Palin: Looking to 2012?

Posted: Tuesday, October 28, 2008 9:24 AM by Domenico Montanaro
Filed Under: Sarah Palin

Politico’s Roger Simon asks: Is Palin prepping for a bid four years from now? “Sarah Palin may soon be free. Soon, she may not have the millstone of John McCain around her neck. And she can begin her race for president in 2012. Some are already talking about it. In careful terms. If John McCain loses next week, Sarah Palin ‘has absolutely earned a right to run in 2012,’ says Greg Mueller, who was a senior aide in the presidential campaigns of Pat Buchanan and Steve Forbes. Mueller says Palin has given conservatives ‘hope’ and ‘something to believe in.’”

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Sarah Palin ‘has absolutely earned a right to run in 2012,’
*******************************************************

Um... why? I see absolutely no evidence that she would run a successful 2012 campaign.

http://thepajamapundit.com/

the Pajama Pundit (Sent Tuesday, October 28, 2008 9:29 AM)

The GOP fronting Palin as a Presidential ticket is an insult to voters...especially women.

Joe - STL (Sent Tuesday, October 28, 2008 9:30 AM)

Doesn't she still have a state to govern?

Billy, MI (Sent Tuesday, October 28, 2008 9:30 AM)

If the Wicked Witch of Alaska thinks she's got a political fiture nationally then she's even more delusional than she already appears to be. Only the braindead evangelical christian lunatic fringe would support her and they are the immoral minority now!

Now that her protege "Felon" Ted Stevens has been found guilty on his homebuilding project it's time to investigate how her home got built because she's bound to have learned from her moentor how to build a house without paying for it. Hopefully Alaska will do the correct thing and impeach her from office in disgrace.

Go Obama/Biden 08/12!

Eric, Salinas, CA (Sent Tuesday, October 28, 2008 9:30 AM)

Oh well, least we get a 4 year break! ENOUGH of this woman. Even my 15 year old son can't stand her voice. Really be glad when this is over. VOTE!!!!!!!!!!

Obama/Biden 08

cindy, Las Vegas, Nv (Sent Tuesday, October 28, 2008 9:31 AM)

You better believe Palin is looking towards 2012. In fact hse may have been doing that from the start. I think it is ridiculous however though, if this is the person the Republicans want to rally around for the next four years!

Feel free to comment:
http://lastofourkind.blogspot.com

LoOK (Sent Tuesday, October 28, 2008 9:31 AM)

The smartest people in the party are supporting Obama because Palin is such a disaster. I hope they do nominate her in 2012 - should be an easy election. Welcome to the wilderness!

Just A Guy, Cincy, OH (Sent Tuesday, October 28, 2008 9:34 AM)

And the delusion continues!

jj-mankato, mn (Sent Tuesday, October 28, 2008 9:34 AM)

Why would Sarah Palin be more qualified in four years to run for President? The questions that we have today will still exist four years from now. Please don't forget the issues regarding her past actions,

Shelley, Florida (Sent Tuesday, October 28, 2008 9:35 AM)

Perhaps Evangelical Conservatives will take Sarah Palin seriously in 2012, but it is unlikely that anyone else will. Her most likely future in politics would be through the Senate.

JTatEHT (Sent Tuesday, October 28, 2008 9:36 AM)

She's more W than W.

Except.

W went to Yale and has an MBA. She's got a Journalism degree from 5 colleges with no entry requirements, and doesn't read anything.

Dallas Lyon, Lakewood, CO (Sent Tuesday, October 28, 2008 9:36 AM)

Palin will probably be out of politics in 2012 after Alaskans keep investigating all the wrongdoing that came to light in the last couple of months.

If Palin did run she would be the most right wing republican nominee if she won that the republicans ever had.

Besides, If Obama wins and cleans up the mess from the last 8 years do we really think that anyone from the right would actually compete in 2012.

