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Feature

The Problem With Palin

By from the April 2010 issue

It’s been quite a ride. But what has she learned? From our April issue.

“I have but one lamp by which my feet are guided, and that is the lamp of experience.”
- Patrick Henry, 1775

“I told reporters what I still believe today: government experience doesn’t necessarily count for much.”
-Sarah Palin, Going Rogue, p. 84

Sarah Palin, 55 percent unfavorable poll ratings notwithstanding, is a political phenomenon the likes of which American public life rarely has seen. There’s something distinctive, something deeply personal, about the way her legions of strong supporters rush not just to defend her but to counter-attack any and all of her critics. Palin has a way of establishing a sense of connectedness with her backers — such a strong, attitudinal sense that she is not just like them but one of them — that she has created what amounts to a one-woman, conservative “identity politics” writ very, very large.

Yet if conservatives are to continue a political love affair with this admirable and galvanizing woman, we need to insist on more than mere identity. And more than mere attitude.

We know that Sarah Palin shares our conservative values. But is she the leader conservatives need?

IN HER RECENTLY RELEASED memoir, Going Rogue, Palin tells a story about how she approached the first state budget she handled as governor. It sounds like something right out of the 1993 Kevin Kline movie, Dave, except that Palin’s tale is fact instead of fiction.

We worked late into the night with the warm midnight sun still pouring through my office windows….Pens in hand, we combed through the budget, line by line, page by page — my inner nerd coming out again, just like Wasilla City Council days….I had to know what was in there, or I wasn’t doing my job. We spent days trying to decipher who put in what and why. Late one night, I looked up from the table and asked our veteran staffers, “What did past governors do? How did they get through these budgets with so little detail?” “They didn’t,” was the response. Before, others skimmed through it and governors signed off on it. Well, it was a new day, and we sifted through funding requests for schools, roads, ports, AstroTurf and batting cages, blueberry farms, and, believe or not, a lawmaker’s friend’s suicide memorial….

It was amusing when Kline’s character, Dave, filling in for a stricken president, called an accountant friend to pull an all-nighter to find $650 million in the federal budget. And it was no doubt admirable for Palin to take her own responsibility so seriously. But at some point a chief executive can’t personally handle such details herself. A governorship or, especially, the presidency, is not the Wasilla City Council. Presidents who are too detail-oriented wind up like Jimmy Carter, literally solving disputes about schedules on the White House tennis courts.

The obvious retort is that what matters are results. Maybe Alaska, being the single most sparsely populated state in the Union, lends itself to having budgets personally vetted on every line by the governor herself.

Palin never actually provides numbers in her book, but she does write that she “had made the largest veto totals in the state’s history.” Well, context is important. An observer parachuting into a state without knowing all the local factors can think something is utterly inexplicable which in truth is easily defensible. Still, the results of Palin’s efforts seem strongly to belie her claims of fiscal conservatism. The first two general-fund budgets for which she was responsible showed spending hikes of 16.4 percent (from fiscal year 2007 to ‘08) and a mind-boggling 21.8 percent the next year. Total government expenditures (a slightly different measure) grew 38.6 percent in those two years combined. This record is to fiscal discipline as the Grateful Dead was to sobriety.

Similarly, as has been well documented, Palin’s original claims about the “bridge to nowhere” were flat-out false. She campaigned in favor of the funds for the bridge; then even after killing the bridge project once it became infamous, she kept the federal money and used part of it for a “road to nowhere” that leads to where the bridge was meant to begin.

(To nitpick: Other vignettes in Going Rogue also don’t completely check out, ranging from details of her famous gas pipeline negotiations through aspects of how she described her appearance on Saturday Night Live — not to mention her breezy portrayal of her peripatetic college years that mentioned a transfer from a university in Hawaii to her graduation from the University of Idaho without noting or explaining her stops at North Idaho College or Alaska’s Matanuska-Susitna College.)

All of which takes on added importance because her record in public office really is quite short. She won her race for mayor of Wasilla by a vote of 651 to 440 — a vote total less than those cast in races for student council president in big-city high schools. Her fans like to say that a president of the United States ought to be able to understand small-town America, and they say the experience Palin herself described as sometimes being like “mayor of Peyton Place” is a major point in her favor. Against that argument, it could equally be said that Wasilla, Alaska, is so different from, say, East St. Louis, or even from south Mobile, Alabama, that the experience in Wasilla could give Palin a set of reference points so unrepresentative of the majority of the American population as to be a drawback.

And while supply-side conservatives are rightly thrilled at Palin’s mayoral record as a tax-cutter, fiscal conservatives again have reason for concern: the town’s long-term debt reportedly jumped from $1 million to $25 million.

Then she accepted an appointment to the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission. Unfortunately, we don’t know how well she would have done as an oil and gas regulator, because — to her credit — she spent most of her time fighting against ethical improprieties of others. She resigned in protest after fewer than 11 months in the job. Chalk up a point for Palin’s integrity…but…but resigning again cut short her experience, and her record, in the actual substance of governing.

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About the Author

Quin Hillyer is a senior editor of The American Spectator and a senior fellow at the Center for Individual Freedom. Follow him on Twitter @QuinHillyer.

Letter to the Editor View all comments (496) |

Lawrence Boccardi| 4.19.10 @ 6:56AM

Ya' know, belittle her all you wish. She is charismatic, at least as smart as Joe Biden, now we know as experienced as Obama, and she makes their freakin' heads spin!!

canuckistani| 4.19.10 @ 10:43AM

I remember recently a drunk-driving cocaine using three-time bankrupt son of a former president was "reinvented" and unleashed on the conservative base and ended up winning election, twice.
$700B blown in Iraq, a shattered economy, an exhausted military and a painfully divided country is the result of us electing a "feeling" rather than a reasonable expectation of an ability to lead AND govern. Bush 43 had $100M in the bank before the 2000 election. Where did all that money come from and should those donors also not be held accountable for backing an empty suit?
Be careful what you wish for, you just might get it....in the ear.
I sense a repeat with Palin. Follow the money and I suspect the same vested interests are backing her "charisma" campaign as well.
Experience is one thing - there's been a lot of experienced flame-outs - but her quitting under pretty mild circumstances should scare all of us to our cores. That's unAmerican, and rationalize as you wish, but it's the truth of the matter.

silverbyte| 4.19.10 @ 11:20AM

The money was raised for Bush because of his electoral success in Texas, based on good executive performance, results in governing, and ability to draw votes from the middle (not to mention charm and charisma). He was the GOP's best shot at defeating the incoming VP, and barely succeeded. It had nothing to do with "feelings". History sidetracked his Administration, as often happens, and your criticism is warranted. I don't see an establishment behind Palin. She does what she wants, and right now she wants to make money and fire up opposition to Obama. Whats wrong with that?

canuckistani| 4.19.10 @ 2:02PM

Nothing wrong with opposition to Obama, I'm with you on that, but the manipulation of the right and right-leaning inds gave us Bush 43. His policy agenda in his first 3 years was mostly reflective of neocon foreign policy and gifts to the upperclass without any budget offsets. He ran fast and loose with social issues and Rove helped him conjure any punchline that resonated with narrow-issue constituencies.
I want a candidate that lays out a fiscally conservative domestic policy and more skeptical foreign policy that keeps our troops home and out of blood feuds. Reagan knew this to be true and responded accordingly.
My fear right now is the continued dumbing down of the perceived gop base with constant opposition to positions that Reagan and other practical conservatives embraced themselves. It's dishonest, short-sighted and will lead us into the same predicament if another substandard leader like Bush 43 emerges from the goo with his bogus "checklist" stamp of approval in hand.
What's more important: The policies actually being executed or who executes them?
If Obama executes 75-80% of common ground policy promoted by the right, why do we oppose rather than taking the credit for "illuminating" him on the correct path?
Take nukes: Reagan dreamt about it, Gates supports it and the major experts in the field think his steps are a good thing in this climate. Palin responds: "I'm not so sure....." Can you see the problem when the average voter is imbued with this inconsistency?

Frederik| 4.19.10 @ 3:55PM

Hehehe, I love when communists (= DemocRATS) complain about Bush. Now let's look who did the DemocRATS offer: in 2000 we had Gore, who we know now is a swindler and pathalogical liar and in 2004 you wanted us to send in the White House John kerry and EDWARDS! I rest my case. I take Bush and Cheney over those scumbags anyday, anytime.

Blackwatch| 4.19.10 @ 6:07PM

Well played.

Blackwatch| 4.19.10 @ 6:07PM

Well played.

Joan| 4.19.10 @ 6:09PM

"Miss me now?" Heck yes! While I had several problems with Bush, his amnesty, his NAU to name a few - BUT I felt safe with that Cowboy, he didn't trample the constitution daily, he was not a Marxist, nor a socialist and he loved his country - I can deal with Bush's shortcomings (which the Democrats pointed out daily and if he didn't have any, they made them up) - I can never deal with Obama - in fact, I can never call him my president - he does not represent this wonderful country.

FlattenKansas| 4.20.10 @ 12:37AM

I guess you don't like that Obama is black...
But Bush _did_ trample the constitution, he was an autocratic leader- (Well Dick Cheney told him what to d0)... and he lied us into war with Iraq. Obama is trying to clean up the mess. You my dear are listening the wrong people. Maybe you should move to Cuba since you don't think Obama is your President.

BobKat| 4.20.10 @ 12:50AM

I guess you don't like that Obama is white...

Purpleguy| 4.20.10 @ 1:28AM

Sorry, sweetie - he IS your President, so unless you are un-American, you will support him. One day you will be glad that little black boy grew up to be Barack Obama, our President.

Grzmlyk| 4.20.10 @ 1:42AM

And I'm sure you supported Bush because he was YOUR president, right, sweetie? Otherwise, YOU would be unAmerican, no?

Tell me: What day will I be glad that "little black boy" grew up to be president? Can you give me a date? Is it before or after the collapse of the dollar? the nuking of Israel? The totalitarian takeover?

And why does his color matter so much to you, Purpleguy (hmmm - you're a gay black man, aren't you?)??

You are a BIGOT.

Margie| 4.20.10 @ 8:22PM

Better than the av-er-age Grrzzly Bear! :^)

aelfgyva| 4.21.10 @ 11:29AM

Purpleguy, I wish you would hold your breath on that one.

FedupinTexas| 4.20.10 @ 10:25AM

I wish you libs would get off the race kick. Just because someone thinks Obama sucks at being a representative of this country, occupying the office of President....doesn't make them a racist. Bush made many mistakes, but I don't believe he lied to us in order to start a war with Iraq. Have you forgotten 9/11? Most libs seem to have conveniently put the attack on this country behind them and are pretending it never happened. Bush was advised, just like Obama is being advised....and on this advice decisions are made. Unfortunately, Obama is advised by professed Socialist, Communists, ex-cons, and radicals extreme. You FK, my dear are listening to the wrong people. If this country isn't good enough for you the way our founders set it up....then the door's open. And, by the way, Obama isn't my president either because he does not represent me in any way. Which by the way, a real president is suppose to do....bipartisan in representation.

DanMingo| 4.20.10 @ 11:04AM

Bush made many mistakes, but I don't believe he lied to us in order to start a war with Iraq. Have you forgotten 9/11?
You need to pick up a history book (*and not one written by William Kristol or some other neocon)
WMDs? nada
Nuclear weapons program? nada
I should think anyone with a functioning brain should realize that Iraq had absolutely nothing to do with 9/11, so whatever else you have to say is dismissible.
If this country isn't good enough for you the way our founders set it up....then the door's open. And, by the way, Obama isn't my president either because he does not represent me in any way.
Sounds like you are the one that needs to leave. Go to Costa Rica with Rush!

Josh| 4.20.10 @ 11:54AM

I didn't intend on commenting on this, but seriously Fedupintexas, it's been documented time and time again that Bush has completely lied to start the war. Why are you trying to tie 9/11 to Iraq? Iraq and Saddam Hussein had NOTHING to do with 9/11. Saddam Hussein had NO weapons of mass destruction. The Bush administration used both of those "facts" as reasons to go to war, all the while knowing both of them to be lies. So i ask you, how did he not lie about going to war?

GavInTucson| 4.20.10 @ 11:32PM

Who needs to move to Cuba? Cuba's moving here.

canuckistani| 4.20.10 @ 12:47PM

I pitty you.
Travelling the world, all sympathetic people want is the US to stay true to principles: freedom, commerce, justice. We strayed from that in the last 8 years with Bush playing fast and loose with almost everything he touched. He burned bridges with long standing allies (and trading partners) over Iraq and it will be an open sore for a generation. Whatever his successors do, it will be a long time before the US can be truly trusted again to defend freedom, commerce and justice.
Obama, like him or not was a creation of Bush....and he won the election with a plurality not seen since 84. The same cannot be said for 2000, if you are debating legitimacy.
I can pray and work hard Obama does not execute his social reengineering plans, but he's legitimate until the people fire him in 2012.

JimE| 4.19.10 @ 6:22PM

CANUCTROLL,
Nice paid political announcement.

Purpleguy| 4.20.10 @ 1:29AM

You never have anything to say beyond the bumper sticker dittohead spouting.... why say anything at all? Nobody listens to you...

canuckistani| 4.20.10 @ 12:50PM

It's ok purpleguy, he'll be the first in line burning books when his handlers let him out of the cage during the rapture.
My question is: are Americans really this dumb? I hope not, because we have billions of people in this world relying on us to be smarter than we are.

Grzmlyk| 4.20.10 @ 1:37AM

Ok, you know, I almost bought that you were sincere until you came up with the nuke argument. Reagan dreamt about what again? Funny how you don't quite specify that. A nuke-free world? You're kidding, right?

Obama holds the largest multinational summit since the formation of the UN and Iran not being mentioned? Please. It was Lifetime Channel for the disamarmament set - utter hogwash.

It remains to be seen if $700 bn was blown in Iraq (of course in the entitlement world, we refer to $700 bn as a "rounding error."). As for a shattered economy, first off, the Clinton surplus was a mirage, and second, there was a comeback in the economy after 09/11 (you do remember 09/11, don't you?).

Don't make me defend Bush - I didn't like a lot of what he did. But your portrayal is tendentious jackassery.

You have overplayed your hand and blown your cover, lib.

DanMingo| 4.20.10 @ 11:09AM

Reagan dreamt about what again? Funny how you don't quite specify that. A nuke-free world? You're kidding, right?
Such facts are pretty easy to check, so it's strange that you would make such a blatantly false statement. I'll look it up for you: "In 1986 at the Reykjavik summit, Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev, both passionate about nuclear disarmament, shocked deterrence experts with an unimaginable proposal – total nuclear disarmament. “It would be fine with me if we eliminated all nuclear weapons,” said Reagan. “We can do that,” replied Gorbachev, “Let’s eliminate them. We can eliminate them.”

However, U.S. Secretary of State George P. Shultz explained that the proposal was “too much for people to absorb, precisely because it was outside the bounds of conventional wisdom,” and “the world was not ready for Ronald Reagan’s boldness.”
http://www.acus.org/new_atlant.....ing-reagan’s-dream-nuclear-disarmament

How can anyone believe anything you say when you are so far off of the mark on this easily verified fact?

canuckistani| 4.20.10 @ 12:37PM

Thankfully I do not have to prove my conservative credentials to you. It baffles me how people refuse to acknowledge their heroes are a little more nuanced than a comic book portrayal we get from ALL media today.
I choose to look at outcomes of presidential decisions rather than the rhetoric preceding it.
Iraq: wrong
Tax cuts without spending cuts: wrong
Immigration: wrong
Largest government in history: wrong.
Putting the wolf (Paulson) in charge of the henhouse (treasury): wrong
Where did 43 go off the rails? He had all of the street cred cons wanted, a majority house, a biblical catastrophe to capitalize on, and he chose to pay off vested interests rather than game-changing reform.

Carol| 4.20.10 @ 3:25AM

I think history will treat Bush better then it will treat Obama. With Obama it makes you realize how much the media is in it for Obama. Obama can't speak without the teleprompter. I hate to think what would have happened if Obama had been president when 9/11 happened. I don't think they would have finished after 9/11. Obama thinks that Bush made us look too powerful. He makes us look weak. The radical Muslims over there did not attack after 9/11 because Bush protected us. Why do they hate us so much because we are not Muslims and anyone that is not a Muslims and does not believe in Islam must be destroyed. Obama has our men over there that have to ask before they shoot back they have them using tasers. Either let them do there jobs or bring them home. If Palin decides she is going to run she will have plenty of followers but it is up to her. Just as everyone said it was over for her when she stepped down as governor. Everyone behind her knew she was doing it because it was hurting Alaska and she loves Alaska. The lawsuits were just wasting Alaska's money. She would not have been allowed to speak out on Obama while she was governor with another lawsuit for some stupid reason. When she spoke about Obama she was right after all.She has been right most of the time and how many time did he say it wasn't true what she was saying. Every thing she said was true. Look at Obama books Dreams of My Father the one written by Bill Ayers. The girlfriend that he talks about Obama had in New York had dark hair and green eyes Ayers girlfriend that was blown up making a bomb fitted the same features.There are many lies in the book. Like the one he said about the march on Selma was when he was probably conceived. That is not possible unless he lied about when he was born. Selma happened in 1965. there are others He lied about his kids and Ayers going to school together. Ayers kids are adults Obama are young. He didn't tell that he worked for slum landlord Rezko for seventeen years. The people living in those apartments Rezko rented were poor people.Tell me how Obama could do that it showed he didn't care about the poor black and white people. The Banks that helped Obama get elect are the ones he helped bail out. The health care is only his payback for the unions help to get him elected. Why didn't he first try to help the people that were out of work he helped the banks and big business with stimulus was to help the big companies that helped him get elected. More and more is coming out about Obama. There is still more to come. I had hope he would do good for the country but he has hurt it more than the people even realize. He will go down in history as the worse president even worse then Carter that is really saying something.

DanMingo| 4.20.10 @ 11:13AM

If Palin decides she is going to run she will have plenty of followers but it is up to her

How's the view up Sarah's ass?
Your screed is so filled with errors that it would take too long to refute them all, and what would be the point?
Suffice to say that she has an over 50% disapproval rating, and only about 25% of Republicans support her candidacy.
She would not ever be elected, should not ever be elected, and I pray she runs.

canuckistani| 4.20.10 @ 1:52PM

Carol, what are you talking about?
Palin quit. Nuff said.
She promotes the policy of abstinence: her own daughter got pregnant! If she cannot even manage the first family how can you ever expect she could lead anyone else's?
It is a shot at her, but she has raked in $12M on her magical mystery tour without one single idea to build policy around. Check how much of her SarahPAC $$ has doled out to TP candidates YTD. I think it's less than her travel expenses.
Be careful who you romanticize.
The scary part about her, she doesn't even spend a moment trying to sugarcoat her opportunism and we lap it up like meth addicts.

Ken| 4.19.10 @ 12:42PM

Yes, we all know there has not been a presidential candidate before, or since 'W' that took a dime from a special interest group, union, investment firm or corporation. So many people have such short memories or insist on distorting reality instead of seeing things for what they really are (e.g. the terrorist threat in the USA for starters)When things like war and terrorism don't pan out or end as quickly as those more familiar with playing video games with reset buttons would like, they begin to whine like small children who need to have their collective diapers changed. Time to take the needle out of your arm and put it back on the victrola, the fat lady is singing, time to wake up and face the real world now.

lawyerchik1| 4.19.10 @ 5:58PM

The cocaine rumors are just that: rumor. Unsubstantiated rumor. That said, he did a much better job than Obambi. Bush 43 had experience as governor of Texas, unlike our current "president" who had a grand total of ... um..... no experience running anything.

Possum Dearie| 4.19.10 @ 11:22PM

We all know Obama actually used cocaine, though. It's in his book. He admitted it.

Purpleguy| 4.20.10 @ 1:31AM

Without Papa Bush, nobody would have EVER heard of Baby Bush - nobody. We got suckered and we are going to pay for it for a long time to come.

Possum Dearie| 4.20.10 @ 1:37AM

Debt held by the public will double to 82 percent of the gross domestic product by 2019 under Obama's budget, from 41 percent last year, CBO said. If the ex.current law had remained unchanged, debt held by the public would rise to 56 percent of GDP in 2019, the CBO said.

Obama's budget will add $4.8 trillion to cumulative federal deficits over that decade, boosting their total from $4.4 trillion under the ex-current law to $9.3 trillion .

You said something about paying for being suckered? I always knew Obama is a liar.

Careen Longhurst | 4.20.10 @ 2:19AM

We sure did. We got suckered by a man who has no background except what he says he has. No records exist regarding his background, his college records. Nothing. He has no experience and it shows. We sure got suckered alright. But not by anything President Bush or the Republicans did to get Bush elected. President Bush was and is a capable politician. He ran and won legitimately ( read Men in Black by Mark Levin on the details of that if you forget the facts concerning the 2000 election Gore tried to get the courts to steal for him)
Mr. Obama had nothing going into the WH and has gone down hill from there. I sincerely hope he is a one term president and I sure do want to see the democrats take a beating in November. For the sake of the survival of the country.
It was never a question when President Bush was in the White House.
As for Sarah Palin: I have read Going Rogue . One is entitled to their opinion, no doubt. However, I sense a rather snide cynicism that always seems to be reserved exclusively for Mrs. Palin ( now that George Bush is out of office and there can be no political gain from being snotty to him except in retrospect. )
I just don't get the criticism. What is the standard by which our candidates are to be judged?
For a democrat, obviously , NO standard exists. For a Republican: Every twisted and convoluted requirement that can be conjured. Usually by those far less qualified to judge, let alone compare background and experience.
Mrs. Palin is more qualified in her little finger than Joe Biden and Barack Obama put together.
Any honest observer would have to concede this.
Not only does she tell the truth (regardless the innuendo in this piece) but she has accomplished a great deal and having a family in the bargain.
Now that we see what we have to deal with in the WH I should think that even the most casual observer would have to concede we got the shaft in November of 2008. Tea Parties are a symptom of the general populations realization of that and the fact that what we have to deal with is the most fundamental danger to this country and it's continued existence as a Constitutional Republic. They have organized and they intend to act.
And thank God for that. We could do a LOT worse than Sarah Palin in any capacity in government.
The two present occupants of the office of President and Vice President are living proof of it.

DanMingo| 4.20.10 @ 11:16AM

"I just don't get the criticism. What is the standard by which our candidates are to be judged?"
Start with intelligence.

Game over for Sarah.

Ken (Old Texican)| 4.20.10 @ 6:33PM

Hey Dan Mingo,
From what college did you graduate?

HOH| 4.20.10 @ 11:12AM

Correct. Bush caused people to vote for Obama and THAT will haunt us for decades to come

Kris Lepine| 4.21.10 @ 3:16PM

It won't be a repeat with Palin because we already have a repeat ON STEROIDS by the name of Barack Hussain Obama.

