Why John Ziegler is Wrong About Sarah Palin’s Electability
by John NolteAfter two of the best months a potential presidential candidate could possibly have, the Daily Caller lobbed a grenade at the Palin Camp Sunday night in the form of a John Ziegler piece titled: “The Sarah Palin I Know.” The news here is that Ziegler — a columnist, documentary filmmaker, and radio talk show host who’s probably most famous for being one of Governor Palin’s chief defenders, has come out very publicly to proclaim that she’s not only incapable of defeating Barack Obama in 2012, but also that any potential candidacy on her part could hurt those — like Tim Pawlenty — who are capable of defeating Obama.
In his closing sentence, Ziegler sums up his own piece perfectly:
If Sarah Palin still is the person I thought I knew, then she will do what is best for her cause and country by sitting this one out.
Rather than risk misquoting or taking Ziegler out of context, in the best good-faith effort I can summon, I’m going to quote directly the substance of the arguments Ziegler makes to back up his bombshell claims. I do, however, encourage you to read the full piece.
1. The MSM Destroyed Palin’s Chance to Beat Obama in 2012
Ziegler: Before I left, I felt I had to give the governor at least one piece of advice. After all, I know how politicians work. They surround themselves with yes-people. No one dares speak up. I figured I’d never get another opportunity like this again, so, with the very best of intentions, I told her: “You have to know, you can’t beat Obama in 2012. The media won’t let you. They won’t let him lose and the narrative about you is too negative to correct in three-and-a-half years.”
The main reason I believe Ziegler is falling into the media’s trap, is based mainly on recent polls from crucial swing states that show Governor Palin well within striking distance of Barack Obama. Not only is Obama unable to hit 50% (bad news for any incumbent), but Palin isn’t even an announced candidate and yet she’s polling within the margin of error. Furthermore, a poll ironically released the same night as Ziegler’s piece, shows that Ziegler might be wrong about the following…
Zieger: Palin supporters look at all of this and laughably claim that, if given the opportunity, she can change people’s minds. This is simply impossible. I have no doubt that, if presented with the chance, she would exceed expectations in virtually every area of a campaign (except organization), but that would hardly matter at all.
In fact, minds have changed over the last three months. According to CNN, Palin’s overall favorable rating with “all adults” has jumped 11% since April. Her unfavorables are still at 52%, but her numbers are most certainly headed in the right direction — and it’s not as though the media suddenly decided to treat the Governor fairly.
My guess as to why the Governor is looking more electable these days is due to her and her team’s near-flawless handling of the One Nation Bus Tour (the MSM’s email fiasco is likely to only boost her numbers further). The Palin Camp’s messaging of that event was not only managed in a way that would shame most presidential campaigns, it was also done through a very successful and unconventional circumvention of the media. Which brings me to the most important point I’ll make in this piece…
What Ziegler and those who agree with him need to understand is that the MSM doesn’t intend to let anyone beat Barack Obama. They intend to pull a “Palin” — to decimate and salt the earth behind — whoever threatens the re-election of Their Precious One. Barack Obama is a failed president. Period. If 2012 is what it should be — a referendum on the incumbent — he loses in a landslide. Therefore, the White House and their MSM allies intend to do everything they can to ensure 2012 is all about toxifying the GOP nominee — regardless of who it is — into someone who cannot be elected. Anyone who thinks the MSM will take it easier on a nominee not named Palin hasn’t been paying attention.
The bottom line is that whoever our candidate is, beating Obama is not the existential problem — our candidate must beat the media, and other than Newt Gingrich (a victim of unforced errors), there’s not a single announced or potential Republican candidate who’s dealt with a tenth of what Obama’s MSM Palace Guards intend to hurl their way — except Sarah Palin. And not only has the Governor survived this unprecedented onslaught, but the past few months have shown that she understands this threat and is actively and effectively working on ways to overcome it.
Using Facebook, Twitter, and other forms of New Media, Palin has (if you look at those polls) effectively gone over the heads of the media and directly to the people. This is not one way to win in 2012, this is the only way. Furthermore, she’s the only potential candidate that the media has fisked in every way imaginable and already unloaded on — right down to her every email. Sure, the MSM will find more nonsense to hurl at her but any substantive scandal or disqualifying issue would’ve likely been found already. We cannot say this for any of the other GOP candidates who are sure to be skinned alive once the MSM is handed the name of Obama’s direct opponent. October surprise, anyone?
Morevover, if you want to understand how ignorant the GOP Establishment is of the media threat, read this. Yes, you read that right: some of our very own geniuses intend to walk directly into the duality of MSM corruption known as Politico/NBC. No one interested in defeating Barack Obama would go within a country mile of a debate hosted by those two outlets — unless they don’t fully appreciate the threat.
Does anyone doubt Palin understands the threat? Because anyone who doesn’t …. that’s who’s almost certain to lose to Barack Obama.
2. Palin’s Team is a Mess
Ziegler: There’s also the fact that Sarah’s entire operation is increasingly managed like a CIA field office; that she’s adopted a bunker mentality; that she’s trusting the wrong people, some of whom I know are simply exploiting her. As a result, even those most loyal to her get tossed under the bus, with little or no effort to avoid the collateral damage. Which raises the question: if people like me who would once have taken a bullet for Sarah (and at least figuratively I did many times) can’t get behind her any more, what the hell happened?
Can anyone name a potential presidential candidate who has not had something to this effect written about their campaign at one time or another — especially 18 months out from election day. You can’t dwell on the mistakes of the past (and there have been some), you have to focus on the learning curve – and it’s just a fact that the curve of the Palin camp is definitely headed in the right direction. Considering the hot spotlight they live under where even the tweets of an aide can make headlines, I’m even more impressed by their trajectory.