Jeff, Plainfield, Il (Sent Tuesday, October 28, 2008 9:37 AM)

I really would want Greg Mueller giving opinions on my hopes for 2012 if I was Palin. His resume includes "successful" runs for the presidency for Pat Buchanan and Steve Forbes. Can you spell loser?

Conservatives pinning their hopes on Palin in 2012 is wishful thinking. The people of Alaska are ticked off at her right now and she enjoys very little support from either the Alaskan Repulican or Democratic parties. She will be lucky to survive as Governor let alone run for president.

Dave,Matteson, IL (Sent Tuesday, October 28, 2008 9:37 AM)

Seems to me Dan Quayle tried to run for president, too. And Quayle probably had more sympathy and cross-over support.

I know I felt for him a little, thinking that the negative perceptions about him probably exceeded the reality of the situation. In Palin's case, I don't get that sense. In fact, if anything, I suspect she hasn't received the public ridicule many of her statements deserve.

So, while she like anyone is free to run in 2012, I'm just not prepared to think of her as a serious player in that race.

At this point, Romney and Huckabee seem to be the top tier, and of course, anyone might emerge in the next couple of years.

But I will predict this - if the one who comes out with the GOP nomination only reflects the meanness, nastiness and lacking integrity of the evangelical side of the party base, that won't play at all with independents, and the GOP will lose a golden opportunity to take the White House back.

I say that because the economic conditions the next president will have going in will most likely lead to what is seen as a failed presidency. Assuming Obama wins, he'll be vulnerable in four years. The economy is that bad, and poised to get worse. The Republicans would be smart to nominate someone who isn't McCain-Palin small, mean and petty.

Huckabee could be the guy. He has the background to keep the evangelicals behind him while running an honorable (as in not completely Rovian negative) and centrist campaign.

But let's get through this next week before worrying about four years from now.

Paul Miller, Woodbridge, VA (Sent Tuesday, October 28, 2008 9:37 AM)

Happy you brought Palin up! Bill O'Rielly was on David Letterman last night and he is such a hipocrit. He stated that "the media is beating up on Sarah Palin". Is this clown serious? Did he and CNN's Cambell Brown come to the rescue of Senator Obama when Wright, Rezco, Ayers, "unamerican", "lipstick on a pig" and several other gates came up or did they participate?

I dislike this guy so much and the rest of the FOX news organization puke and is why I will never watch them and their GOP talking points ever again.

Mia in Miami (Sent Tuesday, October 28, 2008 9:38 AM)

Sarah Palin has the right to run now! Run back to alaska that is!! Too many moose running wild, and they need more pitbulls up there to eat that horrid meat. Moose burger anyone? Sarah and the brady bunch are on there way back and are looking foward to that horrid beastly funky goose terd smelly meat!! lol. With all seriousness, she can do anything she wants, just not for the US

Edison (Sent Tuesday, October 28, 2008 9:40 AM)

she would lose in a landslide...

steve, ann arbor, mi (Sent Tuesday, October 28, 2008 9:40 AM)

Sorry, Sarah.

Mike Huckabee will be the candidate for the religious right- and thank goodness, because Gov. Huckabee has shown that he actually cares about his fellow man. Mitt Romney will represent the fiscal conservatives. Rudy Giuliani and Mike Bloomberg will try to run more along the "Independent" course that John McCain abandoned.

Hopefully, a strong, COMPETENT Republican female- like an Olympia Snowe- will rise to the top of the list, if the atmosphere seems conducive to a female candidate. At any rate, the GOP infighting should be QUITE entertaining over the next several years.

Suburban Mom paying attention, IL (Sent Tuesday, October 28, 2008 9:40 AM)

She'll get crushed in 2012 if she had to run against Obama. In four years, she won't be able to play the "who is the real Barack Obama" card, since the nation will already be comfortable with him.

