272 Comments

1. David Tyner:

Why don’t Jazz Shaw just switch over to a Democrat and Mind his own business!

Nov 8, 2008 - 12:35 am 2. Wade:

Agreed. I am tired of “folsky” politicians…

Nov 8, 2008 - 12:43 am 3. RE:

Gov. Palin’s character is far from assassinated.

The transparency of the ‘See Threat, Kill Threat’ behavior has left bother her Democrat and GOP critics looking very petty and very small.

That which has not killed her has made her stronger.

Nov 8, 2008 - 1:43 am 4. Tony:

Hang on…hang on….did Palin run for President or was she just a late add-on to the ticket for vice-Presidency? Why is she only being held up for comparison against previous presidents or failed presidential candidates? As the article says – she was in the campaign for only 12 weeks.

Remember, when Bill Clinton was enjoying his extra-marital sessions his “forgiving” wife came across as a weak putz who had to tow the line for her “boss” and his party. 16 years later it was only the Obamessiah who prevented her from assuming the Oval Office.

2012 might be a bit too raw for Palin given the current media witch hunt but 8 years from now or even 12? Why not?

Its amazing what time can do for a politician. Chappaquiddick anyone?

Nov 8, 2008 - 2:38 am 5. edk:

Have you heard the ‘folksy’ people of America roar yet? I think there are enough Americans, who actually love het and who would welcome her back in a few years!

Nov 8, 2008 - 2:52 am 6. Terry Gain:

The Caligula comment is uncalled for and the Ford reference clueless. She is very articulate. More so than you Jazz as these references prove.

My guess is the McCain team did as good a job of prepping her as they did with the rest of the campaign. Only a seasoned pro could have survived their gross incompetence.

The rumours are bullshit. I wouldn’t write off Palin. The public love to give a second chances to people who have been unfairly maligned.

Nov 8, 2008 - 3:12 am 7. Memo to the Wasilla Wildcat:

[...] Read the entire column [...]

Nov 8, 2008 - 3:16 am 8. Richard:

edk is completely correct.
Americans, Republicans and Conservatives absolutely were ecstatic when the pro-illegal immigration (amnesty), anti-1st amendment (mccain,feingold) RINO presidential nominee for the Republican party picked a red blooded American for his Vice Presidential running mate.
We, thank God, have not heard the last of Governor Palin.

Nov 8, 2008 - 3:41 am 9. Emma:

This is the last time I will click on a link with some crappy Palin putdown in the title, since I expect these stories will stop once the advertising dollars dry up.

But regarding her potential run in 2012: at this point I’d vote for her even if every single thing that was ever printed about her was true, just out of pure spite.

Nov 8, 2008 - 3:52 am 10. Jazz:

Ah, can’t you just feel the love?

Nov 8, 2008 - 3:56 am 11. Paul B.:

Colorful, but let’s face it – overwrought. In a bit of time the dust will settle and the most important thing will be what Palin has done with the ensuing time.

I’m somewhere in the middle on this. She does a fantastic job on prepared stuff, but was disastrous in the interviews. A lot of that, though, is attributable to her misguided handlers, and they reflect a campaign that was confused and unstable at its very top. Palin, free from the get-go, would have been more effective and more even by far. Even her opponents who meet her acknowledge that she is far from dumb. But anyone who is sent into the lion’s den tasked with winning the Miss Congeniality phase of a beauty contest is not going to come off well.

And the over the top viciousness of the campaign against her proves that the opposition views her as dangerous. Perhaps that’s the reason for this excessive article.

Nov 8, 2008 - 4:20 am 12. firefirefire:

Hey Jazz…I’d like to see things from your point of view but my head doesn’t reach that far up my azz

Nov 8, 2008 - 4:21 am 13. Spinoneone:

Hey, Jazz, were you one of the McCain staffers who did their damnest to club her to death during the campaign? As a RINO why don’t you admit you really are an Obamaphile and cut the crap. At least we could understand your angst if you were a true Democrat instead of a whinning pseudo-Republican. Move over to the left where you belong. Stop trolling at Pajamasmedia.

Nov 8, 2008 - 4:27 am 14. Bill:

The next time she runs, that “baggage” will be old news. Bring up “troopergate” or any of the other slurs against her made by a corrupt media in 2012 and the electorate is going to say, “old news, is that all you have”?

I don’t know if she’ll be a national force in 2012, but she HAS shown the GOP the right path. I’ll bet within the next two years we will see a slew of young, attractive, CONSERVATIVE candidates replacing the old RINOs we’ve had in Washington. Out with the old Republicans who sought only to pillage the treasury and make “nice” with the Democrats. In with the new young turks, dedicated to Republican ideals who refuse to play the tax and spend game with the Democrats.

Sarah Palin will go down as history as showing us the path. She may end up like Moses, who doesn’t get to see the Prmosied Land, but we’ll never forget who got us there.

THANK YOU SARAH for renewing hope in the Republican party I had thought was dead.

Nov 8, 2008 - 4:29 am 15. Bill:

Oh, and I wouldn’t put it past Sarah to spend the next couple of years working very hard to fix her few flaws. She had no prep time on how to handle the national media, who cut and paste interviews to make her look stupid, but I’m willing to bet she learns from the experience, goes to work, and polishes her delivery.

I am willing to bet she finds a reason as an energy state governor, to go overseas often to build foreign policy experience.

Reagan failed in 1976 only to come back like a lion in 1980. Don’t write her off, I envision the same thing happening in 2012.

Nov 8, 2008 - 4:34 am 16. Bogdan of Australia:

The bitter truth is that the ignorant and confused American voter (at least majority of them) will swallow uncritically any nonsense provided by Obama and his cohorts while at the same time will jump with horror at any stumble or mistake (no matter how small) made by the Rep’s candidate. That ensures that Palin must work at least four times as hard and prove that she is four times as honest as any Dem, in order to win the voter’s acceptance. It is the same pattern that prevailled here in Australia, where the highly succesful John Howard was ousted together with his equally succesful team from the Liberal Party in the latest local elections and replaced by the faceless and spineless Labor apparatchik – Kevin Rudd. Rudd is even gaining on popularity among local idiots, even as he has begun to dismantle the system, created by Howard, system that pulled Australia from the brink of economical destruction just a few years ago. I’m afraid that the price of sausage will have to go dramatically up, before the masses decide to turn back to conservatives for the rescue…

Nov 8, 2008 - 4:38 am 17. Bill Perron:

Everybody has an opinion, many are insightful, many are just plain stupid, an opinion is what we have here, not a prophecy.

Nov 8, 2008 - 4:59 am 18. DanNY:

Jazz,

Perhaps history is going to repeat itself?

“It is only with seven years perspective and having had the question put to me for purposes of this column that I realize exactly how small and self-centered I had become.”

Sounds like you’ve reached that zone again.

Dan Maloney
NY State Coordinator
Gathering of Eagles

Nov 8, 2008 - 5:06 am 19. Gary Ogletree:

I wish you bozos could disagree with a writer without revealing your lousy upbringing. I couldn’t disagree more with the post. Sarah sometimes talks too fast, that and hostile editing hurt her in the ABC and CBS interviews. Since then her high speed style of responding to reporters has resulted in such inconsequential gaffes as noted. She can easily correct this habit. The media sweethearts have much worse problems but are protected. Barry needs to reign in his arrogance and Joe, change for him is a forlorn hope. Our darling Sarah and her family got a lot of valuable experience that will serve her well should she run in 2012. I just hope she doesn’t take a seat in Congress. She’s more valuable in Alaska getting gas and oil moving our way. Let the media fly to Anchorage and Juneau to interview her, and let them be blown away by the beauty and the hospitality of Alaska.

Nov 8, 2008 - 5:09 am 20. Toad:

Former Rino my old red ass.
How I love it when people who never DID anything pontificate on those who have.
Benefit of Clergy ended 500 years ago.

Nov 8, 2008 - 5:11 am 21. Below The Beltway » Blog Archive » Where Does Sarah Palin Go From Here ?:

[...] Jazz Shaw contemplates the future of the former beauty queen. [...]

Nov 8, 2008 - 5:15 am 22. Pig with lipstick:

Is this just a petty, nasty minded and mean-spirited rant against someone who only had a short time to make an impact on a difficult campaign?

Here’s a piece of news for the self-proclaimed ‘moderate voice’: yes, 2012 is a long way off and a lot can and will change, especially in politics. Perhaps not long enough for Jazz Shaw to gain a degree of clarity and understanding of issues, but you never can tell.

Nov 8, 2008 - 5:24 am 23. asdo:

Terry Gain – to be “very articulate” you have to make sense at the end of a sentence.

Nov 8, 2008 - 5:38 am 24. Kim:

Mrs. Palin is an intelligent, competent woman who happens to be attractive. She did well enough on her own before being catapulted into the nation’s limelight. She will continue to forge ahead and do good things.

It’s a shame that stage performance is what qualifies a person as worthy for political office. Hard work and ethics don’t seem to matter. Sarah Palin is a force to be reckoned with – and I admire her spunk and authenticity. Refreshing and probably scary to the testosterone-laen whiney babies.

Nov 8, 2008 - 5:43 am 25. David:

So, Sarah Palin is Barney Fife in a Barney Frank world. Is that the message? If so, it seems the theme of this advice to Sarah screed is: surrender and slink away.

Perhaps Jazz does not fully realize that “moderates” have just been dragged a few miles to the left. I look forward to the exciting column on Susan Collins as party saviour.

Nov 8, 2008 - 5:47 am 26. Tim:

Jazz Shaw posted more than a bit of hog wash… to much baggage? taking a bit of history from the left, can you say Clinton?
The plain fact is that Palin did a damn fine job and one can wonder what it would have been with her as the point person and someone else for the VP, as it is we’ll have to wait for 4 to 8 years to see if she’ll still be interested.

Nov 8, 2008 - 5:48 am 27. AnninCA:

If Obama’s videos saying he wasn’t experienced enough to run didn’t matter, then obviously, these ‘bits of gold’ mean very little to the public. Suggesting that Sarah was too damaged for 4 years from now is truy funny, given the reality of how people vote. Any public which can vote for Obama after hearing him say that he hardly knew Rezko, he never knew Wright talked that way, and on and on and on will not blink over the so-called smear job on Palin

Palin is no longer campaigning, so she’s swinging back and calling it like it is. The aides who are smearing her obviously are, indeed, jerks. And the real story of the clothes is also getting out. And the real ending to the troopergate hoopla is getting out.

Mostly, you just never know. This was a great year to be an AA man. 4 years? Could be a fantastic year to be a down-to-earth woman.

Nov 8, 2008 - 5:49 am 28. cedarhill:

Yet more Palin bashing. In his favor, Jazz does sign the critique.

For the election of Bush in 2000, the Borking of Republicans has steadily increased. This election marks the point in time where every Republican will be unmercifully smeared on rumors and just idle dreaming by Lefties on blogs.

Palin has 91% approval with Republicans but 57% unfavorable with independents. Views are changeable and at least Palin’s been mincemeated and has a base to help Republicans start on the road to majority again. None of the other primary candidates (Huck, Rom, et al) have even half the base nailed. Palin is our current best hope today – let 2012 take care of itself.

Obtw, Newt is rumored (maybe by himself) as perhaps running in 2012. How are his unfavorables – and they are based on issues, not whether he gave birth to a child. Point is none of any of them except Palin have been subjected to the intense savaging by the MSM. They will also be eviscerated on their public record.

Nov 8, 2008 - 5:52 am 29. Huan:

The media has now “vetted” her and the base still wants her. She is thus in a much better position than Jindal or some other yet to be declared candidate.

Nov 8, 2008 - 5:54 am 30. jane:

In a nation that will excuse a candidate’s racist minister, his association with one of the most corrupt political machines known to mankind, his friendship with domestic terrorists and crooks, who says Palin’s missteps can’t/shouldn’t be dismissed? We not only excused Obama’s baggage – he was elected.

Nov 8, 2008 - 5:55 am 31. Boris:

Palin/Qualye 2012

Nov 8, 2008 - 5:59 am 32. Tolbert:

Yeah, like I take my political advice from a guy named “Jazz”

Seriously is Pajamas Media even taking the time to read this crap before throwing it up to fill space?

Nov 8, 2008 - 6:06 am 33. Xanthippe:

I just don’t get the Palin hate. I think she’s marvelous. She did a terrific job under the circumstances, and am hoping she comes back in 2012 as a presidential candidate.

I have a real bias towards western conservatives. Maybe that’s why I like her so much – pioneer spirit and all that.

Nov 8, 2008 - 6:07 am 34. Soldier_X:

Another RINO’s opinion about how Sarah Palin is too conservative.

Nov 8, 2008 - 6:18 am 35. chuck,:

The proof of her merit is the extraordinary efforts people are making to terminate her. She’ll be back if we have any say about it.

Nov 8, 2008 - 6:18 am 36. Tolbert:

Oh, and another thing Jazz, you really got your money’s worth from that Steven Weber writing course.

Nov 8, 2008 - 6:19 am 37. kritter:

Paul-

Palin did a great job on prepared stuff because it only required her to read copy off a teleprompter– and she did start out as a journalist, remember? That’s a far cry from having the knowledge and judgment necessary to lead the free world.

She should repeat three times as she clicks her heels on the way back to Wasilla– “Africa is a continent, Africa is a continent, Africa is a continent”, LOL

Nov 8, 2008 - 6:28 am 38. david:

You want to jump on the Palin bashing bandwagon, fine. Watch as the conservative movement goes swirling down the toilet for another 28 years. The McCain campaign was outspent almost 10 to 1. Appropriate since it was McCain/Feingold that did him in. He ran a soft campaign against a ruthless opponent, and when they did do something right in spite of themselves, Sarah Palin, they wrapped her up in duct tape from head to toe like a mummy. The un relelenting furious personal attacks(Personal because they couldn’t challenge her ideas) are transparent as to the magnitude of the threat she poses to the establishment in general and the Whacko lefties in particular. The instant connection she made with me was shared by the tens of thousands who, with a couple of hours notice would jam every event she attended. Are you absolutely blind to the implications of this? If anyone’s reputation is tarnished it’s the jackels who creat nonsense stories out of whole cloth and the sychophant press who are only too happy to repeat them often with embelishments. Both groups are certainly destined for the trashcan. You should try to dispense with the misguided finger pointing and think about how we are going to deal with the next two years. The colossal mistakes have already started with committments to more bailouts and stimulus packages. Get real!

Nov 8, 2008 - 6:32 am 39. Cymric:

“Perhaps it is best to go back to being a large salmon in a small creek”. . .
speaking in metaphors – salmon in the creek are usually there to spawn and then die. . . unless they get “ate” by a hungry grizzly. Let’s pretend, Palin is the salmon swimming upstream – and the stream is national politics – oops! There’s the Lower 48 as the grizzly. . . oops! She done got ate.

Nov 8, 2008 - 6:40 am 40. pete:

She will return!

Nov 8, 2008 - 6:47 am 41. trangbang68:

Repeat three times; Kritter is a tool, Kritter is a tool, Kritter is a tool. Hey Jazzy, or Fresh Prince, if anything will never see the light of day again one hopes, its the valueless,clueless liberal lite brand of RINO that McCain represents. Standing for nothing is sure to be a winner in these charged days. Put on your best tutu, Jazz and
head for DC for the Inaugural Ball. Maybe one of the back benchers will dance with you a couple times at the Marxist Sock Hop. We’ll pick our own candidates.

Nov 8, 2008 - 7:02 am 42. Ivonov:

I wouldn’t vote for her for multiple reasons:
her handling of Troopergate, the bridge to nowhere, her campaign rhetoric about who is pro america and anti america, her foreign policy experience comments, etc. No thanks.
She is exactly opposite of what this country needs.

Nov 8, 2008 - 7:03 am 43. Matthew O'Brian:

Lol! What a sham. Intimidation much? As if you aren’t totally transparent?

Nov 8, 2008 - 7:06 am 44. Roy N:

Richard, a punctuation problem there I think.

“Americans: Republicans and Conservatives” rather than “Americans, Republicans and Conservatives”.

Nov 8, 2008 - 7:06 am 45. Heartland, PA:

IN YOUR DREAMS.

Nov 8, 2008 - 7:11 am 46. Karen:

Sarah will be back. She speaks to the regular person. She’s not full of herself like most politicians. She’s a breath of fresh air when we need it most.

Nov 8, 2008 - 7:12 am 47. Grover Pillsbury:

Shame on pajamasmedia for allowing the use of their website to such a(n) openly partisan Democrat – or perhaps he’s simply a male chauvinist – as Jazz Shaw. Wishful thinking, Jazz?