—–
In my opinion, over the past few months, the Palin team’s handling of everything from her slam-bang speech in Madison to a recent Fox News Sunday appearance to the bus tour to the Ed Rollins smear to the Politico smear to the Paul Revere nonsense to last week’s email expedition — has been nearly flawless. I don’t know whether or not Governor Palin intends to run, but you can clearly sense that her team is coming together and firing on all cylinders. Therefore her favorability bump in the CNN poll is no accident.
Yes, there will be mistakes in the future and those with a dog in the fight will pounce and amplify those mistakes in ways no other potential GOP candidate will have to face. But this could actually be a good thing in the long run. What you want in a nominee is someone already tested and tried — someone already toughened up by a grueling primary process. Should Palin run and win the nomination, her trial by fire will be unprecedented. Unfortunately, much of that fire will have come from her own side, but that doesn’t make the experience any less valuable.
3. Palin’s Resignation as Governor is Fatal
Zieger: Let’s face it, Palin made a great decision for her and her family, but one that disqualifies her from running for president, at least in 2012. Obama has the ultimate trump card against her: when things got tough you quit to become a rich celebrity while I was killing Osama bin Laden. Game, set, match.
I’m no pollyanna when it comes to this, and while the Governor’s decision to step down showed me a person of extraordinary character willing to cut her own political throat for the good of her State and family, I understand that not everyone will see it this way. There’s no doubt the resignation will dog Palin for the rest of her political life and that Obama and the MSM will exploit it mercilessly. Simply put: It’s a real problem. But to her credit and in a way that belies Ziegler’s “bunker mentality” charge, Palin apparently understands this. According to some news reports, knowing this was a problem is the primary reason she reached out to filmmaker Steve Bannon.
The first step in dealing with a problem is knowing you have a problem. Unfortunately, it doesn’t appear as though we can say the same for our current frontrunner, Mitt Romney, who still stands behind no less than two trump cards Obama currently holds: RomneyCare and Global Warming.
My point here isn’t to beat up Mitt Romney, who I think would make a terrific president. My point is that Ziegler’s use of the phrase “disqualifies her from running” is hyperbole and that she’s not alone in the potential “disqualifier” department. Also, unlike Romney, Palin actively sought out a tactically brilliant way to go around the media and fix this problem: a series of short films she intended to commission that turned into a feature film (she had no editorial control over) that many are now calling a “game changer.”
We should all be as dumb as Sarah Palin.
4. Palin’s “Celebrity” Took Away Her Mojo as a Fighter
Zieger: The worst part about the resignation from a political narrative perspective is that it also stripped away Palin’s greatest strength. She is clearly a fighter but it is impossible to make “She will fight for you” the cornerstone of a campaign when she just quit her only big job, seemingly for personal gain.
With all due respect, this is absurd on its face. People may look at Sarah Palin and think a lot of things but — other than the political clout every politician seeks — no one can watch what this woman’s been through for the past three years and honestly believe for a second that she’s not fighting for something bigger than herself. Palin changed the political landscape of 2010 like no one else and her willingness to enter the belly of the beast and run towards the fight in places like Madison is not lost on anyone paying attention.
The “celebrity” narrative is a Leftist lie. One travelogue/reality show does not trump her tireless and effective work in 2010 or her work on behalf of the Tea Party.
That dog simply won’t hunt.
5. Palin’s Mere Presence In the Race Will Ensure Obama’s Reelection
Zieger: It baffles me how relatively few Republican voters seem to understand that beating Obama with any conservative is the ONLY thing that matters and that quite literally, through no real fault of her own, there are almost no conservatives not currently in prison who have LESS of a chance of beating Obama than Sarah Palin currently does. Worst of all, her just getting in the race greatly reduces the chances of an electable conservative, like Tim Pawlenty, getting enough traction to win the nomination.
The last poll I saw had Pawlenty at 6%. That’s not Sarah Palin’s fault. But what Ziegler appears to be saying here is that should Palin decide to pursue the nomination, her presence in the race will accomplish what she wants it to accomplish: Other people will lose, she will win. But then, Ziegler argues things like this will happen:
And finally there is the already incredibly long list of negative on-the-record statements from Republicans about her and the inevitable avalanche of Obama endorsements which would come from Republican “leaders” looking to ingratiate themselves with the media.
Should Palin be the nominee, let’s grant that even in the face of Obama’s utterly failed presidency, Ziegler’s right about this — that David Frum, Peggy Noonan, Joe Scarborough, Kathleen Parker and all the other double agents who go well beyond the in-bounds arena of constructive criticism and straight to the darkside of undermining, will continue to do so. Well, I seem to remember that in 2008 we nominated the man the MSM wanted us to nominate and that didn’t stop Colin Powell from putting a stake in our heart just a few days before the election. You don’t win national elections appealing to the elite or to the media. You win by appealing to the people — and this is where Palin is especially potent.
Besides a trial by media fire and a growing savvy when it comes to getting her message out, besides a charisma and personal touch no other candidate comes close to, something else Palin uniquely offers is a mammoth base of fervent supporters ready to fight to the death for her –a base as passionate and motivated as President Obama’s in 2008. No other GOP contender has anything close to this army of supporters and volunteers who are not only standing by but pretty well organized through various “Such-and-such State for Palin” communities. Furthermore, Palin’s ability to turn out the vote, fundraise through her base, and her position on social media was already formidable in 2010. It’s only going to get stronger over the next 18 months … as the economy gets worse. And in the end, 2012 will not be about anything other than the economy, stupid.
Believe me, a year from now, if the economy looks anything like it does today (and I think it will), no one’s going to give a damn about reality shows or resignations.