Ms Jenny (Sent Tuesday, October 28, 2008 9:40 AM)

There's nothing like being found guilty of ethics violations to give Republicans "hope" in their next candidate. Why, in four years' time, Mrs. Palin might be able to learn the names of all 50 states and sort out the sequelae of her bitter family. Plus, she's been de-demonized by witch doctors. What a dream she'd be for the ticket!

Dr. Adam Senokazlieff, Sedona, AZ (Sent Tuesday, October 28, 2008 9:42 AM)

Hope and something to believe in? Give me a break. This woman has been the laughing stock of America since she was introduced. What makes the GOP think people will respond any differently to her in 2012? She'll still be a right wing nutcase with nothing to offer except her extreme religious beliefs and her abuse of power in Alaska. Pleeze. This woman is power hungry and has lower unfavorables than Dan Quayle ever did and they want to shove her into the spot light...AGAIN? Good luck with that one. Shows you just what condition the GOP is really in......laughing all the way to Nov. 4th! Obama/Biden '08/'12!

Diane from Illinois (Sent Tuesday, October 28, 2008 9:42 AM)

Thanks for the terrifying news...

Kevin, Southern Maine (Sent Tuesday, October 28, 2008 9:43 AM)

Please run Sarah! I want Barack to have an easy reelection bid in 4 years so he can concentrate on fixing the mess that the republicans have left. Sarah Palin is the best candidate because she appeals to the 25% of people that still somehow approve of Bush, but is too much of a lunatic to have any chance of winning a general election.

Matt, Charlottesville, VA (Sent Tuesday, October 28, 2008 9:43 AM)

Four years, hmmmm. Maybe runner-up Queen Sarah can go to school and learn something about the Constitution, the duty of the vice president, environmental studies, international affairs, laws regarding slander and abuse of power, etc. She might also take a few computer classes too, in the event this political future she's intent on pursuing doesn't pan out, and she's forced to jump into the work force with the rest of us commoners.

MM, Seattle, WA (Sent Tuesday, October 28, 2008 9:43 AM)

The extremists of the Fundamentalist Christian Right has destroyed the Republican party. Now they are left with Sarah Palin as their own personal Osama Bin Ladin.

Eileen, Portland, Maine (Sent Tuesday, October 28, 2008 9:43 AM)

The moose momma has about a 6 month expiration date. She's out of her depth now and when challenged by the strength within the republican party she'll fold. I don't like Huckabee but in a debate, he'd tear her up.

She might think of herself as a right wing Hillary, but she's got a long way to go.

jo from mo Tiger Fan (Sent Tuesday, October 28, 2008 9:44 AM)

How can McClain talk about creating jobs and lower taxes. In September alone the cinstruction Industryshed 35,000jobs nationallyfor the 15th consecutive month the Industry saw payrolls slashed
September was also the monththat the Senate Republicans blocked a 50billion dollar stymuluspackage thatwould have funded infrastructure projects immeadiately after the election.
the country's bridges, dams roads,have sufferes great lack of funding under Bush to pay for his war in Iraq,thats right they block a bill that would save our crumbling infra struture ,create 1000"s of jobs ,they'd ok'd for contractors in Iraq.What hgypocrisy. Amen

Paul Perry ,bellingham,ma. (Sent Tuesday, October 28, 2008 9:44 AM)

I do so hope she'll run in 2012. There is just no one I think of who is as entertaining. She is hilarious and I'll miss her.

Quinn Clinton, NC (Sent Tuesday, October 28, 2008 9:45 AM)

Chest thumping Conservatives, yes. The intellectual wing of the Republican party, however, is horrified by her.

Robert, Boulder CO (Sent Tuesday, October 28, 2008 9:45 AM)

McCain is losing because he ticked off Independents by catering to the extreme right wing of the republican party, and because Palin is the embodiment of that strategy. Unless Obama really screws up in his first term, or, if despite all his energies, he's unable to deliver on some of the promised change, the republican challenger in 2012 will have a hard time beating him.

pat huntington ny (Sent Tuesday, October 28, 2008 9:46 AM)

Earned the right? How on earth did she "earn the right" to run for President? Palin is not qualified to run for VP, let alone the President. I don't think the people of the US are that blind. She is an insult to women.