ElGordo| 4.19.10 @ 11:03AM

Sarah Palin is facing the same opposition that Ronald Reagan faced from his own Republican party members (RINO's).
Let's follow Reagan's 11th Commandment, especially now.
Now is not the time to criticize Sarah Palin. Give her time on the campaign trail to gain experience, knowledge and knock off 20 or more Democrat congressmen.
Put her under the microscope after the 2010 midterm. The political climate will be different then and we'll have learned more about her.
Whether she gets the Republican presidential nomination or not, she should be on the ticket as she will bring out the Republican base.
I wouldn't be surprised to see Newt or Romney offer her a deal to be VP before the primaries on his ticket for her support.
She will be essential in 2012. Please RINOs , lay off the criticism.

GW| 4.19.10 @ 11:44AM

"Let's follow Reagan's 11th Commandment, especially now. Now is not the time to criticize Sarah Palin."

a) Since when in AmSpec a GOP site? Since when are Republicans infallible here?
b) When would be a good time to 'criticize' Palin? Closer to the election? Whenever her VP nod comes up again?

bluecollarbytes| 4.19.10 @ 11:30PM

I support Palin, and the idea of a Palin and/or 'Palins', but she'll have to have trials by fire one way or the other, and there's no reason some of that shouldn't come from the Right. We do the same thing with all candidates. Palin needs to prove her critics wrong whether they ever admit it or not, something she hasn't done yet. I think we need someone like Palin though who makes no apologies for conservatism. Now is not the time to 'triangulate' ones way to the presidency. 2008 Could have been a major ideological battle, but was sidestepped for McCain. 2012 needs to be a battle or it will be the same old mini-politics of special interests- all who want to preserve their own little piece of big govt. And worse, we'll be looking at a solidified Obamagenda.

Careen Longhurst | 4.20.10 @ 2:34AM

Republicans in my view have never been infallible. There was a lot I did not like with the Pubbies running things. However, even on their worst days, they could be trusted to put a decent judge on the Supreme Court rather than some highly partisan candidate who could be relied on to consider the Constitution a 'living document'. Mrs. Palin has had much more than her share of criticism. And she will continue to get it from all sides , it seems.
What is it about us that we take examples of decent and honorable people like Sarah Palin and George Bush and do everything we can to completely destroy them? Is it the very visual decency or is it that society in general just cannot stand examples of what we should all strive to be.
We stand by and let the nonsense of the left wash over the country like so much dirty wash water and it is all taken in stride.
I will tell you right now that some of the things and people in public life and media today need a good dose of criticism alright and some of them could use a good mouth washing . You know, the kind where the soap is stuck in the mouth and slid out along the top of the mouth, ensuring a good soaping. We can start with Jon Stewart and go on to Keith Olbermann, for two examples.
They are not running for any office last time I checked... but today and maybe for awhile , neither is Mrs. Palin.
There are many others who need to be and probably could benefit from a good reaming out, but they don't get it because they are the darlings of the social structure. Now, take Joe Biden.
Taking his interview with Katy Couric during the campaign as an example, it could be argued that ole Joe has no clue what decade he lives in or possesses any clue about history and he has been in the Senate for over 30 years. There was not one word of criticism of Joe by any in the media. Not for that disgrace of an interview or for any other really embarassing examples of complete incompetence.
So, spare us, please deriding Sarah Palin and George Bush.
So, rather than this being a good time to start it is a good time to STOP. It has been going on since she was named to the VP spot for John McCain. It was unjustified then. It is unjustified now.
I think it would be foolish for her to try for VP again. She is far and away more qualified to run for the top spot. And the sooner the better.

Purpleguy| 4.20.10 @ 1:34AM

How can you compare "I can see Russia from my house" Palin to Ronald Reagan - OMG that is so much an insult to RR, may he rest in peace. She's an opportunistic carpetbagger that is suckering everyone in while she laughs all the way to the bank. She can't even articulate more that a one line sentence bumper sticker. We had Dubya, let's not go down further to "you betcha" .. makes my skin crawl...

Possum Dearie| 4.20.10 @ 1:38AM

You don't even know what carpetbagger means LOL.

Richard in NC| 4.20.10 @ 3:56AM

Makes your skin crawl? Wow.

DanMingo| 4.20.10 @ 11:18AM

Give her time on the campaign trail to gain experience, knowledge and knock off 20 or more Democrat congressmen.
No amount of time can fix stupidity.

Quartermaster| 4.19.10 @ 6:05PM

Palin also increased her negative by supporting "Maverick" Juan McCain. She may have a personal obligation to the man, but a political obligation is a completely different thing. She has given McCain a boost in his senatorial re-election, but it will come at a personal cost to her political future, assuming she wanted one. My hope is her campaigning for him fails as we need to rid ourselves the "Maverick" RINO.

Possum Dearie| 4.19.10 @ 11:29PM

The Democrats wish it would always be as easy as 2008. They were the peanut gallery then, continuing the personal attacks on a sitting President and using that momentum to attack a war hero with an actual record of bipartisanship. Now they get to do it again while McCain is up for reelection. Democrats, worry about your own housecleaning. You're all toast this November.

Alan Brooks| 4.19.10 @ 6:49PM

She's too sensitive about Triggie-poo.

To hell with her.

Alan Brooks| 4.19.10 @ 7:08PM

"a) Since when in AmSpec a GOP site?"

GOP guilt is the counterpart to liberal guilt. Some of the fools at AS voted for both Bushes, for Dole and McCain-- and they are none too proud of it deep down.
Like dogs returning to their own vomit, with the best of intentions they will help elect another GOP mediocrity in 2016. Social progress is finished, including 'conservative progress'; schools wont improve, America will be vulgar & unruly forever.

Margie| 4.19.10 @ 7:18PM

Alan Brooks you are very bad. I quote you this:

"Let each citizen remember at the moment he is offering his vote that he is not making a present or a compliment to please an individual - or at least that he ought not so to do; but that he is executing one of the most solemn trusts in human society for which he is accountable to God and his country." ~Samuel Adams.

I have no guilt for voting straight ticket Republican my entire voting life and will never do otherwise. I understand what Sam Adams means.
p.s. How come you get to excoriate us when you boast about how you're going to vote for Obama again? Maybe you're the one with the guilt?

DanMingo| 4.20.10 @ 11:21AM

"I have no guilt for voting straight ticket Republican my entire voting life and will never do otherwise"

Even when reality suggests you do otherwise. You would choose the most lame republican over the most qualified democrat?
Or, to rephrase, Sarah over any democrat?

Margie| 4.20.10 @ 2:11PM

Darlin'~ Reality NEVER suggests otherwise.

Careen Longhurst | 4.20.10 @ 2:39AM

The country will not survive a democrat presidency and congress to 2016.
It is just that simple.
Not any country we would recognize.

Possum Dearie| 4.19.10 @ 11:32PM

He's an innocent child.

"Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me."

Cat| 4.20.10 @ 10:52AM

You, sir, are a pig. If you have children, I hope you have to endure their being dragged through the mud in public.

wodiej| 4.19.10 @ 7:20PM

wow, how did a liberal troll writer get on American Spectator? Quibbling over a few inconsistencies that are likely easily explainable and criticizing Palin because she actually poured over the Alaska budget?? YOU'VE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME, RIGHT??

The woman has never said she was running for President but people are just eager to keep trying to stomp her down. Must be scary where you people are.

Graham| 4.20.10 @ 7:25AM

Rebuttal to this BS hit piece

http://tinyurl.com/y6a83ap

JD| 4.20.10 @ 7:28AM

Rebuttal to this BS hit piece

http://tinyurl.com/y6a83ap

JD| 4.20.10 @ 8:44AM

The point is the ethics laws that were used to chase Palin out of office were instituted in 1998 under Democrat Tony Knowles.

Hillyer and posters here claim that Palin “should have known” that these laws could be used as political weapons but it never happened for 9 years. Nobody knew.

JimAK on April 19, 2010
From Hotair

DanMingo| 4.20.10 @ 11:24AM

The point is the ethics laws that were used to chase Palin out of office were instituted in 1998 under Democrat Tony Knowles.
So, laws passed by Democrats need not be obeyed?
You are eager to overlook ethics violations to protect your candidate from the errors of judgment and ethical lapses that have followed her, even today?

Margie| 4.20.10 @ 2:12PM

Dan Mingo, you behave like a contentious clap trap.

Alan Brooks| 4.26.10 @ 11:14AM

"The point is the ethics laws that were used to chase Palin out of office were instituted in 1998 under Democrat Tony Knowles.
So, laws passed by Democrats need not be obeyed? You are eager to overlook ethics violations to protect your candidate from the errors of judgment and ethical lapses that have followed her, even today? "

What about Blagojevich being on:
Letterman
Conan
Leno
?

AKReport| 4.20.10 @ 11:57AM

THE TRUTH
"The Problem With Palin." By contrast, this post will detail the problem with Quin Hillyer's problem with Palin. One big difference between our posts will be that this post will actually have citations to back up assertions.

The first problem that we have with Quin's problem with Palin is that while he correctly praises Palin's application of supply-side principles during her career in elected office, he claims that her fiscally conservative credentials are lacking. Kathy Carpenter has discussed Palin's fiscal conservatism in office extensively. The final budget that her predecessor, Frank Murkowski, authorized in fiscal year 2007 totaled almost $11.7 billion. The final budget that Palin authorized in fiscal year 2010 totaled a little over $9 billion. So the final budget she signed into law was actually smaller than the final budget that her predecessor signed into law. Does Quin know of another governor in the country whose final budget was smaller than the final budget of his or her predecessor's during the period in which Palin was governor of Alaska?

Quin neglects to tell his readership about the dramatic decrease in the amount of earmarks that Alaska requested from the governor's office during Palin's time in office. Murkowski requested sixty-three projects for $349,497,000 for fiscal year 2007. In fiscal year 2010, Governor Palin requested eight projects at $69,100,000. These numbers show an 80% drop in earmark requests from the Alaska Governor's office during Palin's tenure as governor.

Our second problem with Quin's problem with Palin is that he makes claims about Palin that do not stand up to scrutiny. For example, Quin suggests without asserting (a common tactic employed by those opposed to Palin from the center-right) that Palin declined her invitation to speak at this year's CPAC because the organization wouldn't pay her $100,000. The Hill's A.B. Stoddard made this same claim. This claim doesn't hold water, as Governor Palin spoke at the Southern Republican Leadership Conference for free. The fact that she spoke at one high-profile Republican convention for free while declining to speak at another strikes me as pretty convincing evidence that the reason why she declined the CPAC invitation had nothing to do with money. Quin doesn't even consider that it had something to do with pay-for-play and extremism, two things that Palin has fought against her entire career. Upon learning that she had the facts wrong, Stoddard withdrew her claim about Palin declining to speak at CPAC because she wasn't paid. Let's see if Quin does the same (We should also note that Governor Palin regularly speaks to pro-life organizations for free and in some cases, donates her fee back to the organization).

Our third problem with Quin's problem with Palin is that he effectively accuses her of being a liar without backing it up (of course, he uses softer language but it's pretty clear what he's implying). He claims that she misrepresented the "details of her famous gas pipeline negotiations" in Going Rogue without documenting what she allegedly misrepresented about those negotiations in her memoir. Quin also claims that she lied about the Bridge-to-Nowhere. Damien Geminder does a great job in effectively pointing out that Quin's argument is essentially that changing one's position on a subject is akin to lying. All Palin said was that she killed the project and nobody, not even the Alaska Democrat Party, can claim otherwise. Finally, Quin accuses Palin of engaging in what he characterizes as the allegedly questionable practice of purchasing one's book to use as a fundraising tool (this move is clearly distinguishable from the bulk orders that another 2012 Republican candidate relied upon to get his book on the bestseller list. As Taggan Goodard notes, the books that Palin purchased would not count towards her book sales in any of the bestseller book rankings Going Rogue achieved). Quin fails to inform his readership that what Palin did is a common practice among politicians (i.e., offering signed copies of her book as incentives to get people to donate to her PAC).

Our fourth problem with Quin's problem is that he minimizes her political accomplishments. He characterizes Palin's victory over Frank Murkowski as "not too hard." Oh really? What Quin fails to tell his readers is that Palin is one of three people to have defeated an incumbent Governor or Senator in a primary and to have won the subsequent general election in the last twelve years. She did it in an election year when Republicans across the country suffered record losses. She did it with the Republican Party establishment opposing her candidacy and openly threatening her on the phone should she dare cross them. She did it without the political consultants upon which too many in our party foolishly rely. The liberal Anchorage Daily News wrote the following about her campaign:

Still, no national consultants have been brought in to hone Palin's message or protect her frontrunner status with carefully scripted appearances.

"It's the most remarkable campaign I've ever seen," said Babcock. "She's just running as Sarah Palin and talking about what comes up."

What seems to drive the Beltway, as well bloggers like Quin, crazy is the fact that she neither seeks nor needs their assistance. The bloggers over at Hillbuzz met Governor Palin over the weekend in Peoria and she expressed her thoughts about the political chattering class to which Quin belongs quite succinctly: "Oh, I got their number."

Quin also tries to characterize Palin as someone who leaves jobs in order to advance herself politically. This argument is quite paradoxical considering that in the same article, Quin argues that her resignation hurts her politically. In fact, the resignation goes against Quin's storyline that she has quit jobs to climb the political ladder. If all she cared about was her political future, she wouldn't have concluded that the circumstances created by her adversaries made it impossible for her to advance the state's interests as governor and that the best decision she could make for her state was to hand the reins over to someone who shared her values even if it meant that she would take a hit politically.

Our fifth and final problem (there are more but space is limited) with Quin's problem with Palin is the "you can be our cheerleader, sweetie, but don't even think about running onto the field; that's for the big boys" message. How it works is that bloggers like Quin will lavish praise on Palin for the "energy" she brings to the party and movement but at the same time argue that she can do more good from the sidelines waving the pom-poms. These writers can't legitimately call her irrelevant because she regularly draws massive crowds to her events (over 10,000 in Tim Pawlenty's state where even David Frum conceded she "utterly outshines Pawlenty."), so instead they praise her "activism" while also making it clear that she can't possibly be anything more. You see it in Quin's suggestion that she continue to utilize her "ability to turn a pithy phrase to convey powerful messages"....on television while shelving any national political aspirations until 2024.

The purpose of this strategy is to demoralize her supporters and push away people who are inclined to support her in a prospective presidential run. What makes this narrative so effective is that Palin cannot challenge it in any substantive way as it would be irrational on her part to telegraph her intentions at this time considering that the 2010 midterms are still months away (according to the "Palin rules," if she did make her intentions explicit, she'd be accused of being selfish and arrogant). In the same fashion as some of our country's greatest leaders, she is someone who is reluctant to serve and not someone who spends every waking hour of her life thinking about how she can become President. She seems to recognize that serving as our country's leader would require her to sacrifice more than she would get in return. Reluctance is a character trait that sets her apart from our current President and many Republicans.

However, until the time comes when Palin makes a formal announcement about her plans, her opponents on the right will continue to pound this meme in order to convince those who support her or those favorably disposed to her candidacy that she is uninterested in pursuing national office and is better off in a television studio. That this tactic is effective doesn't make it right. For the rest of the year, Palin will continue to stay on the frontline and inflict damage on Barack Obama's approval ratings while others will continue to lay low and focus on their own runs for the presidency. She seems perfectly willing to take the fire from the Democrat Party while others seem willing to push narratives with the intent of eroding her support. Yes, there may be a problem with Palin....the problem is that she's willing to put up with claptrap.

Ken (Old Texican)| 4.20.10 @ 6:44PM

AKReport,
Splendidly written. (heh belatedly stated, but I just saw it.)
I hope to see you here in conversation more often.

Julie in VT| 4.22.10 @ 8:01AM

Sarah - is that you? No, couldn't be. Not word-salady enough. Must be Meg Stapleton back home in Alaska.

Side note - this article was WAY too kind to Shoot-em-up Palin.

Alan Brooks| 4.26.10 @ 11:11AM

Palin is one tough lady-- one tough person. But when she overreacts, as she did on Rahm's using the 'R' word, she appears to be saying "hell with propriety, I'll say whatever I want", and it seems thinskinned in the bargain (either way, it is not good).

Alan Brooks| 4.19.10 @ 7:12PM

Golly, even Chinese outerwear retailers are picking on Jehovahs Witnesses.

Stammon| 4.19.10 @ 9:24PM

Dammit Alan you made milk come out of my nose.

Possum Dearie| 4.19.10 @ 11:36PM

They can put up a billboard above a Red Lobster in Times Square of President Chin Thrust posing like a JC Penney catalog model in front of the Great Wall. There is no lengths to which they will not go.

Conservative in Red NH| 4.19.10 @ 7:16AM

Quin's little attack piece would hold more water IF prominent, 'experienced' Republican leaders with years of experience and including McCain, Dole, McConnell, Steele, Boehner, both Bushes, Reagan, Romney, Hucklebee and on and on didn't make similar obvious and unreflective mistakes with the media, legislation, trusting Democrat party members, Sunday morning talk shows, 'sit downs' with the Prez, etc. that he exclusively attributes to Sarah Palin. Palin isn't perfect but she isn't anywhere near the naive, narcissist he paints. The GOP leadership has worked long and hard to merit the title of "The STUPID Party' - As they continue to belittle and back stab Palin - they just prove they have little interest in giving up that name.

Possum Dearie| 4.19.10 @ 11:37PM

Quin just wants some hits to his article, so he picks on a lady. Stay classy.

JP| 4.19.10 @ 7:44AM

Sarah Palin represents the GOP in disunity. The Tea Party Movement as a whole is just as much a rebellion against the National Republican Party as it is the Democratc and President Obama. And can anyone really blame the grass roots conservatives and libertarians? Since 1988 they've had to carry the water in elections in order to elect such people as Lindsay Gramm, Dick Lugar, Bob Dole, Bush41 and Bush 43, John McCain, Liddy Dole, Arlene Specter, and Lamar Alexander. With every tick the populace as a whole moves Right, there are always major GOP figures that join the Left. Even as people comment on this blog, Lindsay Gramm is joining forces with Kerry to push Cap and Trade.; and Senators Cornyn and Corker have waved the white flags concerning ObamaCare Repeal.

For all her faults, at least Sarah Palin is at least rhetorically giving vent to a very large segment of the populace who currently have little or no voice.

Sarah Palin is not who this nation needs right now. I cannot say who out there fits the bill; but, it is not her. The current group of GOP misfits (the Huckster, Mitt, Ron Paul, Tim Pawlenty, and Newt) underscore just how weak the GOP field is. None of these people governed as conservatives. None of them can motivate the base. It is just raw ambition that drives them. The fact that Sarah Palin towers above them indicates to me what a sad state the GOP has fallen into. Some people have thrown out Mitch Daniels. But he is more of a competent technocrat than a viable national candidate. On the other hand, maybe that is just what this nation needs.

Possum Dearie| 4.19.10 @ 11:40PM

Mitch Daniels. Really?

Let Republicans decide who they need during the primaries, and let Sarah Palin keep helping spread the conservative message during the midterms.

Careen Longhurst | 4.20.10 @ 3:05AM

Sarah Palin is not what this nation needs right now? She sure is a sight higher on the totem pole than that bunch running things now.
Yes, the GOP is in disarray, mostly by their own hand. Yet, there is hope and the Tea Partiers are trying to tell them where the hope for the party is and what is demanded of them. Many of them just don't get it and you are right in my view about the current crop of possible candidates. They leave me cold as well. I do like Mark Rubio. It remains to be seen if he will be elected. If he is and proves his worth, he might be someone to watch for 2012. The main goal at this juncture, I think everyone would agree is to take back congress. And if congress is taken, that the candidates fielded actually get to Washington with a BACKBONE. That is the first and most fundamental hurdle. Then we can see what looks good for 2012. We all know that campaign begins the day after the midterms.
But if we had to make a choice right this minute, well, Mrs. Palin would be at the top of the list for me. Because she has the capacity to a great deal of good and certainly could do no worse. We could rely on her to know who our friends are and who are enemies are. That is a serious distinction completely beyond Obama.
Right now we are getting ahead of ourselves. First order of business is making sure we have candidates in the midterms who respect the Constitution and the country and will take that dedication to Washington with them.
As in days of old.. Back to square one... this is going to be like 'the shot heard round the world'

Cat| 4.20.10 @ 10:54AM

LOL! Mitch Daniels? A technocrat?

Is that what America needs? You fool!

David Holmes | 4.19.10 @ 7:48AM

Mr. Hillyer misses a most important factor, not just the abysmal lack of Obama's practical experience but his known left bent now so damning to America. Now, after months in office, we see the destructive and future-threatening results. But, Mr. Hillyer is totally silent to this. It seems that big government experience is what is decisive, like what we get with Mr. Biden! Shame!

Quin| 4.19.10 @ 10:52AM

Mr. Holmes,
For the record, I spend about 3/4 of my professional life blasting Obama. That doesn't mean that I have to mention or blast Obama in every article I write, though, does it? I agree entirely that Obama is awful. That's all the more reason to get a candidate who is ready and able to beat him in 2012 and govern well afterwards. Thanks.

David Holmes| 4.19.10 @ 2:38PM

Quin, Tks for the response. However, I am thoroughly persuaded that character beats government employment look at most of what we now have! Again, Tks.

Stuart Koehl| 4.21.10 @ 9:01AM

George Washington and most of the Founders would agree. After all, when they started on the Big Adventure, none of them had any real experience in governing at all--they were traveling in uncharted waters and making it up as the went along.

Who would not say that Thomas Jefferson was better educated than George Washington? Who would not say that James Madison had far more understanding of political science and legislative proceedure? Who could possibly think either was a better chief executive than the autodidact George Washington? And the key discriminator among them: character.

Possum Dearie| 4.19.10 @ 11:42PM

Couldn't you wait until everyone announced before you started the friendly fire?

louis tully| 4.20.10 @ 1:45PM

Hey, maybe you could tell us who YOU support, so we know where to aim the blowback for this wonderful hit piece on a conservative you published.

Stuart Koehl| 4.20.10 @ 9:48PM

So, Quin, just what "government" experience did Patrick Henry have? You can see my post below for the answer to my rhetorical question. I'm sure Henry meant what he said, but you're the one whose exegesis turned it into "government" experience.

If you were being honest with yourself, you would recognize Henry did much the same thing in his day that Palin is doing today--mobilizing opinion, raising the rabble through rhetoric ("Give me liberty or give me death"? I suppose that passes muster with you for substantive debate?).

Henry's total time in government was about the same as Palin's to date, and Palin was a sight more successful than Henry as governor. Whatever experience Patrick Henry thought shaped his life, it certainly wasn't his time in government.