6. Conservative Media Won’t Speak Truth to Palin
Zieger: Meanwhile, the conservative media is largely afraid to tell the truth about the dangers of a Palin campaign because they also fear a dull primary season, as well as offending the millions of Palin fans who make up the most loyal core of their audience. After all, beating Obama may not even be in their business interest.
This is factually wrong. The high-profile presence of Ziegler’s article at the Daily Caller proves him wrong as does his above statement about “on-the-record statements from Republicans.” Joe Scarborough, Kathleen Parker, Peggy Noonan, the Daily Caller, Hot Air, Newsmax and National Review are all part of the conservative media and highly critical of the Governor.
Katie Couric’s selective editing to the contrary, I have no doubt Governor Palin and her supporters have been exposed to the many good and bad faith arguments against her jumping into the race.
And so, in further rebuttal to the six main arguments against a Palin candidacy I gleaned from Ziegler’s article, I offer my Top Ten for why Governor Palin should run:
1. She’s dead right on the most important issues of the day.
2. She was an effective and dynamic Governor — and that story has only begun to get told.
3. The other candidates have not been fully vetted; Palin has and all they found was a great governor and a wonderful mother.
4. She’s tough as a hickory nut.
5. She understands better than anyone that our primary opponent in 2012 is the MSM and is using social media in unprecedented ways to neutralize them.
6. She has a huge base of motivated supporters ready to chew ground glass for her.
7. Her team is coming together and making all the right moves.
8. The economy is tanking — therefore Obama is vulnerable.
9. Obama is a failed president.
10. See #1.
Finally, let me just say that I know John Ziegler and that many of his defenses of Governor Palin have appeared on the BIG sites. My goal here, however, is only to look at the substance of his claims, which I obviously disagree with. Do I have other issues with Ziegler’s piece? In a word, yes. But addressing those would only distract from the substance of a healthy debate our side should be vigorously engaged in.
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172 Comments
Sarah will survive this backstab, I'm sure. Ziegler has shown his class — or lack thereof.
Ziegler reads like hes got a lot of teenage girls following him on Twitter.
Mr. Ziegler. I will carry Sarah Palin on my back over hot coals while I'm barefoot to get her elected. Now tell me how 'unelectable' she is.
The media cannot elect a President. Money cannot elect a President. Some just like to present it as if those two things control it all.
Voters control what happens.
I am going to vote for Sarah Palin, whether she is on the ballot or not. I am going to do so because I will not waste my vote on who I am told "can win".
I know Sarah can win and I look forward to saying and writing "Madam President" and "President Palin".
Let's show mainstream media just how powerless they all are to stop us.
Vote Sarah.
News flash for Ziggy: MSM and establishment smears of Gov. Palin are viewed as ringing endorsements.
This Ziegler guy comes off as a creepy whiny fanboy who got jilted. Does he have a crystal ball that tells him the future? I doubt it! The only way to find out if you can win is to run. She deserves to toss her hat into the ring as much as anyone else. She is my first choice for POTUS.
Ziegler has an axe to grind, his "opinion" means absolutely nothing.
Sarah is ineluctable.
…seconded, syvyn.
>Hanzo>
Love or hate her, If Sarah Palin decides to run, bet that she's competitive enough to be at the finish line.
Add, Michele Bachmann too. 2012 is going to an interesting year.
Better 'splain that one, not everyone here has a handy dandy lexicon.
Ineluctable– not to be denied, or avoided. There ya' go.
+Hanzo+
John Nolte.
Outta da park sir.
Awesome article.
God Bless you and yours.
Palin/West 2012!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I had to Google it.
Ha ha.
+Hanzo+
The more the lib's are worried she may run and get elected, the more vitriol we hear from them.
Even if she doesn't run, I enjoy seeing them crack into pieces…..
I have covered this ground before but nowhere as thoroughly as you have here. I believe # 3 is the most significant. How will Pawlenty and others survive the rectal exam. Sarah has nothing to hide and the Media is void of credibility in the voters eye in all things Palin. They will look for direct sources and they will find epic articles like http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/20... (yawn) They will find the smoke but no fire just an idiot in the theater screaming like a turrets victim
Thanks John can I have a little mayo for this ground glass glass sandwich it is a little dry.
GO SARAH WE NEED YOU BABE
My life, my fortune and my sacred honor.
Trolls in 1 ..2 …3..
Well I'll give you this much: I used to say that if Palin got the nomination, it'd be 1964 all over again.
Taking into account current conditions, it would probably be no worse than 1996.
Correction: Sarah has nothing left to hide. The MSM shot their wad too early, and now they're struggling to dig up more dirt on her than actually exists.
Yeah, yeah. I read this Zeigler article. Or should I say, I read the first page of that article. Then I couldn't take any more.
Sarah "can't beat Ubama?" HAAAAhahahaha. What a joke.
How about this?
"Obama fundraiser underwhelms"
http://www.politico.com/politico44/perm/0611/empt...
This was a "low-cost" fundraiser for Ubama in freaking MIAMI, of all places. And it failed MISERABLY.
I used to say that MY DOG could beat Ubama in 2012.
Now I say that the occasional, errant FLEA on my dog's ASS could beat Ubama in 2012.
The fact is, it's a Conservative smorgasbord in 2012.
Choose your candidate, folks. Choose well. Because ANYONE we choose is going to kick this usurper's ASS in 2012.
Let me try to be blunt about this never ending passion play about Sarah Palin, our country is on the brink of the abyss driven there by the Left in Government and the Media and we are going to let them pick the candidate to save the country. They inflict this pathetic unaccomplished non-entity from Chicago on us and never offered an apology and we should worry about their opinions.