Nov 8, 2008 - 7:14 am 48. Amanda:

Eh. Guess you’re one of the 9%.

Nov 8, 2008 - 7:14 am 49. Daniel Moughon:

When liberal criticism becomes baggage that is unanswered by silent Republicans then there is no hope.

The Republican who announces that the Obama plans will not work and counters with conservative ideas, will become the front runner.

No true conservative leader can sit on the sidelines for the next four years.

Nov 8, 2008 - 7:15 am 50. kritter:

She has already been dishonest with voters about Troopergate, Wardrobegate and “thanks but no thanks” on the Bridge to Nowhere. McCain,at least still has some integrity, but probably lost as many votes as he gained from having her on the ticket. But, I voted D so, by all means, nominate Caribou Barbie for 2012!.

I can already hear the replay of her gaffe with the Masked Avengers, her interviews with Katie Couric, and the Tina Fey skits — believe me she will be the gift that keeps on giving to Obama!

Nov 8, 2008 - 7:18 am 51. Right Winger:

Hey, Jazz why don’t you become an Independent or Democrat for that matter. The Conservative Republicans are taking back the Republican Party. We’ve had it with your middle of the road, reach across the aisle BS. We love Governor Palin. She didn’t lose this election John McCain did. I could have won the election for him by playing hardball. First of all I would have played the Reverend Wright, Bill Ayers, Odinga, Born Alive Act, and Anti-Coal ads 24/7. I would have pointed out the 95% tax cut is a lie. The Bush tax cuts expire in 2010. Good luck on the 95% tax cut. People are going to be mad when they find out it was a fairy tale. Oh yes and let’s not forget how the black caucus was described as Fannie Mae’s family and tried to prop up Fannie when the Republicans tried to blow the whistle. None of this was brought out.

Nov 8, 2008 - 7:18 am 52. al schilleci:

Jazz,What a nice name.Let’s see ,a northeasterner former RINO,whom I assume considers himself one of the jackals ,I agree.It is so-called “journalists” as you pretend to be,who went to Alaska to look under every rock and into each garbage can to try to find anything which could damage Gov.Palin but having been unable to do that you and the other jackals resort to anonymous unsubstantiated rumors to malign her and her family,good job you bottom feeder,go write for the daily kos

Nov 8, 2008 - 7:19 am 53. murphy:

Govenor Palin is a fighter who doesn’t need your “support”. Your writing smells like fear to me….

Nov 8, 2008 - 7:20 am 54. kat-missouri:

yeah, I’d say “overwrought”. All things considered, if the front man for the Chicago political machine, complete with dubious connections, dubious donations and possible fraudulent financial dealings, can be elected as president, the Governor of Alaska with so little actual baggage ought to be a shoe in.

Nov 8, 2008 - 7:21 am 55. Donna:

It amazes me that a successful governor is attacked because she is folksy. This is a type of racism against “normal” down to earth Americas. Sarah Palin is a respected much loved governor of a state. Your belief that she is done shows how biased and ignorant you are. The woman is a success and will continue to be in her state and maybe the national stage. Go get your head examined. I think people say stupid things about Palin because she is strong and smart and different and she IS successful and people like you cannot tolerate this.

Nov 8, 2008 - 7:21 am 56. Smith:

You mean the lady on this interview doesn’t know what she is talking about?

Who is this Sarah? Where’s that Sarah on those interviews on youtube? Wait, couldn’t she possible be green on national issues? No way

http://content.streamaudio.com/podcast/81/Palin10.mp3

Nov 8, 2008 - 7:24 am 57. Viper:

Jazz buddy, you voted for the “One” didnt you.
Traitor.

Nov 8, 2008 - 7:25 am 58. Smith:

Ivono, Obama supporters won’t normally vote for Palin…. Logic

Astroturfer

Nov 8, 2008 - 7:25 am 59. Right Winger:

Guess what Obama thinks there are 57 or is that 59 US states and one bomb was dropped on Pearl Harbor. Wow he really knows his American history don’t you think!

http://veerright.wordpress.com/2008/07/21/obama-gaffes-continue-one-bomb-hit-peral-harbor/

http://veerright.wordpress.com/2008/05/10/obama-wants-to-be-president-of-57-states-stop-the-aclu/

Nov 8, 2008 - 7:26 am 60. Walter Festoon:

Jazz Shaw, stop being so jealous, it’s unbecoming of someone who thinks they can write. Have you thought about selling cars for a living?

Nov 8, 2008 - 7:26 am 61. Gary:

Palin bashers can go to Hell.

I’m tired of RINO’s and they need to be cast out at once. I will not endorse and send funds to any RINO running for office. If the Gipper was to rise from the grave and run for office you would all be standing around in a circle claiming he was to conservative for the party.

Nov 8, 2008 - 7:26 am 62. free:

Thanks to the Obama campaign, I was able to get a glimpse of the intellectual Obama voter. Howard Stern’s man on the street was hilarious…The young lady who expects a mortgage free house, and full gas tanks forever, and let’s not forget PDiddy, and another spokesman, downtrodden Will Smith. Sarah and her supporters stand head an shoulders against the backdrop of these Obama supporters. Idiots one and all. And the best those that long for communism..What fools are they?

Nov 8, 2008 - 7:27 am 63. Seth Halpern:

What a pretentious fruitcake.

Nov 8, 2008 - 7:27 am 64. Mike Metroulas:

Any woman on the GOP side is going to be raked over the coals like Palin was. I guess they should all just not even try? Ludicrous. I would vote for Sarah Palin in a heartbeat. I want our president to share my values and get things done. Being a polished shyster doesn’t impress me at all.

Nov 8, 2008 - 7:28 am 65. Ralph Hatcher:

Besides your affected non de plume and your ostentatious verbosity, your assessment of Gov. Palin and her future shows you to be a self-absorbed elitist of which the Republican Party must rid itself. Like the staffers that leaked lies and misinformation to Fox, your motives are transparent. Gov. Palin in a conservative populist who apeals to large numers of consevatives. She is real, she is credible, she is committed to conservative principles. The Republican elites are right to fear her political ascendency. She, and people like her (Mike Pence comes to mind), will remake the Republican Party and re-energize conservatives. Now is the time for conservatives to assert themselves in the Republican Party and re-claim the legacy of Ronald Reagan. Gov. Palin will be at the forefront. In a poll reported by CNN Palin enjoys a 90% approval rating among Republicans. The only thing Palin will have to live down is her association with the likes of John McCain and his wing of the Republican Party. I will forgive her that indiscretion.

Nov 8, 2008 - 7:31 am 66. Sovereign:

Jizz-

She didn’t say “2012? That sounds like years from now”, she said it seems so far off right now. If
you can’t get a simple quote right, why should
anyone listen to your opinion?

Nov 8, 2008 - 7:32 am 67. Joe:

Is this the Huffington Post?

Nov 8, 2008 - 7:33 am 68. wheelers_cat:

Lol, Jazz.
Don’t you think it would be in the best interests of the GOP to toss Palin (and the low information section of the base) the reins and let the Vamphyre House burn down?
Much quicker and far less painful.

Nov 8, 2008 - 7:35 am 69. aloysiusmiller:

Sarah Palin is a good person who has been smeared by evil people. Criticism is okay but what happened to Sarah Palin was beyond criticism. It revealed a deep strain of soul sickness in our country. I feel for her and people who express themselves with hostility towards her are marked as evil people. I will having nothing to do with them.

I think she should appoint herself to Ted Steven’s seat when he ultimately resigns. She may be able to change some minds.

I would have preferred Bobby Jindal as the VP candidate. I think we need to be looking seriously at him in 2012. Huckabee and Romney are both buffoons. The others will be too old.

Nov 8, 2008 - 7:35 am 70. wheelers_cat:

And I think Jindal is waaaaaaaay too smart to run on a ticket with her.
He ran from McCain like a scalded cat, remember?

Nov 8, 2008 - 7:37 am 71. Phillip:

Well as conservative democrats Gvnr Palin was the only reason we and all of our friends and extended family(all conservative dems) voted for this ticket. It sure as hell wasn’t McCain. Hell he couldn’t draw flys until Palin came to the ticket. She generated enthusiasm he couldn’t hope to and would have been beaten worse if not for her. As far as her “scandals” in Alaska if a man like Obama can be elected with ties to Wright,Ayers,Rezko,Khalidi,Phleger and the fraud outfit ACORN the few instances you spoke about Gvnr Palin seem pretty mild to me.

Nov 8, 2008 - 7:41 am 72. Therese:

Palin is coming back and this is what scares the heck out of the left. This time, she’ll have even more experience and will be a much stronger candidate. She’ll also be better prepared for the nasty media,too.

Nov 8, 2008 - 7:43 am 73. Lurker:

Electoral losers like Richard Nixon, George HW Bush, Bob Dole, and John McCain?
Oh right, they all lost primaries or elections and still went on to run for president.
The Republican party has a penchant for nominating the next in line – loser or not. It will happen again.
Other than that, a fine analysis.

Nov 8, 2008 - 7:45 am 74. keelers_spat:

Jazz, you lowlife undertaker. Crawl into that grave you just dug and rest a while, hunh? Take Gary and the cat with you, homie.

Nov 8, 2008 - 7:46 am 75. Indy:

The attempt to destroy Gov. Palin will not relent, and the worst of it will come from the northeastern elite, “moderate” Republicans. They had their candidate and their way with this election and you see what we got. Sarah Palin is the future of the conservative movement and the Republican Party (unless they are content to be a perpetual minority). Palin in 2012!

Nov 8, 2008 - 7:47 am 76. Smarty:

Asshats keep surfacing on PJM. This is nuts.

Palin was the only reason why Obama didn’t win 45 states.

Palin is the only reason why the Dems don’t have 60+ in the Senate.

Gingrich needs to run the RNC, and Sarah needs to be groomed for the top spot, or VP to Jindal.

Nov 8, 2008 - 7:47 am 77. Ryan:

before she was pick as VP she perform well in the interviews with Larry Kudlow and Glenn Beck. they were asking questions concerning her strength
which was foreign policy. larry kudlow who is very smart and was also
Reagan’s economic advisor encourage Mccain to put her on the ticket.
he sees something in her that you do not see. for jazz to base her opinion
on two interviews where the interviewers were trying to make her look bad
with three follow up questions
then Jazz does not know the really sarah palin

Nov 8, 2008 - 7:47 am 78. DL13:

If they find out who made up the lies about her they should send them up to Alaska so the ‘Cuda can skin them with a dull knife…

Nov 8, 2008 - 7:51 am 79. saint:

Bwahahahahahaha! I didn’t realise there were Americans who actually call themselves RINOs! Bwahahahahahah! Why not say, I stand for nothing, don’t want to work for anything, and no one loves me. Why can’t I play at your house? Bwahahahahahahahaha!

BTW aloyisious miller – Palin has ruled out appointing herself to Steven’s seat if he gets shafted by the Senate because it is UNETHICAL. And she has also indicated that she won’t run for it. And she also said she is not a dictator – people voted for Stevens and the matter will now be with the Senate. If they boot him, it’s a special election.

Nov 8, 2008 - 7:51 am 80. John Freeman:

Wow! This is my first visit to this site, and while I find about the same amount of hate here as others, I have to wonder why so many Americans put their hate ahead of our country. Please do think about what we all could accomplish together, if we all had the greater good in mind. The detail of how the world works never lines up exactly as I would like, but working for the greater good instead of continually tearing it down feels a LOT better. Hate is easy….and seems the default condition of human thinking. Compassion and empathy for others is harder.

Nov 8, 2008 - 7:53 am 81. Jim Treacher:

I think it might be a bit early to project the entire lifetime of somebody we’d never heard of 3 months ago. Seems to me that the more they try to destroy her, the more the rational people support her and want to know what’s going on. As for the irrational people, they keep getting trounced in the ratings by Fox.

Nov 8, 2008 - 7:56 am 82. blurto:

Sarah Palin was an intelligent, capable and attractive political talent before she ran for VP. Now add seasoned to that list. I will contribute to and vote for her in any national office she chooses to pursue. This country very badly needs people with her leadership skills. I am grateful she emerged during this campaign – sort of the opposite of Ted Stevens. The good replacing the bad.

Nov 8, 2008 - 8:01 am 83. PB:

so on to more important things….

What dress did you pick out for the inauguration?

The left and the media didnt spend so much time trying to destroy her for no reason.

Consider this while you contemplate shoes, the dems have a population that still wants to explore for energy, everywhere.

The economy would react positively to the government getting out of the way.

The commies will continue to strangle the US by coming up with every BS excuse to not to.

Sarah Palin is governor of a state that has one of the hotbed issues pertaining to such.

Lets see what happens.

Nov 8, 2008 - 8:02 am 84. JW Smith:

I remember hearing a joke when I started teaching back in the 90s: Those who can, do…those who can’t, teach.

I’d revise that statement – but mean it in all sincerity: Those who can, do…those who can’t, post articles on blogs. The reality is you are a 5th tier blogger. Do something, then talk about it. Frankly, I’m sick of the George Wills, Peggy Noonans, et al whose living is to tell us what they think. I’d rather hear from Joe the Plumber, Susan the Soldier, and Bob the Business Owner. Their EXPERIENCE is worth infinitely more than your thoughts.

Nov 8, 2008 - 8:03 am 85. Connect the Dots:

What Jizz and the rest of the smarmy Leftmedia are forgetting is that 50+ million Americans voted for Sarah Palin. Juan McAmnesty wouldn’t have gotten half those votes without a strong Conservative like Sara’Cuda on the ticket.

Conservatives like Palin, Jindal and others are the future of this country and the party. In spite of the elite Leftmedia declaring her a backward hick from Alaska, she’s a smart woman with great political instincts and skills, a strong backbone and thick skin.

She was ambushed by the asshats that ran McAmnesty’s campaign. I truly believe Juan had people in his camp who wanted to lose (“it’s time for a Black president” white guilt crowd), so rather than start Cuda off with Hannity, Rush or Beck, they chose the leftest of the left (Gibson and Couric). I hope they’re wallowing in their self-satisfaction when they pay their tax bill over the next four years.

Jindal ran from McAmnesty because Juan is not a real conservative. Plus, unlike our Commander-in-Thief-elect, he felt a duty to complete something he started, to serve the people of Lousiana.

We have a name for RINOs in Ohio — they’re called democrats (among other un-printables).

Nov 8, 2008 - 8:03 am 86. John:

Yeah, Shaw and Wade and the rest are right. We can’t have any of those average Americans running things now. Governance belongs to the Ivy League educated Washington “sophisticrats.” The rest of us need to know our place and stay in it.

Nov 8, 2008 - 8:03 am 87. Bob:

It appears that Jazz needs to listen to a little country once and awhile

Nov 8, 2008 - 8:06 am 88. FLMom:

To quote myself from another post -

“I think it was the same evening McCain introduced Palin as his running mate, CMBC ran an older interview with Alaska’s governor. It was all about Alaska’s potential role in not only supplying oil and natural gas, but also developing geothermal and tidal energy. Her rapid-fire responses to every question, her depth of knowledge, her balanced view of environmental concerns, the energy needs of this country and the need to develop alternatives absolutely blew me away.”

I see no reason to be hopeful that an Obama/Biden administration will get us anywhere close to solving our energy crisis. Didn’t Biden vote against the Alaskan pipeline way back when?

Whether Palin is interested in running for president in 2012 or whether she wants remain in Alaska, I think she can best help herself and this nation by continuing to be a strong voice on energy issues and energy alternatives.

Nov 8, 2008 - 8:07 am 89. Matt:

Why nothing on Bidens weekly and daily gaffes?

And all his lies during the debates – almost nothing he said was true – yet the media ignored it.

I am sick of Republicans cowtowing to the media afraid to articulate conservatism.

The media went after Palin because she was a REAL Christian, attractive, and mostly because she was a POPULAR Republican. The only thing that mattered was she had an R after her name and therefore must be destroyed.

Nov 8, 2008 - 8:09 am 90. Smith:

http://content.streamaudio.com/podcast/81/Palin3.mp3

Maybe, Larry sees a lady that has actually managed a state budget unlike Obama.

Nov 8, 2008 - 8:10 am 91. MoCom:

Predicting anything 4 years down the road in politics establishes only one thing: The pundit is clueless.

Examples:

The 1960 Presidential and 1962 California Governor race had finished Richard Nixon as a national political figure.

With his years of legislative experience and the post JFK assassination goodwill — that pushed him to a 1964 landslide victory — Lyndon Johnson would be a juggernaut going into the 1968 election.