Maybe that's what we need: government by people whose experience is mainly from outside government. Because relying on those who have the experience strikes me as relying on hair of the dog as a cure for a hangover.

leilani| 4.19.10 @ 10:21PM

I tend to agree with much of what Hillyer says here, but yours (David Holmes') was my main complaint with this piece as well. Obama (& Kerry & Gore & McCain before them) are automatically presumed to be "ready from day one" evidently by virtue of their legislative experience, yet somebody with some actual executive experience is not?

I wonder sometimes if people have any idea what legislators actually do for a living. These guys couldn't competently run a lemonade stand once they leave the Hill, at least not with the skills accumulated during their time there.

Even with as little time in executive management as Ms. Palin racked up, it's still a hell of a lot more of managerial skill development than Biden was able to get onto his CV in his 60 odd years with a lifetime career in the lege, and nobody says a damn thing about that.

Sorry, but if the former gov of AK were a guy, I suspect we'd not be having all of this endless gnashing of teeth about her thin resume. According to conventional wisdom, Kerry was fit & she is not? Heck, my UPS guy is more "ready to lead on day one" than that preening doofus was.

There are lots of legitimate reasons to argue that Ms. Palin probably makes a better activist than she does an elective officeholder and Hillyer does a very good job enumerating them here, but that particular one about her relative lack of suitable experience, IMHO, just doesn't help make the case when her main competitors ( on the Dem side at least) are coddled lifetime career pols whose own legislative chiefs-of-staff are more qualified than they to sit in the Oval.

Careen Longhurst | 4.20.10 @ 2:43AM

I will take a Governor over a Senator ANY day.

Julie in VT| 4.22.10 @ 8:04AM

You mean a first-term, barely educated, incoherent, tanning-bed-in-the-mansion vitriolic liar who'd quit 1/2 way thru to make $$$, right?

DanMingo| 4.20.10 @ 11:28AM

yet somebody with some actual executive experience is not?

DanMingo| 4.20.10 @ 11:30AM

yet somebody with some actual executive experience is not?
She quit halfway through her 'executive experience', and mayor of Wasilla certainly is more like HS class President, as the author has pointed out.

Margie| 4.20.10 @ 2:14PM

You're Libertarian or Paleo aren't you? You're programmed to despise people like Sarah.

John - TMF| 4.19.10 @ 8:00AM

I was going to tell you great article and you are spot on... but you are going to take hits from the "lack of introspection - true believer" posters...

And then I was proven correct, before I got a chance to hit the SUBMIT button.

OK Palinites... time to start breathing some air lots of nice oxygen saturation, grab some really strong coffee... sit and now... breathe in through the nose... out through the mouth... nice and slow... do it again...Good...

Wait for it. Quinn is spot on. Palin is not ready for prime time. If she had the political savvy enough to be President, she'd have figured out a way to get a fix package put together and passed to prevent the continual frivolous charges from being filed, finished out her term as Governor of Alaska, and run for re-election.

Government is not some pie-in-the-sky amateur's adventure in blind assertion of principle. It is difficult, cumbersome, and loaded with traps. Yes, it is corrupting, but it is also critically important for those who achieve ever higher office to have some form of practical completing prior experience.

The brutal truth is that Movement Conservatives are woefully and often willfully ignorant of how government works, why it works, and how best to correct its current smothering trajectory.... other than to push the "Abort-Detonate" switch and send the whole thing crashing into the abyss.

My wife (who never in a million tries by me, ever worked a political campaign) volunteered to work for McCain-Palin... because of Sarah Palin. My daughter who hates pink with every fiber of her being work a Team Palin tee-shirt proudly.

My wife, told me several days ago that if Palin runs she is likely to lose, and should because she is a "woman" . Wow... I was stunned. I guess all of my years working for and with capable, tough, and excellent women colored my opinion.

My wife is less sanguine about the ability or general acceptability of a woman running the US. She said "We aren't ready for it, VP was fine... she was more qualified for that than Obama was for President..."

She also feels that Palin is too much of a "Mom first" sort of person - which my wife admires and thinks is critically important, but my wife also understands that the Presidency is for someone who has a different priority list than a mother of young children. (Believe me... one does not cross between my wife and her kids.)

The point is that I would have never evaluated it that way. That observation was made by more than a few commentators (of whom my wife wouldn't know from Adam, Eve, or a statue in the park...)

Palin is not ready, and is not qualified in experience or temperament to be the President. Neither is Obama for that matter.

She has lots of years to develop, mature, and learn. The biggest thing that she needs to do is get elected to something, stick to it, do it effectively, and get re-elected.

Politics ain't bean bag. It also, as the stakes get higher, is not for those without real world political experience.

r/The Mighty Fahvaag

jw| 4.19.10 @ 4:03PM

The interesting thing about Palin, is her simplicity. We have been nuanced to death by liberals for decades. Carter, Clinton, Kerry, Gore, Edwards and now Obama. and those are just president seekers. Liberals have everyone believing that politics is so complicated. It s really pretty easy when you use the constitution as your guidlines. Bill Clinton just this weekend reminds us that "we" still dont know what the word is, IS>

Purpleguy| 4.20.10 @ 1:41AM

Simplicity? You got that right. You're right or you're wrong. Trouble is she only thinks in one liners - what would she do when she's not on 'show' for the audience? If she can't handle Alaska's governorship, how in the world would she handle the Presidency? She's just a quitter when it gets tough, and you want that? Next time we're attacked, she resigns? We just left simpletonville, and now you want to go bumpkinville? Nothing is simple about running the country the size and power of the US.

Cat| 4.20.10 @ 10:55AM

One liners? Oh, you mean that's all you can remember. I guess you didn't read her book, or read her Facebook posts, or her op eds, or listen to her in depth interviews with O'Reilly or Wallace.

No, it's YOU who can only recall one-liners.

Levi Johnson| 4.20.10 @ 11:34AM

Please give us an example of something Palin has said that strikes you as intelligent, and not a 'one liner'.

Margie| 4.20.10 @ 2:16PM

OK~ If you can do that yourself, first.

Stuart Koehl| 4.20.10 @ 9:50PM

"Simplicity? You got that right. You're right or you're wrong. "

Seemed to work pretty well for Harry Truman.

Stuart Koehl| 4.20.10 @ 9:52PM

And while we are on the subject of simplicity, what could be more simple than Ronald Reagan's proposed end-game for the Cold War:

"We win, they lose"?

I guess we would have been better off with the "peaceful coexistence" crowd?

Stuart Koehl| 4.20.10 @ 9:53PM

But the best reason for supporting Sarah Palin is she pisses off David Frum--and Quin Hillyer, it would seem.

Tim*| 4.19.10 @ 8:05AM

The Republicans have many 2012 potential Presidential Candidates maneuvering or exploring for a shot, from Romney , to Paul ,to Pence , to Huckabee , to DeMint , to Jindal , to Pawlenty , to Barbour, etc.
Palin has a media voice , is raking in money , has name recognition , is becoming a " Kingmaker " and could accumulate a level of " expertise " .

However, We , Anonymous Tea Party Rebels neither need nor want " A Designated Leader " .

We lead ourselves and are goin' great ,thanks.

martin j smith| 4.19.10 @ 8:07AM

Now i would wonder what would motivate Quin Hillyer to write such a piece. This "hit piece" could just as well be fopund in the NYT or WAPO etc.
You know I believe that BHO is just as unqualified as Sara Palin, yet the media did not go point by point into BHOs career to demonstrate the negatives--and there were many good ones. Also many who called themselves conservatives voted for BHO.

\Sarah Palin is good at what she does: Getting the Democrat Left riled up by her critiques of their policies. She is a good speaker and she hits a cord with many millions of voters. I think this is her current role: Trouble maker for the Left. Its a good job. And by the way, another element is this: If she were not significant--as a threat in some way--then the Left would yawn.

So Hillyer, go to the NYT--but as for me--Sara Palin you keep talking and blast away at the Left and BHO in particular--get under their skin--

As for qualifications for Preident: John MaC was not qualified and I have now have grave doubts about GWB--in retospect of course. The choice should be from nbew blood- no 2008 losers please.

Chuck| 4.19.10 @ 11:28AM

Right. It is not her suitability to be president that drives her popularity -- there is precious little discussion, least of all from her, about a presidential bid. Rather it is her clear statement of policies and positions, and her delicious skewering of the left, that so energizes us. THAT is what so many critics miss.

jose goldfinger| 4.19.10 @ 8:14AM

I admire and respect Sara but I share some of the concerns of Mr. Hillyer. My Rx for Sara is to continue in her role as a prominent critic of the administration and fundraiser for the right candidates, become the next senator from Alaska and serve a full term, and then - who knows?
I like Hillyer's QB analogy - how many talented prospects were ruined by moving them up too soon? It would be tragic to do this to Sara.

Doctor Right| 4.19.10 @ 8:29AM

I think I'll be wasting less and less time reading TASOnline...This journal has gone wobbly.

The Republican Party is currently undergoing a long overdue de-lousing. The useless, deadwood Republicans (McCain, Graham, Snow, Collins, etc) will soon be jettisoned before they can do any more damage to our nation of the Party.

Although not affiliated with the Tea-Party movement, this de-lousing is certainly led by those who are sympathetic to the movement's core issues:

1. A return to originalist, Constitutional principles
2. The shrinking of the Federal government
3. The common-sense renewal of American sovereignty and national security
4. An end to runaway spending
5. The final defeat of the American left.

Those Republican politicians with brains (often an oxymoron) have realized that if they want to win their respective elections in 2010 and 2012, they'd better make damn sure that they are philosophically aligned with these principles.

Sarah Palin's success since 2008 rests not only on her quirky personality and her ability to connect with crowds, but also on her convictions. She's not be the most "seasoned" politician in the Party - and that's PRECISELY why people like her.

To wit, seasoned politicians suck.

Sure, there's something to be said for "experience" in government, but most of those with the vaunted "experience" are narcissistic, pompous blowhards who enjoy the backroom deal-making and the "nuances" of government to the task of simply doing what's right according to the Constitution.

Additionally, most of the names being bandied about as the potential Republican nominees have serious baggage attached that will turn-off millions of voters angered by Obama-Pelosi-Reid, and who want fighters, not appeasers.

Mitt Romney? Never happen. Not only is he the personification of the country-club Repub, but his record on healthcare "reform" in Massachusetts makes him an unlikely warrior in the fight against ObamaCare.

Newt Gingrich? Please...Will someone, anyone, tell him to shut-up and go away. You lost your nerve in '96, Newt. Ever since then, you've been angling for your return to "the game". Making cutesy-pie ads about global warming with Eva Braun Pelosi has effectively killed your chances.

Tim Pawlenty? ZzzzzzZZZZZzzzzzzzz...

Bobby Jindal? He came across as a geek on national TV, the unforgivable sin in politics.

Rick Santorum? I love the guy. I'd vote for him, too...But the left has successfully (and unfairly) painted him as a kook, and the damage may be done.

Ron Paul? Sure, he gets the Constitution, but he's dangerously naive on foreign policy.

Then there's a whole cast of people we seem to like, but don't know enough about yet, like Paul Ryan.

And then there's Sarah Palin. The left HATES her (a plus!), the country-club Repubs despise her (another plus!), the press makes fun of her (of course...And Obama is brilliant, right??), Hollywood can't stand her (a major plus!)...And she could care less. She sticks to her convictions, and keeps moving forward with a lot of people squarely behind her. (Reminds me of another Republican politician from way back...Big guy from California...Used to be an actor...What was his name??)

Those that say she doesn't have enough "experience" are 1000% dead-wrong. I'm sick of professional politicians with "experience". Obama, for all his lack of major-league experience is still a professional politician at heart. So is McCain, and see what that got us?

Is Sarah Palin the BEST choice for the Republican nominee in 2012? Who knows? Maybe, maybe not. She might not even run. But to suggest, as Mr. Hilyer does, that she needs more "experience" as a politician completely misses the point of her appeal.

How about "The Problem with Newt/Mitt/Ron", Mr. Hillyer?

paul| 4.19.10 @ 9:03AM

You have nailed it! Perfect! Right on!

Ken (Old Texican)| 4.19.10 @ 10:13AM

Doctor Right,

Thank you for that. Well spoken.

Quin,
I'm not quite sure sometimes if you really "get it"...personally.
Let me be blunt! If we can't get someone with the cajones of Sarah Palin...you don't get to write anymore. You will be silenced, as shall we be.
(Now do you get it?)
Now, you mark my words here. Put them somewhere safe.
"" Sarah, can END all of the "lack of experience" barbs with ONE ...perhaps not so simple, but doable job. That is, if she gets the Republican nomination for either President...or VP... she must announce her cabinet and/or core advisors PRIOR to the election. Goodness knows there are some splendid people with TONS of experience that would be thrilled to help her. With those advisors, I simply trust her to make the final decisions that must be made.
Sarah,
if you are reading this, please take another five minutes to read below. I have LOTS of successful management experience.

I have learned one thing: One manages the "project"...not the people. One can only CHOOSE the right people and then sort'a point them in the right general direction.
Godspeed

The United States of America.
A nation based upon the “rule of Law …rather than men”.
Our law is of course based upon the Ten Commandments, and distilled and fulfilled by Jesus Christ.
(“Love your neighbor as yourself”, and “Remember me as often as you break bread.”
Our “Law of the Land” is our constitution……written to fulfill our “Declaration of Independence”. It is the contract… our compact… of a free people with our government.
Inadvertently, we Americans have elected a President, and a Congress who are breaking the “Law of The Land”, with premeditation, and malice aforethought. Their method, and strategy is as old as time … quite simply… pitting brother against brother, and father against son; that they might rule over us all as they see fit, generation after generation.
Some of us labor fruitfully in our jobs and families, and others literally writhe in the futility of their idleness or despair. Our current “governors” have allowed and even encouraged the idle ones and despairing ones, only in order to create a constituency that will assure dependency upon their “governors and betters”. Some of those “betters” are not in government offices at all. They are the “Limousine-Liberals” we hear and read about. They are the ones who so enjoy dropping crumbs off their tables to their “unders”. They are the ones who get such a “tingly leg” of self-satisfaction from every crumb they deign to sweep from their tables.
They invest vast sums toward the elections of politicians who will join their “gangs”, merely in order to enhance their self–indulgent “Am I not a kind and giving…..better”.
Possibly the most underhanded “trick” those would-be “betters” have pulled is allowing the so-called mainstream media to think they are anything but “court-jesters” to amuse the “betters”, and mislead enough of we productive folk.
Well.
With the “stacked deck” we now find ourselves being dealt from, we must accomplish two jobs. First, we must accept the urgency of finding a way to work together…to get a new deck….and right the hell now. That translates into electing the men and women to Congress this fall that will stand with us productive folk, to stop the theft of our freedom before we run out of “table stakes”. Obviously that also implies that we keep their feet to the fire thereafter.
Second, we must re-create a genuine sense of hope… for those less fortunate than ourselves. Many of our fellow Americans in a state of despair, are in that state from no fault of their own. We need their votes, and their hard and meaningful work to help us re-build our country.
Every single one of us has a part to play here! Some random examples:
*You skilled craftsmen…find and teach/train someone who is now on welfare, (even if you can’t pay them just yet).
*You business men and women…find and train some folks on some sort of unpaid or part-time “intern” basis if that is all you can afford.
*You politicians…for once and all…do whatever is necessary to get our manufacturing base back home, and get our domestic natural-resource development cranked up!
*You retired folks…have a huge store of knowledge and “hands-on” know-how that you will get a kick out of passing along…..or…..you might figure out how to arrange a child- care/baby-sitting service that allows a young mother to seek meaningful employment.
*Parents…kick your sons out of the basement, and your daughters out of the mall! Heck, if nothing else, get them in touch with me…or someone… so we can help them find some meaningful goals and life-tasks.
Finally, please add your own “bestest” thoughts and commitments here, and copy/paste and e-mail them along with this to all your friends and associates.
I am doing so TODAY!
Thank you for considering these thoughts very carefully.
Best regards

GW| 4.19.10 @ 11:54AM

Rick Santorum? I love the guy. I'd vote for him, too...But the left has successfully (and unfairly) painted him as a kook, and the damage may be done.

Just insert what you've said about Santorum for Palin and you're correct. Did you not read? 55% DISapproval ratings! That' s higher than Obama! The leader of a nation w/ 10%+ unemployment, 2 wars, a $3 trillion deficit. If the election were held today, she'd lose. I don't want 4 extra years of Obama. The GOP needs to run someone who can win.

vitadMD| 4.19.10 @ 11:55AM

Excellent summary of the status of the Republican party... If not Gov. Palin, then who? If the establishment were smart, they would be rearranging leadership and grooming/investing in Paul Ryan. They should be actively renovating the party, making big changes, using every innovative tool... And why not prepare both Ryan and Palin?... No more time for pussy-footing around (the Left certainly doesn't).

Chris| 4.19.10 @ 3:58PM

Well done Dr. Right. Quin's articulate piece, depicts Palin's alleged inexperience as an aberration. Quin needs to extend the same consideration to the experience level of our current Commander and Chief.

wodiej| 4.19.10 @ 7:24PM

thanks, couldn't have said it better.

William| 4.19.10 @ 9:59PM

Dr. Right, excellent analysis. Sarah Palin is the face of common-sense conservatism and she has been doing much of the heavy lifting against Obama's destructive economic and foreign policy initiatives by speaking out loudly and fearlessly.

She is the only public figure who most precisely speaks for me. She constantly repeats Reagan's phrase, "There are no easy answers but there are simple answers. We must have the courage to do what we know is morally right." She is a moral, spiritual woman who has a good understanding of those "simple" answers. I am a Reagan Republican and would follow Sarah Palin to the beaches of Normandy. She is the embodiment of archetypal American values.

I wouldn't drive one block to listen to Mitt Romney. If you want to discuss lack of insight, consider his defense of RomneyCare. If you want to talk about experience, then his experience in private equity in buying companies, firing the employees, stripping the intrinsic value, and driving them into bankruptcy should dovetail nicely with the course we are on with Obama. And if you want to discuss moral high ground just consider his politically expedient flip-flopping on abortion.

Frankly, I do not believe Sarah Palin will participate in the 2012 campaign. Her focus is on Trig at this time. If the GOP has any sense, they will crawl on their knees begging her to run in 2016.

Possum Dearie| 4.19.10 @ 11:48PM

The reason you have all met Palin's family is so you could see how well she balances her professional and her personal life. She can walk and chew gum.

Careen Longhurst | 4.20.10 @ 3:11AM

Hear! Hear! Well said!

DanMingo| 4.20.10 @ 11:38AM

Sarah Palin's success since 2008 rests not only on her quirky personality and her ability to connect with crowds, but also on her convictions. She's not be the most "seasoned" politician in the Party - and that's PRECISELY why people like her.
Her success is based on the fact that people identify her as being 'one of us'. Unfortunately, the 'us' is the 23% who also supported Bush.
Her rank amateur status is not a plus for the majority of the voting public.

Margie| 4.20.10 @ 2:22PM

Sarah's the real thing, Mingo. And that's what you can't stand!

Curly Smith| 4.19.10 @ 8:52AM

Palin is clearly unqualified to be President, not because she doesn't have the requisite government experience but because she lacks management experience. The budget example clearly demonstrates that she hasn't learned how to delegate, that as CEO her time is too valuable to count the leaves on each tree. The CEO has to focus on the big picture and hire people to count the leaves. But, to do that, the CEO has to learn how to identify which people can actually count the leaves correctly and which merely claim, by virtue of their prestigious degree, that they can. The CEO has to be a good judge of character. It takes a lot of experience to be a good CEO and Palin is doing nothing to gain that experience.

Of course, by the same token, McCain was also clearly unqualified for the job and he would have been a dreadful President. Romney, on the other hand, has the experience but utterly lacks core conservative principles.

AKReport| 4.19.10 @ 11:26AM

False.

Palin is more qualifed then Obama and Romney combined.

16 years of public service as a mayor, regulator, and Gov. AND signed into law the largest infrastructure project in american history.

GW| 4.19.10 @ 11:56AM

Wow. My friends' grandpa used to be a mayor. He didn't quit, either. Of course, being "more qualified" than Obama won't work as an argument in 2012 unless we run George Bush I or revive Calvin Cooledge from the dead.

Possum Dearie| 4.19.10 @ 11:51PM

Palin didn't quit as mayor. She resigned from the governorship, because of the enormous strain to her finances, not to mention those of the taxpayers in Alaska, that she incurred fighting frivolous ethics complaints. Now look what the Democrats have done. They taunted a barracuda.

Stephanie| 4.19.10 @ 8:24PM

Oh eat it GW. She has scads more experience than obama. No need to run GB1 or bring back Calvin. We have the gal we want.

Stammon| 4.19.10 @ 9:38PM

I want to vote for her because she makes the dems heads spin around with green vomit spewing from their pie holes.

Possum Dearie| 4.19.10 @ 11:53PM

I hope this time they really do leave the country. It is worth it for that alone.

Careen Longhurst | 4.20.10 @ 3:12AM

Yes!! But it HAS to be Mexico. No fair shipping them to Canada.

BD57| 4.19.10 @ 9:22PM

"unqualified" is too strong; "unprepared" would be the better word.

To me, "unqualified" speaks to the person, not experience, etc. In terms of basic instinct, I think Palin capable of accumulating the experience (and learning from it) to serve admirably.

The sort of thing that renders someone "unqualified" is the arrogance of Obama, the narcissism of Clinton, etc.

As for Palin's going over the budget - that she would undertake such a task as governor of Alaska ... a small state, as Quin reminds us ... does not mean she'd do the same with the Federal Budget.

I see it as more of a positive - Palin did something NO ONE does .... ask the question "What the heck are we spending and why are we spending it?"

While a President ought not be doing the review herself, we've seen what happens in Washington when no one is doing it .... given a choice, I'd prefer a Chief Executive who has someone going through the budget looking for stuff to cut.

DanMingo| 4.20.10 @ 11:41AM

I see it as more of a positive - Palin did something NO ONE does .... ask the question "What the heck are we spending and why are we spending it?"
Then she went ahead and spent it anyway; see the article above and the 'road to nowhere'.

Margie| 4.20.10 @ 2:23PM

The only one on the road to nowhere is you and your ilk, Mingo.

Interested Conservative| 4.19.10 @ 8:54AM

Alas M. Hillyer, the current POTUS demolishes all these points. There is no critique of Gov. Palin which is not more applicable to Pres. Obama.

For the remainder of his term or terms she is the leading favorite opponent.

God help us all if he's reelected, but only then will other GOP governor's have an open contest for the office.

GW| 4.19.10 @ 11:58AM

This just shows Palin's hard core supporters can't think beyond what Rush tells them. No one here is saying Obama is better than Palin, especially not the writer. He is merely pointing out her political and personal flaws, ones that WILL make a difference if she is chosen to run in 2012. The writer, of all people, wants to see Obama defeated and a conservative in office.

Margie| 4.19.10 @ 2:52PM

Got Rush envy?

GW| 4.19.10 @ 3:00PM

Yes. The guy has 15-20 million listeners and makes millions of dollars. Who wouldn't want that?