This might sound naive but isn't a primary process meant to winnow out the chaff from the wheat in the terms of the policies and candidates why is everyone including Sarah Palin so certain about what the outcome that she needs not apply. She deserves the opportunity to communicate directly to Republicans and the American People by the virtue that she is the most potent political force in this country.
Run the race. Let the best man or woman, whom the voters decide through the primary process, run. She has bigger b@lls than any of the other politicians combined. I would rather lose an election, and the nation, with a true conservative vs. the current occupant, than win with a RINO and end up in the same place. Remember, we wouldn't have had Reagan without Carter. I truly believe because of the current pres., another Reagan will emerge and allow our country to return to greatness. The closest to Reagan I have seen the past decade is none other than Sarah Palin.
Well, that IS a step in the right direction. When you get to understand that it will be more like 1980, you will have joined the majority of us that know what's going on.
I would like the opportunity to give this a thorough going over with a letter to boot.
But for now all I will say is this fellow is absolutely wrong.
We do not win elections by nominating people that Obama would be happy to vote for. We win elections by nominating people that Obama hates, with a passion.
In doing this we create something called a choice, which America deserves more than anything.
We also increase the very legitimacy of our Constitutional Republic. Which as most of you have so adroitly pointed out is a wee bit in the toilet right now.
Ziegler sounds like a jilted lover. I highly suspect he's just upset that she went to Steve Bannon with her film idea instead of him.
I started having my doubts about him after he showed his ass at Western CPAC a couple years ago.
Obama himself won in large part due to his 'celebrity'.
Of all the potential candidates to date, I feel most comfortable with Sarah Palin, who I have no doubt has the intelligence, honor, humility, morality, and love of country , to lead us away from the course of ever-expanding govt. I expect she would hold that office in high regard, a heritage to be nurtured and protected, in service to the people.
After all PopMedia has done to destroy Palin, she is not fazed. Something media and Democrats ignore to their peril is that Palin has always been a boot-strap high achiever. Look at who we elected and why in 08. Palin is Obama's polar opposite. I don't see another Republican who is.
Palin is like Edison or Goddard. If she was elected in 2008, the sales prices of homes would have doubled again!
Praise!
I have no idea if she'll end up running or being the nominee, but if she were to win the nomination, I guarantee you she would wipe the floor with Obama in a debate.
If she decides not to run, she becomes the 800 pound gorilla working for her chosen candidates in elections all over the country, and raising a boatload of money.
Speaking of money, do you think Palin would have had all those empty seats like obama tonight???
I think I'll quote Paul Ryan here . . . with friends like this (Zeigler) who needs the left.
Perhaps it's time to overturn this popular belief and show that the MSM doesn't have complete control of who becomes president.
I'll end with this humorous cartoon on the MSM media smear campaign against Sarah at http://drawfortruth.wordpress.com/2011/06/13/msm-...
I read Mr. Zeigler's piece in its entirety (although I somewhat regret it because he could have condensed it into bullet points and saved my head much throbbing). My basic impression was that Mr. Zeigler did a lot of whining. This is a classic example of what happens when someone gives his all for someone and then feels under appreciated. It was pretty obvious that the word "annoying" might better describe the Palins' feelings about him. Sarah made it clear in her email response that was sent to John by mistake — paraphrasing: "if I have to suffer through John's emails, then so does everyone else." Ouch! One doesn't say that unless there is a grain of truthfulness there somewhere. Mr. Zeigler may have made some valid observations about the Palin process, but I don't think we should count her out yet. This is going to be a good fight for the Republican nomination. We have some honorable and smart people who want to replace Obama. Bring it on!
I didn't vote for President in 2008, but I did vote for Vice President, same one I'll vote for in '12 for President that I voted for Vice President in '08.
I will say that when the absolute truth is considered, Nolte is right, but when you look at the shear numbers who do not decide things on absolute truth Zig's argument cannot be dismissed. In the minds of many people there is much truth to what Zig said.
I have defended the record, which means defending Sarah from a stream of lies since the VP announcement. Anyone can look that up and see that about me.
With that said, Zig has sacrificed MUCH to just defend the truth when it comes to Gov. Palin. Statements like "he lobbed a grenade" imply he had malicious intent with his Daily Caller piece and that is clearly NOT the case.
While I think that Sarah would make a good president as I know her governing record very well and I find it satisfactory, I believe that she will need more time to undo the damage the liars have done to her than she has in time to wage a campaign that will be about Obama and the issues and not about "her". I would be delighted to be proved wrong about that.
To some of you commenters who are trashing Zig, you are out of line. Zig has taken a great many slings and arrows for each and every one of us who voted the GOP ticket in 2008. Never forget that.
If Sarah decides not to run for president I would be delighted to see her run for Senate.
All the best,
Chuck
And then, in 2016, we'll take 1984!
+Hanzo+
Sarah is the " COOL HAND LUKE" of the republican party, they keep kicking her, and she keeps coming. She has guts, and that goes along way with me!
Palin doesn't have a snowballs chance in hell of beating Obama. I like her. I'm sure Zeigler likes her. But sometimes you have to deal with the reality of the situation. She's to devisive. Republicans need to decide if they want to send a message to the media by nomitating her or if they actually want to beat Obama. In politics, you have to comprise sometimes. It's just a fact.
Might I add the following analysis: Elmer Fudd will beat Obama in 2012 and here's why:
47% of the country voted against Obama in 2008. I don't see too many of those people thinking that they made a mistake. Whereas, I see A LOT of the other 53% regretting their vote.