The 1976 Presidential primary race finished Ronald Reagan as a national political figure who could never run for President again. He was too old and nothing more than a California flash in the pan.

The 1988 plagiarism scandal assured that Joe Biden had reached the peak of his own political “Peter Principle.”

The 1994 mid-term election assured that Bill Clinton was a one term President.

After John Kerry’s loss in 2004, Hillary Clinton was assured of the 2008 Democrat Presidential Nomination and would coast into the White House.

Nov 8, 2008 - 8:10 am 92. john:

I will support gov Palin and no one else going forward for 2012….she gets it, you don’t, and the media doesn’t influence me or real conservatives one bit. I don’t need romney and his socialist health care plans, I don’t need McCain and his war on free political speech I don’t need any more “compassionate” (ie: big government) conservatives. Palin is the real deal, and all the petty media sniping moves me not a whit.

Nov 8, 2008 - 8:14 am 93. Dennis:

It just proves that bloviators such as this believe that you have to have some east coast educated pedigree to be taken seriously.

Nov 8, 2008 - 8:14 am 94. Garry Detroit:

Unusual; in most cases the trolls are in the comments, not authoring the post.

Please don’t feed the trolls.

Nov 8, 2008 - 8:15 am 95. MAMA MIA:

Would someone please tell me what a ‘RINO’ is.
Thank you

Nov 8, 2008 - 8:16 am 96. Rotwang:

Sarah Palin is the perfect leftist caricature of a Bible-beating, misinformed, xenophobic bumpkin who hates anything that can’t be found in a barnyard or a Sears catalog.

I hope she runs a hundred times, and keeps Conservatives out of power till long after I’m dead.

Nov 8, 2008 - 8:18 am 97. Marcy:

We will pick our own candidates from now on -thank you very much!!!!!

Nov 8, 2008 - 8:19 am 98. Self-hating boomer:

No. Wrong. The “baggage” is 100% false, scurrilous libel. If you let the media win this battle, they’ll do it again. Regardless of Sarah Palin’s merits or lack thereof, this has to be fought just so that the bastards don’t get away with this kind of libel in the future. The media need to be shown that we’re not afraid of them. Sarah Palin isn’t the issue; the issue is the Fourth Estate Fifth Column.

Nov 8, 2008 - 8:20 am 99. Hope Floats! Flush Twice!:

#27 Spot On, AnnInCA, and I recognize your handle.

Jazz, I didn’t feel any love the day the election was called for Obama and Hamas launched 35 rockets into Israel. Electing Obama doesn’t make the world more loving, and attacking a successful politician who is a woman doesn’t win you friends.

Nov 8, 2008 - 8:20 am 100. Fiji Hill:

“Her ardent fans should step back for a moment and realize that Sarah is the verbal equivalent to Gerald Ford’s golf game.”

Is that supposed to be a criticism? Ford once hit a hole-in-one.

Nov 8, 2008 - 8:20 am 101. al schilleci:

John Freeman:Hate?I guess you were absent during all the anti-Palin diatribes that were ALL over the so-called media.A lot of compassion there!Incest,pregnant daughter,non abortion of handicapped child,snide comments,ad nauseum,about her ignorance on and on.No hatred there ,right John?Constructive criticism,no doubt!!

Nov 8, 2008 - 8:22 am 102. Jim:

Sounds like just more drivel from an insignificant commentator. . . the heart and soul of America “got” Gov. Palin, still do, and recognize her as being one of us. That is the reason she will remain on the national political scene for as long as she so chooses.

Nov 8, 2008 - 8:25 am 103. Hope Floats! Flush Twice!:

#76 Rasmussen polling had 91% of Republicans love Sarah Palin and 67% said she could be President.

Republicans lost Congressional races, because there was a high turnout of voters for the national ticket. They voted straight Democratic.

Let’s see what happens in 2010.

Nov 8, 2008 - 8:26 am 104. lgkick:

It’s good that the emotional conservatives won’t listen to their more intelligent comrades. As a democrat, I would love to see Palin run against any democrat in 2012. Bring it on.

Nov 8, 2008 - 8:31 am 105. Lori:

This guy is an idiot. Sarah Palin is the only reason McCain even did as well as did, make no mistake about that.

Nov 8, 2008 - 8:36 am 106. miron:

“Insignificant commentator” is right on. Advice can be given but SP is not obligated to take it, especially from this commentator.

Nov 8, 2008 - 8:39 am 107. allswell:

I am proudly part of the 91% who voted for Governor Palin for vice president. Jazz and Chris Buckley are getting ready for their regatta of elitism later today. I hope they have hanging out with Arianna and the rest of the former Republicans.

Nov 8, 2008 - 8:40 am 108. miron:

“Idiot” might be too strong a word, but I won’t argue its accuracy.

Nov 8, 2008 - 8:41 am 109. Tom Carty:

Jazz: Do you really think anyone who is paying the least attention will blame Sarah Palin for her excessive concern for her family when Obama has apparently ignores his? As far as the supposed disastrous interviews go, one need only compare the look of hostility on Kathy Couric’s face as she grilled Palin with the adoration with which she asked Obama “When was the last time you cried?” That or Charlie Gibson looking over his glasses in a manner that reminded Mark Steyn of the big bad wolf trying to disguise himself as gramma.Other than those addicted to the crush Palin for all time school of journalism who feels that that these “gotcha moments” will harm Palin as long as they do the two hacks who launched them. I trust all but the dimmest of souls know who really lost integrity in those meanest of moments.

Nov 8, 2008 - 8:42 am 110. BfB:

Jazz…and Pajama…..Fox news et al….Conservatives In Name Only

Pfft….
Good riddance.

Nov 8, 2008 - 8:45 am 111. Kermit:

Ooooh how wrong you are. While campaigning during the last 4 weeks door to door for a GOP congressional candidate. It was the neighborhoods populated by well educated professionals (MD’s and attorneys) who openly voiced that Palin/Jindal would be the best ticket in 2012.

These were the neighborhoods with the highest percentage (1.5%) of “Blue Star” households.

Hmmm, and Jindal has an 88% approval rating. The only folks who voiced Obama support were either young college professors, white folks who could have easily been “cast members” of a “COPS” episode filmed in a poor trailer park, and black folks.

Nov 8, 2008 - 8:45 am 112. crosspatch:

“Her supporters may have been equally distraught to find an army of bloggers and media jackals ready, willing, and able to dig up every nugget …”

It seems to me that they didn’t “dig” them up, they made them up. It turned out that virtually every single one of those “nuggets” was false. Someone would send an email around, everyone would report it as fact, and only days later would it come to light that the items were completely false. Stories about rape kits, not knowing Africa was a continent, the bathrobe anecdote, all false. But there certainly has been damage done.

Nov 8, 2008 - 8:45 am 113. Chloé:

Very well written and researched piece. She’s a 30-35% General Election candidate.

Her tendency towards socialism is pronounced too.

She’s an 8 in looks, a 10 in ambition and a 6 in intellect. That could have worked in the 80s, but not in a You Tube world.

Her interviews reveal a vacuousness that seriously undermines her appeal.

Even her latest “cowards and jerks” interview reveal a woman who doesn’t understand how to counteract the damage that’s been done to her. She understands the damage that’s been done, but I think she thinks her embarrassing performances are someone else’s fault.

Once she tries to return in earnest, she’ll be reminded with astonishing frequency, that it’s on reel, it’s on now!

Her diehard fans are just as worrisome as Obama’s. It isn’t that they’re uneducated, it’s that they seem unable to think critically. They’d vote for her no matter what might be disclosed. A comment on this thread reveals that: “at this point, I’d vote for her out of spite.” There’s a Country first thinker for you!

I know a 70 year old farmer, who still plows his fields, didn’t get beyond 5th grade, and is very intelligent. He was circumspect in his comments when McCain revealed that Palin was his choice. By the middle of October he could hardly listen to her.

I find myself in that same position now.

Keep up the good work. The Country needs solid, fair, critical thinkers.

In closing, I do want to add that I hope conservatives learn how to use the medium of the internet to their greater benefit.

Nov 8, 2008 - 8:46 am 114. BC:

As someone who tends to think of modern Republicanism as some sort of Machiavellian, Neo-Luddite cult (members of which would have no idea what that description means), I have to admit it’s been entertaining poking about the right wing web sites and seeing all the hostile, sometimes VERY hostile recriminations over the election results, especially when Palin’s name comes up.

But to be fair, Palin does seem to have been victimized a bit by McCain and his people (and possibly by Romney’s people as well, according to the Boston Herald and others). It’s obvious that Palin was a last second pick by McCain who buckled under pressure to not go with his friend Joe Lieberman. Palin had been promoted for a while by the likes of numbnuts Rush Limbaugh and Bill Kristol, which in itself should have been a “Proceed with Caution” sign for McCain. At the very least, she should have been looked at and vetted far earlier on in the campaign. If she had even a month or two to be prepped and get ready, she probably would have come off as a much more serious candidate than she did. “Serious” candidate Romney is not much more literate on world matters, mostly because he had much, much more time to get prepped and he knows how to fudge and shut up when he’s not sure of the right answer.

So all this Palin bashing by McCain’s people is just petty, nasty blamegaming by people who screwed up royally and don’t want to admit it. If Romney or his people have some part in this, it’s more likely it’s a preemptive strike to try better place Romney as the leading Republican candidate for 2012. Screw him, though — he’s just a weasel who’ll say/do whatever to be elected.

As a “Hank Hill” type of Republican — not intellectual, analytical or worldly, but a stickler to personal beliefs, and someone the average middle American can relate to — I can see Palin running effectively in 2012, for better or worse, if she takes things seriously.

Palin would still make a lousy President, but certainly no worse than Bush, in times of crises and complex problems, although Presidents really rely on the quality of the advisors and experts they bring in with them. She would probably serve much better as the opposition leader if she gets a Senate seat.

For what it’s worth….

Nov 8, 2008 - 8:48 am 115. Rick Geiger:

Maybe Jazz should be writing for Daily Kos; clearly, he never lets a fact in the way of a dumb opinion

Nov 8, 2008 - 8:48 am 116. Benson:

This is a textbook example of political commentary crafted according to a double standard.

Biden has more than his share of unflattering videos that make him look moronic or drunk, yet Palin’s videos are cited as devastating and career-ending. Hillary and Slick Willy and many, many other politicians prove it just is not so; their baggage, compared to Palin’s, is mountainous.

The gossip about how Palin abused her office sounds very routine to me. Corruption? Special favors for family and friends? Could be, I suppose. How nice to see someone cares. So… when are the news media and folks like Jazz going to take a careful look at Nancy Pelosi and her suspiciously wealthy husband??

When I consider the irresponsible incompetents like Barney Frank and Chris Dodd, then look at most of Congress, and finally think of the mystery man who just won the election because the press never held him to the standard they forced on Palin — well, none of the dirt on the Alaskan newcomer impresses me. IMHO she was savaged, and all this innuendo dredged up, because is is a newcomer, and because she is favored by the core of the GOP.

What I get from this transparently biased commentary is that the author is just plain scared — so terrified of Palin that he can’t work up the saliva to spit.

If it were otherwise, and if the case against her were strong, he would be saying, “Come on down, Governor — we’ll be delighted to tear you to pieces, and feed you to the wingnuts!” Instead he pretends to advise her to spare herself the embarrassment of being opposed by what very well could be the most corrupt collection of solons this nation has seen in a century. Compared to those miscreants, Palin is a saint.

Nov 8, 2008 - 8:50 am 117. CapitalistPig:

Wrong, Wrong, Wrong and effin WRONG. Palin was the reason that Mccain was able to save a shred of credibility from conservatives. Republicans dont win elections by moving towards the center…we win elections by staying on course, holding to our values and defining who the hell it is we are. Gov. Palin did just that, and I, for one, would be proud to vote for her again…

Nov 8, 2008 - 8:51 am 118. Ray Brogan:

Are you a retard? Palin is the best thing that happened to the GOP……….She’ll be back!

Nov 8, 2008 - 8:53 am 119. Glynn:

I hate it when one person sees fit to speak for everyone. I would welcome Sarah Palin back any time she chooses to re-enter the national stage. She’s the only reason I voted for McCain.

Nov 8, 2008 - 8:54 am 120. Get out the shovel:

Nice to see another bone-headed pundit engaging in the art of unfounded rumor mongering. I just haven’t had enough of that this year. Let’s see – Palin should stay away from national politics because – oh, because the MSM says so. And they have lots of damaging rumors on file which will surely put a dent in her 90% popularity rating. Might take it down to 85%.

Jazz, in case you didn’t notice we don’t give a frog’s fat a$$ what the MSM says. Some day it will dawn on you that more people trust her than trust the NYT or rumor mogering pundits.

Nov 8, 2008 - 8:56 am 121. Patrick S Lasswell:

Jazz,

Although the MSM has hours of comedy gold on Sarah, the next time they come to interview her, she should keep the cameras on them. How bad do you think candid pictures of Gibson and Couric look? The media attacks on her worked with the most credulous portion of the populace and aggravated the most discerning.

Regrettably, you are trending far into the credulous zone. Your position here sounds a lot like you are channeling the hopes of your wife, not your own best analysis.

Or is this the logic we should expect from all Bob Barr supporters?

Nov 8, 2008 - 8:58 am 122. tracy starrett:

All I can say is you are terribly wrong wrong wrong on all accounts. If you believe all that nonsense you are no better than the ones writing that crap. Truth is the McCain camp is the ones who are out of business! They are political lepers to which you will soon be if you keep up with this point of view. Telling untruths like you are doing is going to ruin you because I will see to it! You are taking the word of anonymous liars which shows your stupidity. I don’t care if you post this or not, I just want you to know I am on to you!

Nov 8, 2008 - 8:58 am 123. Bugler:

This is without a doubt the stupidest nonsense I’ve ever read on PJM. Jazz, don’t quit your day job–political commentary ain’t for you.

Nov 8, 2008 - 8:59 am 124. PB:

dit

Nov 8, 2008 - 9:01 am 125. T.J.Egan:

You are way off base. Fortunately, the conservative movement see things different than your left wing lib garbage talk. Enjoy your brief government, we will be back in 2 years,just watch.

Nov 8, 2008 - 9:03 am 126. DaveW:

Amazing! Just the kind of poncing, elitist drivel and distortion that is a cancer within the GOP that as of last week has committed suicide.

Nov 8, 2008 - 9:03 am 127. Don:

It seems to Me that Palin has shocked the Republican party that same wasy Reagan did when he hit the scene in 1964. She stirs passion in conservatives (note I did not say republicans) because she does not represent the check-pants country club GOP top of the party. She IS the voting base of the party which is the religious, lower-middle class VOTING conservative republican. She is the mirror image of Mitt Romney. Together they might make a great ticket.

Palin is here to stay. Either get behind her, or get behind someone. We shouldn’t be bashing people on the same team. Why is it that democrats are so much better at keeping discontenet on the lowdown & repubs run screaming from the mountaintops their distain for people in our own party. If half the conservative media spent more time bashing dems instead of our own party we might get somewhere.

Nov 8, 2008 - 9:05 am 128. SilentWatcher:

Jazz, get lost!

Nov 8, 2008 - 9:06 am 129. Tom T:

Jazz Shaw.

I want to remember that name. I want to be sure to never vote for any candidate he works for, or buy any publication he writes for.

Jazz Shaw.

Luckily it’s an easy name to remember.

Nov 8, 2008 - 9:11 am 130. JayTee:

Winning Votes, is a 100 million Voter prospect. Everyone (even the MSM) knows Sarah pulled
in a BUNCH of Conservative votes . . even as a Late arrival.
The OLD Guard at the RNC do not want her to come back, because she’s gonna Field Strip the
Republican Party, and Cook them until they’re done. Sorry, Mr. Jazz, you only got one Vote, to millions, Majority Republicans Win.

Nov 8, 2008 - 9:18 am 131. AnninCA:

Chloe….

The stereotype of Sarah Palin as “stupid” but “pretty” is really nothing more than a female stereotype. Hillary Clinton overcame that with no-nonsense pantsuits and a policy wonkishness. Still, she came up short.

The left-wing smeared Palin. No question about it. Her practice debate gaffe of calling Africa a continent is certainly less newsworthy than Obama saying he’d visited 57 states or Biden saying that FDR went on TV to address the crash. The fact is that this is clearly a smear job. The fact that the smear job is still in operation? That tells me that the left-wing of the Democratic Party recognizes fully that Sarah Palin is a formidible campaign foe.

She brought in crowds that equalled Obama’s. And, no, she did not do that through sending a hate message. She did that because she connects with people.