Margie| 4.19.10 @ 3:05PM

At least you're honest. 2 points. ;^)

Possum Dearie| 4.19.10 @ 11:55PM

That's why you're dead broke. Because no one wants to listen to you :P

Rush Rules, Loser Drools

DanMingo| 4.20.10 @ 11:44AM

Rush Rules, Loser Drools
Get back to us when you graduate from middle school.

Margie| 4.20.10 @ 2:24PM

Bingo!

Margie| 4.20.10 @ 2:25PM

That was a reply to Possum Dearie. (Love that handle BTW.)
Dan Mingo~ you're just jealous.

Interested Conservative| 4.19.10 @ 11:30PM

Sure GW, but as long as he's the POTUS, that's all she has to be compared with, and she compares very favorably.

Quin's description is very accurate when compared with everyone else, but, still, there's only one POTUS, and she remains a favorite as long as he's around.

In a sense I agree with the analysis - she has much work to do for a campaign against anyone else, but she needn't do it now, at least as far as most if us are concerned - we're focused on her vis-a-vis the POTUS.

TennesseeVolunteer| 4.19.10 @ 9:01AM

Sarah is moved up continually because she is a rising star. I don't think moving up so quick was ever part of her plan, the opportunities presented themselves.
However, I agree with Quin that she would be well served to get a little more experience before the Big Show.
Haley Barbour, the governor of Mississippi is your man ladies and gentlemen.

Possum Dearie| 4.19.10 @ 11:58PM

If we wanted to run a fat guy, Chris Christie is younger. The next GOP nominee isn't coming from the South, if they want to win.

unseen| 4.19.10 @ 9:20AM

ROFL,

Quin would rather have a POTUS that doesn't involve themselves in the little details and let's others do it for them. Hmmm Obama did just sign a 2,000 pg bill with out once reading it or knowing anything that wa sin it. How is that working out.

Carter did not fail because he was too much of a geek, or tried to micromanaged the country. Carter failed because he was too much of a wimp to stand up to Congress and his policies were 100% totally wrong as most leftists are.

Maybe if someone anyone would read the freaking budget it wouldn't stand at $3.5 trillion dollars. Maybe if someone/anyone would take time to understand who is spending what on what and where that $50 million is going or that $100 billion maybe we could have a balanced budget.

The CEO's job is not do what is needed to ensure the job is getting down. If that requires him/her to roll up their sleves and get into the pit and go through the budget "line-by-line" that is what they do. If it requires them to pick others to do it then that is what they do.

the really good CEO's understand what is needed to get the job done.

DanMingo| 4.20.10 @ 11:49AM

"Hmmm Obama did just sign a 2,000 pg bill with out once reading it or knowing anything that wa sin it. How is that working out. "

You are making this up; you have no way of knowing if he read the bill or not.
However, during the healthcare 'summit', he demonstrated his knowledge and understanding of the bill, usually by correcting some bs republican talking point. Watch the summit on cspan, or read the transcript, then get back to us on whether or not Obama knows what is in the bill.
I would agree that most of the members of congress did not read the bill before voicing their opinions, nor did the media, based on all of the inacuracies in their public statements.
After reading this made up 'fact' that Obama had not read the bill, the rest of your comment is highly suspect, and I skipped it.

Margie| 4.20.10 @ 2:29PM

Oh so you're an Obamamaton! That you, Liberal Reader? No one defends Obama (ugh) as well as you do.
So you're in the Communist party?!
LOL.

sandy| 4.19.10 @ 9:22AM

There really hasn't been anything said in this article that hasn't already been printed by the leftists in the MSM. These are just different words, by a different author, that add up to the same trashing.

I find it more than disheartening to see stuff like this printed on a site which I believed to be part of our side. I don't see the value or gain of going after someone who, if nothing else, speaks out against the socialist movement in our country.

You can believe all you wish about Palin, but, wouldn't it be much more helpful to print stuff like this about a Progressive?

This is nothing more than a circular firing squad.

wodiej| 4.19.10 @ 7:27PM

Amen to that. They just lost my subscription. Palin gets trashed enough by the left. She shouldn't have to take it from her own side. I'm sure if her gender was different, she would be the next best thing to sliced bread. She won't play along in the "good ole' boys club" and people love her and they just CAN'T STAND IT.

DanMingo| 4.20.10 @ 11:57AM

This applies to your comment and the one above yours.
"Palin gets trashed enough by the left."

If the author is telling the truth, then he is not 'trashing' Sarah. You cannot be so blind as to not see the faults in your (or any) candidate, Dem or Repub. Facing the truth directly, no matter how painful, is a way to move forward. If you deny reality, you are stuck in ignorance.
If you can factually refute any of the author's comments that you think 'trash' Palin, then do so. Otherwise it's blind following of a personality, regardless of reality. You want ONLY opinions that agree with yours?

Try Fox.

Margie| 4.20.10 @ 2:30PM

You mean like you do defending your man~Obama? Who's not FACING reality, Lib Reader?

unseen| 4.19.10 @ 9:26AM

Here are some true facts that the liberals in Alaska and America do not want you to know.

Governor Murkowski's last budget FY2007: $11,697,400,000

Governor Palin's latest budget FY2010: $10,570,000,000

Total reduction in spending between 2007 and 2010: a whopping 9.5% or $1,127,400,000

Check out these numbers:

FFY07- Murkowski's federal requests total: 63 projects @ $349,497,000

FFY10- Governor Palin's federal requests total: 8 projects @ $69,100,000

That was a gigantic 80% drop in federal requests by the Alaska governor's office.

Not only has Governor Palin dropped the federal requests for money by 80%, she has also been slowly chipping away at these numbers since the beginning of her administration.

FFY2007- Gov. Murkowski 63 projects at $349,497,000

FFY08- Gov. Palin 52 projects at $256,037,000

FFY09- Gov. Palin 31 projects at $195,094,900

FFY10- Gov. Palin: 8 projects @ $69,100,000
http://gov.state.ak.us/omb/08_.....ummary.pdf

http://www.conservatives4palin.....g-out.html

GW| 4.19.10 @ 12:00PM

She sounds like she was a good governor. Too bad she quit. (And if you don't like reading this, just think what you'll have to read if she ever does get the nomination.)

WODIEJ| 4.19.10 @ 7:29PM

yea too bad she had to quit because of all the frivolous lawsuits that was costing the state of Alaska money, staff time and money out of her own pocket. Yea, too bad we have a socialist president and she felt better served helping conservatives win back the senate by helping other candidates. You all are frigging PATHETIC.

BD57| 4.19.10 @ 9:30PM

With all due respect, one of Quin's points is that the very ethics regime Governor Palin championed is what forced her out of office - and that she had plenty of reason to foresee the danger to herself by championing it.

The danger was obvious - we had 30+ years experience watching "Independent Counsels" used as political weapons, she had warnings from David Horowitz, etc. She handed her opponents the club they used to beat her out of office - that's not good politics.

AKReport| 4.20.10 @ 12:01PM

"Too bad she quit."

Too bad for Obama, she quit.

JayJay| 4.19.10 @ 5:41PM

I think what unseen and Quin both say as far as fiscal numbers are correct. The idea of bringing Frank Murkowski into it though is misleading as he is probably the biggest crook there has been in the state. If you look at the numbers you will see that Palin was backing off the federal monies and letting the State of AK shoulder the responsibility... the whole state's rights and with those rights comes the responsibility thing... that is what many are screaming for after all isn't it? They have to remember though that with state's rights will come the responsibility of paying for their own projects but many haven't thought about that part of the deal, they just want state's rights. I think the size of the government increased while she was gov. though but not 100% on that.

GW... too bad she quit???? Nah, as an Alaskan I applaud her for doing that. Her life and the media had made it impossible for her to devote her full attention to running the state as it should be and her stepping down and letting Parnell give it his undivided attention was in the best interest of all Alaskans. I applaud her for that move. Not sure what state you live in but ask yourself if you would rather have someone running your state that can only devote half their time and energy to running the state or them stepping aside so someone else can devote all their attention to running the state.

I am neither pro or con Palin, just call them as I see them and sheesh! After Knowles (D) and Murkowski (R) she was a welcome sight.

Pingback| 4.19.10 @ 9:37AM

Media Bias, Unreported News Stories, Media Hypocrisy | The Problem With Palin - Why T links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:

…our veteran staffers, “What did past governors do? How did they get through these budgets with so little detail?” “They didn’t,” was the response. (Excerpt) Read more at spectator.org Liberal Lunacy, Liberal Smears, We Love Rush If you enjoyed this post, please consider to leave a comment or subscribe to the feed and get future articles delivered to your feed reader. Comments No…

danny| 4.19.10 @ 9:39AM

Quin, I agree with you 100% about Palin not being ready for the job. I love women as much as any red blooded male, but I have serious doubts about this country being ready to be led by a woman. Where we part company is the experience of Obama. In my mind he has all the experience needed to do what he is striving to do which is destroying this country. It takes in most cases a skilled engineer to design and build a complicated piece of eqiupment, but most any simpleton with limited experience can operate a wrecking ball.

Doctor Right| 4.19.10 @ 10:42AM

You have "serious doubts about this country being ready to be led by a woman"...?

WHY???

Some of the toughest, most hard-nosed political leaders in history have been women:

1. Elizabeth the Great: Her father wanted a son; she was tougher than her old man, and then some.

2. Golda Meir: From the holocaust to the Prime Minister's seat. She was tough enough to order the hit-squads on the Black September terrorists, and fight-off the Arabs in '73.

3. Margaret Thatcher: 1/3rd of the great triumvirate that brought down communism, and brought her nation back to greatness after 30+ years of socialism.

Frankly, Michelle Bachman has more balls than all of the Republican senators combined, and most of the Congressman.

Lindsey Graham is a man (kind of...). Would he do?

wodiej| 4.19.10 @ 7:31PM

oh, and the men have been doing such a great job eh? You and most men think women are great as long as they stand behind you.

unseen| 4.19.10 @ 9:40AM

February 18, 2009, Juneau, Alaska – Governor Sarah Palin submitted a package of FY2010 budget amendments to legislators today that reduces general fund spending by $445.5 million.

The Department of Revenue also issued a February 2009 interim forecast today based on an FY2010 average price per barrel of $57.78 and estimates revenues of $3.18 billion, which is down $2.1 billion from the fall forecast based on an average of $74.41 per barrel.

“Given current market conditions and oil prices, we have made reductions in the proposed spending plan for next year,” Governor Palin said. “We are continuing our efforts to provide important public services, while cutting back on areas that can certainly wait until we see improvement in our revenue stream.

“Even with the drop in oil prices, our goal is to continue to provide needed public services, and to keep Alaskans employed and the economy moving. We have proposed responsible reductions in the current year and also in the FY2010 budget. These changes will reduce the draw on reserves needed at the end of the fiscal year.”

http://gov.alaska.gov/parnell/.....ml?pr=1655

Levi Johnson| 4.20.10 @ 12:02PM

We need a president like Sarah to fix our budget and financial problems. But mmore importantly, we need her to choose a VP that can keep it going two years into her term when she quits to address ethics charges.

Margie| 4.20.10 @ 2:32PM

You mean like the same way you quit the woman you got pregnant there, Levi? Hmm?
Maybe a quitter like you ought to consider running for office. You'd fit right in! Hahahaha!

Ryan| 4.19.10 @ 9:41AM

Here's the point I think that Quin was getting at...

These questions HAVE to be asked of Palin if she wants to be President. We CANNOT ignore them.

I like her well enough. Not President-well-enough - yet - but well enough. I have issues with her lack of staying power at times, but the "lacking experience" boat doesn't stay well with me, either.

Possum Dearie| 4.20.10 @ 12:10AM

Let's ask those questions during a primary when she is prepared to answer them and debate policy. This is just piling on with the Democrats when the GOP needs all the help it can get. And there is nobody in the current field of potential candidates worth this knee-capping of her. "We should be behind someone who can win." Then let that guy come forward and give us a reason to support him.

DanMingo| 4.20.10 @ 12:04PM

Let's ask those questions during a primary when she is prepared to answer them and debate policy

She tried that, and Katie Couric embarrassed her by asking the gotcha question "what newspapers and magazines do you read"?
Sarah could not name one!

Margie| 4.20.10 @ 2:34PM

I think the word inane describes you well.

unseen| 4.19.10 @ 9:43AM

so Danny you admit your a sexist and don't think women are able to handle the big important jobs?

I thought we left that type of thinking in the 1950's?

sexist - discriminatory on the basis of sex (usually said of men's attitude toward women)
discriminatory, prejudiced - being biased or having a belief or attitude formed beforehand; "a prejudiced judge

sexist - a man with a chauvinistic belief in the inferiority of women

GW| 4.19.10 @ 12:04PM

What are you a feminist liberal? Do you actually believe men and women share the same characteristics, especially in leadership? We've become much too feminized today. Electing one won't help out.

wodiej| 4.19.10 @ 7:34PM

So if a woman sticks up for herself she must be a feminist liberal? Conservative women can be strong too. No, women don't have the same leaderships skills as men. See, women aren't obsessed with power and greed so they aren't involved in near as many financial or sex scandals. Therefore they can devote more time to doing what they are supposed to be doing.

Possum Dearie| 4.20.10 @ 12:12AM

When I see actual discrimination, it sickens me. Good for others who share that sentiment.

Louis Jenkins| 4.19.10 @ 9:48AM

Great thoughts Mr. Unseen, unfortunately Mrs. Palin is no longer in the Governor's Mansion. Are we going to see more of the lady? Or has she begun to drop off the list of candidates? I still like her, but her latest effort to support McCain has blustered some of her support.

unseen| 4.19.10 @ 9:51AM

for those playing the "experience card"

Do I need to remind you that it was bush with a lifetime as experience in government and being a CEO that led this country into two wars he was unable to win, a record $6 trillion in debt, a major stock market crash, a housing bubble that he was unable to stop (but he at least tried) among other things.

experience is overrated if that experience is wrong. since most of the top politicians have been trained at havard, yale and have made complete messes of their state budgets ewhat makes you think these people have the correct experience. It is a known fact that the leftists infect havard and yale professorships. Why would you want your leaders trained by leftists?

Michael Adams| 4.19.10 @ 11:33AM

I often hear that President Bush led us into a stock market crash or other kinds of economic calamity. What these writers never seem to do is to cite actual policies of the Bush White House that produced this damage. The Republicans did try to audit Fannie and Freddie, and to reform Social Security, stymied in both cases by Democrat opposition. Was there something else? I am not making a case either way, at this moment, just asking for specifics, which never come. I hear about relaxed regulation in the securities markets. Again, specifically, what regulations were these? The major Democrat contributors at Enron pulled a lot of shenanigans, in the Clinton era, prosecuted in the first Bush years. Democrat fund-raiser Bernie Madoff ran a huge Ponzi scheme, but it is difficult to see where that connects to the administration. President Hopey Change rambles on a good deal about "Wall Street." but those guys are mostly Democrats, as countless polls have shown. ( One might simply glance at the electoral map, with all of New York City and the Connecticut suburbs a deep blue sea, if further confirmation were required. )

As for the unwinnable wars, we are leaving Iraq in August, President Bush's timetable, having dethroned Saddam Hussein, and left behind a country that just keeps on having elections and peacefully changing office holders. Where else in the Middle East does that happen? OH, yeah, Israel. As for Afghanistan, we denied al Qaeda a refuge there. Sure, they are now opening at a new location in Somalia, but really, now, is there some more permanent solution to the problem that people living in the eighth century are being roiled by the fact that some people are living in the 21st? Bear in mind, also, that these qualified victories came in spite of the constant carping and enemy propaganda from Democrats, like the current occupant of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. (Tokyo Rose got ten years for less.)

I'd have been happier without the Granny's Pills Bill and the No Child Without Indoctrination Act, but we can thank President Hopey Change for creating a new climate in which it will be difficult for Social Democrats to back future Presidents into a corner in which they must pass SOMETHING, anything, or face the "Wrath of the People." [Must read the short story, "At the Anarchists Convention"]

Conservative tend to see the study of history as having practical benefits, rather than making us wise and calm as we contemplate life. The evaluation of Presidents is helpful, if we learn the lessons of What Not to Do. However, those lessons are best learned by studying a President in the context of his times, whether we are talking about Adams or Jefferson or Lincoln or Wilson or either Roosevelt. George W Bush is only two years out of office, but a great deal has happened in that time, a great deal that gives us the possibility of a bit of objectivity.

GC Holloway| 4.20.10 @ 12:10PM

I often hear that President Bush led us into a stock market crash or other kinds of economic calamity. What these writers never seem to do is to cite actual policies of the Bush White House that produced this damage."
Bush tax cuts, unfunded and added $1 trillion to the debt.
War, also unfunded, and adding another $1 trillion to the debt.
Medicare part 'D', ALSO UNFUNDED and added to the debt.
That was easy.
Reform SS? By letting Wall Street have that money; not hardly reform. More like suicide economics.
No Child would have added to the deficit had it been funded.

OfConservativeMind| 4.19.10 @ 4:03PM

I agree! I am a listener of Mark Levin's conservative radio talk show, and I say that our future conservative politicians should go to Hillsdale College! Hillsdale College has an outstanding track record in that it accepts no federal money and has been operating for more than a few decades. It even requires its Freshmen to sign an Oath that they will defend the Constitution and always act such as to be worthy of America's blessings.

Sounds like an appropriate mindset to me!

Patrick Henry| 4.20.10 @ 12:11PM

It even requires its Freshmen to sign an Oath that they will defend the Constitution and always act such as to be worthy of America's blessings.
Wow. Just wow.
Government officials take that oath. Meaningless.

martin j smith| 4.19.10 @ 10:02AM

This is a RINO article. The issue really has nothing to do with Palin as presidential material at all. I has to do the RINO and fellow travelers who could be trolls as far as I am concerned. Here is my final post on this matter. I DO NOT TRUST ANY OF THE FOLKS WHO ARE THIS MUCH HOSTILE TO SP. Your views may as well be from the DNC and as far as I know they might be. I as an individual citizen will at least morall,politicall and any other legal manner support SP as a great annoyer of the Democrat Left and RINOS such as the author and his fellow travellers.

GW| 4.19.10 @ 12:07PM

Where does the article criticize Palin for being too conservative? Where? If you are going to unquestionably defend Palin no matter what is said, how are you any better than the throes of ignoramuses who voted for Obama without examining his record?

Possum Dearie| 4.20.10 @ 12:16AM

The media is really to blame for Obama's lack of vetting, not the voters who were manipulated into buying a pig in a poke. The LA Times never did get around to releasing that tape. Saying that Palin's record could compare in any way to his is farcical.

unseen| 4.19.10 @ 10:06AM

Louis,
Her support of McCain I can let pass because of the history behind their relationship. I'm not a big fan of McCain, however, she was in a no win sit. If she failed to endorse him others would be calling her a backstabbing diva out for herself, unable to play ball within the party, etc etc.

She made the best out of a bad hand dealt there.

As far as her losing steam. You can tell how well she is doing by the amount of attacks on her. Since she drew 11k to deep blue Minn and 15k to deep deep blue Boston the attacks have come hard and fast. Quinn's being the 6th I think within the last 5 days.

her recent poll numbers by PPP show her 2 pts down on Obama after 14 months of 24/7 negative attacks by the GOP elites, DNC, and MSM. whereas Mitt and Huck with great press only has a 2pt lead. With 25-37% of those polled having no opinion of Mitt or huck their poll numbers under negative attacks will drop like a stone. Palin's on the other hand has survived the fire, become a teflon candidate and now needs only to convince another 6% of the country that she is POTUS material and she wins the general.

She has great name reconition so she will save those funds used for that in the primary and turn them to getitng her message out. Which since it is one of limited government, federalism, freedom, energy independence, strong superpower status in the world, fiscal conservatism should be able to get those 6% of fence sitters in to her camp.

Mitt and everyother candidate has to not only to keep their present support but also convince 25-30% more to support them plus get their name out into the population and they must do it with the DNC/MSM firing both barrels of negative attacks at them form the nomination into the general election.

the reason for all these attacks from the GOP is that they do not want her to run for the nomination because they know she will win it and they think she will then lose the general just like they thought Reagan would lose. Just like they thought McCain would win because of his strong forgein policy wetc. The GOP elites are clueless and anyone from DC gets a big grain of salt on their opinion from me.

Matt Morehouse| 4.19.10 @ 10:09AM

Perky is not going to be our next President and if the Republicans are stupid enough to nominate her or should she go third party, BHO will be assured another four years.

Let Perky do What Perky does best; support the Conservative cause and enrage liberals. She is being well paid for her theatrics, I believe the total is more than 11 million since her elevation. We should be glad to have her in our corner.

Maybe after gets more experience under her bra she could be a state senator and maybe later something more.

wodiej| 4.19.10 @ 7:36PM

Sexism, alive and well in the USA.

Possum Dearie| 4.20.10 @ 12:18AM

Looks like a Katie Couric fan is feeling a little butt hurt. Sorry, you guys are losing. Sarah Palin remains popular, no matter how you try to belittle her.

Careen Longhurst | 4.20.10 @ 3:23AM

Really!- You might as well have said she ought to be kept in the kitchen, locked in the house and kept barefoot and pregnant. Only allowed out to chew on some hide for hubbies outfits.
She already has more experience than any state Senator or ANY Senator, period. She ran a STATE. If the implications of that still escape you it goes a long way toward explaining how Obambi got into the WH in the first place.

Levi Johnson| 4.20.10 @ 12:14PM

She already has more experience than any state Senator or ANY Senator, period. She ran a STATE

Hahahahahahahahahahahah.
She QUIT! She couldn't handle it!

Margie| 4.20.10 @ 2:37PM

Levi quit his pregnant girlfriend and then goes on to smear Sarah, her Mother. He couldn't handle it. NOT so funny, eh?

unseen| 4.19.10 @ 10:09AM

MArtin,

while I am not fully in your camp I am rapidly coming to the sam conclusion. The statist fear this woman. and if they fear her this much that would be good enough for me even if I knew nothing about SP. Sinc eI do not her record I support her even more.

DC is broken, all those in Dc (including this writer) have been part of the problem and any and all of their views should be suspect and their opinion should be worth next to nothing.

unseen| 4.19.10 @ 10:12AM

Perky?

Boy the good old boy sexism is strong on this post.

I worry about what happens to all the bigots if Palin and Obama runs. Who will they vote for. will their sexism or racism win out?

Doctor Right| 4.19.10 @ 10:46AM

I agree.

I've encountered a few knuckle-draggers on our side who dislike Palin. When pressed on exactly why, all they have to say is "Experience". As if we need another seasoned Washington hack.

Sound familiar?

Matt Morehouse| 4.19.10 @ 1:52PM

I will certainly vote for Perky if she runs as a Republican. I would just hope their death wish isn't quit that strong.