If the Republican wins all of the states that McCain carried in 2008 (not very hard) plus the following 6 states (which have all shifted Red big time since 2008), Obama loses – Florida, North Carolina, Virginia, Indiana, Ohio, and New Hampshire.
All of the above reinforces why Republicans can (& should) put up a true Conservative who will not just keep the seat warm and let Obama's changes become the status quo; but who will actively roll back the Progressive agenda of the past years.
and who let the trolls out?
I'd vote for your dog in '12, and your dog would likely win, but I really want Palin on that ballot.
Didn't read it but I think I get Ziegler's motives here.
Ziegler has SOOOO many Palin chips in his pile that he can afford to give some back to set up the bigger trade. He's just keeping the iron hot enough to ramp up on a moments notice yet cool enough to stay under the radar and keep costs down.
Wasn't Ziegler the guy down at SC when they gave "Hot Legs" Couric that Cronkite Award? And they kicked him off campus?
People underestimate the cost of purchasing and exposure. Government just doesn't give a chit what it costs. Sarah Palin surely understands it all. Let the women run the country.
My concern is that Palin allowed herself to be co-opted by the McCain team. They put her in costume and then put words in her mouth. The very thing we liked about her (straight talk) was subdued in the 2008 campaign.
She had to resign as gov, write a book and go on the road to basically become herself again.
She's a great leader, but I think her time as veep candidate will hurt her.
That said, she'd be a far better president than BHO.
I didn't vote for McCain in '08, I voted for Palin. She has my vote in 2012. Like what was said above, it took Carter to get us Reagan – history repeats itself (one term Dem losing to a true conservative).
Mr. Nolte, your article is just a million times wonderful. At the very least, Sarah Palin deserves to run and have a chance at the nomination.
And I am tired of the media telling me who should be nominated. I'm not much of a conspiracy theorist, but it would seem the GOP lets the media tell them what to do and we get nominees like Dole and McCain . . . and we lose. This time, however, we got a full-blown Marxist and a big mess on our hands, as well as the life of the Republic in the balance.
I hope Sarah runs, I hope she wins the nomination. If she runs, I will get behind her 100%, if she gets nominated I will be behind her 100%.
But I wonder if she will now with Bachmann in the race. They both have similar supporters and I'd hate for the 2 of them to have a cat fight.
I guess we shall see.
*She's to devisive.*
I can never understand this line of thinking.
It was and IS the M$M that has made her "Devisive" not the general public.
Don't fall for the BS…think for yourselves…don't let the media pick our candidates for us.
Not Over.
Who says she has to run as a Republican Party candidate?
See, a great many of us out here are as tired of the Establishment GOP as we are the Democrats.
You take a bit too much for granted as "fact" there grasshopper.
Ziegler has some class, he just doesn't know how to fight. When the enemy attacks you, FIGHT BACK. Don't tuck in your tail and run. Just because the Mainstream Media thinks they have you, is no reason to give up. I want Sarah in the White House in 2013, and most of the MSM in bankruptcy court if not under RICO investigation.
Ziegler can make of that what he may.
Sarah Palin totally GETS IT has GOT IT! She CAN win and I will be supporting her all the way! When she gets in the race, I will jump to campaign for her. And the last person I ever campaigned for was Ronald Reagan. She is the true American patriot that we can trust and that we need at this time in our history.
great Job John Nolte and appreciate your last paragraph. Very disappointed in Ziegler and have myself off his mailing list. Run Sarah Run, we have your back…..
Around here where I live (So Cal), the 'entitlement' crowd does better than the working folk working minimum wage or running their own businesses and just keeping their heads above water, they (the entitlement crowd) get 90% subsidized rent, food stamps, etc and we pay for them. Is that what this country is coming to? The entitled/subsidized versus the working folk/small business owners and 'they' do better?
Palin in '12.
# 11 Sarah is right for our country.
I'll vote for her as a write in.
If you want to allow the MSM to make your decisions for you, that's your sorry azz right to do so. As for meand my house we… we tuned out from MSNBS years ago.
Thank you Nolte, I couldn't agree with you more.
Of course she can win. At this point America only thinks they know her because they've been given a full dose of Tina Fey, the New York Times, et al.
However, because of where this makes her start with so many people, their pleasant surprise at finding out she is a genuine, American loving, effective leader will give her a huge momentum swing (you've already seen it in the emails and may see more from the upcoming movie). If she enters, she should do it soon though. Americans are smart people, as she gets vetted through the course of an election, they'll know if she's the right choice or not.
Dead-on John Nolte. Excellent article.
Hey you two, it is great that you would do that, and to be truthful, I would relay the same sentiment, but we all know that Sarah would smack us down for even trying. What she would approve of, though, is for us all to declare openly that we would all walk shoulder to shoulder over those scorching coals to protect Individual Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness.
(and to be honest, the first time I saw it I had to search out its meaning also)
Great rebuttle. I cannot think of one thing of consequence that I have seen Palin do that does not cause me to have great confidence in her. She is far smarter than those passing judgement over her, as she proved with the one nation tour. One seriously strong performance in a debate is all it takes to put her right where she needs to be and get Americans to take a second honest look at her.
Also, I think the American people might just be starting to see through the negative hype of the news media and start to pull for her instead. It is very possible that that pendulum will swing back in her favor right on time. Every time they try to pull her down like yapping dogs, she out-foxes them This is a substantial woman who would make a great President.
This is especially true now that the MSM has gone thru 24,000 of Gov Palin's e-mails while still Gov of Al. Who would have thoughy they would pay all of this money just to go to Juneau, pick up the e-mails (there is a certain amt of satisfaction that Alaska released these in paper, not electronic form costing these media outlets millions of $$$!!!) after trying to destroy her since 2008! Did they think they would find something today that they could not find in 2008?? Oh, Yah! They found that she was a very engaged, hands on governor with a sense of humor & liked by her staff. Oh, she's also a good mother. That will really hurt her, huh???!