People just plain like her. That is magic potion in politics. Bill Clinton recognized it. Sarah is no right-wing heroine. She’s from a fundamentalist church, but she’s not into the moral majority type of thinking or governing.

She just was too green. She needs some record behind her on this.

I’ll personally be interested in how she decides to build that record.

I think she’s got a great future.

Nov 8, 2008 - 9:19 am 132. Jimgeb:

I guess you just surrendered yourself to the will of the mainsteam media. She’s got a thick skin like Reagan and in it for the longer haul. She will be back and much in play along with Jindal, Romney, etc.

Nov 8, 2008 - 9:29 am 133. Shane from PV:

This is what you get from a moderate liberal who has somehow found his way into the ‘more than generous graces’ of a conservative blogger or two. Since it’s obvious that Jazz is here to incite, it makes sense he’d target Palin with worn out attacks – come on folks – there is nothing here we haven’t been reading for months. I’ll go to the Los Angeles Times chat rooms if I want to endure this crap.

You hate Palin? Blame McCain for choosing her, but she gave all she got and I think that for someone thrust into the harsh lights of a national campaign for the most powerful position in the world, she did fine. She didn’t have months of training like Barack, McCain or Biden did – she was busy running a state. Does anyone remember Barack at the first debates and at Saddleback? He stunk it up. But the difference between Barack and Palin was that he had the media covering for him. She had to get in shape in a matter of weeks, not months. She’ll be fine, and a great asset to the Republican party for what she has learned here. I expect her to become a senator, and we’ll see where she goes from there.

Until then we’ll have to endure potshots from the predictable sources. Republicans ought to have learned from this election that it makes no sense to take advice from those who wish you ill. In this case, having Jazz Shaw lecture us is like having the chef lecture the duck. It’s not wisdom he’s offering, it’s a meat cleaver.

Nov 8, 2008 - 9:30 am 134. Scott:

Political death to you Mr. Shaw. You and Peggy Noonan and every other limp wristed ‘conservative’.

Anyone who can’t see Sarah Palin is the only future we have is a traitor to true conservatism.

PALIN/JINDAL 2012

Nov 8, 2008 - 9:32 am 135. PC14:

I am so tired of solid conservatives getting savaged by the media.

As for Palin in 2012, I’m voting for her even if she isn’t on the ticket. If the ballot is anything like 2008, it wouldn’t be like I was throwing my vote anyway…or anything.

Nov 8, 2008 - 9:38 am 136. Ben:

Interesting that in a recent poll she had a 90% favorable opinion of Republicans, which was higher than Romney, Thompson or the Huck. Or that she regularly pulled in crowds that would make any Republican candidate in the last 10 years jealous. Yeah… stay in Alaska. We don’t need popular politicians with principles. RINO says it all when describing Jazz Shaw.

Nov 8, 2008 - 9:38 am 137. the real Wow:

59. Right Winger:

“Guess what Obama thinks there are 57 or is that 59 US states and one bomb was dropped on Pearl Harbor. Wow he really knows his American history don’t you think!

http://veerright.wordpress.com/2008/07/21/obama-gaffes-continue-one-bomb-hit-peral-harbor/

http://veerright.wordpress.com/2008/05/10/obama-wants-to-be-president-of-57-states-stop-the-aclu/

You are so right. While the “messiah” turned “pres” is given a pass on everything, Palin is crucified.

Jazz, don’t write here off at all. Information can be learned… how to be a leader is quite another thing. Her fans, who have accepted her shortcomings for this election cycle, are still her fans and have faith in her. I wonder how Barry would have reacted had he had all that filth thrown at him? Oh, I forget, the media darling didn’t need vetting, he was consecrated and could do no wrong. He is the president elect and I will give him a bit of time, but he now has to prove he can do something, and no more playing the race card.

Nov 8, 2008 - 9:41 am 138. littleguy:

The election was over days ago, and now it is Palin and Obama who are in the news – not Biden, not McCain. Having seen Obama’s first post-election news conference, I’m not so sure who the public will tire of first. Obama seemed confused (erratic) at times when faced with rather simple questions, with tax increases in 2009 as one example. He dodged this one completely – perhaps forgotting that the campaign is over. He stuttered and stammered endlessly, was completely lacking in eloquence, or “knowledgeability”, and gave a gratuitous slam to Mrs. Reagan to boot. With the economy still crashing all around us, the choice of a “first dog” was the hottest topic for his media toadies. Maybe its the very real issue of the emperor’s clothes (the empty suit) that should concern us now, rather than the trashy lies about Sarah’s campaign clothes.

Nov 8, 2008 - 9:43 am 139. AnninCA:

Oh goodness, littleguy……good point.

Nov 8, 2008 - 9:55 am 140. superduperman:

Palin wasnt the problem. McCain was

Nov 8, 2008 - 10:04 am 141. Kitty:

If Teleprompter Jesus had been subjected to 1/10 the “vetting” (ie, making stuff up, talking to “unamed sources – see making stuff up, altering quotes, interviews where nothing but hostile questions abound, savaging of friends and family; particularly his children, publishing interviews with no one but political enemies), that Palin has been subjected to in the name of “journalism”, he would not have been the Democrat candidate much less president-elect.

Hillary Clinton had a small taste of what Sarah Palin went through, and she ended up going to the favorite to win the nomination, to being viewed as a racist “ho”, a liar, a scatterbrained woman who exaggerates hysterically and “cackles”, but mostly a racist. No wonder she lost.

This is what happens to those (particularly women) who challenge Dear Leader. It must be nice to have the press as your pet.

The only people who are investigated by the press are those who question Dear Leader, particularly those who are viewed as a threat (Sarah Palin, Joe the Plumber and any reporter who asks what is percieved as a hostile question). Guess who got thrown off the campaign plane near the end of the election? That’s right — any reporter who’s newspaper endorsed McCain.

Sarah Palin was the only candidate who held press avails for the month prior to the election. Try to find out when The Fresh Prince of Bill Ayers last held one before the election — I think it was in Sept. some time. Clueless Joe Biden was muzzled and tethered to a teleprompter by the end of the election and when asked tough questions in a local interview in Florida, responded by leaving and, of course, a furor insued,the reporter was investigated by the Obamedia, and no Democrats will have anything to do with that station now.

No one will criticize them for it, least of all you, Jazz. After all, that lot have a glass jaw and can’t withstand the questioning of any but what amounts to their own political supporters (almost all of the MSM, who now see it as their job to make sure that the Obama administration is seen as a success – just ask Chris Matthews.

Sarah Palin has been subjected in extrodinarily hostile interviews with people who hate her and then only aired carefully edited versions of those interviews, complete with throwing deliberately altered quotes at her and taking magazine articles out of context (see Byron Young at National Review).

THis is what happens when a woman or minority has the audacity to wander off the liberal reservation and be a conservative. It’s open season and every racist and sexist, and just plain tin foil-hatted loony piece of garbage is hurled at them just to see what sticks. Ask Michelle Malkin about that, Jazz.

Obama would never have survived it and he won’t have to worry about that ever happening to him because he has a magic “D” by his name and a press corps that acts as a room full of leg-humping press secretaries willing to do anything necessary to protect Dear Leader.

Sarah Palin was (rightfully) seen as a threat, both by Democrats, the MSM (same thing as Democrats) and Republicans who work for other candidates who may have a chance at the 2012 nomination.

It’s always instructive to see who the press investigates when there is political controversy. When a Democrat is in trouble, or potentially in trouble politically, the press will investigate the ones who are seen as attacking him/her, when it’s a Republican, the press will join in the investigation of that Republican. The person/organization who is attacking that Republican never has to really worry about the MSM investigating them.

Sarah Palin is a whole lot tougher that Barack Obama. I hope she comes back and runs for national office. I’d be more than happy to work for her.

Nov 8, 2008 - 10:11 am 142. Limpet6:

Sarah Palin is the StayPuff Marshmellow woman. I mean that in a good way. She is what the Democrats “fear most,” a conservative Republican with charisma.

Just order my Euro “Palin 2012″ sticker. I view the “Euro” as ironic.

Everyone is reading too much into the results of this election. The Republican lost with the usual periodic swinging of the pendulum and a bad economy that they didn’t really create.

Next election turnabout will be fair play. By then, Obama will be the next Jimmy Carter.

Nov 8, 2008 - 10:11 am 143. Richard:

hey Jazz…..this is the first time I have ever seen any of you stuff…..

I was kind of like ’stubbing’ my toe on a box of dumb wrenches!

Nov 8, 2008 - 10:14 am 144. James Bauer:

If Gov. Palin were on top of the ticket, Republicans could have won.

Nov 8, 2008 - 10:15 am 145. Limpet6:

Typo there, “just oderED my Euro “Palin 2012″ sticker. I don’t have an interest in Cafe Press.

Nov 8, 2008 - 10:16 am 146. Chloé:

Anin-

The people who ‘just plain like her’ are Republicans. J. Straw’s analysis is spot-on.

I don’t think she’s stupid. I think she’s just a little bit above average, and the party, especially now, needs a person with an expansive intellect. She’s inferior in this way.

Laura Ingraham had Bobby Jindal on, and when she pressed him about the low-brow antics of those trying to destroy Palin, he acknowledged the evil but he steered clearly away from propping her up in any way.

Jindal has that expansive intellect. I don’t think he wants to be tightly linked with Palin, and I don’t blame him.

It’s a tough situation for Republicans because she’s an excellent fundraiser. So was Newt, whom I think a lot of, but his fundraising ability didn’t keep him from becoming permanently damaged.

Newt is very astute, but belongs behind the scenes. Palin in not nearly as astute, makes a good front-person on the energy issue and on the issue of special needs children.

I found most of her campaign speeches to be as J. Straw describes them, fit mostly for true believers.

Barring irremediable incompetence on the part of Obama, the Republican party will not take ‘10 or ‘12 because the divisions within the party have no coalescing figure or force.

With the selection of Rahm Emanuel as Chief of Staff, Obama has revealed his move for capturing 2010 and 2012. And, it’s an excellent move. Emanuel is a centrist force of will. A second amendment, pro-growth, Israel-loving, formidable force of will.

Republicans have no such force of will.

Unless I’m laboring under a complete analytical misapprehension, Palin and the Republican party are impeded on all sides by their limitations, and at present, their inferiority.

Obviously, I could be wrong. And if I am, it won’t be hard for me to admit that.

One last thought, Palin’s die-hard and easily vicious fans are as distasteful to me and many others as are Obama’s.

Nov 8, 2008 - 10:17 am 147. Ursa Major:

I can hope that the 2012 Conservative ticket is Palin/Wurzelbacher. Experience and Common Sense vs. Change and Gaffes.

Nov 8, 2008 - 10:19 am 148. Sue:

If Jazz is a “journalist”, educator of any kind or grade, celebrity of any kind, we, thankfully, don’t have to read or pay attention. There are 40,000+ who support Sarah and understand what happened. This country may be ready for an African-American politician as President, but is it ready for a woman? No, I don’t think so that is why Clinton thought the game was hers….a female outdone by a male. True men and women are rare but tough. McCain’s staff blew it big time on Sarah and so many other things I know I can never support John ever again for anything anywhere!!!

Nov 8, 2008 - 10:20 am 149. Alaskan:

Memo to jazz-
You are a prime example of why I live in Alaska. Your petty sniping and ankle biting are a true measure of your character. Should you ever decide to visit Alaska and perhaps learn some truth about Sarah Palin and all Alaskan’s please don’t! I for one would much prefer to envision you freezing in the dark, drinking a nice cold cup of STFU with only your raw hatred and ignorance to keep you warm.

Nov 8, 2008 - 10:30 am 150. katablog.com:

Palin’s character is not assassinated. The MSM and the good ole boy GOP characters are the ones that are assassinated and with good reason.

Yes, Sarah Palin didn’t perform well when in the tank MSM were able to cut and paste, but she performed very well before America when allowed to just be herself. Barack Obama and Joe Biden have also given some very poor interviews. Why not the same standards for gaffe a minute rambling Joe?

The only reason Palin may not be back in national politics would be because she and her family decide it’s not worth it for all the crap they have had to take. I have never seen the likes of the beating up of Sarah Palin and I am ashamed of my own party for its participation.

Nov 8, 2008 - 10:33 am 151. attorneygirl:

Is this another example of the press trying to destroy Palin?

Nov 8, 2008 - 10:34 am 152. Donna V.:

138: Littleguy, good points.

As I said in another PJM thread, people are forgetting that little things called, er, “events” will occur between now and 2012 and those events will alter perceptions of Obama and Palin in ways we cannot predict.

Reagan was also called an idiot by the media. They also gleefully reported his verbal slips and crabbed about Nancy’s wardrobe. But Reagan, unlike the two Bushes and McCain, was able to go over the heads of the MSM and appeal directly to the American people. And remember, that was in the days before Limbaugh, Fox News, and blogs. The liberal media was the only game in town. Whether Palin will be able to do what Reagan did or not is simply not known at this point. I hope so.

As good as Reagan’s communications skills were, he couldn’t have won in 1980 without another big factor in his favor – the miserable presidency of Jimmy Carter and, well, those nasty “events” again – little things like the hostage crisis, high unemployment, high prime interest rates. I suspect that the malaise we are going to end up feeling under Obama will make the Carter years look like a Golden Age – but again, I don’t know.

MoCom brings some needed historical perspective to this argument:

The 1960 Presidential and 1962 California Governor race had finished Richard Nixon as a national political figure.

With his years of legislative experience and the post JFK assassination goodwill — that pushed him to a 1964 landslide victory — Lyndon Johnson would be a juggernaut going into the 1968 election.

The 1976 Presidential primary race finished Ronald Reagan as a national political figure who could never run for President again. He was too old and nothing more than a California flash in the pan.

The 1988 plagiarism scandal assured that Joe Biden had reached the peak of his own political “Peter Principle.”

The 1994 mid-term election assured that Bill Clinton was a one term President.

After John Kerry’s loss in 2004, Hillary Clinton was assured of the 2008 Democrat Presidential Nomination and would coast into the White House.

And the conventional wisdom last year was that it would be a Rudy vs. Hillary match.

Nov 8, 2008 - 10:36 am 153. Tony:

She’s a noob.
She will get better.

tony
south haven,mi

Nov 8, 2008 - 10:39 am 154. Brian C.:

Well, I’m still a fan of Sarah’s (although I am sure Jazz never was) and would enthusiastically support her.

That said, any Republican candidate for national office (particularly if they are running against a “politically correct” oponent like Obama) must be prepared to also run against the media too. Conservatives (that leaves Jazz out) must do everything in their power to discredit the liberal media regardless of whom we field in 2012.

Nov 8, 2008 - 10:40 am 155. mdconservative:

I have to agree with Tyner. I doubt she will be part of a ticket in 2012, I do think she has a good shot at and will more likely run for a US House or Senate Seat from AK.

Nov 8, 2008 - 10:45 am 156. jim:

Just remember that it is the east coast ruling elites that got us into this mess. Ya, trust them to get us out of it, ya think? Marxism here we come. I’ll take my chances with the common sense american attitudes that have served us well for over a couple hundred years. Sarah understands this, you do not. Please go away………

Nov 8, 2008 - 10:45 am 157. KySlugBug:

Thou protesteth to much.
Never underestimate the “Cuda”.
gov.sarahpalinrocks.us

Nov 8, 2008 - 10:48 am 158. Middleman:

Palin is a zero in terms of Washington, get it? She might be good for Alaska, but not good for the nation. Provincial at best. If what the McCain aides said was true about her not knowing what countries are in NAFTA or Africa is a continent, then she has no business being near the White House.
She might be popular with Republicans who easily are duped by a MILF popping up in the middle of the crusty old guard, but those are the only people being taken in.
I’m an independent who was looking forward to this election being a battle to win the moderates’ votes, but the Republicans fouled up by falling back on the religious right, and dare I say, anti-intellectual sect by going with Palin. What ever happened to pre-religious right conservatism?
Time to go back to the drawing boards Republicans. Put Palin and the religious right on the shelf and you just might get my vote next time around. Otherwise enjoy being an almost irrelevant party for the next 8-16 years.

Nov 8, 2008 - 10:57 am 159. Dee:

I don’t agree. If Hillary could have such a successful run after all the unresolved scandal and innuendo of her White House years, then there’s no reason to think Palin can’t do the same in a few years. Few remember the details of Whitewater Gate, Hillary’s questionable venture into the commodities market, or even all the mysteriously missing files and “I don’t recall” testimony. I predict that the silly (and one could argue, MUCH less substantial) attacks on Palin will fade away in similar manner. She, like Hillary, will be able to say, “I’ve been thoroughly vetted.”