So what's wrong with "Perky"?

danny| 4.19.10 @ 10:17AM

Unseen, wrong about me on all counts. I'm not a sexist by any means. I happen to believe that Maggie Thacther was the greatest leader that Great Britain ever had(with the exception of Churchill) . I knew as soon as I posted my comment that every one of your kind would come crawling out of the woodwork. You're entitled to your opinion, just wrong.

Snuffy| 4.19.10 @ 10:18AM

So what's the point, Quinn? Sure she is a flawed human being. I would venture she is less flawed than many, or most of her red state colleagues and nearly all of the blue state ones. She'll grow into her own, given time, and I'll bet she learns from her mistakes.

Elgordo| 4.19.10 @ 10:19AM

Now is not the time to criticize Sarah Palin. Give her time on the campaign trail to gain experience, knowledge and knock off 20 or more Democrat congressmen.
Put her under the mictoscope after the 2010 midterm. The political climate will be different then and we'll have learned more about her.
Whether she gets the Republican presidential nomination or not, she should be on the ticket as she will bring out the Republican base and women.
Also, I believe Obama will replace Jos. Biden with Hillary as his V.P. nominee and she counters Hillary.
So please no attacks on Sarah Palin until after the midterm election.

Ned| 4.19.10 @ 10:19AM

Isn't this the same thing that was proffered about our new country at its founding? That a government formed of the people, by the people, for the people, could not survive.
Regular folks were just too dumb and unskilled to take on the responsibilities of leadership; leadership that was best left to the more knowing and experienced ruling class.
Experience does matter, as does character; one without the other is indeed a dangerous combination.
My belief is that experience in a life governed by good character is a better primer for leadership than experience in governance unfettered by good character. Sarah Palin seems to fit the former rather than the latter so I would prefer too many of the established usual suspects.

unseen| 4.19.10 @ 10:22AM

Danny,

Do you or do you not consider this comment a sexist comment?

I love women as much as any red blooded male, but I have serious doubts about this country being ready to be led by a woman.

If you do not then you have no idea what sexism is. If you are still having problems replace the word "woman" with the word "blacks" "latinos" "irish" etc. Your comment is a bigoted comment that would make Archie Bunker feel proud.

spin that how you want it.

wodiej| 4.19.10 @ 7:39PM

thanks, I'm with you on this. Mostly con Palin. I'm out of here. Too much testosterone. Going somewhere women are treated with respect. It sure isn't here.

unseen| 4.19.10 @ 10:26AM

Elgordo,

you are missing the point of the attacks from the right. They are trying to make sure Palin does not run after 2010. Therefore they must attack now before she gets more powerful and enters the primaries. If she does and she faces Mitt, Danials, etc in a debate and cleans their clocks they are done. they can not afford that risk.

Possum Dearie| 4.20.10 @ 12:21AM

Bingo.

Slammin Sammy| 4.20.10 @ 12:18PM

If she does and she faces Mitt, Danials, etc in a debate and cleans their clocks they are done.

Haha. Sarah and debate in the same sentence.
Haha
Debate.............

Jim Hlavac | 4.19.10 @ 10:35AM

We do not need someone "experienced" in DC-land. The experienced are bought and paid for. We need someone to shake it up.
We do not need someone to "manage" the behemoth -- we need someone to rattle it around. Someone to make people sit up and say, "Wow, that's different."
Remember only 1/2 the people even bother to vote -- and a Palin run might just bring in the other 1/2 -- for her!
Here it is, the Democrats demean Republicans as a rich white man's country club -- and the only people proposed are rich white clubbies.
Now, imagine, Mr. Hilyer, the response if the Republicans would have a Woman! as a candidate? Wow factor? What's the highest number? The left-Demos already hate her -- they can't increase their hate anymore. Not much of a record either -- great - not much to attack - she's almost a Bill Buckley-esque "name out of the phone book"!
I can tell you this -- anybody but Palin and the Republicans won't get a dime from me or my vote -- but IF Palin -- I'll go door to door begging for votes and dollars.
We Do Not Need more of the same -- we need someone so different -- so rabble rousing, so thought provoking -- or this country will continue down the route it's on -- an endless bankrupting morass of mush. For that is what all this vaunted "experience" and "connections" has wrought. And who has Palin brought to the game already? Millions of people who were never involved -- so she'd get the already involved and all the new ones too.
Too young? HA! The nation is filled with a youth culture -- play to it, Mr. Hilyer, play to it.
Why, get a qualified African-American or Hispanic or Asian VP candidate -- and that will leave the Socialist Democratic party just sputtering in ineffective rage. But put a boring white dude in there, who's been in the system and the song will remain the same.
Palin or Bust -- that's about it.
Now, go find the good in her, sir, and find the advisers she'll need -- but push her with all your might and we might just save this country.

vitadMD| 4.19.10 @ 11:30AM

After reading this unfortunate column, it's heartening to read the intelligent commentary here and realize there are more of us than there are Hillyers.

Ken (Old Texican)| 4.19.10 @ 10:38AM

unseen,
Welcome to the conversation bye the way. Good thoughts.

Please see my comment above in reply to Doctor Right.
I think sometimes Quin "falls off the wagon", or perhaps he just likes to play devil's advocate to provoke thought.

This "quitter" slop won't wash however. Was Hillary a quitter to have left her seat in the Senate? Uh..... how about Biden and Obama?

Had Sarah and McCain won...would she have been a quitter as Governor?

In my mind, she simply bet and lost.

How about the snarky "college.....transfers" comment?
Obviously Quin never had to work his way through, or he could never imagine making that comment unless he is still paying off loans Sarah could not finance. Lucky him.

Possum Dearie| 4.20.10 @ 12:28AM

The conversation about “quitting” usually goes something like the following four scenarios and you can use the sample responses to politely challenge your friends, family and co-workers on their misconceptions.

Scenario #1: Resigning shows bad character – or does it?

For the politically uninvolved, who don’t have a lot of knowledge about the situation, the term quitter has automatic negative connotations.

Sarah Doubter: She's a quitter. I won't vote for her.

You: So quitting is always a bad thing?

Sarah Doubter: Yes, it shows a lack of character.

You: Have you ever quit a six-figure job before?

Sarah Doubter: No, but that doesn't have anything do with it.

You: Did you know Sarah Palin quit another six figure job, her oil & gas ethics commissioner job before she became governor?

Sarah Doubter: No, but that just proves she's a lifelong quitter.

You: Yeah, she quit to protest corruption when the sitting Republican governor wouldn't investigate the state party chair for sharing confidential state documents with an oil lobbyist. She quit because by law as a commissioner she couldn't go public with her concerns because of confidentiality rules. So she quit to be able to blow the whistle on collusion knowing it would probably kill any chance she had to succeed in state politics as a Republican. And you know what happened to that state party chair? He was later given the largest ethics fine in Alaska history, largely because Sarah had the courage to put pressure on the governor's office and the Republican party.

Sarah Doubter: Well, if she's so tough, she should have stayed in her job as governor.

You: If you were working in a job that was costing you almost twice as much to go into work everyday than you were making would you stay there?

Sarah Doubter: No, definitely not.

You: Well, Sarah Palin was paid roughly $337,500 in 32 months as governor. After 19 bogus ethics charges against her, she owed around $600,000 in legal fees to her attorney. Had she stayed in office another 16 months, she likely would have been forced into bankruptcy because Alaska law does not automatically cover the legal defense of its governors, and Sarah did not want to foot taxpayers with the bill. Would you have been willing to go bankrupt in your job?

Sarah Doubter: Well, no ...

You: So quitting is not always a bad thing?

Sarah Doubter: Well, she just wanted to make money and be a celebrity. She could have paid her legal fees with her book deal and speeches anyway.

You: So, she should have done her book deal and speeches while being governor and collecting a paycheck from taxpayers and attracting even more frivolous lawsuits every week that she stayed in office?

Sarah Doubter: No

You: So, quitting turned out to be the best thing for Sarah Palin personally and the State of Alaska?

Sarah Doubter: I guess so …

That's just an example, and any Sarah Palin supporters are welcome to use this. Here's a link to the original piece.

http://www.conservatives4palin.....ample.html

Doctor Right| 4.19.10 @ 10:48AM

To all of those who are concerned about "a woman" being elected to our nations' highest office...

...A warning.

There's another woman out there who might yet have an outside shot of being sworn in as our next President in 2012.

Her name is Hillary.

Still think Palin isn't "experienced" enough..?

Margie| 4.19.10 @ 2:34PM

Good frightening warning. Us normal Americans will choose Sarah.

"No morn ever dawned more favorable than ours did; and no day was every more clouded than the present! Wisdom, and good examples are necessary at this time to rescue the political machine from the impending storm."

George Washington, letter to James Madison, November 5, 1786

RAMIII| 4.19.10 @ 4:21PM

If she runs I'll vote for her.

I remember as a young lad of seventeen telling my younger brother that Ronald Reagan would beat Jimmy Carter in a landslide. We all know what happened. I knew even at that early time in my life that this great country was on a disastrous course.

We are facing similar times. If not Sarah then I fear the alternative.

EXPERIENCE IN DC = SELLING OUT "We the People" for prestige and power.

vitadMD| 4.19.10 @ 10:49AM

... "No person except a natural born Citizen, or a Citizen of the United States, at the time of the Adoption of this Constitution, shall be eligible to the Office of President; neither shall any Person be eligible to that Office who shall not have attained to the Age of thirty-five Years, and been fourteen Years a Resident within the United States."...
Mr. Hillyer, thanks, but no thanks for your analysis/opinion which is quite lacking in factual correctness and credibility. We'll continue to follow what Gov. Palin has done/will do and discern for ourselves when and if she's ready for higher office. In the mean time, we'll be awaiting your investigation into and analysis of Obama's past, his sealed/concealed documents and why they are being kept from the scrutiny of We The People. Let's also have an examination of Hawaii statutes and the four different ways one can obtain a birth certificate and how Obama escaped the scrutiny that you and others so generously have given to Gov. Palin.

Ted| 4.19.10 @ 10:51AM

"But at some point a chief executive can't personally handle such details herself."

True enough; but if you can't count on your veteran staffers to do it, then you need to do it yourself the first time. Then you need to find veteran staffers willing to do the hard leg work.

However, that said, every chief executive should go through at least one budget just as she did. That way, you know the process, and you will know when people are trying to pull one over on you.

Ted| 4.19.10 @ 10:56AM

Sounds like there are some in the GOP establishment that are just as afraid of Sara Palin as the Leftist Democrats....

Possum Dearie| 4.20.10 @ 12:30AM

Make no mistake that the entrenched powers that be have stacked the deck in their favor. They can only plan so far, though. Outcomes are unpredictable.

unseen| 4.19.10 @ 11:01AM

Ken and Ted

what bugs me the most about people like Quinn and these types of hit pieces is if they expanded 1/2 the effort they have on Palin against the socialists in our government and people like Obama we would not be in the problems we are in now. And yet they do not learn because they would rather live with the devil they know then take a chance on the devil they don't.
and therefore Quinn and parker and peggy are more part of the problem then the solution and therefore IMO they should not only not be listened too but actively shunned.

Possum Dearie| 4.20.10 @ 12:32AM

Quin says he can only criticize the administration so much. Sometimes he has to attack the most effective critic of this administration, as well. Search me why.

Paul from SA| 4.19.10 @ 11:04AM

Something amazing is happening. Sarah is not a candidate for anything, yet she is travelling across the country, going on the public stage to fight Obama, the Democrats and the media. She has energy, she is popular, she is relentless. She is driving the left nuts. I love it.

Will I vote for her? Not today, but maybe tommorrow.

unseen,
Female managers definitely manage differently than men. I've seen it first hand and it is not pretty. I saw more favoritism and emotions driving decisions. There were internal enemies that created factions of loyalty. Now I've seen much worse (and better) male managers, but....

Perhaps public office is not in her future. We'll see.

vitadMD| 4.19.10 @ 11:12AM

It's unfortunate that you have not had the experience of working with a woman who is gender-blind, who commands that her presence be accepted as that of an equal to other intelligent, compelling, professional individuals... we're out there.

Paul from SA| 4.19.10 @ 5:50PM

vitasMD,

Yes it is unfortunate. However, please read my admission below.

One woman I worked with -- a distribution center manager -- was a flagrant lesbian and recruited girlfriends and loyalists from the local lesbian bars. They hated men and we all knew it. I was lucky being an engineer with technical authority; other men on the floor were not as lucky. They were openly ridiculed for being smelly Neanderthals. Men were never promoted. Non-lesbian women were looked down upon for trying to look attractive for men. Only her girlfriends got promotions. It was a strange and hostile work environment. Lunchtimes and Friday afternoons were wierd too, with lesbian strangers showing up to witness the powerful queen in action who gets to boss around the evil men. They were in awe of her power. They were in love.

Corporate headquarters knew what was going on and eventually shut the facility down and did not offer her a transfer.

At another location, I had a lesbian clerical work for me in my office and she was outstanding, once she realized I was not a bigot. I would trade her for two men, she was so sharp. I think she would be a good manager. Her girlfriend from outside work never did trust me.

vitadMD| 4.19.10 @ 7:06PM

What you have described has little to do with being a woman, however, and has everything to do with office politics (sounds like Washington, does it not?), power, bullying, and a psychologically/emotionally disturbed individual (I've worked with male physicians who were just as ruthless).
Sorry to hear about your sad experience, but did you not learn something from it? I know that I have from mine.

unseen| 4.19.10 @ 11:06AM

Ken,

I saw that part about her college and thought WTF? have these people never had to wrok their way through college. I myself had to take a year off and go to work to be able to finish college. I moved to NC and could have easily finished my degree in the state but I wanted to finish at the place a started. So i understand perfectly why Palin went to different colleges.

The ony thing that should be of importance is that she finished and got her degree. In fact if Palin was a dem the DNC would be singing about her working her way through college but the GOP elites think its a neg? and then they wonder why people like Bush and Obama can no longer connect to the American People.

danny| 4.19.10 @ 11:08AM

Unseen, Not into spin. Will guarantee you this though. You could line up 100 females, blacks, latinos, or anyone else that knows me and ask them if I am either a sexist, bigot or whatever else that comes to your mind and the answer from all of them would be a resounding no!! I will say this. If Sarah Palin recieves the republican nomination nobody will work harder to see she gets elected than I will.

unseen| 4.19.10 @ 11:15AM

Paul,

I have seen bad women managers, male managers, white managers, black managers etc. as well as good ones. They all manage differently some because of their history, some because of their experience, some because their fathers beat them when young, etc

I'm not going to try to state that women and men are the same. both have strengths and weakness. However I have yet to see a woman unable to handle a job BECAUSE she was a woman. I've seen them unable to handle the job for many reasons but their being a female was not one of them. In the same vein I have seen whites and blacks not able to handle jobs not because they were white or black but because they just did not have what it took to do the job.

As far as POTUS I have seen the last 4 male Presidents unable to handle the job IMO so I have no problem with giving a woman a chance.

Paul from SA| 4.19.10 @ 11:32AM

I agree. It was my mistake to not include your qualifiers. Not all women manage the same way.

The most important distinction for public office is conservative vs. liberal -- and competent vs. incompetent -- not male vs. female, black vs. white, old vs. young.

unseen| 4.19.10 @ 11:20AM

Danny,

I could also line up those 100 women read them your comment and the majority would tell you straight up it was a sexist comment. If you don't want the label don't make the comments.

words mean things. Do you honestly think your comment was not sexist?
I'll give you the benefit of the doubt and say you aren't a sexist or a bigot but do you think that your comment wasn't?

BD| 4.19.10 @ 11:21AM

This is dishonest reporting at it's finest... the author makes some decent points, but it's hard to take him seriously when he blatantly cherry-picks facts and distorts reality to fit his narrative. Example:

"And while supply-side conservatives are rightly thrilled at Palin's mayoral record as a tax-cutter, fiscal conservatives again have reason for concern: the town's long-term debt reportedly jumped from $1 million to $25 million. "

Here is a prime example of dishonest reporting. The author would have you believe that the net balance jumped from -1 mil to -25 mil. The reality is that LIABILITIES jumped from -1 mil -25 mil. Assets jumped as well (the city financed a community center).

If you take out a $300,000 loan to purchase a $300,000 house, are you $300,000 in debt?

We're talking Accounting 101 here, and the author has failed epically.

danny| 4.19.10 @ 11:24AM

Unseen, O.K., have it your way, but God I still love women!

Jim| 4.19.10 @ 11:24AM

Sarah Palin resigned because she was no longer allowed to do her job in a way that benefited her state.
..........................
Sarah saw that if she stayed on as Governor it would cost the state millions of dollars in wasted time and resources to defend against false and maliciously ethics complaints and doom it to gridlock. She knew that it would also continue to cost the state hundreds of thousands of dollars to defend against false and maliciously filed ethics complaints.
........................
Pretty much as soon as she accepted the vice presidential nomination, her critics started filing ethics complaint after ethics complaint against her.
.........................
Palin was crippled as governor. She simply couldn't carry out her duties as she had vowed to do. So she did the only honorable thing: she resigned and left her trusted lieutenant governor to carry out their work.
.......................
Sarah was the target. She knew that in order to protect the state from any futher damage, she had to step aside. She did this knowing full well that people would call her a quitter and that it could be the end of her politically. She did it anyway.
......................
She left the governorship and took the bullets herself, rather than leave stray bullets to hit her constituents.
.........
Sarah's resignation exposed and ended the machinations of their enemies and freed her to continue her efforts for her constituents without the constraints of public office.

Anthony| 4.19.10 @ 11:25AM

So Quin, did your D.C. pal Steve Schmidt, put you up to this b.s. article? Wow!! one of your worse, by far.
In the first instance, if you actually believe Palin has a 55% disapproval rating, you really have to stop peeking at the Huffington Post or C.B.S. News.
Second, If only you and the rest of the D.C. establishment had the guts and spent 1/2 the time you did on dissing "Going Rogue" on the Pretender-In-Chief's" Bill Ayer's work of fiction, "Dreams", we might not be in our current situation. Talk about a quitter!! At least Palin got into college the old fashioned way, SHE EARNED IT. Did Obama earn his Columbia admission after quitting his first college? Or Harvard Law?
Third, Good God! How can you be so damn stupid?? You chastise Palin for not protecting herself from frivilous Leftist's ethics complaints; how exactly was she to do this, when vile D hacks filed completely amoral and unethical charges? Do an Obama and shut down the process totally!!
Finally, spare us your smarmy, sub rosa, Palin is a not ready for prime time, work in progress, unsophisticated hick, crap.
Here's a story for you Quin; by 2024 Palin will have written her post 2 term presidential memoirs and you and the rest of the D.C. elites will still be clueless.

vitadMD| 4.19.10 @ 12:16PM

Bravo! Rest assured that Mr. Hillyer will be congratulating himself for recognizing Gov. Palin's merits... after President Palin is inaugurated.

Quin| 4.19.10 @ 3:02PM

I wouldn't spit in Schmidt if he were on fire. I think he is despicable. As for the ethics stuff, my point exactly is that an ethics "reform" that invites the unethical to harass the ethical is a reform that hasn't worked and wasn't well-designed.

Anthony| 4.19.10 @ 4:37PM

But Quin, IT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN REGARDLESS. Do you not think that the D hit machine was all out to destroy her governership, no matter what the ethics process was? There was no way to prevent what the hacks did to her. Come on Quin, you live in D.C., you know how the Ds play this game. Filing ethics complaints are just one tactic out of Alinsky 101.
As another poster put it, Sarah saw the block, passed off the ball, and ran for the hoop.
You need to chill out on Sarah. Tell you what, you chill out on Sarah and I'll be nice in my future remarks about you, deal?
I'm glad you would not spit on Steve Schmidt if he was on fire; neither would I, nor would I pee on him, although, it would be tempting.

Stuart Koehl| 4.20.10 @ 10:44PM

All ethics codes and review processes depend upon the good will of those employing them. No system can withstand an assault by people intent upon subverting it to their own ends. Or, to put it another way, an ethics system only works for ethical people.

narciso| 4.19.10 @ 11:26AM

Actually that money went to the RNC, the RGA and other outfits, so nice try. and that was a tiny fraction of all her sales, In light of the William Allen VECO scandal where the corruptor was protected by the DOJ, we didn't know that, or that there would be falsified evidence, She was the ethics officer for the commission, if the her boss was being unethical, and the party establishment still backed him, what was she
to do.

You ask that she should have suspected that Couric and to a lesser extent were manifestly dishonest, but you took their hackery as genuine
representation of what she was and continues to be.

james| 4.19.10 @ 11:29AM

Quin Hillyer is a moron

Palin is more qualified then Obama, it's a simple fact.

Jim| 4.19.10 @ 11:31AM

In Alaska, Sarah's top priorities included fiscal restraint, limiting the size of government, resource development, education, equitable oil valuation as well as transportation and infrastructure development.
.......................
Sarah Palin fought for ethics reform and transparency in government.
Palin has a long record of achievement and experience in public office. Prior to her election as Governor, Palin served two terms on the Wasilla City Council and two terms as the mayor of Wasilla. During her tenure, she reduced property tax levels while increasing services and made Wasilla a business-friendly environment, drawing in new industry.
.................
Under her leadership as Governor, Alaska invested $5 billion in state savings, overhauled education funding and protected Alaska's natural resources. She created Alaska's Petroleum Systems Integrity Office to provide oversight and maintenance of oil and gas equipment, facilities and infrastructure and the Climate Change Subcabinet to prepare a climate change strategy for Alaska.
......................
During Governor Palin's first year in office, three of her administrations major proposed pieces of legislation passed—an overhaul of the state's ethics laws, a competitive process to construct a natural gas pipeline and a restructuring of Alaska's oil valuation formula.
.........................
Palin is past chair of the Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission, a multistate government agency that promotes the conservation and efficient recovery of domestic oil and natural gas resources while protecting health, safety and the environment.
.............................
She also served as chair of the National Governors Association (NGA) Natural Resources Committee, which was charged with pursuing legislation to ensure state needs are considered as federal policy is formulated in the areas of agriculture, energy, environmental protection and natural resource management.

narciso| 4.19.10 @ 11:37AM

Whose accounts should predominate, Schmidt and Wallace, who's first anonymous accounts covered
up their giving up of the Campaign around the end of September at the outset, as he admitted at the University of Delaware after the election. Or the Astroturfers released to spread their lies like
the 'secessionist' slur, all through out the internet

AKReport| 4.19.10 @ 11:39AM

WTF Quin Hillyer ?
Shes only 2% behind Obama right now.

Public Policy Polling (Democrat)
4/9-11/10; 622 registered voters, 3.9% margin of error
Mode: Automated phone
(PPP release)

2012 President
47% Obama, 45% Palin

http://www.publicpolicypolling...ational_415.pdf

JayPitsby | 4.19.10 @ 11:39AM

I like Sarah because she is precisely the type of person who ought to be going into government or at the very least involved as she is. Exactly why the left hates her has to do with the fact that she has produced a tract record of effectiveness. President Klatu, in contrast, is an unalloyed idiot and seems to not be able to put a sentence to gather without a teleprompter. I would ask who you would prefer protecting you and the Constitution, Sarah or Klatu?