You're going to vote for her if she's not even on the ballot??? How does that help? Forgive me, but you may as well vote for Obama if that's your plan, and I'm sure SP would agree with me. Please, please only vote for Sarah if she's on the ballot. Otherwise, please vote against Obama by voting for the Republican who is on the ballot.
"…something else Palin uniquely offers is a mammoth base of fervent supporters ready to fight to the death for her…"
Oh God! I am part of a movement!
Heh heh! GOTTA love Sarah…
The ONLY principled candidate in either party that actually loves life, living and America…
As a resident of Illinois I will proudly vote for her twice – though she will lose the second time… Illinois is a blue state full of idiot losers after all… (first vote will be in the primary – if'n ya were wunderin'…)
Sarah! Sarah! Sarah!
Barack Obama won three Illinois Senate elections. The Illinois Senate career of Barack Obama began in 1997 after his first election in 1996 to a two-year term in the Illinois Senate representing Illinois' 13th Legislative District in Chicago. He was re-elected in 1998 to a four-year term and re-elected again in 2002 to another four-year term. He resigned from the Illinois Senate in 2004 following his election to the U.S. Senate. He resigned from the U.S. Senate following his election in 2008 to become the 44th President of the United States in 2009.
Obama QUIT the people of IL TWICE. 2004 IL State Senate and U.S. Senate in 2008.
Sara quits once gets MSM personal Jihad against her, even her children. Obama quits IL TWICE. MSM media blesses him as God. Go figure.
Sara one strike, obama gets two strikes and then drives USA off financial cliff = strike three he's out at next election.
I have spoken a lot of criticism about Palin's creepy cult ties, her policies, her flip-flopping, etc. but I have to agree with Nolte 100% on #3. I don't think resigning was a smart move IF she had set her eyes on eventually taking the White House but it was not fatal.
Newt's three wives isn't fatal either. He stepped up tonight, big time (sports cliché, I know). We disagree on a life-and-death issue so I really don't think I'd vote for him but he showed tonight he knows Obama's weaknesses and he knows solutions and – on the issue of Palin's resignation – this is one area where Palin has been articulate and it doesn't take much more than a simple look into what went down to know Palin probably didn't do it for the money, and probably didn't do it because of pressure and scrutiny.
So who's lettin' the msm make decisions for them? I think that's the point of my post. Wow.
+Hanzo+
apologies, i was using "you" as collective. we're good
All I know for sure is that it does not matter who runs against Obama. I will vote for whoever the country rallies around on the "R" ticket, regardless of who it is. If it's Palin, Buchanan, Romney ( less so, but fine ok I'll do it ) etc. I think either one will win and do a good job of turning the white house back over to the constitutional government that it represents.
Make that into a bumper sticker.
That's ok.;-) Sorry for the misunderstanding, friend.
+Hanzo+
Keep in mind folks – A Palin run would most certainly re-energize the youthful idiot vote for Obama. Presently, the yoots are much less enthusiastic about Obama, but will undoubtedly feel threatened and enraged by a possible Palin presidency for all the usual dopey, mythomanic reasons. If a lesser known Republican candidate runs against Obama, the yoots will likely not bother to vote at all. I have one complaint about our beauteous Sarah, and it has to do with presentation, not substance, because I strongly feel that moderate and Independent voters are a bit shallow and tend not to vote their principles because they're unsure as to what their own principles are – so, Sarah's presentation is vital in order to compel this superficial chunk of the electorate to vote for her in large numbers. I'm referring specifically to elocution and sometimes her word choices. No, I'm not saying Sarah's folksy accent is the problem, nor her straight forward everyman delivery – those things are a great contrast to Obama's phony intellectualism, double speak, teleprompter reliance and moronic metaphors. I am referring to Sarah's natural tendency to speak conversationally at those moments when she should speak more carefully. This tendency is the natural inclination of genuine people like Sarah, but it isn't always appropriate in every instance. Also, Sarah sometimes lets her tone reach squeal level. Being a woman, this is also natural especially considering her genuine passion. The manner of her first speech on the national stage is what she must work hard to maintain. That was the speech that she hasn't topped since, and it's also the singular speech that scared the crap out of the Left.
Personally, I like John Zeigler. He has some of the scrappy fighter in him as Andrew Breitbart does. HOWEVER, he has not learned to turn off his feelings of hurt. He's TOO sensitive! He is a bit feminine in that respect and, if you're going to be a fighter on the right, you HAVE to turn that off. Consequently, his article came off very whiny as has been mentioned by other comments here. And, he's just wrong with regards to Sarah Palin's chances. She is the only candidate that will generate the excitement needed to overcome the left's cheating. And, you can bet there will be MUCH cheating (dead voters and such) in 2012. If you concede that the MSM has damaged her too much, you let them win….and for no good reason. She is obviously playing a chess or cat and mouse game with the media and it is great to watch. I'm relishing it and am highly anticipating the day whe she announces.
The minute Sarah anounces. I'm sending money.
I like that ticket!
Do you know who most of the "moderates" or the "Independents" are in this country? They are conservatives disappointed with RINO Republicans and can't stand the Marxist Democrats. Rush Limbaugh always says "find me the book titled 'Great Moderates in History'…..oh, yeah, there ISN'T one!" If Sarah Palin, with her love of the Constitution and of this country is devisive, then the people who are divided off, need to go to VENEZULA!