Nov 8, 2008 - 10:58 am 160. Fantom:

Well Jazz.. thanx for the heads up. You are one more moron I will not need to waste the time of day on.

It is always good finding such out.

Nov 8, 2008 - 10:59 am 161. ccoffer:

“So let us ask ourselves once again, ……..”

Who the hell is us, Jackazz? You and other brainless flakes like you got a Marxist elected. You aren’t one of us. You are one of them.
Quit pretending.

Nov 8, 2008 - 11:01 am 162. ChuckTX:

So “Jazz” how did your pick for president go:

Bob Barr??

Nothing more needs to be said about this article…

Nov 8, 2008 - 11:03 am 163. Peter G:

I have no idea whether Palin ended up as a plus or minus on the ticket. She brought in more votes from conservatives, she lost some votes among the independents. In the end I’m not sure anyone can tally up the result, but I venture to say it wouldn’t have made a difference either way. The real albatross for McCain was GWB, no matter how much he has differed with him over the years. There is no example of the party in power winning an election with a president having an approval rating below 50% except Truman. GWB’s was around 25%. Good luck with that.

Blaming the McCain campaign for Palin being uninformed is wishful thinking. You can blame them for choosing her, but to give her all the credit when things go well and blame the “handlers” when things fall apart is just projecting on her skills she doesn’t have at this time. The idea that Palin is a conservative hero right now is true only that she’s a hero to conservatives, she’s not Ronald Reagan. She couldn’t win a national election unless she does some serious homework between now and whenever she might run again. Palin as Reagan? He had a consistent philosophy, had written about it many times and engaged in many debates before he’d even run for governor. Palin has provided little evidence of her thought process at all. The evidence for Palin’s conservatism is what? Yes she is a conservative on social issues, yes she’s for drilling. Beyond that there’s little knowledge of what she thinks on domestic policy, free trade, economics, and so forth, and there’s nothing out there to show her views on foreign policy are. She merely re-stated McCain’s positions on foreign policy during the campaign, as she had to (and lucky for her).

So Palin’s the real deal? Maybe. More likely she’s enough of a blank slate that her supporters can believe whatever they want about her. In this way she’s similar to Obama. Listen to the way her supporters forgive her anything and praise what little they know of her. I’d prefer her over Obama based on what I know of their respective policies, but I’m not going to declare her the hope for the future. I used to think well of Condi Rice too.

Nov 8, 2008 - 11:03 am 164. NS:

Poor Jazz Shaw,
He thinks he is a “RINO” !! well this is the same guy who turned a blind eye to the cronies that Obama has befriended and used – right from the Rezko to the big shots in Crook County including Daley,Stroger and of course his “mentor” in the IL senate Emil Jones.

This is how bad it is today in the tanning bed media – a corrupt Chicago machine pol is now President and the media intentionally looks the other way.A President who has very close associations with the patrons of the Crook County patronage system is given a free pass. And Palin is accused of cronyism!! Ohh the horrors ! as though she was the first politician who has had friends working for her… that surely should be news.

It will be interesting to watch the reaction of the Jazz Shaws of the world when Patrick Fitzgerald puts the Rezkos, Ginnoulias’es and the Daley’s of the world in the place they all really belong – FEDERAL PRISON. And when Obama grants them a Presidential pardon.

The moderate voice is the wrong name for his blog – it should be more like the Moderate Pretender… that’s a cool name too.

Nov 8, 2008 - 11:05 am 165. T. S.:

I’m glad that Sarah Palin rose to the Governor’s mansion in Alaska. She shows that it’s still possible, at least in Alaska, to hold high office and to be a factor in Presidential politics without having a J.D. or a degree from an Ivy League institution (actually, Harvard and Yale are the schools that produce our political class — you don’t see many Dartmouth, Penn or Cornell alums running for President or Vice President). Let’s hope that we see more regular citizens rising from local politics to national politics in the future.

That said, Sarah Palin is finished. The MSM did to Palin what catty, bitchy, vicious mean girls do to girls they don’t like: they tore her apart before she ever got the chance to speak for herself. It wasn’t pretty and it wasn’t fair. But it was effective. And as such, much of the country views Palin as a corrupt, lying, white trash religious fanatic ignoramus with an 83 IQ.

These days, Presidential candidates must appeal to a pop culture obsessed electorate. That puts all Republicans at an automatic disadvantage, since the engines behind American pop culture all tilt left. So Republicans have to be considerably better than their Dem opponents on all fronts in order to have a chance. And quite frankly, Sarah Palin was not ready for prime time.

The large segment of the Republican base that loves Sarah Palin notwithstanding, most of the country falls somewhere on the spectrum between outright despising her or viewing her as an incompetent backwoods rube.

Sarah Palin wasn’t ready for prime time. Five months ago, most Americans (including most of the MSM) had never heard of her. But the media handed her head to her, and she’s poison for the GOP because of it.

Sarah Palin is a folksy, regional hero to a party that has become a regional party. And that’s nice. But the Republicans will never return to power if they don’t attract affluent, educated professionals and the political middle. Sarah Palin turns those peoples’ stomachs. George W. Bush did enough damage to conservatism and to the Republican party. The last thing the party needs is another inarticulate, country hick to drive more voters to the Democrats. Sarah Palin is not good for the GOP.

Nov 8, 2008 - 11:06 am 166. cedarford:

Lurker:
Electoral losers like Richard Nixon, George HW Bush, Bob Dole, and John McCain?
Oh right, they all lost primaries or elections and still went on to run for president.
The Republican party has a penchant for nominating the next in line – loser or not. It will happen again.

They have a penchant only if the loser was involved in running all through the Primaries and lost. Add Reagan (1976) who the public saw a lot of.
The VP candidates who never vied for the top spot – parachuted in on the whim of one man, the nominee, at the last minute, have a different track record. Both Republican and Democrat – their track record is instant obscurity (Miller, Quayle after 1992) or being touted as the surefire next nominee and falling flat on their faces in their Presidential runs (Kemp, Lieberman, Edwards).

**************
BC – “Serious” candidate Romney is not much more literate on world matters, mostly because he had much, much more time to get prepped and he knows how to fudge and shut up when he’s not sure of the right answer.

Romney has had experience abroad. He has negotiated with foreign business leaders and governments, as well as serving in France for a year as a missionary, and serving in Olympics activities.
Those touting Jindal have a guy with a stellar academic and young executive track record. Some experience abroad as a Rhodes Scholar. Almost as good a record as Romney had when he was Jindal’s age. (By 35, Romney had created thousands of jobs on net, was a CEO of his own spinoff woth tens of millions, after a stellar start at the best international management consulting firm)
Palin? Not in their league, I’m afraid. Her forte is telegenic culture warrior who strongly appeals to 20% of the US populace. The other abilities of Palin – other than some energy expertise and ethics reform in Alaska are unknown. She might be more knowledgable than she appears, she might not have had those campaign funds diverted to her family. We will find out..

Nov 8, 2008 - 11:07 am 167. Middleman:

I find it comical that so many people dish out the old socialism/marxist boogeyman, yet Palin is the governor of the one state where residents are doled out oil company checks every year. Maybe that’s just a red herring though, or a Red Palin.

Nov 8, 2008 - 11:08 am 168. Rob:

From another piece on PJM by Jazz: “September 11, 2001, taught me exactly how small I had become and reminds me of how much larger my soul needs to be”.

I couldn’t agree more.

Nov 8, 2008 - 11:12 am 169. Frank:

Hey I just realized how Obama won the election. He got votes in all the 57 + 2 states that he campaigned in and got campaign contributions.

McCain/Palin only got the votes and money from the people in the 50 states of the USA. McCain should have campaigned in those 9 or 10 extra states. McCain probably could have gotten at least 8 million more votes and raised $700 million like Obama got there.

For those of you that saying Sarah Palin is so stupid and jump on a RUMOUR about saying something wrong about the continent of Africa? I have a question, what about the Video of Obama saying he had gone to 57 and a couple he still needed to go or had not gone to. Does that make him worse, since there is no doubt that he said it and actually lives in the USA? Just wondering?

Nov 8, 2008 - 11:15 am 170. Sal:

Sarah Palin is far from done with national politics. Although I am not 100% sold on her as the Presidential nominee in 2012 (I’d like to see what Bobby Jindal and Newt Gingrich have to say) she is definately among my current top picks for the spot.

Sarah has a way of speaking directly to the American People, and her skills should not be underestimated. Two more years is a lifetime in the political arena. With a reelection race as Governor, and the ability for her to control the message (instead of relying on team McCain) she will be a force in 2012.

Nov 8, 2008 - 11:15 am 171. al schilleci:

Chloe’,What is an expansive intellect?I’m just a down home folk who don’t know all dem big words like irremediable,analytical misapprehension, and I just have a really hard time categorizing(how ’bout that word?)good ole Rahm as a “centrist”but I’m sure I don’t have an expansive intellect such as yours.If you are a woman,no doubt you’re an enlightened one such as Peggy,Kathleen,Gloria and their ilk.Yeah,Gov.Palin can just go back to the “sticks”and run the state of Alaska and pout about how she cost John-boy the election.Nah,I don’t think so,the good Gov.Palin is on the scene to stay unless I am laboring under an analytical misapprehension and my thoughts are not coalescing properly.Thanks,alinaubrey.

Nov 8, 2008 - 11:20 am 172. Samir:

I think she needs to stay in Alaska too. All she does is divide when our nation needs to heal.

Nov 8, 2008 - 11:20 am 173. Let Freedom Ring » Blog Archive » Jazz Shaw, Amateur Pundit:

[...] Pundit It isn’t often that I pay attention to Jazz Shaw but I have to say something about this incoherent post. To each of these groups I would urge caution. In the short time we’ve known Governor Palin, the [...]

Nov 8, 2008 - 11:21 am 174. littleguy:

I’m always curious when a person’s intellect is questioned. A person I knew had nothing but A-grades throughout high school and it was his dream to attend Princeton University. His SAT scores were very high, although not perfect. He applied with an essay about his aspirations, his accomplishments and his dreams, but he was not accepted. He went on to attend another university, and by all accounts is very successful today. Had he never attended university, he would still have a powerful intellect. I have known many powerful intellects over the years and many of them never attended university at all. In fact they can be found in the most unlikely of places, including death row. Justice Oliver Wendall Holmes is quoted as describing President Roosevelt as having a “second-class intellect, but a first-class temperament”, but Roosevelt is generally regarded as one of the most important presidents in our history. I don’t know about that, but I do know that it is difficult to assess a person’s intellect from afar. More than that, intellect may be a necessary condition for holding the office of President, but we could simply draft one of the many professors teaching at MIT if this were a sufficient condition. I have heard that those who actually know Sarah Palin regard her as brilliant. I only know that she is accomplished, charismatic, compassionate, and is possessed of leadership skills beyond anyone I have seen in a very long time.

Nov 8, 2008 - 11:22 am 175. Eric:

Lest people be dismayed that this is another conservative gone astray, Jazz Shaw is a “writer” at moderatevoice.com who looks like a bad imitation of Dr. John and is a self-described “former Republican.” He has apparently had it in for Sarah, as well as her family, for some time. Why he’s on Pajama’s Media is anyone’s guess, and why Hotair.com continues to link to these buffoons is beyond me. But I’d take him about as seriously as Andrew Sullivan, i.e. don’t waste your time.

Nov 8, 2008 - 11:32 am 176. John the Libertarian:

What a stuck-up snot.

Nov 8, 2008 - 11:39 am 177. Seymour:

Folks,

The only consistent and powerful momentum McCain achieved during his campaign was the introduction of a now very popular neo con to the Conservative movement, Sarah Palin.

Something akin to a Palin/Jindal or Palin/Romney will be the ticket in 2012 but it will be a Palin ticket. Now that she’s experienced this whirlwind of National Politics, she’s going nowhere but into a sequestered and massively intense due diligence think tank that won’t conclude until the next primaries. She has touched, smelled and tasted the complex wafting textures of Power. She will not make the proverbial stops of Congress or House representation. She has HUGE National support in place now which will garner more momentum, more kinetic energy as time marches on. This massive support awaits her marching orders which doesn’t manifest often if ever at this magnitude.

She will come out of the chutes this next election season like a shot out of a nuclear reactor and to say she will be tough as nails is very much a striking understatement. She knows the value of where she’s at and where she can go with this opportunity, I’m quite sure.

Or…she could run out her term as Governor and just be Mrs. Todd Palin.

Seymour

Nov 8, 2008 - 11:42 am 178. njcommuter:

It’s clear that the Left has a good nose for threats. If the last thing they want is Sarah Palin, then probably it’s what we should give them, with proper support the next time.

Side note: It’s “toe the line”, not “tow the line.” So sayeth Old Foggy. Look it up!

Nov 8, 2008 - 11:45 am 179. John Skookum:

Sarah has only two real problems. One is that she scares a lot of women. I expect to see her spending a lot of time on daytime television over the next four years, correcting the media’s lies and distortions, and playing up her sensible, moderate, accomplished record as Governor. She has been portrayed as some kind of Dominionist theocrat, though in fact she has not lifted a finger to impose her religious beliefs on the people of Alaska since becoming Governor. She leads by example and persuasion. I think she will do phenomenally well on the girl-talk programs like Oprah, and give them their highest ratings ever. She will be invited back again and again. If she can persuade just 20% of the women who voted against her to switch sides, she’s our next President.

Her other problem is with extemporaneous speaking in the interview setting. Part of this has to do with her fund of knowledge on foreign affairs and other matters not pertinent directly to Alaska. The other part of the problem regards her manner of speaking, which can become very hasty, jumbled, repetitive, and banal when she’s winging it. These deficiencies synergistically magnify each other. Luckily, both of them can be corrected.

She can give a dynamite interview when she is up to speed on the topic of discussion. Anyone who has seen her pre-campaign interview with Maria Bartiromo knows this. I expect her to be hitting the books hard, spending lots of time with deep-thinking advisers, traveling around the country and overseas, and delivering tons and tons of interviews and speeches for the next four years. She will also, if she’s smart, spend time practicing the art of speaking with experts in speech and rhetoric. Even Winston Churchill did this. I suspect that when she returns to the campaign trail, she’ll exceed even Joe Biden in the ability to smoothly and confidently spout bullshit when she’s over her head, and that there will be many fewer times when this is the case. The dominant media meme will become how much better and smarter she sounds this time around.

All the rest of the baggage she seems to carry now will seem like pretty small beer by the time 2012 or 2016 rolls around. If she can correct these defects, and I think she’s plenty smart and hard-working enough to do so, then she is going to make Jazz Shaw look like a jackass.

Nov 8, 2008 - 11:49 am 180. Jean:

I love hearing the “she’s such a regular person” comment. That’s exactly what the people who voted in W said about him. I think the conservatives are in need of a break-up. Let the extremeists secede with their precious gal.

Nov 8, 2008 - 11:50 am 181. TomJW:

She should stay in Alaska for now. Continue her great leadship in Alaska. In 2012 she runs as an outsider and cleans everyones clock.

Nov 8, 2008 - 11:57 am 182. Paleo Pat:

heh… Jazz, was not a smart thing to write that here…How’s that flame feeling?

*snort*

Nov 8, 2008 - 12:06 pm 183. garjog:

“The fallout of this election, however, has left the beautiful bird with clipped wings and a load of baggage which would likely trip her up in a terminal fashion at the next dance.”

Creative, thoughtful and well written essay, except for the glaring mixed metaphor above.

Conservatives will always be trashed by the media. Remember what they said about Reagan? If our candidates drop out the first time the killer bees attack, we will never get someone decent like Sarah in national office. Why cower?

Nov 8, 2008 - 12:13 pm 184. T. S.:

Cedarford:

“Not in (Romney’s or Jindal’s) league, I’m afraid. (Palin’s) forte is telegenic culture warrior who strongly appeals to 20% of the US populace. The other abilities of Palin – other than some energy expertise and ethics reform in Alaska are unknown. She might be more knowledgable than she appears, she might not have had those campaign funds diverted to her family. We will find out..”

Exactly. Romney and Jindal are probably the most knowledgeable, competent guys out there. But Romney couldn’t sell himself to the Republican electorate. I know that Reagan lost a primary before coming back to win the nomination, but Romney was easily the best candidate in’08 — yet he never came across as genuine or likable.

Romney may, and probably will, win the nomination in 2012. But he’ll never beat President Obama. And neither will Jindal.

Obama’s worshipers aren’t going to fall out of love with him in the next 4 years. Nor will Obama’s worshipers in the media. Remember, with all the troubles Bill Clinton endured during his first term, the media kept operating as a vehicle for Clinton spin. They love Obama more than they loved Clinton. And they’ll fight to the death to keep his approval ratings high throughout his presidency.