Dai Alanye | 4.19.10 @ 11:42AM

I want to respect Quin Hillyer because he has some worthwhile insight and has written wisely on some subjects. But every once in awhile he seems to feel compelled to do a hack job such as this dishonest screed about Palin.

Yes, dishonest, because his goal is not to analyze the woman's performance but to slam her.

We all know Sarah is no Ronald Reagan come again, but to Quin it would seem her greatest error is overlooking a flaw in an ethics bill, and that it is perhaps harmful to know too fully what she signs into law, and that the town she once mayored chose to vote themselves a big bond issue.

Worst of all, though, is the harping on her experience. Yes, it appears insufficient to take over the Presidency, but let's look at a few other high political office types.
B H Obama: No relevant experience and was the worst kind of dilettante as a legislator.
Biden: Main experiences are shooting off his mouth and passing legislation destined to be overturned by the courts.
Dubya: I like the guy on a personal basis, nor did he do a bad job as President, yet his experience was extremely thin before taking office.
John Kennedy: Basically a playboy whose key experience was failing to maintain a proper watch on his PT.
Harry Truman: Yes, even good old Harry was a lightweight except for county government.

And we know (or should know) this—that had Sarah by some miracle landed in the Oval Office instead of BO she wouldn't have made one tenth the errors he's made. Indeed, it's arguable that she could have performed better than McCain simply because her instincts are more sound.

So you don't want Sarah as our next candidate, Quin? I'm not sure I do either. But if I ever criticize her qualifications it will be more honestly than you have done.

Richard in NC| 4.19.10 @ 11:44AM

Quin how did "we" do in 2010? I must have missed it. Why not promote some of your favorite candidates running for the House and Senate this coming November? Is this the fight you are looking for right now. Is this the discussion we need at the moment? We have a big election on the horizon.

As for Palin. I will tell you like I do others. If Palin runs then just defeat her. Take your resources, time, and one vote and do your best to defeat her. This type of drivel can be found at Huffpo, Kos, DU, or the Frum Forum. We see this everyday. Why didn't you take the time to tell us how your 2012 contender is the best option instead of this weak attempt to undercut Palin?

Bydand76| 4.19.10 @ 11:45AM

Whatever Mr Hillyer,

I am going to take your article as just another reason why I am becoming more convinced that the GOP, is either going to go the way of the WHIG, or will be forced to become the TRUE conservative party of America and NOT the democRAT lite, elitist, statist, garbage it has become.

What would have happened to Reagan if he had listened to the detractors and naysayers before he ran?

Some intellectual honesty on your part perhaps?

What would Sarah Palin have to do in order for her to satisfy your high standards to be ready to become President? Is there anything?

Who (if anyone) Does?
Bachman from MN? Christie From NJ? Perry from TX?

Would you say that Hilary Clinton is more qualified?

Don| 4.19.10 @ 11:46AM

Former Governor Palin's record as a fiscal conservative is sparse, in stark contrast to the 8 year record of former New Mexico Governor Gary Johnson.
http://www.publiusnm.org/is-th.....y-johnson/

james| 4.19.10 @ 11:47AM

NITPICKING

james| 4.19.10 @ 11:53AM

There is so many false claims in this hit piece.

"the town's long-term debt reportedly jumped from $1 million to $25 million."

THATS BECASUE THE VOTERS VOTED FOR A NEW SPORTS COMPLEX.

the only unqualifed one is YOU, Quin Hillyer, and you should be fired for this lie filled hit piece.

JmsA| 4.19.10 @ 11:54AM

She's doing a good job for the conservative cause and thus the country, and in doing so, she exposes the vile nature of the leftist elitists.

Margie| 4.19.10 @ 2:47PM

You betcha. And THAT'S why they hate her.

jwhop| 4.19.10 @ 11:55AM

Quin Hillyer comes off sounding like an Establishment RINO, as Hillyer damns with faint praise.

On the one hand, Hillyer gives lip service to ethics, lip service to standing up for ethical government...but then suggests there's a price to be paid for doing so.

How could Sarah Palin be so stupid? Why didn't Sarah Palin know this? Why didn't Sarah Palin simply go along to get along?

Typical RINO blither, blather, bloviation and BS and exactly what real conservatives despise.

News flash to Establishment RINOs:

Sarah Palin...and an army of conservatives aren't seeking to join you in cooperating with and enabling the most radical far left and utterly corrupt Congress and President in history.

She's against you and intends to bury you.

Tim*| 4.19.10 @ 12:03PM

Palin's gotta be doin' somethin' right .

She's got The Left Wingers Freakin' Nuts and The Professional Political Dweebs Wonk Talkin' about all the so-called flaws that only brought her closer to the Presidency ,then any other broad in history.

tiko| 4.19.10 @ 12:06PM

Quin Hillyer is just pissed because his boy (Romneycare) is a total failure.

Quin| 4.19.10 @ 3:05PM

For the record, I have never supported Mitt Romney for president. And I live to expose RINOs, not to be one.

Possum Dearie| 4.20.10 @ 12:40AM

Then buck up or stay in the truck.

So we know who to blame| 4.20.10 @ 1:49PM

About this hit piece, tell us who you support

Stuart Koehl| 4.20.10 @ 10:45PM

Since the Republican Party seems to be dominated by RINOs, perhaps the RINOs are the real Republicans, after all?

Paul from SA| 4.19.10 @ 12:07PM

The final question:

Will you vote for Sarah against Obama in 2012?

And:
Will you vote for Sarah against a Republican, say like Mitt Romney or Newt Gingrich?

Will you work for Sarah?

Paul from SA| 4.19.10 @ 12:11PM

Romney doesn't inspire the left to attack him, and that is revealing.

Who is the left attacking the most (of potential candidates)? Sarah Palin and Michelle Bachmann and Liz Cheney -- my three favorites!

Possum Dearie| 4.20.10 @ 12:41AM

Romney as the 2012 Republican candidate is the left's wet dream. He LIKES MANDATES. Done.

GW| 4.19.10 @ 12:16PM

Sarah Palin, by all accounts, is a nice, conservative, family-values based, attractive woman whose views/opinions are against the Democrats' and MSM's views/opinions so now she is beyond all scrutiny and should be the next president? It seems people either hate or love Palin. I'm mostly indifferent. She was probably a good governor, however we won't know what she could have accomplished because she quit. If you don't like hearing this fact, then you won't want her to be the nominee in 2012 because I can guarantee you that is all you'll hear from the Dems/MSM if she wins the primaries.

Anthony| 4.19.10 @ 2:24PM

Get real GW and stop the Quin Hillyer wannabe act. Palin's views are quintessentially American and conservative, not anti Democrat or MSM. Nobody is claiming she should not be vetted, unlike the deliberate coverup of Obama by the MSM, or were you in a stupor during the 08 campaign?
How's this GW: Barack Husain Obama would probably have been a good senator if he hadn't quit, I guess we'll never know?
Palin and her supporters know damn well what she is up against in 2012, I think they call it Palin Derangement Syndrome.
Conversely, we know the MSM all have tingly leg syndrome when it comes to the resume challenged, Bill Ayers created Manchurian Candidate, Obama.
All we ask is for some modicum of objective professionalism from the so called professionals, including the Washington smart set.
However, we do not expect to get it, and we will kick ass regardless, got it?

GW| 4.19.10 @ 3:06PM

Where did I mention Obama in my statement? Why do so many responses immediately turn to Obama's incompetence when the article is clearly about Sarah Palin--the person, the politician, the celebrity? And what, I'm the one responder here defending an AmSpec writer and am called a "wannabe." Why don't you quit being a Palin cheerleader and Hannity "wannabe." Two can play that game.

Anthony| 4.19.10 @ 3:21PM

You didn't mention Obama, but who the HELL is the current president, that Palin is said not to be able to compete against? I used the Obama quitting analogy because you made mention of Palin quitting, I suppose I could have used Clinton, B and Clinton H, and a whole host of Ds instead. Jeez, what is it today??
I will admit to being a Palin cheerleader; I take that as a supreme compliment. You and Quin will catch up to the rest of us in 2012. We'll leave the light on for you.

GW| 4.19.10 @ 5:54PM

She won't win the nomination. But if she does, O will be reelected.

GW| 4.19.10 @ 3:12PM

To clarify, I agree many on the left have "Palin Derangement Syndrome", that is, they attack her viciously for any statement, quirk, etc. ..(think the notes on her palm that idiot Gibbs tried to mock)...but this isn't what the article is about. Mr. Hillyer doesn't mock or demean her. He examines her record closely. If we are all honest, we can admit flaws in anyone, including politicians who are strong conservatives. I think Palin is qualified for public service, just not president, especially not yet.

Possum Dearie| 4.20.10 @ 12:43AM

Then what is her Lieutenant Governor doing that Sarah Palin was not doing before?

Jack| 4.19.10 @ 12:16PM

This hit piece has the stench of Mitt Romney all over it.

As Governor of Alaska, Sarah Palin was a fiscal conservative who reduced her State operating budget by 13.4%, the capital budget by 31.7% and the overall budget by 16.8% - that's over $2.3 billion
...............................
Palin's record is no different when it comes to earmarks. In his last year as Governor, Frank Murkowski requested nearly $350 million in earmarks. Upon taking office, Governor Palin cut that to $256 million. The next year, she reduced earmarks to about $197 million. In her final year as Governor, Palin requested $69 million in earmarks. Those earmarks consisted of eight projects, compared to 63 in Murkowski's last year.
................................
Sarah Palin is a fiscal conservative. Period. She has enacted earmark reform, cut wasteful spending and fought for transparency in government and ethics reform.

James| 4.19.10 @ 12:17PM

Obviously, this editor, Quin Hillyer, is also in that bubble that surrounds the Washington political crowd and media.
This group, including this editor, still do not grasp or understand the meaning of Sarah Palin's words when she says she is "not retreating but reloading" and "only dead fish go with the flow"
It is amazing that supposedly" intelligent" politicos and media have no comprehension of what that means. I understand it... why can't they? Answer... they are all cocooned in that friking bubble that envelopes the so-called big thinkers in the establishment... both right and left. They just can not figure it out.
How about something simple... something even these idiots, yes idiots, can grasp... taken from comments by her friend to a dumbfounded Anderson Cooper...

in explaining why she quit as governor... a basketball analogy...

"when she saw the block was set, she passed the ball off to another player and drove to the net"

Where was this editor, who I can bet was silent and didn't say one word in her defense when she was being slandered and attacked by the left wingers as Governor just because she ran for vp, with vicious personal attacks on her and her family and also all the FALSE ethics complaints that would have bankrupted her? Probably supporting dolts like Mitt or Pawlenty or Huckaby or Paul... none of whom stand a hope in hell of being President and I wouldn't want any of those establishment lackeys anyway.

Anthony| 4.19.10 @ 2:36PM

James, WELL SAID!!! You get post of the day award.

Margie| 4.19.10 @ 12:20PM

I really despise this type of writing.

All to say what? That Sarah isn't experienced enough. Well according to the law of the land she is qualified enough. She's a real citizen, actually born here, and she is of age. So please spare me with all the false filler in between.

All the talk about the Founders. The Founders said that without a moral leadership our form of government could not work! Haven't we been seeing that for decades? Why was Ronald Reagan so great? He was an actor first. It was because he had Wisdom. The Wisdom form above, (look it up in the Bible, it is NOT the meaning of experience). Worldly wisdom is not the same as God given Wisdom. Sarah has God given Wisdom and is exactly the type of person the Founders would be thrilled with.
If there isn't a man that matches with at least her good spirit alone to come forward as the nominee for President, us normal Americans will vote her into office without blinking!
Go Sarah!!!!

vitadMD| 4.19.10 @ 12:35PM

Yes, where's the manhood, with the exclusion of Paul Ryan? She's got more of it than all of them combined....

Paul from SA| 4.19.10 @ 12:48PM

Let's distinguish between eligiblity, qualifications and public opinion.

There is no man out there doing what Sarah and Michelle are doing, and the men can't be attacked for the sex appeal. Many men in the GOP are metro-sexual wimps.

vitadMD| 4.19.10 @ 2:33PM

Indeed, let's distinguish....
eligibility: refer to the Constitution
qualifications: independently and critically
research the record,
observe the character,
scrutinize the source
public opinion: November 2, 2010
November 6, 2012

Ken (Old Texican)| 4.19.10 @ 12:28PM

Paul from SA,
Damn right!
Yes to each question above.

Andrew Keirns| 4.19.10 @ 12:32PM

So instead of 'naive, inexperienced' Sarah with righward leanings we have naive and inexperienced Barack with leftward leanings. Quin could say that Sarah shouldn't be trusted "with her finger on the button" or in charge of anything else; but as Madam President, could she possibly be riskier than the current Mr. President?

Byron| 4.19.10 @ 12:37PM

Quin,
A very well-done piece. Two words: Rob Portman.

vitadMD| 4.19.10 @ 12:39PM

Who is Rob Portman?

Ken (Old Texican)| 4.19.10 @ 2:17PM

vitadMD,
Heh,
Byron forgot.

PS: who cares who Rob Portman is. Never heard of him.

vitadMD| 4.19.10 @ 12:37PM

omg... "Madam President".... doesn't that sound great?.... it's time.... we can do it....

Bydand76| 4.19.10 @ 12:54PM

I agree,

Palin/Bachman 2012

Ken (Old Texican)| 4.19.10 @ 12:40PM

Quin,

The history I believe stated that Jesus Christ was perfect.

They crucified Him.

...Heh, Quin seems to want someone BETTER than perfect.
Duh!

Andrew Keirns| 4.19.10 @ 12:46PM

Hey Quin -- I thought we were supposed to be reading Saul Alinsky's Rules for Radicals to understand what the Left's next move would be ...

Kenneth E. MacAlister Jr.| 4.19.10 @ 12:59PM

My fellow conservatives, the best thing we can do are ignore b.s. columns like this & the useful idiots who write them (Hillyer, Noonan, Parker, Smerconish, Frump, etc.). This column was written for two reasons. First, the GOP establishment & the media elite want this woman, qualified or not, cut off at the knees before 2012 & out of the way of the next annointed McCain-styled RINO in line for the Presidency, & second, Mr. Hillyer & the other GOP media & establishment elitists know these hit pieces draw ALOT of readers & reactions from those readers. Mr. Hillyer doesn't give a damn what I or anyone else here think about him or this "column" he wrote. It served its dual purpose though. He got to vent his elitist rage on someone he obviously fears & it drew alot of attention from AS readers & Palinphobes. Want to increase readership? Bash Sarah Palin. It works every time. Precisely why Palin hit pieces & their slammers should be shunned. "Columns" slamming Sarah Palin are like car wrecks on the freeway. Everyone can't help but look to see what is drawing so much attention.

vitadMD| 4.19.10 @ 1:52PM

My sentiments as well after reading the column, but look at the commentary... it's great and it accurately reflects what people are thinking in general. Mr.Hillyer is irrelevant.

Quin| 4.19.10 @ 3:11PM

For the record, Mr. MacAlister Jr., for more than 30 years I have sweated more blood fighting against the GOP establishment, and the media elite than anybody has a right to expect. I continue to do so to this day. And I will defend Palin from cheap shot attacks. But I will not why away from submitting her to the same scrutiny to which I submit other GOPers, including GW Bush, John McCain, Mitch McConnell, and many others, whom I have criticized for being insufficiently conservative or insufficiently effective.

vitadMD| 4.19.10 @ 3:47PM

Mr. Hillyer, I recommend you begin your research on Gov. Palin by viewing the series of interviews Larry Kudlow conducted on CNBC several months before she was selected. You may even interview her yourself, after doing some homework, of course, looking at her record in Alaska. I would also urge you to read everything she's written on Facebook and editorials elsewhere. There are many books written about her... one by Matthew Continetti is a good one... lots of sources on the internet...
Did you say you were a journalist?... tell us more about yourself.

A_M| 4.21.10 @ 4:06PM

@vitadMD - did you miss this part of the article?
(Requests to interview Palin for this article, specifically about her experiences in the 2008 campaign, were turned down. Her former communications aide Meghan Stapleton explained that "with her Fox exclusivity, we are denying requests for articles and stories right now.")

I think the point is, if she won't grant interviews to people, this kind of speculation is only going to continue. There is no way she is going to be able to run for President without holding press conferences and giving interviews, so why isn't she practicing?

George Brittain| 4.19.10 @ 1:04PM

This article confuses me. Experience is valuable, but the wrong experience can be deadly. Can anyone honestly argue that Sarah Palin wouldn't be a better president than Barack Obama?

GW| 4.19.10 @ 3:18PM

No. But no one here has, including the writer. Mr. Hillyer, myself, and anyone else here not completely sold on Palin would vote for her in a heartbeat over BHO. But ignoring Palin's flaws by pointing to Obama's flaws is a horrible way to defend Palin.

Possum Dearie| 4.20.10 @ 12:48AM

Well, let's talk about her real flaws then, instead of Monday afternoon quarterbacking the ethics bill she signed into law or harping about a bond that was voted on by the town of Wasilla.

Publius| 4.19.10 @ 1:08PM

Quin has a serious case of envy and his jealousy shows through. The reality is that he's just another Beltway insider who is angry that Americans can find wisdom and the means of organizing their own affairs free of the indoctrination of the liberal establishment.

Oh how it would be better to have a nuanced discussion of policy with a truly modern, liberated woman.

Well, where are they?

Are we to believe that Rosie, Janeanne, Whoopi, Joy and the other haglings are the face of modern, enlightened liberal womanhood?

Spare me.

unseen| 4.19.10 @ 1:10PM

I find it funny that the GOp/conservatives have allowed the dems to frame the discussion about her resignation. the dems/left used the word"quit" not "resign" for a reason. While they both mean the same thing , the word quit brings a more negative connotation. Palin resigned her post. Just like Obama, hillary, biden and many others. Never has the word "quitter" been applied to any of them. They all resigned just like Palin. Yet the right has allowed the left to set the word choice of what Palin did to make the most negative mental image. Words mean things. Do not allow the elites/leftist to frame the debate.

Palin resigned her governorship in the face of a massive attack by the elitists/leftists to put her in her place. She immediately upon her resignation started to write her book, plan her book tour, set up her facebook account and brought her message to the lower 48. Not once in the last 10 months did Palin take a vacation, go on a world wide tour, take time to spend more time fishing etc . She continued to work on the issues and matters that she deemed important enough to express.

There is no part of "quit" in what she did. She resigned her position like many politicans have done since time began.

Margie| 4.19.10 @ 2:37PM

You are GOOD. Thank you.

Ken (Old Texican)| 4.19.10 @ 2:45PM

unseen,
heh,
"...You can take this job and shove it..."

I really must admit... I love the lady's cajones.

Quin,
I would be delighted to take the "top of the ticket" spot, and be thrilled to have Sarah as my second.
(and teach and mentor her on how to railroad the right course.)

I can damned sure raise the money to run and win.

Problem:
My first wife died of Cystic Fibrosis...and the next two wives were gold-diggers. (heh, they hate it that I caught on and divorced them. They will rip my 13 second whoopee ability, heh ).

I was the youngest Fortune CEO in American history who did not inherit the job. Then I resigned, and was the SECOND youngest fortune CEO in American history............hired again..with a much larger company..... that didn't inherit the job.

Folks,

I WOULD HIRE SARAH AS MY NUMBER TWO IN A NEW YORK MINUTE!

...then know that I could go fly fishing from time to time.......and she had it covered.

CONVERSELY:

She could hire ME as her number two...or two hundredeth, and she would chuckle when I showed her the way through.

Quin,
with this article you just shot yourself in the johnson. I am sorta' glad to say that. I am NOT your groupie. You screwed up here. ( I do know some johnson healers though, and you can ask for a referral.)

Michael L. Hauschild| 4.19.10 @ 7:58PM

Ken,
Don’t be too hard on old Quin he has had kind of a rough week with the Contract From America being revealed to contain not a single word about gender or reproductive politics. Of course if you make a living alienating women, independents, and Scoop Jackson democrats the only “logical” response is lash out at the only unwavering supporter of what he rants about the most. Go figure.

unseen| 4.19.10 @ 1:15PM

Kenneth E. MacAlister Jr.

while I agree somewhat I think we conservatives have to call these idiot elites out.

As far as increasing readership its proven that Pro-Palin pieces get as much increased readership as anti-palin readership. If quinn's goal was simply to increase readership, a pro-palin piece would work just has well if not better. since their piece would be different from the herd and read more. No these people like quinn and Allah from hotair care nothing about increased readership they simply want to stop Palin stillborn before she spreads her wings and destroys the Rino's power for the next 8 years like Reagan did.

unseen| 4.19.10 @ 1:18PM

Bydand76| 4.19.10 @ 12:54PM
I agree,

Palin/Bachman 2012

I like the Palin/Christie ticket better since it would place the northeast in play.

Margie| 4.19.10 @ 2:39PM

Palin/Christie Christie/Palin.

Sure works for this New Jerseyian.

Still Working In Texas| 4.19.10 @ 1:24PM

Quin Hillyer is 110% on target. To borrow a famous line from an all-time Republican, "in you heart, you know he's right."

Sarah Palin continues to engender a cult of celebrity rather than build a foundation of conservative ideas and action to build upon. When given the opportunity to enter into debate and discourse, Palin settles for catchphrases and sound bites. What are Palin's opinions on Locke, Madison, the Federalist Papers, or even "God and Man at Yale"? Chances are, she knows almost nothing about any of them.

Mr. Hillyer is correct that Palin understands the conservative zeitgeist but lacking any commitment to do more than fly in for speeches leaves one ill-prepared for the sober business of running government. She complains (rightly) that CBS made her look stupid, but what does she do to conmbat it? Sarah Palin still seems as ill-fitting providing a public policy framework for the next decade as she is doing "Weekend Update" on SNL.

Conservatives rightly criticize the thin legislative record of the POTUS, but are silent when discussing Palin's own record. The act of walking away from the governor's chair in Juneau, ostensibly to join the high-dollar lecture and book circuit, ought to be a red flag for anyone who would give her serious credibility at this time. And as the polls suggest, most Americans dismiss her outright.

Finally, there are a number of young Republicans working their way up ther ladders who know the road to regaining the hearts and minds of America is not by becoming a celebrity, but getting a firm grasp of the verities of three centuries of conservative thought and putting them into practice. These are the people to invest in, not a aspiring TV host.

Which is about all she is right now.

