquely creative, “just do your work, you won’t be interesting until after you turn forty”. I listened to her, not really able to grasp the comprehensive understanding that she possessed, but I thought of her comment hundreds of times as I searched through my twenties and thirties.
And now with forty in the distant rearview mirror, I am still not sure if I am interesting, but, on certain issues, I know that I am right.
I needed to contact you today, to ask you to support the democratic ticket in this upcoming presidential election. I am asking you this because I believe, that this election will be a turning point in the history of our country and the history of our world. I know that you can help and for that reason you must help this country figure out what to do in this moment in history. This moment in history, that just may be the most challenging period to ever face us in the history of the earth.
While all of the many complex issues facing the US are important (important to us as individuals and caring human beings, which you all are) the issues that face us in the world are truthfully far more serious and threatening. Yes, we all care about healthcare and taxes and gas prices, but should this election really be about abortion? This is just a diversion, so we don't focus on any real issue that has meaning in this campaign. Abortion is not even an issue that should be decided by any government.
But if they keep us focused on abortion, then we won’t have time to look at the real issues. We won’t have time to realize what exactly the Bush Administration has done in the last eight years and I am not talking about our economy.
Our position, as a country that leads the world, has been totally undermined by the Bush-Cheney regime. You need only to read the foreign press or step-foot out of our country to know this is a reality.
Of course, this has grave consequences in terms of our domestic issues, the economy being very personal for the majority of us, but the consequences of our “shame” within the global community is far more serious than the disaster in our economy. The very existence of our world is threatened; both due the misuse of our earthly resources and the proliferation of nuclear power in the hands of countries that have the capability to use it.
I am standing in the middle of my journey. I am angry and I am sad. I too love my country and I also love the world and the Polar Bears. As I look back, I remember the civil rights movement. I remember Vietnam. I sat-in in Ann Arbor in 1968 and pinned my hopes for our nation on JFK and the RFK. I wept when they were gone, like so many Americans of my generation. We were a country that was bitterly divided; many people lost their lives in the fight for human rights and civil rights. We fought for a woman’s right to control her own body and for women to be able to have equal pay for equal work. But those cultural divisions may pale in comparison to the division that is driving our country to the brink of disaster.
Our country, founded on the ideals of the right for people to practice religious freedom is now infected with a culture of people that seek to control our country and our citizens and infuse our government’s policies with their religious fervor.
As I look forward, I watch my sons, who have become so passionate about this election. I am proud that they understand what is at stake here. I have seen them work voter registration drives and read endless blogs and become confused, angry,frustrated and fearful about what might happen if the Republicans win this election.
They understand that our very existence is at stake. They understand that global warming is real and that our dependence on foreign oil, among other things, has made us weak in a global economy. They understand that the war in Iraq was a political ploy and that our leaders lied to us. They understand that Pakistan possesses nuclear weapons and Iran will possess these weapons soon too and that they have to power to use them. They understand that North Korea may be far more dangerous than Bin Laden.
I believe they are also clear that they would not want Sarah Palin in charge of our local PTA, let alone in talks with foreign leaders.
This woman stands against everything that we, as women, have fought to achieve. This woman would have our daughters be forced to give birth to a child conceived by rape. This woman is suing the federal government to take the Polar Bear off the endangered species list. She does not support animal rights.
This woman did not get a passport until 2007. This woman is against stem cell research. She wants to teach creationism in our schools. She believes God has a plan for Iraq. But she has NOT focused on the war.
This woman is dangerous in a precarious world that she does not understand. This woman should not even be considered to be capable of leading this country.
I admit that on a personal level, I find just about everything about Sarah Palin offensive. But beyond my personal and very visceral feelings is my deep conviction that she was placed in the position to be Vice president as a political ploy to rally the very worst that America has to offer.
She represents, in fact, is a standard bearer for, the social, political and cultural divide that is a cancer gnawing at our Constitution and our nation, as the true revolutionaries, our founding fathers, conceived it. We are a nation that allows for differences and our personal religious beliefs should remain just that. Religion can never be allowed to dictate American policy.
We cannot let this happen. We cannot let our world slip away by making a decision that could allow that to happen.
I don’t know if Barack Obama can get it all right, but I do know that is he very smart. It would be nice to have a smart President. It would be nice to be proud when he speaks with foreign dignitaries.
It would be nice to listen to him speak the English language for four years or more. It is critical that we have respect around the world,but to have it we also have to earn it.
It would be nice to have crowds of people rally around our President as they did for Barack in Germany. It would be nice not to be embarrassed every time the President speaks. I know it gives John Stewart so much great material, but we are laughing through our tears.
But more importantly, I believe that Obama has a global vision and that he cares about the environment. He loves this country, but he sees this country as a PART of the world. This is a critical understanding for a political leader in the 21st century. Don’t you think? I believe he cares about women’s rights and giving women choices. I believe he understands that religion has no place in our government. I believe that he is decent and that he wants the world to be a better place. I believe that he truly abhors war.
And I believe that he is smart enough to have an impact. I believe he can truly inspire the rest of the world, while making things better for Americans.
I don’t know if he can get it all right, but I believe he will surround himself with other smart people and that they will at least have a fighting chance to figure some of it out.
We cannot afford to get this wrong. Please do whatever YOU can to make this world a better place. We may not ever have the chance again. This type of leader does not come around often.
It is not enough to just know that YOU will vote for Barack.
We have to speak up and tell our friends. This is not about taxes or even health care. This election is about the future of our planet, for us for our children, for all of the children and animals in the world.
Even if you are a Republican,you have to see what is at stake here. This woman could become the President of the United States. All of you must understand that this is unthinkable.
Those of you, who live in swing state, (VA, PA, NC, MI, CO, NV, FL, IN, MT, SD, ND, MT) must be active! If you know others who live in swing states figure out a way to get them involved. Having Sarah Palin as our President would mean disaster for our nation.
So I am asking you to get your friends and employees registered, speak to them about what is a stake and get them out to vote. It is difficult to change someone's mind, but not impossible. Sometimes if you just present the facts people will listen. It is easy to say, it doesn't matter or I don't have time, or I can't change a closed mind, but you can make a difference and that is why I am sharing this with you. It is that important.
We have made our voices heard before and now is the time to make them heard again. Say it loud, but say it clear. Our world depends upon it.
Thank you so much for your time.
CONGRATULATIONS! Looks like you called it right (no pun intended)... Your analysis is spot on!
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