The Republican nominee is destined to lose in 2012. If Jindal is smart, he’ll wait until 2016.

* On a side note:

If I had to pick someone to be President, I would pick Mitt Romney. He’s the best candidate for the job. Unfortunately, we don’t have a board of directors who selects our President, as corporations do. Every schmuck has a vote (and if a schmuck lives in a heavily Democrat district, he/she probably has 3 or 4 votes). People who watch Flava of Love and who read In Touch and US Weekly have as much of a vote as Jack Welch, or Carly Fiorina. As such, Mitt Romney can’t win the Presidency. He may be the best candidate for the position, but he doesn’t have the requisite pop culture appeal.

Bobby Jindal doesn’t have that kind of appeal either. But he does have something going for him that no other Republican does: he’s a great speaker who makes a convincing case for conservative principles.

Regardless of what conservatives may say, the country is kind of moving to the left. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Conservatives have dropped the ball in terms of informing, educating and selling the public on the merits of conservative ideas. Democrats play off voters’ emotions, while offering easy answers and security. The schools (from K-12 through the universities), the media and the popular culture all promote left leaning ideas. If conservatives fail to make erudite, persuasive arguments, voters will be inclined to vote Dem. With precious few advocates in the schools, media or pop culture, it’s up to conservatives to make the case for their own ideas.

Bobby Jindal does that well. I can’t think of another Republican politician who does.

Nov 8, 2008 - 12:13 pm 185. Limpet6:

“All she does is divide, when the nation needs to heal.”

Oh, yeah, and Obama will “bring us together.”

Where does all this nonsense come from? Both twenty people into a room and ask them about anything and they will coalesce into a minimum of two groups. That’s actually good because those two or more groups will keep an eye on each other.

There are knuckleheads who are afraid of all conflict and think all conflict is bad. They strive for something that is not only unattainable, but dangerous.

Nov 8, 2008 - 12:13 pm 186. maybe it's me:

I can’t believe that some of you people actually want this person to hold any office. Is this a popularity contest? The woman thought Africa was a country. Most of you probaly do also.

I am quite sure she is a nice lady. But I stop short of exulting leadership praise upon a person who the majority of regular people say she needs to learn more. Isn’t that a oxymoron.
She is STUPID. Plain and simple.
” I know that I know that I know” What the heck?

Nov 8, 2008 - 12:15 pm 187. Darleen:

Good friggin’ Lord

Anonymous, unsources stuff, more than likely lies on par with the “Trig is not Sarah’s baby” and the classist, misogynists are sneering “get out of the REAL United States, Sarah!”

McCain would have lost EVERY state without Palin on the ticket, dipwads. McCain was Democrat-lite and every time the Republican party goes there IT LOSES.

and I tell you, if McCain doesn’t come to her defense because of his wounded ego because she drew tens of thousands to rallies instead of him, I will travel to AZ in 2010 and help defeat him and get him out of the Senate.

Nov 8, 2008 - 12:23 pm 188. Sonny:

I am sure that after a few months of Obamaniac, Palin will be viewed a lot differently and will be giving many people the thought that, “Maybe Palin would have been better, after all.”

Nov 8, 2008 - 12:24 pm 189. John Skookum:

“I find it comical that so many people dish out the old socialism/marxist boogeyman, yet Palin is the governor of the one state where residents are doled out oil company checks every year.” So says Middleman.

The people of Alaska own the oil on their common lands. They do not own me or Middleman or Joe the Plumber, but that’s the message I’m getting from the Democrats. Alaska’s oil revenues are distributed fairly and evenly to all residents, which is very different from Obama’s punitive notion of “spreading the wealth.”

I’m also pleased that Sarah sent the excess tax revenue back to the people, for them to spend as they saw fit. If she had been a Democrat or even a Bush/McCain Republican, no doubt it would have been poured down some big-government rat hole. In addition, instead of enacting a grandstanding, vindictive, one-time “windfall profits” tax, she negotiated a reasonable increase in the severance tax to be collected in perpetuity. Transparency and predictability are how you grow a state’s economy. Sarah knows this and Democrats do not.

Her obvious courage, shrewdness, and frugality in her dealings with the oil companies and the severance tax revenues were probably the main reason I supported her. I may be able to beat her at Trivial Pursuit, but I cannot think of another human being I would rather have in charge of our government. I will donate big money to her next campaign and work as hard as I possibly can to elect her.

Nov 8, 2008 - 12:31 pm 190. Pierred:

I’m not that much of a political junkie, but I think that however “deficient” SP may have been so far a depth of knowledge is concerned, that’s something that a bright person can learn, and she’s obviously a bright person, unlike BO, who, as near as I can tell, knows how to orate soaringly while looking to the left, look down and grab the words, look to the right, look down and grab the words, etc, etc. She has a fabulous capacity to connect with people. However, I don’t think the GOP can hope for even a smidgen of help from the MSM in the next four years. We will really need for BO and his warmed-over Carter/Clinton team to screw up big time in a way that’s obvious to the public, without having to be pointed out by the MSM. It’ll be tough.

Nov 8, 2008 - 12:32 pm 191. Ad rem:

FYI….

Jazz is a registered “Independent”, (former Republican)
Opposed the Iraq War
VOTED FOR KERRY IN “04!!!
and is the Asst. Ed. of “The Moderate Voice”…a loose conglomeration of RINOS and libs.
Works in IT and lives in New York….

I think the above says it all dont’t you!!!

Nov 8, 2008 - 12:35 pm 192. serr8d:

Jazz Shaw, feel free to kiss my ass.

You, Pajamas Media, and your sorts of elitist Republicans can go 50 years without winning another election and it would suit me just fine. I’d rather suffer under leftist Democrats than put up with the sort of elitist, snobbish pretenders supported by such as you.

Sarah Palin has my complete support for any endeavor she wishes to undertake. You, if I ever hear of you again, it will be too soon.

Nov 8, 2008 - 12:39 pm 193. AnninCA:

Chloe…your analysis gave me a headache.

I sort of a Bill Clinton type of political follower.

Sarah has a great story. She’s attracts. End of story.

And not one of the “smears” actually stuck.

If anything, she exits smelling like a rose.

The media?

Stinky!

Nov 8, 2008 - 1:00 pm 194. Dschoen:

While her advocates clung to debasement of the Troopergate “attacks” with cries of what an awful monster her former brother-in-law had been,
they blindly refused to examine the fact that a governor must recuse herself, her staff, and her husband from intervening in an investigation involving family members.

Speaking of being “blind” exactly how did you miss this?

http://www.gov.state.ak.us/archive.php?id=1370&type=1

Please note: I’m not accusing you of doing your job, being competent, honest or unbiased.

Governor’s top security detail, Special Agent Bob Cockrell, to forward serious concerns that were substantiated in an internal trooper investigation. The concerns regarding the trooper included: using a Taser stun gun on his stepson, illegally killing a moose and driving with an open container in his patrol car. The First Gentleman also expressed concern over death threats made against a family member by the trooper.

“When made aware of the security concerns regarding a state trooper, I instructed the First Gentleman to contact the commissioner of Public Safety,” Cockrell said. “It is standard protocol to ask every governor about any threats they perceive or have realized. I will not hesitate to set the record straight in answering these false allegations by former Commissioner Monegan.”
Cockrell, who joined the Alaska State Troopers in 1963, started with the Office of the Governor in 1983, under Governor Bill Sheffield. He is now serving his sixth governor.

BTW, the “investigation involving family members” occurred YEARS before Palin was Governor.

Oh one more thang! Palin and her family were COMPLETELY EXONERATED in this bogus “Troopergate”

Nov 8, 2008 - 1:04 pm 195. radical_moderate:

Hey jazz…well written!

“She is very articulate.” yeah if you are a fan of the word “also” being inserted after every third word.

As for her future as either a Senator, or making a run for POTUS in 2012…I say YES PLEASE!

Nov 8, 2008 - 1:08 pm 196. Brian C.:

In other words, Jazz Shaw is a FRAUD

Nov 8, 2008 - 1:29 pm 197. fred:

This piece was oily, pedantic, snarky, pretentious, pseudo intellectual, and just plain overbearing. It isn’t insightful; it’s just an attempt at refined insult. Very much overdone. Audience, please use the fruits and vegetables your brought in your baskets.

Nov 8, 2008 - 2:09 pm 198. Jim Baker:

The media doesn’t do the vetting(crappy media word) of candidates, the people do. Or at least, the people are supposed to. Republicans have given away this election because a long time ago they decided that competitive education for our children wasn’t worth fighting for. Our children have been educated by government union members, with socialistic tendancies, for two generations now. How did anyone expect the grduates of this system to vote? In the cases of the Bush, Dole, Bush, and McCain, big government education seems okay to them. Which buffoon do they nominate next time?
So this so called Jazz Shaw writes another hit piece on Palin. Who the hell is he to offer any advice about what any politician should do next? I am pretty sure Palin will make Palin’s decisions.
The Washington, D.C. Democrats and Republicans can go to hell, for all I care. I am pretty sure that is where the whole country is headed now anyway.

Nov 8, 2008 - 2:15 pm 199. Ken Hahn:

gee Jazz, you really are terrified of her, aren’t you?

Nov 8, 2008 - 2:19 pm 200. Chloé:

Bobby Jindal doesn’t have that kind of appeal either. But he does have something going for him that no other Republican does: he’s a great speaker who makes a convincing case for conservative principles.

Agreed.

The problem for Republicans is the electoral grip that Obama presently has. From Ryan Sager and today’s NY Post

Cast your eyes to the interior West, once a solid Republican region. Barack Obama turned a large swath of it blue. New Mexico, Colorado and Nevada all went big for him, after President Bush won them in 2004.

New Mexico (Bush by 1 point) went Obama by 15 points. Colorado (Bush by 5 points) went Obama by 7 points. Nevada (Bush by 3 points) went Obama by 12 points. (Obama also came within a remarkable 3 points in Montana, where Bush won by 20 points in 2004.)

And this change in the interior West isn’t just at the presidential level, and it’s not confined to this year:

* In Nevada, Dina Titus (D) unseated Rep. Jon Porter (R) in suburban Las Vegas’s 3rd District. Democrats now hold two of Nevada’s three House seats.

* In Colorado, Democrat Mark Udall beat Republican Bob Schaffer for the Senate seat vacated by Republican Wayne Allard; Colorado now has two Democratic senators. And Betsy Markey (D) unseated Rep. Marilyn Musgrave (R), the chief sponsor of Bush’s Federal Marriage Amendment, in the 4th District, giving Democrats five of Colorado’s seven House seats.

* In Arizona, Democrat Ann Kirkpatrick defeated Republican Sydney Hay in a race for an open Republican seat in the 1st District. Toss in two pickups in 2006, and Democrats hold five of Arizona’s eight House seats – the first time since 1966 that the state’s delegation has leaned Democratic.

* In New Mexico, Democrat Tom Udall (cousin of Mark) beat Rep. Steve Pearce (R) for the Senate seat vacated by the GOP’s Pete Domenici; New Mexico now has two Democratic senators. Also, two of the state’s three House seats switched to Democrat, leaving its House delegation pure blue.

The GOP also saw scattered but significant losses in other regions. In the Northeast, the GOP lost its last House member in New England: Chris Shays of Connecticut. It also lost New Hampshire Sen. John Sununu. On the Pacific Coast, the GOP appears to have lost Republican Sen. Gordon Smith – a lonely holdout in a blue region.

[...]

What does it all add up to? A party resting on an ever-shrinking geographic base: Dixie. Look at John McCain’s likely final 173 electoral votes: 113 of them come from the South (defined as the 11 states of the old Confederacy plus Kentucky and Oklahoma). That’s 65 percent of his electoral vote – and much of the rest comes from the sparsely populated Plains states

All you had to do was to look at the RNC and that sea of white faces. I’m not implying racism. What I’mean to point to is the lack of diversity. Not something you have to give much thought to, unless you have a Nation that does not reflect that lack of diversity.

That said, I am not at all for pandering to diverse groups. If you do that or have to do that, conservatism becomes something that needs to find another name.

I think the liberal/conservative pendulum swings back and forth about every 30 years. Unless something catastrophic happens or Obama really just proves unforgivably incompetent, Republicans shouldn’t waste good talent, but groom it.

There are very few people who have really lived conservative principles. There are very few people who have not taken advantage of governmental largesse. The Nation decided long ago to pool its resources to extend a decent number of benefits to themselves and to other citizens. In that sense, conservatism was destroyed many decades ago.

Reagan was about the destruction of the USSR. His longing for smaller government was not something he could realize. While running he actually advocated defunding the Department of Education, but was not able to do that.

Not being able to abolish the DE was not his fault. It just wasn’t a doable thing.

Add to this Independents’ antipaty towards anyone who wears their religion on their sleeve, and you have a Nation not very amenable to conservatism as it has recently been understood.

Nov 8, 2008 - 2:20 pm 201. RV:

I would love to vote for a person who truly believes in a smaller role for government. I will not vote for a person, though, who actually beleives that many Americans are not living in the real America.

Nov 8, 2008 - 2:23 pm 202. David:

WOW!!! A lot of leftist snobs have weighed in with charges of “provincialism” and “intellectual lightweight.”

Sarah Palin is no fool. If she makes her mind up to take on the Eastern establishment and the country club RINO’s and leftists, she will lead an energized army of “little people” who will swarm the MSM and RINO’s and leftists with straight talk and demands for accountability.

The RINO’s, the MSM and leftists will snicker and sniff and wave their Gucci tassels while mocking the villagers as little more than peasants with torches and pitchforks.

Sorry, but we peasants really don’t care what you smart, urbane sophisticates think.

I would rather associate with the population of three rural counties chosen at random than to listen to the phony-baloney talking points babble of any tony country club membership.

Sarah Palin is a diamond. She knows who she is and where she comes from. That already puts her light years ahead of Barak Obama and poor Joe Biden who eats at Katie’s and hangs out at Home Depot.

Watch out, sophisticates, Joe the Plumber and his Verizon army are going to trample your sushi.

Nov 8, 2008 - 2:36 pm 203. Graziana Fury:

Transparent attempt to be interesting and relevant by describing himself as a “former RINO,” calling himself “Jazz,” and dismissing Palin. Yawn.

Nov 8, 2008 - 2:38 pm 204. DJ in PA:

Am I the only person who sees similarities between Gov. Palin and the late, great, Ronald Reagan? Folksy, conservative, able to communicate well, photogenic, Washington outsider, able to fire up the base, hated by the leftist press (and RINOs),not thought smart enough to be president and ultimately…underestimated.

Nov 8, 2008 - 2:44 pm 205. jane:

186. maybe it’s me:

“I can’t believe that some of you people actually want this person to hold any office. Is this a popularity contest? The woman thought Africa was a country. Most of you probaly do also.
I am quite sure she is a nice lady. But I stop short of exulting leadership praise upon a person who the majority of regular people say she needs to learn more. Isn’t that a oxymoron.
She is STUPID. Plain and simple.”

I could say the same thing about people who voted for Obama. If ever was a cult mentality about a candidate there was one centered on the “hope and change” empty suit. You’re the ones who chanted “Yes we can” like a bunch of foolish junior high groupies worshipping the latest boy band. Before his speech at the previous Dem convention he was nothing but a standard system playing Chicago politician – and even since then HE HAS DONE NOTHING other than run for office.
And don’t forget your own VP candidate’s tripping tongue – even his supporters admit he’s a gaffe a minute guy.You must be STUPID to accept unsourced rumors like the “Africa is a continent” one. Or do you take all your knowledge from the DNC talking point papers?

Nov 8, 2008 - 3:07 pm 206. Critical1:

Most of us never thought McCain had a prayer before Sarah’s arrival. Then here comes Sarah:

She won the hearts of the conservative base — and almost was able to drag the pro-illegal immigration (amnesty), anti-1st amendment (mccain-feingold) RINO presidential nominee for the Republican party across the goal line.

I donated again — for Sarah, I manned the phone — for Sarah. She will have not trouble gathering a following in 2012, or whenever she chooses to run.

Did you see the Rassmussan poll — Sarah beats all GOP alternatives for 2012.

I doubt that we have heard the last from Sarah — not ba a long long shot.

Nov 8, 2008 - 3:22 pm 207. Войска ПВО:

Chloé wrires:

“The problem for Republicans is the electoral grip that Obama presently has. From Ryan Sager and today’s NY Post

‘Cast your eyes to the interior West, once a solid Republican region. Barack Obama turned a large swath of it blue. New Mexico, Colorado and Nevada all went big for him, after President Bush won them in 2004.’”