Andrew Keirns| 4.19.10 @ 1:58PM

If you are looking for someone with a 'firm grasp of the verities of three centuries of conservative thought', make sure you don't discount someone broadcasting those ideals today. If you don't know Sarah's opinions on Locke, Madison, the Federalist Papers, and you speculate she "knows almost nothing about any of them", you may also miss the fact that she clearly understands Mark Levin's 'Liberty/Tyranny'.
What has she done to combat CBS making her look stupid? She goes Reagan: bypass CBS and speak directly to the People. Rather than believe Sarah is trying to regain "the hearts and minds of America ...by becoming a celebrity", my view is that she has identified a need no one else has been able to fill, and is delivering on that need.

Anthony| 4.19.10 @ 2:52PM

Still Working, Are you f......serious?? What's up today at TAS, a Quin Hillyer look alike contest?What are Palin's views on Locke, Madison, the Federalists Papers, and W.F. Buckley?? Gee, let me guess, one hell of a lot more accurate than those of the faux Constitutional law lecturer, cum Manchurian Candidate,Obama's views. Ya think??
Ask Obama the same question and Axelrod will tell you, "we'll get back to you on that, after Bill Ayer's has penned Obama's response".

Ken (Old Texican)| 4.19.10 @ 3:00PM

Still Working? In Texas?

You are stupid.
Or you are a communist, (pardon the shorthand).

Furthermore, you are a liar and a scumbag communist, (pardon the shorthand).

Not only that, you are a loser who cannot even hope to write a #1 national bestseller.

I read every word of her book, which you have not, and laughed MAO...with her. In her own words she said "oops, I screwed up".

OK, now she is comfortable. Her kids get fed in spite of spiters like you.

Our country is being hi-jacked these days. Kiss my arse.
Get out of mommies' basement and smell the pines.

Possum Dearie| 4.20.10 @ 12:51AM

Texas has too many Californians invading it, as if Austin and Dallas weren't bad enough.

Tim*| 4.19.10 @ 1:31PM

Palin could very well be a Republican Kingmaker in The 2012 Presidential Election.
The Anti-Palinista Policy Wonks had better watch their mouths.

C.K. Amos| 4.19.10 @ 1:33PM

Sarah Palin seems to have involuntarily volunteered to be the designated lightening rod for what ails conservatives, Republicans and other non-Democrat/non-liberal types--but especially the "elite" Elephants, especially in the punditocracy.

Personally, I can't figure out the animus about her. Well, other than Obama's misogyny, the state-controlled minion media's ongoing misogyny and the pockets of such hatred among some Republican and conservative circles. And also what I see is the general arrogance of some who don't know yet that someone can paper the walls of their office or home with parchments from so-called "elite" colleges and universities and still lack the wisdom, intelligence and integrity to warrant the public's trust.

Was recently in the company of some men, mostly middle-aged and all us of in the ordinary flyover-country pedigree, of whom a couple really spoke ill of her. One 40-ish fellow called her "Betty Boop" and tore into her. I asked him why. He couldn't formulate a coherent response, but managed to say something about management experience she lacked.

In her defense, I said that on her first day as mayor she earned more management experience than the current president had when he took office. Even now, I believe she has more honest, hands-on management experience than the community organizer.

The man continued, so finally I said: "Hey, she's got a name. It's Sarah Palin. And what you're doing is pure disrespect. Just because you don't like her doesn't mean you have to insult her." He grumbled something and then shut up.

Given what I've seen in Barack Hussein Obama, who is the heartbeat of the presidency, in a nanosecond I'd take Sarah Palin to be, now, in the Oval Office or be that proverbial one heartbeat away.

Palin's as qualified as ANY potential GOP/conservative candidate--if for no other reason than she's exhibited the figurative stones to endure trashing and malicious attacks on her and her family, and rose above it.

Oh, yes: There's no contention about her citizenship nor academic records, etc.

Perhaps if some GOP/conservative men would exhibit such similar trait, spine or stones or cojones or whatever, there wouldn't be all the bloodletting there is and will continue to be in the Republican/conservative ranks.

But if that gaggle continues eating each other--and I'm guessing that we'll all be gagging and hurling by the time this is all over--the current Usurper-in-Chief and his thugocracy may spend more time in office than our country can tolerate.

vitadMD| 4.19.10 @ 2:08PM

Agreed... brings to mind that saying about what is required for evil to prevail... only that good people say nothing... One doesn't have to be a sycophant to speak up for decency's sake.

Margie| 4.19.10 @ 2:43PM

Part of the hatred toward Sarah is because she is a genuine Christian.

vitadMD| 4.19.10 @ 3:15PM

Perhaps, Margie, yet she is not a theocrat. Her views on homosexuality are also even-tempered. The problem is that Mr. Hillyer and other "journalists" can't be bothered with finding out who she really is.

Margie| 4.19.10 @ 4:00PM

Genuine Christians would never seek to be theocrats anyway. So not sure why the "yet she isn't a theocrat." As if.

"Her views on homosexuality are also even-tempered." Meaning?

Some conservatives don't care or want to know who she really is. Part of it IS because she is a godly woman, and thus "too conservative."

Margie| 4.19.10 @ 6:16PM

vitadMD,
I re read your post and realized you weren't being derogatory. My apologies. I am too used to doing battle with trolls. I think I need a vacation.
Regards.

vitadMD| 4.19.10 @ 7:48PM

No offense taken, Margie. It was clear you misunderstood as I was agreeing with you. Some people just don't get that although Gov. Palin holds herself accountable with respect to Christian principles, there is no evidence that she imposes them on others. As a professional, I believe her allegiance is to the Constitution, as it should be. There is also the problem of a fundamental misunderstanding of what conservatism is, on the part of liberals/leftists. Too many equate it to being religious and few appreciate that it is closer to classical liberalism.

Margie| 4.19.10 @ 8:06PM

Thank you and Amen. Well said and I fully agree. The Left is just scared that we might try to "impose" something good on them, when we're not into imposing anything. They are projecting. Because they are ones who actually do the imposing! Ah the psychology of the Leftist mindset!

Tim*| 4.19.10 @ 1:41PM

Uh Oh ! The Misogyny Card gets Played.

That's where many of us fall off the sled.

That's about as credible ,as The Obamatrons ' playin' The Race Card .

C.K. Amos| 4.19.10 @ 1:57PM

Nice try on deflection.

You disprove my assertion, then.

I didn't think you could, either.

Tim*| 4.19.10 @ 2:19PM

Figure it this way ,the " Vote Against Any Broad " Crowd should neutralize The "Vote For Any Broad " Crowd " .So it would probably be a wash.

Many of us will vote for a refrigerator ,if it promises to Cut Taxes And Stop This Insane Spending.

Possum Dearie| 4.20.10 @ 12:54AM

Let's hope you have the good sense to vote for a woman who is built like a brick house and serious about reducing spending.

Pingback| 4.19.10 @ 1:43PM

APRIL 19, 2010 | Standing With Sarah links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:

…T-WING KLEIN CLAIMS PALIN NEAR SEDITION National Review PALIN TO RAISE FUNDS FOR BIRMINGHAM SPECIAL NEEDS GROUP St. Clair Times ROMNEY LEADS, PALIN BETTER FAVORABILITY The Hills THE PROBLEM WITH PALIN American Spectator Tags: Headlines Comments are closed. Follow Sarah on Twitter Louisville Courier-Journal: Sarah Palin speaks to crowd of 16,000 at Freedom Hall Search our Site Tags Abortion Afghanistan Alaska…

Jim Hlavac | 4.19.10 @ 1:47PM

By the way, as for "education" -- none of the Founding Fathers seemed to have had much, other than what they read on their own (Not much "experience" in governing either, all the experienced governors were for the King) But Reagan? Eureka! As in Eureka College, and he was laughed at. Lincoln? Never even went. Truman -- seemed to be "uneducated" and perhaps never heard of Nagasaki 'till after the bomb was dropped putting an end to that, um, experience of war.

But oh boy, those Harvard-Yale-Princeton guys -- oh did they do the country over! Now look what we have -- a morass spinning out of control.

Mothers, like Palin, know you can't spend more than you make -- while professional and learned politicians figure they can skip around that little bit. Bringing peace? Well, mothers control sibling rivalry pretty good -- and look at all those kids out there on earth threatening war.

She'd speak softly and carry a big stick, and I bet the Mullahs of Iran would worry far more of her ordering the first strike than they would some RomPawHuck holding a committee meeting.
Plus -- she'd probably Order the drilling for oil -- not the "study" of it, or "let's wait and see" and that would do more for our peace than a lot of mush-talk.

I've said it before, I'll say it again -- there is but one person in this country who can rouse up people for the long haul -- Palin. A mere citizen and she outdraws them all, even Obama, at every event. She writes "Hi Mom" on her hand and it gets more press coverage than endless speechifying by all those ex-governors running around. Talk about free publicity!
And the Republican men spend a lot of time talking about who they don't like (huckster just tossed aside millions of gay Americans!) but Palin says nothing bad about anyone with an idea of how to bring Personal Responsibility back to the table. The woman is just nice.

She talks and the world listens. I'm sure that jihadis are afraid too -- her "the bombing starts in five minutes" moment isn't here yet -- but the Berlin Wall came down Because Reagan didn't listen to the wonks.

Practical common sense and a moral compass is far better than some book-learning. An energized populace is what we need -- all of us thinking on how to get out of such a complex set of problems that no amount of experience in one person will do.

Get behind her now -- and avoid the whole primary fight thing -- and go after the socialists. It's like established Republicans are worried about what color the cushions are on the Titanic's lifeboats -- not getting us all off the sinking ship!

Hook 'Em!| 4.19.10 @ 1:48PM

From reading these comments, I must say it does appear this piece wasn't as well researched as it should have been. In particular, the information you guys have given about spending in Alaska and the "debt" in Wasilla should have been someting included in the article.

I too was taken a back by the part of the article about changing colleges so many times. It has been obvious from day one that it was because she had to work her way through school. That is admirable, not something to give one pause.

If for no other reason, what conservative doesn't love Palin for the way she makes the Left go absolutey emotionally bersek in a way that not even Bush Derangement Syndrome could accomplish.

All that being said, it doesn't make one a RINO to question our potential future nominees and thier likelihood of success.

From everything I have seen of the guy, Paul Ryan sounds like he would make a fantastic President, but we need to know more about him too.

One things for sure, the expected frontrunners aren't impressive. Palin's unfavorability ratings are pretty high and I don't think 2 years is enough time to make that up, especially out of office. Who do you know that doesn't already have a strong opinion about Palin one way or the other? And for those who don't like her, do we really think it can change that soon? Maybe, but most the Palin haters I know (and most of it comes from irrational reasons) have thier feelings about her set in stone.

I will say this, with the exception of a few comments, I am impressed with the level of dialogue in these comments. I am used to reading comments in my hometown newspaper, which usually devolves into people calling each other racists.

Mara| 4.19.10 @ 2:27PM

Only a couple of nights ago after listening to one of the genius talking heads on MSNBC, I commented to my husband that it was painfully obvious to me that whether it’s Fox News, CNN or MSNBC, it’s obvious none has actually lived in and observed real world government at the various levels. For instance, in Wasilla (municipal government), other than property taxes (which were lowered by Sarah and the City Council), other types of taxes, such as sales taxes, can only be raised by referendum, which is how we got our first sales tax of 2% to fund our police force. The second increase we voted on and agreed to was, a 1% increase to fund the sports arena. For the record, the sports arena has been paid off a year early and believe it or not, the current mayor announced a couple of weeks ago, the additional 1% will be dropped and we’ll return to our original 2%. How novel is that?

As for the items Sarah ferreted out by the apparently egregious and rookie act of going line-by-line through the budget to cut from our state government, as I recall, it was our Republican majority legislature in Juneau that vetoed those cuts and returned them to the budget. Hopefully, Mr. Hillyer will sleep better now knowing the Republicans, as usual, came through for the Democrats and thwarted the nonsensical smaller government moves of that post dumb woman. And then there’s the infamous “Bridge to Nowhere ”— Mr. Hillyer, if you had dug a little deeper than the MudFlats blog, you’d have found that was a done deal between Frank Murkowski and Ted Stevens before Sarah became governor and it certainly was not a central issue in her campaign for the governor’s seat, as you have implied. But, it was a huge issue for the then, Democratic mayor of Ketchikan, Bob Weinstein, who would have played a large role in controlling and administering those hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars. In Alaska, he who doles out the contracts and the “3-letter word” J-O-B-S is king. You might also have learned whose family owns a huge parcel of land on Gravina Island and wanted desperately to have road access to mainland Alaska. Hint: He was a recent and former governor of Alaska and his name has been mentioned in this response.

Bottom line, Mr. Hilyer, no one knows if Sarah is running for president, not even you, but I can’t imagine her being any worse than what we’ve had for the last 20 years. That is, those well-qualified presidents whose policies, combined with Obama’s “peddle to the metal” profligate spending that have brought us close to the pathetic and embarrassing situation now seen in Greece.

Anson Heath| 4.19.10 @ 2:47PM

Sarah should not run for president now. She has shown an uncanny ability to get under the skin of our 'president for life'. She should be the political version of baseball's 'designated hitter' and keep up her timely homeruns.

Bill in Baltimore | 4.19.10 @ 2:47PM

Hillyer writes:
"The problem with Palin is that she's not ready for the presidency. "

Well, the problem with this article is she's not running for President.

And Quin completely misses the point as the the effect of Sarah Palin, which is: stand on principle.

I could understand writing this after she announces (though I don't agree with it), but why now ? What is the point.

kevin| 4.19.10 @ 3:11PM

Thank you for such an insightful essay.

As an independent, I have voted for the GOP several times the past few years. The GOP has always nurtured the values of fiscal discipline and minimum government. Unfortuanately, Bush II completely betrayed these principles.

I judge fiscal conservatism not by what someone says, but what their track record says. Having watched Bush for 8 years absolutely squander this countries finances, and now your documented ineptness of Palin on the same subject, I am just astounded that this party still calls itself the fiscal conservative party.

The last thing we need is more of this kind of fiscal conservativism. We are already bankrupt, well before Obama came into office.

As for the GOP, they have gone from the party of big business to the party of Jesus. Somehow faith in Jesus is now elevated to being more important than anything else.

We have seen the results of this already with Bush II. As a conservative, i have nobody to vote for. Nobody.

Tim*| 4.19.10 @ 5:54PM

Now, steady up there Kevin My Man.

Couldn't ya back Ron Paul or Jim DeMint.
nobody will accuse them of bein' just another pretty face and they are Fiscal Conservatives.

Possum Dearie| 4.20.10 @ 12:59AM

You could accuse Ron Paul of being a nutbag truther antimsemite, though. Not to mention ineffectual.

Levi Johnson| 4.20.10 @ 12:21PM

Ron Paul, nutbag that he is, won the straw poll at CPAC, and barely lost to Romney recently (by 1 vote) as the Republican's choice to run for President in 2012.
Even Republicans prefer a nutbag over a teabagger.

Margie| 4.20.10 @ 1:32PM

Duh. A straw poll at CPAC doesn't reflect the general voting population. Ron Paul is unelectable because of his wacky views on foreign policy, he will never win the Presidency, and most Americans know it.

Margie| 4.19.10 @ 3:18PM

"Somehow faith in Jesus is now elevated to being more important than anything else."

Well, it is.

But your post is one that reeks of baloney.

kevin| 4.19.10 @ 3:29PM

Actually, I don't think faith in Jesus to the exclusion of every other quality is a good measure for being a president.

It just makes this country a Christian Iran.

Exactly what in my post is bologna??

Margie| 4.19.10 @ 4:09PM

No one said "to the exclusion of..."

And your comment about it being the party of Jesus is bogus.
I simply agree with the part of your post~ "Somehow faith in Jesus is now elevated to being more important than anything else." Because that will always be the truth. All by itself.

"Far from being rivals or enemies, religion and law are twin sisters, friends, and mutual assistants. Indeed, these two sciences run into each other. The divine law, as discovered by reason and the moral sense, forms an essential part of both." James Wilson.

"Let each citizen remember at the moment he is offering his vote that he is not making a present or a compliment to please an individual - or at least that he ought not so to do; but that he is executing one of the most solemn trusts in human society for which he is accountable to God and his country."
~Samuel Adams.

Possum Dearie| 4.20.10 @ 1:02AM

Our country would have to be a theocracy to be Iran, and you would have to be an idiot to make that case. Even if you do favor the Italian spelling of O S C A R.

kevin| 4.19.10 @ 3:35PM

You see, this comment is what I mean.

The Jesus people have taken over the GOP. For conservatives like me, who believe that running a budget to be balanced or a suplus is quite quite important, these folks here don't agree.

They think, as long as Jesus is prayed to, the budget will balance itself.

This is not the party of Reagan. This is the party of Jesus. And Jesus NEVER ran a budget.

I am an old conservative that is quite unhappy that there is NOBODY that represents me. These people that CLAIM to took a surplus and turned us into a debtor nation. Jesus still hasnt paid off our debt has he.

Margie| 4.19.10 @ 4:15PM

If believers, or "Jesus people" had taken over the GOP, Obama wouldn't be President right now. But not to worry, the Left is still working to make sure they stay in office. Sarah Palin is hated vehemently by the Left because she is a Christian and has higher moral standards.

Not quite sure what it is that you want to see in a candidate for office but since it is clear that you do not want Christians elected then I am not sure why the Democrat party isn't good enough for you.

DanMingo| 4.20.10 @ 12:25PM

Sarah Palin is hated vehemently by the Left because she is a Christian and has higher moral standards.

Keep believing that.

Or try reality, read the article you are responding to, and try to factually refute the points made by this author.

Actually, quite a few Christians DO NOT support Sarah. She's going to need more than her 'faith' to ever be elected to public office again.

Margie| 4.20.10 @ 1:28PM

Genuine Christians support Sarah.

Possum Dearie| 4.20.10 @ 1:03AM

You're not a conservative; you're a libertarian. Go snort some lines at Reason.

Mimi| 4.19.10 @ 4:00PM

HEH FOLKS, Don't be so tough on Quin. Its early. I love SARAH , She sure is clearing the path out there and she is effective! This nation will be grateful for all her hard work, energy, on there behalf. After the November elections we will have someone stand up who will inspire the whole country! Once it was said, of an older DR. A true professional is one who is learned Yes, but mostly has the wisdom of 'WHAT THE EYES HAVE SEEN" We must be patient Our leader WILL arrive, in God's time

Possum Dearie| 4.20.10 @ 1:04AM

"A true professional is one who is learned"

... and can spell, one hopes.

Bill in Baltimore | 4.19.10 @ 4:06PM

Kevin,

>>Jesus still hasnt paid off our debt has he.

ahem, Jesus has paid your debt in full.

Stick to politics, because you're an idiot when it comes to Christianity.

kevin| 4.19.10 @ 4:12PM

Here we go Bill.....all you can offer up is name calling?

oh I am a christian and i know what debt you are talking about.

that is NOT THE DEBT i am talking about.

The one that is going to your kids and mine.

Stick to christianity Bill....because you are an idiot when it comes to budgets.

bill in baltimore| 4.19.10 @ 5:59PM

kevin,

if you are a Christian, you would not say something stupid like "Jesus still hasnt paid off our debt has he" and not realize how idiotic that sounds to a Christian.

plus your other comments don't quite sound like you actually know who Jesus is, now, do they ?

kevin| 4.19.10 @ 4:15PM

And once again, here is this BILL.....who cannot speak to the BANKRUPTCY of this country.

The GOP betrayed fiscal conservatives like myself, by letting the JESUS people take over this party.

You are not the party of fiscal discipline. You are the party of PRAY TO JESUS AND HE WILL MAGICALLY SOLVE YOUR TRILLION DOLLAR BUDGET PROBLEM.

You people are amazing. Keep shutting your eyes and praying. Maybe dollar bills will rain down on us.

Possum Dearie| 4.20.10 @ 1:06AM

So what kind of Christian is not a Jesus person?

kevin| 4.19.10 @ 4:19PM

Margie, if Sarah Palin had madeline albrights head and face, we would not even be talking about her. Contemplate that.

As for me "wanting Christians to be elected".....please get this straight will you? I want someone who can balance a budget to be elected.

The GOP used to represent folks like me. Now we have NOBODY.


I want a fiscal conservative to run this country. I dont want deficits, big govt, or big taxes. Is that really too much to ask? Why must you always link this with JESUS? Was he a politician that ran a budget?

Margie| 4.19.10 @ 4:23PM

I think "Bob" may be back.

Lying troll alert.

Possum Dearie| 4.20.10 @ 1:08AM

Madeline Albright, even with her homely face and her humpback, still wasn't too bright. Ponder that.

kevin| 4.19.10 @ 4:24PM

Margie, show me a christian politican that has actually shrunk government, balanced the budget, and lowered taxes, and i will vote for them.

It is all I am asking for.

And yes, I am a Christian and proud of it. But i don't think that blindly praying to Jesus is gonna solve our budget issues. I think Jesus expects us to get up and solve some of our own problems. It is why he gave us brains.

Bydand76| 4.19.10 @ 5:17PM

"show me a christian politican that has actually shrunk government, balanced the budget, and lowered taxes, and i will vote for them."

Ummmmmm.......... Sarah Palin.

Welcome to the club!

Bydand76| 4.19.10 @ 5:21PM

You can add Michelle Bachmann to that list as well, Kevin.

kevin| 4.19.10 @ 4:26PM

Margie, is it possible for you to respond directly to my points? Rather than asking me if I am "Bob".

This is what infuriates me about you right wing Jesus people. All you can do is throw quotes at me from dead people. No solutions, no problem solving. Pray and hope. It is not working well.

Bydand76| 4.19.10 @ 5:29PM

"You are the party of PRAY TO JESUS AND HE WILL MAGICALLY SOLVE YOUR TRILLION DOLLAR BUDGET PROBLEM."

Kevin,
I don't think that anyone prays to Jesus to solve anything.

I think that you/we pray for the strength to deal with any given situation in our lives.

I never pray blindly for anything either.

And not to pour fuel on the fire but there is an awful lot of scripture that pertains to money and the manegment of it.


Calm down Hero.

Nick| 4.19.10 @ 5:41PM

Kevin,

Christians don't call their fellow Christians "Jesus people." That is disrespectful.

Also, Christ prayed A LOT in the Gospels. Try following His example.

And, enough with the straw man arguments already. Christians are doing more than you are.

Northern Rebel| 4.19.10 @ 4:46PM

To Dan, in an early post obviously removed, because it was an unabashed campaign ad:

The difference between Sarah Palin, and the former governor of New mexico is:

What was his name again?

Old Tex:

As usual you always bring us back to the important things, as your first post did. This is about the continuation of, or the destruction of, the things the Founding Fathers did to produce the greatest bastion of personal liberty in the planet's history.

That's why God has smiled on us, such as the mysterious fog that enabled George Washington to evacuate his troops to fight another day, and the fortunate sea storm that helped Doolittle's boys get to China, after the first air raid of Japan from a carrier, which forced Japan to attack Midway, in an ill fated operation that changed the very nature of WWII.