What could be wonderful for us is that all the media hysteria over Palin has created an environment where people don't even listen to all that white noise anymore. And who knows, maybe there will be a Palin/Bachmann ticket as a result. (Though I dream of a Palin/West ticket)
Go kill some Arabs for your Khazar masters!
Is the Republican Party suffering from Stockholm syndrome? What happens when the FMSM candidate meets the new media's one? Is a failed president really unbeatable, especially by a possible candidate who has been put through the ringer and is still standing? If the FMSM’s whip is so strong, which candidate will survive their wrath? Do we even want that candidate? Is Obama, FDR? Is 2012 a normal election year? If not, do the normal rules apply? Whose side is more motivated to win and defeat the other? I think that should be obvious. Prosperity, that is what this election will be fought over and who has the plan to bring it to fruition. A majority has a preset notion of what that is (even some Democrats) and Obama won't be selling it. The Republican will. Palin is at the top of my shortlist. We should consider ourselves lucky if she gets elected, but I would say that about at least three other candidates. Let us not be cutesy and have our opposition choose our candidate.
The Democrats are toast in 2012; don't let anyone convince you otherwise. Let's make it a historic victory.
I like Palin/Bolton '12
Either way, this is the thing the shortsighted Ziegler can't see: the bottom of the ticket just kills Joe Biden my time.
No…I'd rather have my eye on you, and your ilk.
Never stop looking behind you…putz.
Not Over.
Here's the thing. She's already president. T-Paw in the debate even acquiesced and paid homage to her. The RINO's defer to her and the liberals know she is a force of nature. She has a rock solid base (see all the above comments), and, the idiotic MSM love/hates her. They followed her around on vacation like goslings for God's sake. If she doesn't quit before she starts, she can't lose. Run, Sarah, Run. Nobody loves you more than Breitbart commentors.
Indeed. What the heck is a primary for? Wouldn't the one who can win the primary be the one with the best chance to win the election? If he can't even get the most votes from his own side, how's he going to get the most votes from the whole country? When someone says Palin shouldn't even run, I think it's an admission that even they don't think their favorite candidate can beat her. If they truly thought she couldn't win they'd just let her lose. If conservatives would quit trying to be clever by voting for the candidate who "can win", and instead vote for the candidate who should win, I bet they'll find out that most Americans agree with them – and we might end up with a president who should be president.
LET 'ER RIP, SARAH !!! TRIG for FIRST KID !!!
What's getting me angrier by the day is not so much Palin's attacks by the msm and the crazy left but the stabs in the backs by other conservatives. The woman has been at the forefront criticizing every effort to grow an already out of control government-a certified tea party activist- a fabulous patriot- a superstar! Her thanks? John Zeigler telling her you can't win, you're damaged goods, now step aside for (wait for it) Tim Pawlenty. Hey John, didn't you get the memo? Ann Coulter says conservatives ONLY best hope is Chris Christie. No wait, the Views token "conservative Elizabeth Hasselbeck says Romney's the guy (that is, again, if Sarah gets lost)….and so on and so on. The point being, of course, is that all these obviously jealous and petty pundits have their horses in the race but are frustrated by a beguiling Thoroughbred- Sarah Palin!
Go hard………..or go home………………..fuk moderation.
I'll be voting for the candidate that causes the most consternation amongst the dim-bots.
It's time to show me what you're made out of……………………………………………….Bring it ON.
Ziegler's pretty much held the opinion all along that Sarah Palin is unelectable as president, so it's not like his latest explanation is anything new, really. Lots of conservative commentators, from Charles Krauthammer to Michael Savage, agree with him. As a prior listener of Ziegler's radio show, it should be noted that, despite being someone whose opinion I personally respect, he's also been wrong about a great many things in the past.
Should Sarah Palin choose to run, I could defintely see a set of cirumstances where she emerges to defeat Barack Obama. Almost any candidate would have at least a shot against him, given the current state of the economy. I'd give her better odds at winning the Republican primary, though. Palin clearly will have an uphill battle against changing the media's 3-year narrative about her where middle-of-the-road voters are concerned, and she's not going to reach those people by only going on FOX News. At some point, Palin's going to have to re-engage the MSM on her own terms and come off well enough that people who aren't already inclined to vote for her will give her a second look. The MSM is certainly not going to make that easy for her, so there's lots of potential for disaster there.
The thing I probably disagree most with Ziegler about here is that Sarah Palin running for president somehow hurts other Republicans' chances. If you assume she's a shoo-in to win the Republican primary, I suppose you could say that, but I don't think that's a lock for her either, necessarily. A lot of things can happen during a campaign. Palin deserves her shot as much as anybody, and the ensuing debate should be a positive in the whole process. May the best candidate emerge to take on Obama in 2012.
I'm not sure where I fall on this, but Nolte makes a very good point that I don't think others make enough: Palin understands who the real opponent is. It's the MSM. I am not convinced the others understand this.
For this alone, she deserves serious consideration.
Yes indeed. And a lot of RINO's are starting to realize that and are disguising themselves as Reagans and Tea Partiers. We need to be on guard for RINO's in Tea Party clothing. People will often speak words that conflict with their true intentions or beliefs, but they rarely take actions that conflict with their true intentions or beliefs. Actions speak louder than words. For example, when Republicans like Gingrich, Romney, DeMint, Pawlenty or Huntsman promise that they will repeal obamacare, their words ring hollow in my ears, because they've all supported various mandatory health insurance schemes at one point or another. They don't oppose obamacare because the whole idea of government control and a healthcare mandate is wrong in principle, but because they think they can do it better. If we elect guys like that they'll double-cross us.
They laugh at the Goyim like him.
http://www.jpost.com/JewishWorld/JewishNews/Artic...