..Hang on folks, the pendulum is at apogee for the Democrats and is beginning to swing back the other way. To be fair, Chloé, I realize this is an excerpted quote. But remember when the MSM was asking that burning question, “Is the Democrat Party doomed?” after the Republican pick-ups in 2002 and 2004? I sure do.

If Obama and Reid-Pelosi(sounds like a disease) cannot cooperte — and I believe it will be harder for them than one might imagine — then the resulting gridlock, while welcome, will piss off a lot of The Messiah’s Hopeful Changers and we might start seeing ODS (Obama Derangement Syndrome) where the peeps will punish him and P/R by throwing them out. On the other hand, if he goes ahead with his promised massive spending programs and raises taxes, forestalling a recovery, then he will be on the trash heap in 2012.

By the way, aside from the stupid premise of this article, let me also cast my vote of disapproval of “Jizz’s” flowery writing style.

You suck rat turds, Shaw!

Nov 8, 2008 - 3:30 pm 208. URBuddy:

The problem with some writers is that they don’t facts get in their way. For other writers, they keep ‘cute’ nicknames after reaching what should be adulthood…

Nov 8, 2008 - 3:51 pm 209. radical_moderate:

Chloe, excellent post. You are obviously a person interested in real strategizing, and real ideas.

Nov 8, 2008 - 4:22 pm 210. Someone75:

My evidence that the vast majority of PJMedia commenters are kool-aid drinking repubs? The response to this article. You attack your own people, unless they too put on the blindfold and walk off the cliff.

To make matters worse, I saw relatively few substantive responses to the article, compared to all the “you’re an idiot” or “go to hell” type responses.

Nov 8, 2008 - 4:38 pm 211. myth buster:

It’s amazing how the elitists in the Republican party say that we need to nominate a centrist in order to win, but when push comes to shove the centrists always lose. Why? Because the Old Boy Network will vote for the candidate with the R next to his/her name, for the sake of their own power, but Social Conservatives absolutely refuse to vote for liberal or centrist Republicans. We demand that the people we elect represent us and value life and liberty. That is why Conservatives win elections and centrist Republicans lose.

As for the Dixie crack, you’re forgetting one thing: Between now and the 2012 election is a little thing called the census. The census will reapportion House seats, and thus electoral votes, based on population shifts. People are going to flee from oppressive taxation in the blue states for fairer seas in the South. Add to that the fact that conservatives have more kids, and we’ll see the Republicans pick up multiple congressional seats and electoral votes by default.

RE: Obama’s love fest on College Campuses
Wait until those students graduate into a depression and can’t find work anywhere. Then see how fast their love for Obama turns to hatred.

Nov 8, 2008 - 4:42 pm 212. Xavier Cugat:

Palin/Rice ‘12

GAME OVER

Nov 8, 2008 - 4:43 pm 213. URBuddy:

Ok, that should read “let” facts get in their way…

For those of you that bought into the drivel being put forth by some unnamed sources you might just want to try and keep up a bit. Finally, today several McCain campaign aides have gone on the record to refute the gossip. AND, for those of you that think that the daughter of a teacher and the governor of a state that is positioned in between two foreign countries doesn’t know a bit about NAFTA and Russia are a bit naive. Her role as Governor of Alaska puts her in a unique position of having the ONLY National Guard Unit on permanent active duty status due to their role in our first line of defense against an attack from Russia. In that role, she is briefed on a number of sensitive and secret military issues. Informational briefings that Obama and Biden weren’t receiving before the 5th.

If Governor Palin wishes to run on a national ticket in the future, I would welcome such an event. If the Governor decides to stay in Alaska and raise her family, I would understand.

Nov 8, 2008 - 4:44 pm 214. Brad E Bishop:

Well , here is another site to boycott. If they can’t sceen out the lefties any better than this , what’s the point.

Nov 8, 2008 - 4:50 pm 215. t:

Please run for senate first, then prez.

Nov 8, 2008 - 5:05 pm 216. Войска ПВО:

Someone75 writes:

“To make matters worse, I saw relatively few substantive responses to the article, compared to all the “you’re an idiot” or “go to hell” type responses.”

You’re and idiot! Go to hell!

Nov 8, 2008 - 5:11 pm 217. Cheesehead:

Wake up call for GOP!!! You don’t neccessarily need a right wing nutjob to win. Reagan wasn’t a right wing nut job, look what he did. KNow why? Becuase he had a plan and principles.

McCain/Palin lost not becuase McCain/Palin wasn’t far enough to the right, but becuase they had no message. They had no ideals. The GOP has gotten far too used to winning elections just by calling the Dems terrorists or whatever name du jour they could come up with.

And when the country needs people with ideas and a plan, we got month after month of name calling and insults. The fringe right may not like the centrists, but guess what, they comprise over 30 percent of the electorate now. In other words YOU NEED THIER SUPPORT TO WIN. Calling them names doesn’t do that.

Reagan was able to disagree while still being friendly and respectful. The GOP now is a joke because they have forgotten that lesson.

And until the GOP remembers how to act like adults, they’ll be out in the wilderness for 40 more years.

Nov 8, 2008 - 5:16 pm 218. Hugo Williams:

Cheesehead you are either ignorant or a fool.

Principles and a plan are exactly what Palin has. Your mental frothing at not liking them is beside the point. Given that both have been on display, there is no excuse for ignorance; so fool you be.

Nov 8, 2008 - 6:10 pm 219. Middleman:

John Skookum states:
“The people of Alaska own the oil on their common lands. They do not own me or Middleman or Joe the Plumber, but that’s the message I’m getting from the Democrats. Alaska’s oil revenues are distributed fairly and evenly to all residents, which is very different from Obama’s punitive notion of “spreading the wealth.”
Certainly not every Alaskan resident has oil under the land they own and certainly not every Alaskan resident even owns their land, yet they are paid. You say the people of Alaska own the oil on the common lands, yet we as Americans all pay taxes to our states and federal government, so in that respect shouldn’t the government be obligated to provide certain services to the people, such as healthcare? I bet Joe the Plumber as an independent business owner doesn’t have health insurance. BTW, I’m not a socialist, I voted for Bush last term, and I hate Pelosi/Reid. I’m just playing a little ole devil’s advocate here.

As for the rest of you..keep on with the Palin 2012 talk. I suspect the Libertarians, the Greens, and even the Constitution Party might become more valid than the Republicans come 2012.

Nov 8, 2008 - 6:26 pm 220. everydayjoe:

What is “flapjack technology?” Is it something exclusive to privileged Nor’easterns?

Good God, man, zip up your fly.

Nov 8, 2008 - 6:33 pm 221. Daily Pundit » Shit Sandwiches Scared Shitless:

[...] Pajamas Media » Memo to Governor Palin: Stay in Alaska Jazz Shaw is a heretical, Northeastern former RINO and regular columnist at The Moderate Voice. He can be reached at jazzshaw@gmail.com. [...]

Nov 8, 2008 - 6:35 pm 222. Cheesehead:

“Cheesehead you are either ignorant or a fool.

Principles and a plan are exactly what Palin has. Your mental frothing at not liking them is beside the point. Given that both have been on display, there is no excuse for ignorance; so fool you be.
”

Right back at ya buddy!! Palin had no principle or plan this election except for “Ayers, Acorn, Khalidi etc…” Which anybody could see wasn’t going to work back when Clinton tried it.

You can be blinded by your love for her, but eventually you have to actually see or hear something tangible besides insults and innuendo.

Nov 8, 2008 - 6:36 pm 223. James Westlake:

Myth Buster,

“when push comes to shove the centrists always lose.”

I think you’ll find that a centrist was just elected President of the USA!

westlake

Nov 8, 2008 - 6:45 pm 224. Beej:

Holy cow. There are some good bloggers out there who’d love to write for Pajamas Media. Why must we slog through this tortured essay?

Nov 8, 2008 - 7:46 pm 225. The Lady Logician:

Since when have Republicans and Conservatives become so thin skinned and so afraid of hard thought and soul searching that we can not take a little tough love? Are we so faint in our beliefs that we can not stand a dissenting opinion?

When did Pajamas Media become the Conservative HuffPo? I thought this was a place of serious discussion?

LL

Nov 8, 2008 - 8:35 pm 226. TmjUtah:

It would have been 70/30 Obama without Palin.

And about fifty percent turnout, nationwide.

Note: It wasn’t McCain that Republicans turned out to vote for.

PJM. Nice idea.

Too bad it didn’t work.

Nov 8, 2008 - 8:36 pm 227. Jim Baker:

someone75,
You are an idiot and I am damned tired of reading your crap. Oh, and go to hell.

Nov 8, 2008 - 8:39 pm 228. Tcobb:

With all due respect, this article was a piece of pompous coaster trash. One of the great problems we face today is that we do have a political class which is based on (1) whether your daddy, mommy, or spouse is one of the political class, or (2) whether you can suck up enough to someone who fits in the first category. That’s what gets you there.

And then you have their groupies–they’re the modern day US equivalent of the European peasants who admired and licked the boots of the aristocracy thinking that somehow that made them better than the other peasants who didn’t. A lot of the MSM fit in this group.

The idea that someone like Sarah Palin, who is not only an outsider but doesn’t even have the decency to try to imitate or worship them, is shocking to them–its outrageous! She doesn’t KNOW HER PLACE. My God! She didn’t attend an Ivy League School and she’s never been to Europe! Oh–bring me my brandy Jeeves–the peasants are revolting!

And its just ridiculous to harp on the skeletons in her closest when you conveniently ignore the entire graveyard’s in the closets of the One and that pompous fool Biden. But the double standard, and the fools who embrace it, keep marching on.

Nov 8, 2008 - 8:42 pm 229. dave:

You undoubtedly are one of those republican moderates who ought to just go ahead and join the demoncrats. The moderate republicans cost us this election. McCain would not have done as well as he did without her. She represents the little guy like me. I am offended at you pompus jackasses that think you are so much smarter than us little peons.Put a true conservative republican on the ticket and you will see what happens. You are probably demoncrat plants installed to try and destroy the conservative movement. We won’t go away!

Nov 8, 2008 - 9:31 pm 230. Jim C.:

“devotional hysteria.”

Oh, puh-LEEZE.

“they blindly refused to examine the fact that a governor must recuse herself, her staff, and her husband from intervening in an investigation involving family members.”

As you blindly refuse to realize that if you held ever every governor, mayor and Congresscritter to the same standard, they’d all be out of office.

Who is this jackass columnist, anyhow? If we want to read stuff like this, we can go to Daily Kos or listen to Air America.

Nov 8, 2008 - 9:53 pm 231. smilla:

Absolute rubbish.

Nov 8, 2008 - 11:08 pm 232. just a American:

OH yea Palin the dem’s fear because she “not smart” as the guy who been to most of the the 58 states of america or his supper smart side kick the cant count to four for jobs has three letters.
those guys just are master deg collage boys who want to fix the world with US OF A tax dollars.

Nov 8, 2008 - 11:11 pm 233. wilky:

219. Middleman — you might want to read the Alaskan Constitution for a better understanding as to why Palin returned money to the Alaskan citizens. At least she doesn’t start with the premise that the document was fundamentally flawed, unlike our soon to be CnC.

As for Palin and this silly article. She was working on McCains behalf, which included a short lease and a muzzle. Do not be fooled. Should she run, she will be working on her terms, not someone elses. And she will be far more effective than she was this past month. McCain asked us to fight with him, when from all appearances, what he really meant was for us to fight for him.

All these Dems must have a closet fetish for Bush with all this “bring it on” talk. Careful for what you wish for.

Nov 8, 2008 - 11:12 pm 234. Rachel Peepers:

Jazz,

Why join in on the piling on of Sarah Palin?

It reminds me of Doug Plank in ‘85 spearing another Packer running back three seconds after Singletary, Dent and Wilson have turned him into a squashed mashmellow.

Just as ignominious, the way you try to ape Dennis Miller’s style of missive writing is like listening to William Hung try to sing “She Bangs” Ricky Martin style.

Good enough to sound okay with the bathroom door closed, but as unworthy of exposure to polite society as the opening of the bathroom door after Aunt Tilly has dinner at my mother-in-laws and gobbles down her winerschnitzel seemingly without taking a breath.

I guess Terry G (above) also was guilty of piling on when he criticized your pit bull type attack on Palin, calling your Caligula comment uncalled for. Fact is, though, I join him in taking exception to your use of that word, but for another reason.

Not only is “Caligula” one of Dennis Miller’s three favorite words, but your use of it, for me, is the smoking gun, the telltale clue, proving you’re doing your best to ape Miller’s allusion filled (Caligula)filled writing.

Style wise, Jazz, you might play in Peroria, but at a table of writers a la “Broadway Danny Rose” in New York City you’d be laughed out of the room like Sheri (I think the world is flat) Shepard at a Mensa convention.

Of course, besides style there’s substance to consider, or,in my opinion, your lack of it.

Jazz Shaw, you didn’t come up with one iota of fact why Palin shouln’t set her sights on Washington. You’re an archer without arrows. A cannon with no balls. A gun shooting blanks.

If your message to Sarah is to stay in Alaska because she has too much baggage for the trip back to DC, then what must you have said to Barack when he was deciding whether or not to run for President.

“Hey, Barack, baby, those twenty year relationships with American haters from Ayers to Dorne to Khalidi is a time bomb waiting to explode. Memo to Obama: Stay in Springfield.

B man, this Jeremy Wright pastor dude says things in Trinity Church that’ll have people saying, “Barack what’r you doing there? Barack, what’r you going to say to the press?

Something like, “Well, in twenty years I never heard him talk like that?

Who’ll believe that jive? Memo to Barack: Stay in Springfield.

“Barack, you’ve got a wife who sneers at every white person she meets. She has a frown longer than the Potomic. Broader than Hillary’s thighs. One look at Michelle and any white voter with half a brain will turn from you and run like they’ve just seen the ghost of Christmas past. Memo to Barack: Oh, I forgot, Michelle thinks America is a mean country and will scream she’s never been proud of it. Obama, my boy, stay in Springfield.”

Let’s face it.

Compare Palin’s baggage to Obama’s, and it’s like comparing a piece of lint to Oprah’s ego. Palin was absolved of any wrongdoing in the Trooper thing. Her relatives don’t work for her. Sarah went after corrupt Republicans and kicked them out of office. On the minus side, she didn’t know the Bush Doctrine, and sounded dumb in a Katie Couric interview. Well, how dumb did brilliant Barack sound when he told the world there are 57 states?

Jazz, your arguments that Palin should stay in Alaska have nothing to back them up. They’re like those western sets of building fronts with no rooms inside.

On the other side of the aisle you have Joe Biden who doesn’t know his constitution from his corner cafe. Who tells Katie Couric that, when the market collasped in 1929, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt went on television (before TV was invented and before FDR was President.)
Who announces to the general public that it’s patriotic to pay taxes. Who said, “mark my words, they’ll be a national crisis if Barack is elected.” Gaffes ad infinitum.

And if Biden is a single engine plane gaffe dropper, Obama is a supertanker.

There are 57 states.(op sit) I marched in Selma. I can no more disown my religious mentor, Reverend Wright, than my own racist grandmother. Bill Ayers was just a guy from the neighborhood. Pennsylvanians are mean, racist people who cling to their guns and religion. I did not give Hillary the finger. Georgia should get out of Russia. Or Russia Georgia. Whatever. I just want to spread the wealth around. Someday, we can use the supreme court to spread the wealth around. Sweetie, I’ll get to you later. And now I’m proud to introduce my nomination for Vice President, Joe America.

Jazz, get the picture? Your memos should go to Joe and Barack. Not to Sarah Palin. Your only message to Palin should be, “Honey, your political future looks so bright you’re gonna need shades.”

How many times did Nixon lose before he won? Or Reagan? Or FDR? Or Adams? Or Lincoln? Or Kennedy?

Jazz, I hear a lot of strident Socialistic liberals on TV and radio blabbering why Palin shouldn’t ever run again on a national stage. Why?

Because they’re afraid of her. Because she scares the pants off them.

You only wish you had a Sarah Palin to run in 2012 after Obama royally screws up this country. You have Hillary, which is like dying of thirst and drinking a glass of sand.

Jazz Shaw, who are you to tell Sarah Palin to go back to Alaska and stay there? What did she ever do to you?

Here’s my advice for you. Two choices. Either go back to Journalism School. Or enroll in the witless protection program. The day you wrote your article for Pajamas Media, my friend, you were caught with your credibility used up.

And your pants down.

Nov 9, 2008 - 1:14 am 235. Bumr50:

Memo to Jazz Shaw- your train is leaving the station. Don’t let the door hit your overinflated sense of literacy on the way out….