Cindy, Denver, CO (Sent Tuesday, October 28, 2008 9:46 AM)

Gregg, the Right has plenty of things they believe in....

Invading the privacy of individuals.....
Imposing religion into science..........
Using tax law to redistribute wealth upward.....
Committing military assets to promote a philosophical agenda.....
Promoting the use of greenhouse gas producing forms of fuels....
And now, the Presidential aspiritions of Sarah Palin!

New Indi (Sent Tuesday, October 28, 2008 9:48 AM)

She can blame the handlers for not rolling her out right, but she can't blame anyone but herself for those interviews and her hateful divisive rhetoric.

I would not vote for her this time or in 2012, 2016, 2020... EVER

No Now, Not ever (Sent Tuesday, October 28, 2008 9:49 AM)

>>>Politico’s Roger Simon asks: Is Palin prepping for a bid four years from now?
==========
DUH!

I believe this was the plan all along. I think that McCain's management team conspired behind his back to move Palin up the ranks. They took advantage of his desparation during the primary to infiltrate his campaign. They knew they weren't going to get the neo-cons on board for him, so they set their sights on 2012. That's why they forced Palin on him, and sabotaged his campaign by feeding him bad advice, which he, again in desparation, foolishly followed. Now he's at a place where his only hope is to maintain some shred of dignity as his campaign dies a slow, agonizing death. Once a man of honor, he will be known at worst as a man who would throw away his honor and integrity to blind ambition, and at worst, a guillable old fool.

Olbermann's Campaign Commentary last night:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27406602/

Obama/Biden '08!
http://jawillie.blog.com

jawillie, Philadelphia, PA. (Sent Tuesday, October 28, 2008 9:50 AM)

She is the poster girl for the right wing,neo-cons that are still left.She will never be a serious contender, she is way to shallow for the task of POTUS.Of coarse the Abuse of power,the contracts she fixed for here contractors that supported her,she brags about taking on the corrupt politics in Alaska while she seems to have all the traits they have.She also has a lot to learn about the issue of race,and race-baiting.Her speeches have the us against them tone,white against blacks,rich against poor,the have's against the have nots.The roven days are coming to a end and, it couldn't be soon enough.Right wing talk show is what she might be better suited for.

jesse St.Paul Minnesota (Sent Tuesday, October 28, 2008 9:50 AM)

Now that we have had a chance to see the Gov. of Alaska..it only goes to show their is a defined reason why people from Alaska endevour for the things they have and cling on to..The fit for the rest of nation is not a match at all. Sarah Palin has no position on hi-tech commerce, trade, education, defense, agriculture, HiWays and infrastructure, healthcare, the elderly, stem cell research, advanced research, National Security, Americans affairs, foreign affairs, military affairs, prison systems, pollution and environment, energy, NAFTA, CAFTA, labor .......just to mention a few...I least I never read or heard of any..she sure nows how to stroke McCain and criticize Obama and Biden...

BJ, CA (Sent Tuesday, October 28, 2008 9:50 AM)

Even she runs in 2012, I don't believe she's smart enough to face tough challenges. She has a lot of learning to do. She was the one who said she could see Russia in her backyard and yet she didn't know what the Bush Doctrine was.

Jane, NY, NY (Sent Tuesday, October 28, 2008 9:50 AM)

Palin could run in 2012 but her chances of winning the primary would be small. If she won the primary and the Democrats have done well, especially Obama she wouuld get creamed. I think the Republicans should find some fresh blood. I am in favor of both parties being strong but the Republicans need someone who is both intellingent and not polarizing.

Joe Radmacher (Sent Tuesday, October 28, 2008 9:51 AM)

Most Democrats are HOPING that Palin becomes the presidential candidate in 2012 (aside from the fact that it means Obama wins).