Absolutely superb article, John Nolte. Many mainstream Republicans have bought into the hatchet job the MSM has done on Palin. Once this woman decides to run, her policy statements on Jobs, Immigration, Energy and National Security will reverse many of her negatives virtually overnight.
http://morninmojo.wordpress.com/
Mr. Ziegler didn't land his inside-circle position, and he seems very bitter about it. New documentarian on the block.
http://morninmojo.wordpress.com/
#12 Sarah is the only credible candidate who exists outside of, and shows a willingness to take on, the corrupt web of interests that comprise the "establishment" of both Democrats and Republicans. Those inside the bubble don't even see it — including many conservative pundits and players. Most Republicans with elite status don't seem to have a clue that the paradigm has changed while their bubble is being rapidly moved to the left. While they may see a need for change, they are content with rearranging the deck chairs — oblivious to the fact that this won't stop us from crashing and sinking. They carry on as cogs in a very powerful and luxurious machine.
I think the lack of boldness and action following the 2010 elections is grating on Sarah big time. She sees the iceberg, sees the need for radical action, and has the cojones and the conviction to follow through. We need a candidate in 2012 who is going to lean forward hard, and I don't see it in the declared candidates.
I love Sarah Palin, and I think this movie is really exciting news. But the graphic designer who created that poster should be fed to the grizzlies. She looks short, the colors are weird and assault the eye, and her expression looks strained. Once again, I love Sarah. I hope she runs. She's my favorite current potential candidate, but that poster is wow bad.
I know one thing for certain. I refuse to vote for another RINO. The last true conservative I voted for was Ronald Reagan and then came a string of Republican Progressive RINO's, including George Bush and John McCain. I've had it. If Sarah Palin runs, she will get my vote. And if she runs she will make mincemeat out of Comrade Obozo!
Palin-West 2012
ziegler is, of course, wrong about palin… and, if tonight's performance was typical of him, zeigler is also wrong about pawlenty's electability. the guy is a snooze. for somebody who is supposed to be the facts-and-figures guy, pawlenty sure didn't have much of that on display in this debate.
run, sarah, run !!
It really does sound like Ziegler is a guy who just got dumped by the girlfriend. I wonder whether he thought he deserved a bigger spot as her advisor or a place on her inner circle. In any event, she will be the one to decide if she goes for 2012.
Agreed! Sorry you've been getting razzed on here, Rick, but I have a "-7" on my post for precisely the same reason you do: For agreeing with Mr. Zeigler. But the three of us are all correct in thinking that Palin is unelectable. Anyone can call me a troll if they want to (they'd be idiots, but go ahead), but the truth is that Palin — unlike Chris Christie, for example — does not have the chops to be a first-rate candidate.
We need to nominate someone who can beat Barack Obama. And unfortunately, Palin isn't it.
Tom — Why can't Conservatives have well-founded reservations about a Sarah Palin candidacy? I'm sure she's a fine person, but she is NOT as fit to run this country as Christie or Romney is.
This isn't jealousy talking, it's simple common sense.
Of course both things can be true at the same time: that she has the staunchest supporters and is not electable in a national election. I would of course vote for her, but it´s not as if my really really extra-strong support gives me more than just one vote.
I think conservatives should not focus on how to annoy liberals or their media, or female identitiy politcs (I´ll leave that to the libs) nor should we become too adoring of any politican, no matter how much she sufferred from unfair attacks. We should coldly analyse who would make an effective candidate and President. The question is a valid one: can Sarah overcome the negative image she has been given, how would she convince a majority of all voters and how conservative would she actually be if elected? I think she might do better than many expect, but the answers are not that obvious.
So unless Palin is actually nominated you are going to help reelect Obama just to spite the mainstream media? That is some sharp thinking there. Since when is the conservative motto "It´s all about me" ?
I will believe it when I hear Sarah Palin defend conservatism with the same lucidity Reagan had. I like Palin, but I have never heard her actually do that. For us who would have no problem voting for her it may not matter. It matters a lot when you enter a year long campaign which will be vicious. I want a candidate who can explain to people why conservatism is good for them because that is a candidate who can convince a majority instead of preaching to the choir. And that is a candidate who will make a President who will not waver.
I agree. Yes, she does deserve that chance and maybe she will outshine the rest. All I´m saying is that I won´t be driven to support her by the Left and the media either. I want to know who is actually the most honest, conservative and effective candidate we can get. It may well be her but it is not a foregone conclusion for me.
As seen on FOX: 42% of Republicans polled say they will never vote for Palin. Now, you can all go nuts.
The MSM's track record of picking presidents is pitiful. The candidate they were the most enthusiast about in the last 50 yrs, Obama, turned out to an unmitigated disaster. So the common voter might consider this shameful past performance and be very wary of what the MSM broadcasts, prints about any Presidential candidate.
There's an idea. You could sell them at union rallies, Code Pink marches, Climate Hoax conferences and make a mint off the unsuspecting liberal sheep. I'd love to see that on the tailgate of a Chevy Volt! (Pipe dream I know, as no one is buying one of those cars).
ARGH! You Media Matters Soros Romney Female-Hating America-Hating Troll! STOP GIVING ME POLLING DATA. UGH. IT MAKES MY HEAD HURT. THOSE 42% HAVEN'T SEEN "THE UNDEFEATED" YET. OOOOOO! Forget "Captain America: The First Avenger" and that Tom Hanks movie. Once you pay $10 to see how stalwart Palin was (who of Palin's detractors really wants to pay to see a movie about someone they've made their mind up about?) in the part so her term the director chose to show, you will be a believer regardless of how much you disagree with Palin.
You've learned well from the Liberal/MSM. If you don't like a fact, ignore it. And smear the messenger. Silly child.
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