Nov 9, 2008 - 4:20 am 236. devildog666:

Never read one of your articles before, never will again after read that crap.

Nov 9, 2008 - 4:32 am 237. Chuck:

How many times in the last few days have I read or heard some variation of: “Forget Palin; too much baggage?” And where did most of that “baggage” come from? Would it be the mainstream media and its un-named sources? In the end, it’s just another case of the media creating the story it wants to write. And, in light of depressed circulation and newsroom layoffs, how’s that strategy working out?

Nov 9, 2008 - 5:40 am 238. david:

P.M:
I think you just lost a lot of readers. You certainly lost me.

Nov 9, 2008 - 6:03 am 239. Fred Beloit:

Jazz, how many elections have you won? Many I suppose. That must be how you have the audacity to tell real politicians what to do.

Nov 9, 2008 - 7:04 am 240. MarkD:

What an amazing leap of illogic from somebody I am unlikely to waste my time with again.

Nov 9, 2008 - 8:00 am 241. Bruxellesblog:

Here is a little recent poll from that left wing conspiracy site, The Wall Street Journal. Yes that was sarcasm, but I’ll bet that WSJ now qualifies as left wing media to Palin voters…

http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/i/msnbc/sections/news/081021_NBC-WSJ_Poll_Released-b.pdf

“Fifty-five percent of respondents say she’s not qualified to serve as president if the need arises, up five points from the previous poll.

In addition, for the first time, more voters have a negative opinion of her than a positive one. In the survey, 47 percent view her negatively, versus 38 percent who see her in a positive light.

That’s a striking shift since McCain chose Palin as his running mate in early September, when she held a 47 to 27 percent positive rating.

Now, Palin’s qualifications to be president rank as voters’ top concern about McCain’s candidacy – ahead of continuing President Bush’s policies, enacting economic policies that only benefit the rich and keeping too high of a troop presence in Iraq. ”

She appeals to 33% of the electorate, in 2012 you’ll be beaten worse than George Mcgovern in 72 and maybe Mondale in 84. Good luck with that.

She was a disaster to anyone outside of the republican base, she is the kiss of death to any strategy to win back the white house.

Nov 9, 2008 - 8:05 am 242. jane:

“She appeals to 33% of the electorate…
She was a disaster to anyone outside of the republican base, she is the kiss of death to any strategy to win back the white house.”

So the Republicans can win back the WH by throwing away their base? We can win the WH by spliting the 67% of the electorate she didn’t appeal to with the Democrats?

Nov 9, 2008 - 8:39 am 243. AnninCA:

Jane, I think that’s because the press did a horrible smear job on her. Sarah’s actual record was quite moderate. She’s not one to foist her personal beliefs on the government system. She clear has NOT done that. When they couldn’t distract the public away from that fact, given her huge natural attraction, they focused on her clothes.

LOL*

It’s just too obvious.

Sarah will need to define her own brand of Republicanism. Clearly, she’s scared the conservative who loved bullying Bush around. Clearly, she scares the liberal left.

I think that’s all good. Now, we’ll just have to wait and see JUST how smart Ms. Palin really is, whether she really WANTS to tackle this, and that’s her choice, in my opinion.

Regrouping a national party is no small feat.

She’s competitive, but so are a lot of people. She may choose not to go there. And that’s OK, too.

Nov 9, 2008 - 9:19 am 244. Bruxellesblog:

“So the Republicans can win back the WH by throwing away their base? We can win the WH by spliting the 67% of the electorate she didn’t appeal to with the Democrats?”

She is bug spray to independents, you run her, you get 33% of the vote, that’s it. You split nothing. You get the Pat Buchanan crowd only.

Thanks for playing, have fun with that.

Nov 9, 2008 - 9:22 am 245. jane:

Bruxellesblog: -I’ll rephrase it to make it simplier-

a) Palin got a lot of the conservative part of the Republican base that McCain couldn’t/wouldn’t get.

b)Without her or someone like her, the conservative part of the Republican base stays home.

c) That leaves the Republican ticket competing for the same Independents that the Dems want.

d) So if the Dems get their base and even split the Independents – don’t the Republicans still lose?

Nov 9, 2008 - 10:37 am 246. Gary Ogletree:

In some ways we are awash in riches when it comes to new blood. Palin, Steele, Jindal… And we already have a tireless fighter against Congressional corruption with Sen. James Inhofe. For my part I don’t want the old crowd to dominate conservative leadership, including Newt.

Nov 9, 2008 - 10:44 am 247. nick:

so good a writeup!

“well-practiced talking points of the day with devotional hysteria.”

LoL

Nov 9, 2008 - 11:49 am 248. nlcatter:

Religious right like Inhofe on national scene are now extinct as 6012 (4004+2008) year old dinosaurs.

Nov 9, 2008 - 11:51 am 249. john walker:

Jazz, you cite “facts” without sources, a time-honored tradition at the N.Y. Times and National Enquirer. In short, you are a liar. Back up your claims with verifiable sources, little child!

Nov 9, 2008 - 2:04 pm 250. nick:

anyway Palin is done, finihsed ,toast

im even waiting for odds so I can bet on it!

bye

Nov 9, 2008 - 2:07 pm 251. Bruxellesblog:

245. jane:

Bruxellesblog: -I’ll rephrase it to make it simplier-

Gosh, thank you. Obviously I can’t match your iron clad brilliance…

d) So if the Dems get their base and even split the Independents – don’t the Republicans still lose?

By that measure, George Bush Senior is too moderate for your ‘base’. Remember Bush Senior? It’s called winning an election from the center. I call BS on your ‘base’ theory.

What if the Republicans tried a novel concept and attract the suburban independents, like Regan, Bush Sr., and Nixon did? Your gal seemed to repel them like Raid according to the data (data would be facts, by the way).

If you a) don’t want to believe a WSJ poll, b) don’t want to believe hard exit poll data that matches the WSJ poll, and c) want to stick your fingers in your ears and yell “I’m not listing”, hey, more power to you. Have fun in 2012 with your 40% cap gains taxes and your 12 electoral votes. Personally, I’d like to win next time, so I won’t support Palin. You “base” is out in never never land and driving the GOP off a cliff.

Nov 9, 2008 - 2:33 pm 252. David:

Independents? Independents? You mean no-minds who can’t pay attention. The “independents” vote Democrat or not at all. You have to have common sense and wisdom to vote Republican. All it takes to be a Democrat is to have an appetite for government hand outs and/or be a socialist and big government worshipper.

Republicans have to depend on their base and encourage others to join people who are proud of making their own way in the world.

There is nothing to be moderate about in taking other people’s money at the point of the government tax cannon.

Palin scares Jazz because she connects with the base. All “moderates” follow the same tired playbook: dump the religious right; try to buy blacks and Hispanics away from the Democrat sow; dream up original government goodies to get people to come to the Republican buffet.

You would think that “moderates” are an important electoral bloc. Moderates and independents are cut from the same cloth. They are still proud of the “shows potential” comment on their grade school report cards. They don’t stand for anything, they sit and wait for something to come their way.

Nov 9, 2008 - 2:41 pm 253. May B Wright:

Obama is already talking about using executive order to reverse Bush’s order to drill here for oil. In 2012 when we are paying $5.00+ a gallon and still enslaved to OPEC, everyone will remember Palin was right to drill here, drill now.

Nov 9, 2008 - 2:46 pm 254. Mark Poling:

Unlike Democrats, Republicans don’t have a history of eating their runners-up. Nixon, Reagan, and McCain are all examples of “second chance” Republicans.

Nov 9, 2008 - 5:20 pm 255. Lily:

Loved Palin. Would welcome her back. If she has problems – its because her detractors, abeited by the media, threw feces at her. She was treated in a grossly unfair way, and she handled it with grace under pressure. She was a good role model for how to behave under attack.

Nov 9, 2008 - 5:25 pm 256. Linda:

186. maybe it’s me:

” She is STUPID. Plain and simple.”

Repeating this claim does not make it true.

It takes brains and talent to run a state successfully. Governor Palin has them in abundance. I think the 80% plus approval rating speaks for itself.

I, for one, cannot wait to see her back on the national scene. She is a force to be reckoned with. I can see why she frightens the establishment on both, the left and the right.

Nov 9, 2008 - 6:41 pm 257. Gekkobear:

There are two things I know about Palin that I find very important.

1) Her first Veto as Governor was a Conservative leaning bill that she felt was in opposition to the State Constitution. So she vetoed it feeling the Constitution trumped her feelings.

2) When asked if she would demand Stevens to step down, she said the people had spoken by their votes; and as a public official she wouldn’t oppose the will of the people regardless of her personal feelings.

If you can find another politician who truly is willing to stand behind the idea that the Constitutions (State and Federal) and the will of the people as expressed truly trumps their personal ideals I’ll be surprised. If you can find one who has done so as consistently as Palin does (often at potential risk to her political career) I’ll be stunned.

Go ahead and go look for true examples of politicians going in opposition to their personal preference for reasons of the Constitution or the will of the people. But don’t expect me to wait while you look for these mythical figures.

Nov 9, 2008 - 6:50 pm 258. BLiP:

AS a Liberal all I can say in relation to this subject is PLEASE, PLEASE run Sarah Palin again.

Nov 9, 2008 - 7:04 pm 259. Bill:

Absolutely, you fools……run Sarah in 2012…..she would make a great President

Nov 9, 2008 - 11:48 pm 260. another view:

Sarah is far from anywhere near the intelligence and skill of Hillary. And Sarah will never be in the big leagues. Actually she might be Dem if she opened her eyes.

Say what you want about president elect Obamas celebrity. The fact is he is a smart and Palin is not. So go ahead and try to push this woman and it will be progressives in control for decades.

What is up with you people wanting a person in the White House who you relate to about six packs and hockey. I want a person who knows Global and all domestic issues.. Screw there personality.

Please wanna be repubs start actually learning real issues and stop just rooting for a team.. Because Palin is a progressive liberal who is in the GOP due to Alaska state politics. I don’t support Abortion but that singular issue is a microcosm. what has Bush done about abortion?

Sarah just spoke out about the war, bush economics, and really blamed the GOP for losing the election due to there policies. The woman shares state revenue with the Citizens of Alaska. But somehow she is a repub and so are her supporters. It baffles the mind. This isn’t American Idol.. let’s call her Sarah Sanjaya…

True conservatism has been dead for 50 years. Regan just sold drugs and weapons illegaly to cover his spending .

Nov 10, 2008 - 8:07 am 261. Pinkytoo:

You should retitle this comments section “257 reasons why McCain didn’t win the election.”

You people are still freaking CLUELESS.

Nov 10, 2008 - 10:16 am 262. Kang:

1) Palin needs 4 years of college-level education in civics / political history, geography, etc., unless she just wants her job back as mayor McCheese-cake of Wasilla.

2) She will NOT do any of that fancy book learnin’ because she has no interest in developing a world-view; she doesn’t even know WHAT a world-view is. She’s a one-dimensional cartoon character masquerading as a public servant. She’s dangerously dumb.

Nov 10, 2008 - 10:57 am 263. Ron:

I like the mooseshooting, keeping her baby , -40F woodstove winters, but I really do not know her that well. I know she was attacked by jackels and for this reason I choose to defend her. The compassionate ,caring liberals do not take kindly to blacks, Hispanics or women who don’t take to baby killing on demand or global warming. They are tolerant of those that believe what they do like the rest of us but they resort to hatred rarely seen outside of neo-nazis or liberals(you know, progressives).
As to the McCain insiders who cowardly assailed her with whispers , where is the fighter , the hero, the maverick John McCain. Any man would publicly ,vociferously defend the woman he dragged into the wonderful world of media and Washington. I guess I don’t know what a hero is.

Nov 10, 2008 - 12:52 pm 264. solomonpal:

@Kang
“1) Palin needs 4 years of college-level education in civics / political history, geography, etc., unless she just wants her job back as mayor McCheese-cake of Wasilla.”

That stuff not taught in college anymore…unless you refer to socialist ideology

Nov 10, 2008 - 2:32 pm 265. Lily:

Jane: Re: Obama:

You said:

“I can’t believe that some of you people actually want this person to hold any office. Is this a popularity contest? The man thought the US had 57 states. Most of you probaly do also.”

There, I fixed it for you.

Nov 10, 2008 - 2:46 pm 266. Tex Taylor:

What a joke…

You vastly overestimate the collective memory of the fickle public. Who won the super bowl four years ago?

The only advice I would give Sarah Palin is disappear for two years, hone your skills, and reappear around 2011. While the stupid media savaged her unfairly as some bumpkin, most of us recognize the difference between academia intellect (a joke) and wisdom. You are a whole lot brighter than Jolting Joe Biden on his best day.

And to the dork above telling us about how smart Obama is? Is this the same candidate who didn’t remember what states adjoined his own, as he used it for an excuse of why he lost so badly to Hillary in Kentucky?

Obama is as quick on his feet as his last cue card. He was ineffectual was evident by his lack of debating skills, which where at best a series of lame talking points that the rubes shook their heads to in unison. The fact McCain was even worse is still no indicator of intellect. This from a man who was a Haaavard trained lawyer?

Please, Obama is an intelletual lightweight, with a gift for rhetoric and an empty cliche’ of some nebulous slang of hope and change. He will be exposed as a snake oil salesman soon enough.

Nov 10, 2008 - 5:03 pm 267. Tex Taylor:

I’d like to remind Jazz Shaw, in 1980 our illustrious elite also called Ronald Reagan stupid… Oh, that was common knowledge among the jetset.

And six months later while they were cleaning stools for a living, the Gipper starting making history.

I swear, there really is nothing new under the sun.

Nov 10, 2008 - 5:11 pm 268. Ready to move on:

One of you wrote: “The left-wing smeared Palin. No question about it. Her practice debate gaffe of calling Africa a continent…”

Let’s be clear, the left did not leak this information, McCain’s people did. This is why it is news worthy. Sure the left smeared Palin and capitalized on what looked to be hypocrisy, chosing a politically in experienced VP when they spent so much time talking about Obama’s inexperience.

Look at her collegiate academic record. Less than stellar. I don’t think Palin is stupid, she is just not in the same league as Obama intellectually. She is a gifted speaker (or good at delivering a speech written for her), but she is in most ways pretty ordinary. How do you make up for that? Through experience. Perhaps with more time, she will be ready for the big time, but she was not ready this go around.

I think Palin was hung out to dry. You knowo that joke about the turtle on the post… the turtle doesn’t know how it got up there, you know it did not put itself up there. All you can ask yourself is, “What type of nimrod would put a turtle on a post?” (you can google the joke. It has been used for other politicians. Substitute Obama for Palin and conservatives will find it equally funny).

In her defense, Palin did what she was supposed to do. She energized the base, breathed life into a limping campaign, and went on the attack. When thngs don’t work, McCain political team scapegoats her. I’m not buying it. McCain’s people need to get over it, accept their mistakes and groom her for a 2012 run. I have a feeling she is like the Terminator…”She’ll be back.”

Nov 11, 2008 - 10:26 am 269. Troubled:

Hey Tex: You vastly overestimate the collective memory of the fickle public. Who won the super bowl four years ago?

In answer to your question, The Patriots. I’m a bit of a football nerd. Point taken on Palin. However, the inability to debate is not an indication of intelligence. He could remember which state bordered his. Okay, that is a silly mistake. They are all human as they all make mistakes. One thing though, people do not get degrees from Ivy league schools and graduate idiots. Bush comes across as stupid as well but I am betting that he is book smart. What we will see in the next four year is whether or not Obama is wise. On that point I agree with you that academic smarts is not as important as wisdom. I know this, it will be difficult to be any more unwise as the last resident we had. Now that guy was pathetic.

Nov 11, 2008 - 10:34 am 270. Mary:

Stop writing, your articles make you look like a fool. Palin’s problem was the McCain campaign
mishandled her. She does a lot better when she is free to be herself. The campaign was trying to make her someone she isn’t. I’d vote for Palin anytime, anyplace. She would make a better president than Obama or McCain. Jazz, you sound a little jealous of Palin’s popularity…

Nov 11, 2008 - 4:58 pm 271. Ms. Know:

I think that would be a good idea, because it’s evident the media is going to be in support of the left-wing illuminati, and they tore her to pieces this election.

Nov 14, 2008 - 12:11 pm 272. Brian Richard Allen:

This piece is straight from the “Democrats’” talking points.

It is, that is, absolute crap.

Bye bye Ms/Master Shaw.

Brian Richard Allen
Los Angeles – CalifUBAMAcated 90028

Nov 20, 2008 - 7:04 am