She won't rehabilitate herself -- after two months of intensive training she still displays an amazing ignorance about governance and she still hasn't given a full-fledged, open press conference. Her behavior as mayor and governor will be come better known. She's the only Vice Presidential candidate who has been found guilty of a government ethics violation before running. And there's more to be probed, like her half million dollar house built by Todd and Friends, her patronageand her Bush-like stubborn behavior when redecorating her mayor's office without necessary council approval.

Lastly, her appeal is mainly to the uber-religious evangelical community. Her strict policy on abortion, her security from witches, her direct communications with God -- all of these are not appealing to mainstream America.

exregis, Newport News, VA (Sent Tuesday, October 28, 2008 9:53 AM)

If Sara Palin has given conservatives ‘hope’ and ‘something to believe in' they are far worse off than I ever imagined.

Obam /Biden '08/'12

chris, SC (Sent Tuesday, October 28, 2008 9:53 AM)

It this is what conservatives are hoping for -- then conservatism is dead.

Unbelievable!!!!

Luke (Sent Tuesday, October 28, 2008 9:54 AM)

Um, that will be a very interesting race. Let's see you have Hilary Clinton running in 2008, we have Sarah Palin setting herself up to run for 2008. Let's not forget Obama will want to run a second term. So therefore, you have Obama, Clinton and Palin it will be very interesting.

Tawanna Moals, Mattapan, MA (Sent Tuesday, October 28, 2008 9:54 AM)

How very sad for the republicans if she does. She has shown that she has very little interest or knowledge of national and international affairs. She is extremely divisive and would not be good for our country. She can give an amazing, riveting speach but beyond that, there is nothing.

marlene (Sent Tuesday, October 28, 2008 9:54 AM)

Hasn't Palin been dubbed a drag on McCain's campaign? I do believe she is looking at 2012 but she better hit the books for the next four years because she won't be able to shield herself from the media as a presidential candidate.

Also, the guy making this statement has worked on not one but two losing campaigns...I wouldn't give him much weight in this.

Rolando, Chicago, IL (Sent Tuesday, October 28, 2008 9:56 AM)

Scary, huh? If she's managed to pull the designer wool over so many eyes so far, imagine what she could do out there on her own. Best get all the illegal acts out now, so maybe she'll be in prison in 2012.

newshound nh (Sent Tuesday, October 28, 2008 9:58 AM)

...my dog would make a better, more intelligent candidate than Palin...

MBLeedom (Sent Tuesday, October 28, 2008 9:58 AM)

We can only hope we never hear from Ms. Palin ever again.

A RABID REPUBLICAN VIETNAM-ERA VET FAT OLD PREDJUDICED WHITE GUY NOW FOR OBAMA/BIDEN

RD, ALEXANDRIA, VA (Sent Tuesday, October 28, 2008 9:59 AM)

ahahahah! this would be dream come true.
I miss dan quayle so much, she would be even better.
I really hope she runs, that would be wonderful!

mark monmouth oregon (Sent Tuesday, October 28, 2008 10:00 AM)

Good luck. Too many factors against her.

The hate from Palin's rallies is spilling over. It could cause years of problems for the Republican party. It's forced moderate Republicans to turn away from the Republican party. If she's the nominee in 2012, moderate Republicans will again stay away from the party.

With Stevens conviction, Palin's house will now come under major scrutiny.

Troopergate will be expanding.

Palin's use of personal e-mail accounts for government business means her e-mails will be released to the public in the next year or so. As a result, those e-mails will end her political career. For the sake of the Republican party, they will want those released as soon as possible so that it doesn't impact them in 2010 or 2012.

Debbie (Sent Tuesday, October 28, 2008 10:00 AM)

Let her run in 2012 and we will see one of the largest Democratic landslides in the history of elections.

eagle1776 (Sent Tuesday, October 28, 2008 10:00 AM)

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