Sarah Palin, unconventional because she is not only just a woman, but an attractive woman according to the AP, photo AP via Boston Globe
An article this morning from the AP viaThe Boston Globe, Sarah Palin, former Governor of Alaska, first Woman to run in a top slot on the GOP Presidential Ticket is drawing more than a little interest from the press regarding a 2012 presidential run. Palin, was only the second woman to run for a higher office on a Presidential Ticket since 1984 when Geraldine Ferraro ran as V.P. to Walter Mondale, Hillary Clinton, ran for President the same year Palin was the GOP party nominee, in an unsuccessful bid for the Presidency. Although Clinton won the Democrat primary popular vote, the Party rules allowed for “Super Delegates” to choose the nominee, and the male dominated delegates pushed Barrack Obama to the top of the ticket.
The article outlines Palin’s “unconventional” style, her ability to connect with the those outside the political class, Hollywood class, and the east and west coast “elite”, despite what the AP suggests is a limited following:
But Palin's fans -- a narrow slice of the electorate -- seem to like her style.
Listen to Sandy Parten of Honey Grove, Texas, a conservative who likens Palin to the title character that James Stewart played in the movie "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington." Says Parten: "I like her because she's not part of the establishment. She's more a woman of the people than a woman of the elite."
To her, Palin is refreshing -- and authentic. "I'm tired of everybody trying to please everybody all the time," says Parten, 66. "She doesn't."
And hear from Donald Dixon, 74, a Republican from Little Falls, N.Y., who likes seeing Palin do the things he'd do, like hunting and fishing. "It's like she doesn't have an ax to grind politically," he says. "She isn't out there to please any entity. She's one of us."
The article appears somewhat conflicted, on the one hand attempting to marginalize Palin vis a vis her following and political tactics that may or may not succeed. On the one hand, they draw on GOP sources such as a former Chief of Staff to Ronald Reagan who is somewhat skeptical of her ability to take her style (calling her a “conservative diva”) into the political battle of a run for the Presidency. On the other hand the article notes that she has more media outlets than any other potential GOP candidate, that her style is one of taking punches (criticism) and “leaning into them” (AP) in other words, Palin is possibly looked askance by GOP party insiders, the entire base of the Progressive Democrats (Palin Derangement Syndrome) and the press, while pressing on and past anything and everything that is thrown at the potential candidate.
What appears to irk the media most is her refusal to play the political game as expected and set a date to announce whether or not she will run for the Presidency. Palin, whether one agrees or disagrees with her political ideology of conservatism, does, refreshingly, take everything head on, no excuses and for one who has such a limited base, as suggested by the article, other GOP candidates are noted as wondering whether shewill be candidate or kingmaker”.
The AP goes on to point out why she may or may not run - on the one hand she has hired Michael Glassner, an attorney and longtime adviser to former Kansas senator and presidential candidate Bob Dole,“, who also played a role in the 2008 McCain campaign, as the Chief of Staff for her PAC . On the other hand, they point out the she skipped CPAC (the annual conservative convention), which may mean she is not considering run, or possibly jeopardizing her run.
One must note on CPAC, not every candidate who intends to run for the White House visits CPAC, and CPAC’s Straw Poll routinely goes to Ron Paul, the perennial candidate from Texas. (Mitt Romney did finish a strong second, against Ron Paul, in that same CPAC Straw Poll.)
Therefore the article gives Palin praise for her own style, while at the same time, pointing out why she may not be running. The main point against Palin, however can be found in the 7th paragraph of the article describing her:
“Palin certainly doesn't look the part of a traditional candidate. She's a woman -- an attractive one -- in a male-dominated industry. With her "You betchas," she doesn't sound like most politicians. She's from Alaska, a state hardly known for producing presidents. She's no longer an elected official; she quit 2 1/2 years into a four-year term.”
Therefore, she’s unusual as a candidate because #1 she is an attractive – woman, she doesn’t sound like a politician is second, the fact that she comes from Alaska (which to date has not produced a President) is third and fourth her decision to step down from the Governors’ office.
She’s unusual because she is a woman; she is unusual because she is an attractive woman.
Considering that women make up over half of the population, one might find a woman to be “not so unusual”, of course, that would be if women were paid equally to those men who “dominate” certain fields. It is a reminder to all those who would consider backing a woman for higher office, that the United States may just be a tad too bigoted to consider hiring a woman for the top job – Witness: Hillary Clinton.
In certain polls, referred to by the AP, Palin is running second to Barak Obama – by points: A Quinnipiac University Poll released 11/22/10 shows the following: At that time a majority of American’s felt that Barak Obama did not deserve a second term, and against a list of potential candidates: Romney topped Obama 45-44%, Obama topped Huckabee 46-44% and Sarah Palin by a wider Margin: 48 to Palin’s 45%. The poll goes on to factor that overall 51% of the respondents do not give Palin high favorability ratings.
Different pollster, different day: In a recent batch of state by state polling, pitting possible GOP contenders, alone and against Obama, Public Policy Polling, finds Palin, leading in favorables in GOP matchups, (using GOP primary voters) however, down in favorability with all candidates except Mike Huckabee), when polls are taken with the target states mix of Democrats, Independents and Conservatives. That said, in the latest poll today gives Palin the edge, in of all states, New Mexico. This is the first Western State that Romney did not top the field, Palin took 20% to Huckabee’s 17% and Romney 16%. In all PPP polls, Palin’s favorability among Republican’s and Republican Leaning Independents continues to run high (contrary to other pollsters).
One has to hand it to her: Palin refuses to be defined, and to her credit. As a candidate she may be “polarizing’, however she also has the “star power” factor, more than anyone is the current crop of possible contenders, which works so well with today’s realty TV based electorate. She knows how to use the media to her advantage, specifically so called new media, like social networking. Contrary to the AP story and one GOP insider, no other candidate is more “battle” tested than one Sarah Palin. One would have had to be living under several rocks for the past three years not to witness the media’s assignation attempt, aided by members of the Beltway to Broadway crowd, and it has – obviously only made Palin more prepared. Clinton, when asked about her “past” in one of the DNC debates in 2008 noted that (paraphrasing) she was an open book, that everyone knew and had seen everything. It is safe to say that vis a vis, the media (includes bloggers, etc.) Sarah Palin, fared much worse than Clinton, and has managed to come through apparently unscathed.
Should Palin decide to run, one thing is certain, this will be the most watched (great for ratings) political season, bar none.
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