On the misogyny front:

I absolutely believe women are held to a different standard than men, and I am a red blooded American tough guy.

Men can be fat - Christie
Men can be ugly and/or bald - Arlen Specter
Men can be fat, ugly, and bald - Jerry Nadler
Men can be weiners - Anthony Weiner, Chuck Schumer
Men can be old and wrinkled - 3/4 of politicians
(Why do think Hillary is desperate to hurry)
Men can be cads - Kerry, Gore, (oh what a list!)

Women can be none of those things and get elected, and they are even scorned for being attractive!

Sarah Palin was an executive for an American state! Was McCain? Did McCain ever have anything but a government paycheck? Does Maobama have more executive experience than Ms. Palin? Did he ever have a job, never mind run anything?

The best people for the republican nomination for President have yet to emerge, I HOPE!

Here is a list of people who cannot defeat Maobama:
Pawlenty
McCain
Romney
Huckabee
Ron Paul
Christie (C'mon folks)
anyone named Graham
Ryan (too young)

Who does that leave? Nobody that has emerged as yet, with the possible exception of Gingrich.

I don't think Palin could win either, but the socialists know something, or they wouldn't be eviscerating her on a daily basis. The kingmaker idea put forth earlier has merit, as does a VP slot.

Just remember, socialist democrats show you who they are afraid of, by the way they treat them. Are they attacking Mitt Romney, or Flimsy Graham, or Tim Pawlenty?

JayJay| 4.19.10 @ 6:47PM

Who does that leave? Check out some of these and see what you think and also this is one reason the Repubs are going to lose me if they don't get rid of that ol' boy thinking of theirs.

Eric Cantor, Jim DeMint, Haley Barbour, I will put Ryan in even though you say he is not ready, may be a good VP choice, would love to see Tom Ridge run too, don't agree with him on everything but really like him yet doubt either he or Petraeus will run and one that is certainly not ready but keep close eye on Col Allen West who is running for FL - 22 right now.

The RNC needs to stop trying to be Dem Lite and start listening to the people or they are sunk and they will take us with them if we have yet another 6 yrs of O.

As far as this being a hit piece... see it more as vetting. Learn the facts and know strengths and weaknesses and how to combat the weaknesses in the future and play up the strengths.

@ unseen... in case you missed it, I replied to your post at 9:26

Possum Dearie| 4.20.10 @ 1:13AM

The same Tom Ridge who said Bush administration officials had pressured him to change terror-threat levels in order to boost George Bush’s re-election chances in the final days of the 2004 election? You make it real easy to spot you.

Tim*| 4.19.10 @ 6:56PM

I believe Northern, that Hillary Clinton is all of the above .

Aaaand , If I'm not mistaken , she's Saul Alinsky's love child.

Ken (Old Texican)| 4.19.10 @ 8:13PM

Northern Rebel,
Thank you for your response to my little blog. Yours is the first.

I worked on it all weekend, and sent it out via e-mail to a half million friends...and stockholders. (yeah, Yahoo is pissed of at me again.)

Yeah...I always think of the battle of Midway. It could have been a dead radio in the Japanese RECON plane, or maYBE.......yeah.

Paul from SA| 4.19.10 @ 5:32PM

The left is afraid of attractive female conservatives and must destroy them. They are afraid their gullible base will vote for looks rather than issues.

Margie| 4.19.10 @ 8:12PM

You know what, Paul? That is a GREAT point. My family are all Libs. The women watch Opry and The View. To them I am from outer space. This is why I know what a Liberal is going to say even before they say it. One thing they definitely do is judge by appearance, and how "nicely" a person speaks. Well my Sis actually told me she likes Sarah Palin. She voted for Obama and is a lifelong Dem. So you are correct!!! That is just another piece of the puzzle of the Leftist mindset as to why they are so afraid and have to work so hard to demonize her. Ha!

SoBe Conservative| 4.19.10 @ 5:43PM

Who's horse (in the primary race) does this writer put his money on (sorry dangled)? I always want to hear the worst about my candidate. I personally have a good feeling (INFJ and usually right) about Sarah. I was worried about Bush II from day one - too establishmentarian. Romney will be Bush III Light - another Repubican disastrer). Huckabee is a Carter II with emphasis on the worst parts. Minnesota guy? I've been there, social paradise wanna be: UNAMERKIA. we want a real conservative who won't shy from naming Obama correctly as a socialist.

Mimi| 4.19.10 @ 5:43PM

GOTTCHA!!!! As I said bfore a day or two ago the 2008 er's should be put to BED.!!

Possum Dearie| 4.20.10 @ 1:14AM

Speaking of bed time... AHEM.

GeneCarr| 4.19.10 @ 5:43PM

I think there is one facet about Governor Palin's resignation that is often missed--an enabling context. By the Summer of 2009, she had more or less delivered on all the promices that she had made to the Alaskan electorate--AGIA, ACES, Ethics reform, education funding forwards, fiscla rectitide (do your homework better on this one) and others. What i find curious as well is that she accomplished all this with massive bipartisan support. On the 'woman' issue, Palin is very feminine, unlike the Hillary Clintons, Mrgaret Thachers and Angelo Merkels, she doesn't behave 'masculine' or seek honorary membership of the boys club. No she shovels on the make up shows her legs is a mom daughter, a sister--a real woman not a fake.

PCP Smoker| 4.19.10 @ 5:47PM

I try not to get too close to Palin, she after all recently supported McLame, but attacks from the right on this hottie are nothing new. Why is the piece being run anyways?
Another thing, any attacks coming from Quinn are pretty worthless. This is the guy who prompted his readers not to blame Joseph Caeos ( R, LA) for voting for socialist healthcare the first time around because he came from a democrat-majority district. What a fucking wuss.
Fuck you Quinn

Margie| 4.19.10 @ 6:10PM

Come on, do you really have to use that language? You made your point well enough without it.

debmcb| 4.19.10 @ 5:47PM

Patrick Henry wrote that quote in 1775. He was not elected Gov. of VA until 1776. Palin has more experience as Gov. now than Henry did then. Her lamp is of experience burns brighter.

Tony Blake| 4.19.10 @ 5:54PM

Please do not compare Sara to Patrick Henry or Ronald Regan! I with all the starry-eyed Palin backers would go to the website: Livingroomcandidate.com and look at the Republican TV ads for 1980. Try to envision Palin in any of the ads. It is laughable!

Margie| 4.19.10 @ 6:20PM

Why not compare, she is like them in spirit. Normal freedom loving Americans who realize what it's truly worth. Actually above normal but you get the gist. We recognize the kindred spirit in Sarah, with us.

Tony Blake| 4.19.10 @ 6:55PM

Margie,
My dear grandma is also with Ronald Regan in spirit. But believe me, she would not make a great president!

Margie| 4.19.10 @ 7:09PM

Well your dear grandma probably doesn't have the same vim and vigor, true.

Tony Blake| 4.19.10 @ 7:56PM

Ah yes, vim and vigor. Maybe Arnold Schwarzenegger could run for public office!

Margie| 4.19.10 @ 8:15PM

Ha ha. But Arnold does NOT have the kindred spirit of Ronald Reagan does he? No, he is greatly lacking!

Ken (Old Texican)| 4.19.10 @ 8:29PM

Tony Blake,
Welcome to our conversations here!

Please beware..."Margie" is one of the smartest among us.

Do you enjoy being a baritone? (or would you rather sing soprano?)

Margie takes no prisoners! She is the modern day equivalent of a "Knight Templar".

heh, I love her more every day.

I,I,I, shall compare Sarah to Patric Henry and Ronald Reagan....favorably.

Stack your "stuff", Tony. You are in the big leagues now. The commentors here are some of the best Americans you will ever meet.

You will know that because George Soros spends a couple of thousand $$ per day to drop turds into our conversations.

Enjoy laughing with us at his paid trolls.

Tony Bake| 4.19.10 @ 9:46PM

Yes, Ken, she does have a fast and skilled foil. I was wondering if she might be the same Margie who writes insightful and occasional musings for World Magazine.

Margie| 4.20.10 @ 12:04AM

Tony,
No, that's not me, but thanks for the compliment!

Margie| 4.20.10 @ 12:14AM

Wow. Thank you Ken,
Will you marry me? Oh wait, that's right, I'm already married!

Possum Dearie| 4.20.10 @ 1:18AM

I thought her 2008 convention speech was pretty good stuff.

lawyerchik1| 4.19.10 @ 6:02PM

At least she has experience actually running something - anything - for a period of time, and she demonstrated reasonable success at it. Remember, too, that when she was selected as McCain's running mate, she was up for the number 2 position - not the Presidency.

Basically, Sarah Palin is inspiration in high heels; while I agree that she needs a great deal more seasoning, and that she should take advantage of the time she has to acquire that seasoning and education in areas in which she is weak before she runs for anything, you can't deny her drawing power. Time will tell if she is willing to do the work necessary to be more than what she is right now.

Jeremiah| 4.19.10 @ 6:18PM

Thank you, Mr. Hillyer. I am, in fact, a big fan of Palin and will support her for president in '12 if she runs. Typically her critics on the left are...well, just insane, kind of like rabid ferrets. More disturbingly, her critics on the right are usually catty and snobbish, giving nothing but lip service to her many virtues (if they mention them at all. All the critics seem to be merely visceral critics.

Your piece is sound, solid and sober - and I really appreciate it. I, too, have wondered why she has spent so much time playing to her strengths in off-years instead of shoring up other areas. I, too, wondered about the contradiction inherent in her ethics legislation that was tough, but offered few safeguards for the accused. She has the potential to be a truly great leader and, oh, how I admire her. She is very smart (I think if you analyze objectively what she was saying versus the other three on the two tickets, she was clearly the superior intellect of all three) But I worry that her very popularity has given rise to a prickly hubris that, if not checked, may lead her to settle for a mere ephemeral populist phenomenon rather than the principled leader she should and can be - and that we so desperately need.

I work with candidates and media at a rather high level. If I were sitting privately with herand asked to lay out a candid game plan for the next few years, what you wrote includes a lot of the ground I would be covering. I hope she takes this one to heart (while continuing to ignore the left-wing nasties and the right-wing cats)

Obie Wan| 4.19.10 @ 6:36PM

This article is more sizzle then steak. The only indictment that's anything beyond she's got no experience is....." general-fund budgets for which she was responsible showed spending hikes of 16.4 percent (from fiscal year 2007 to '08) and a mind-boggling 21.8 percent the next year. Total government expenditures (a slightly different measure) grew 38.6 percent in those two years combined"......I'd like to see these numbers in some context like what other Governors were doing at the same time. I believe Palin had about a 70% approval in Alaska,compare that to the 45% approval my Governor,Deval Patrick has here in Mass., and while I've watched taxes going up across the board I'd like to know what taxes in Alaska did with Palin in charge. As for experience, how anybody can seriously bring this up with Barack Obama currently occupying the White House is funny as hell !!!

Tony Blake| 4.19.10 @ 6:53PM

Barack Obama is not our metric of experience. Also, using Joe Biden and his mis-steps as a an argument "...if Joe can be Vice President, so can Palin.." misses the point. We need a higher standard of experience and intellect.

Margie| 4.19.10 @ 7:07PM

Einstein is currently unavailable. Who would you suggest?

Tony Blake| 4.19.10 @ 7:41PM

How about Mitch Daniels for President and Paul Ryan for Vice President. They don't look good in pumps, but they have track records of tackling tough issues.

Margie| 4.19.10 @ 8:19PM

Tony, I am a lifelong Republican voter and will vote for the nominee, whoever it is. But I will also be working to help nominate conservatives to the party. I like Paul Ryan. I don't know much about Mitch Daniels but I should go check him out. One things for sure. There are many, many more good candidates on our side as compared to ZERO on the Left.

"Let each citizen remember at the moment he is offering his vote that he is not making a present or a compliment to please an individual - or at least that he ought not so to do; but that he is executing one of the most solemn trusts in human society for which he is accountable to God and his country."
~Sam Adams.

Tonyy Blake| 4.19.10 @ 9:38PM

Well said.

DanMingo| 4.20.10 @ 12:41PM

There is a certain inconsistency here which I would like to point out. You cannot vote for the Republican nominee "whoever it is"
And at the same time state that the voter is "executing one of the most solemn trusts in human society for which he is accountable to God and his country."
You admit you will vote for ANY republican, which assumes you would vote for a minimally qualified or totally unqualified candidate as long as that person is a Republican. Say an extremely liberal Republican candidate is running against a conservative (or 'Blue Dog') Democrat. You will support the Republican.
Such willful blindness is not in the spirit of the Sam Adams quote you so proudly display.

Margie| 4.20.10 @ 2:49PM

I vote for the party that is best for the country, which right now is the Republican one, no doubt about it. We have a 2 party system in this country and that's just a reality. So I do vote as my duty before God, and my conscience is clear about it.

When electing a President, he may not be the exact one I wanted to get the nomination, for example I really wanted Fred Thompson to get the nomination, but he didn't, and for many and various reasons McCain did. I voted for McCain because I wanted a Republican administration, not the one we got now. How much clearer of a choice can it be? Those who sat it out and didn't vote, or wrote in a candidate unfortunately helped elect Obama. I pray that their eyes would be opened now to that reality and choose to do the right thing. We MUST vote this regime out and there is only one way to do it. So yes, I know I am doing the right thing, and in the right spirit.
As for "wilful blindness"~ did you vote for Obama? Just who are you calling wilfully blind?

Possum Dearie| 4.20.10 @ 1:27AM

Mitch Daniels not only looks like a scrotum, but he worked for Dick Lugar and a drug company. Other than that, he is a two-term Governor of Indiana. So what? Paul Ryan is good in Congress, but that is different from executive experience.

liberty lass| 4.19.10 @ 7:00PM

What is more conservative than a woman staying home with, protecting and caring for her children? I surely don't understand why this woman is worshipped by conservatives when she neglects her most important duty in life.

Margie| 4.19.10 @ 7:05PM

We don't worship her, but we do love her.
And not a good idea to lie, either, re: "neglecting her duty in life." You're obviously just jealous.

Ken (Old Texican)| 4.19.10 @ 8:38PM

Liberty lass,

Sarah is very fortunate. She has a MAN for a husband...and a good extended family as well.

She has a MAN...strong enough to be the "wind beneath her wings".

Her children will be just fine....and God will decide what her most important duty is...thankyouvery much.....cow.

JayJay| 4.19.10 @ 7:18PM

A woman that sees that staying at home and letting the menfolk handle these trifling affairs is not the best way to protect her children so she packs up her kids and totes them along with her. Of course she was vilified for this too.

vitadMD| 4.19.10 @ 8:22PM

Out of all the comments here, this one is probably the most unfortunate if it's coming from a conservative woman living in the 21st century...
Who are you to judge what is any person's most important "duty"? What does conservatism have to do with child rearing?
Let's review... Conservatism means conserving the Constitution... Where's the liberty, "liberty lass"?... and where in the Constitution does it state that a woman's most important duty is "staying home with, protecting and caring for her children"?... sad

vitadMD| 4.19.10 @ 8:32PM

Btw, we don't "worship" Gov. Palin, we respect her and identify with her. We don't consider her a celebrity or a cult-like figure.... these are the accoutrements of the Left.

Tim*| 4.19.10 @ 7:15PM

Aaaand , Palin doesn't smoke , although she's smokin'.
Aaaand , Palin challenges Obama to a game of horse.

Margie| 4.19.10 @ 8:21PM

OK Tim, that was funny and you made me laugh. Even though you did calle me a Neo-Con Israel Firster.

FALCON| 4.19.10 @ 7:55PM

She is the one the Dem's are most afraid of.
I think that she has character and I respect her judgement. The comments here have detailed the weakness in all of the alternatives (execept maybe Ryan) So let her enter the primary.
She will the best choice we've had since Reagan.

Northern rebel| 4.19.10 @ 8:12PM

Tim*:
Heh Heh, so true!

Jay Jay:
Thanks for reminding me that I forgot Tom Ridge.
It didn't cross my mind because he is exactly the kind of RINO shit I'm trying to purge!

You are right, Ryan could be VP material, he's just too new, and young, although so was Maobama.

I like Haley Barbour, and Petraus has been in N.Hampshire recently.

There is Mike Pence, Newt Gingrich, Fred Thompson, who if he decided to work for it, would be my guy, though he's tainted by McCain Feingold.

Guiliani is a strong test for Maobama, if he doesn't want to be Senator, or Governor of NY.

I personally think Ken (Old Tex) should run, and I'd love to be his speechwriter!

Margie| 4.19.10 @ 8:24PM

Ken would make a splendid President, as he is a fine man first, and an excellent conservative and businessman. I second it!

Ken (Old Texican)| 4.19.10 @ 8:59PM

Rebel, Margie,

Thank you.

But dammit, I can no longer run. I'm all crippled up...(and I have a couple of gold-digger ex-wives who would tell on me not being whoopee beyond 13 seconds .) heh.

However, me and Dick, (Cheny), and Michael Reagan, and Mark Levin, and Jim DeMint, and Rick Perry now that he has grown a pair, as well as .....hold your breath...Rush Limbaugh and 30 million ditto heads, are on her side....right the heck now.
Sarah, please accept our "write ins". Go for it , lady!
Godspeed

Francis Dillon| 4.19.10 @ 8:12PM

So, Mr. Hillyer, you bash Mrs. Palin for actually reading a bill before signing it... Hmm. I guess you would prefer the situation in Washington now where huge bills like Obamacare are voted on with no one reading them at all. Just what is it that you consider the "substance" of governing? You know what needs skipping over and not reading, is your columns.

Michael Tomlinson| 4.19.10 @ 8:41PM

Like Mike Huckabee and Ron Paul (two other outsiders highly touted by the MSM) Sarah Palin is our Barack Obama -- minus the corruption, dishonesty and arrogance.

Levi Johnson| 4.20.10 @ 12:45PM

Sarah Palin is our Barack Obama -- minus the corruption, dishonesty and arrogance.
Oh, she has those.
The difference; she is Obama minus the intelligence.
I should know.

Margie| 4.20.10 @ 2:53PM

You should know, yes. You have all the intelligence of a loser who dumps his pregnant girlfriend and then goes on to pose nude in a magazine and smear your pregnant girlfriend's Mother.
Wow. You really take the cake, bud.

Upstate| 4.19.10 @ 8:54PM

Speaking as a man, I at first found this article to be an example of stunningly misogynistic bile.
Then I came to the part where the writer glosses over the CPAC appearance.

Most of us know and are comfortable with the reason she skipped the conference - CPAC has become akin to the Rainbow Coalition in that they shake down corporations. The fact that the writer doesn't mention this tells me who "paid" for this article.

CPAC, you have jumped the shark.
Morally, politically, and soon financially. And Sarah Palin is responsible.

Dan Pet| 4.19.10 @ 8:55PM

Just like many of her liberal detractors, Mr. Hillyer nitpicks and misses the big picture of Mrs. Palin's experience. He glosses over 8 years as a mayor...the ins and outs of daily governing. He glosses over her 2 1/2 years of serving as a governor. Instead of questioning how a completely "inexperienced" woman could possibly FAKE her day to day duties as the Governor of the most "sparsely populated state", Mr. Hillyer focuses on one or two points that are more or less insignificant. It is the forest of the daily work, not the trees (particular instances that are OVEREXAMINED and OVER ANALYZED with 20/20 hindsight) that make the person. Mr. Hillyer also neglects to discuss the microscope that Palin is under that ALL others are not. We could pick apart ANY person's experiences this way....but we don't. Not in any context or any situation, political or non-political...EXCEPT for Sarah Palin.

Ken (Old Texican)| 4.19.10 @ 9:04PM

Dan Pet,
welcome to our conversations here.

Splendid thoughts above.

I look forward to heaing from you...often.

JayJay| 4.19.10 @ 9:31PM

Dan,

You brought up something... sparsely populated state. While it is true that AK is sparsely populated, many do not realize the problems of this state. They think one state is pretty much like another but not true when comes to AK. You have a capitol that can only be gotten to by plane or boat in a temperate rainforest climate that means you may or may not get in or out with only one major airline. All of Southeast is basically islands or towns clinging to the edge of a mountain . Logistics for getting anything done is something else and then add to extra costs and barge time to get anything to wherever. Add to that things have to be done in the summer as most can't be done in the winter but Juneau gets like 90 inches of rain a year and Ketchikan generally over 120 inches. You say that is not the mainland, this is true but consider mainland and Just to drive from Anchorage to Fairbanks is at least 6 hrs and that is summer, as winter it is dangerous to attempt the passes and all work there needs done in summer too. Just to manage a state with the unique problems that we have up here is a feat. Makes her budgeting even more impressive if you think about it.

These outsiders that talk about Palin and her experience or lack thereof need to understand the state and realize that it is not like the lower 48, that she faced challenges here that she would not have had to deal with had she lived in any of them and found creative solutions for all of them.

I am rambling and I am sorry about that but Alaska is so different. People tend to think of things in terms of their own state and you can't do that with Alaska or Alaskan politics.

Dan Pet| 4.19.10 @ 10:57PM

Jay...please don't misinterpret my comments. I was facetiously saying that....mocking the author. Just because the state is "sparsely" populated doesn't mean that it EASY to govern. It is a vast state and governing a large area can be just as challenging as a state with a large population. It is Mr. Hillyer that diminishes the Governor because of that point...not me. Also, is Joe Biden less of a Senator because his state is so small both in population and area? I don't think so. My last question for Mr. Hillyer and for any that question the governor's intelligence is....Can YOU run the state of Alaska, or any state for that matter????

JayJay| 4.19.10 @ 11:33PM

Dan, no I did not take your comments in a negative way, they just gave me the opportunity to try to educate some that do not understand Alaska and get them to think outside their own back yard. Hopefully Quin read and got a little education out of my post too.

I have my problems with Palin but have always said that I would love to see her running CA, that if anyone could get that state back on track it would be her.

Danielle| 4.19.10 @ 8:55PM

Obama had ZERO experience and yet...George Will, blinded by his hatred for McCain and Palin heralded Obama and as certain as uncertain can be, voted for him. That makes him no better than Ayers.
The snarky asides in this piece are literally laughable. Every positive has to be followed up with pure conjecture to make her look bad. You are pathetic.
Now tell me Mr. Hillyer, who is your shining Knight in white armor. The socialist O'Romney?
or one of those Mr. Crickets with the interchangable names. Pawlenty, Daniels, Thune.
No excitement, no victory. If it's not Palin or Ryan or someone with true grassroots appeal Obama wins. You can't manufacture it, no matter how hard you try.

Anthony| 4.19.10 @ 9:28PM

Dear Margie and Ken (Old Texican), Having read the comment section for the 4th time today, I've concluded what I've suspected for some time; we have a big problem on our hands.
I dispair that the Left has succeeded in what they wanted to achieve, namely, they have polarized Sarah Palin to the extent of being hated or loved, and very little in between.
Obama, his goons, the MSM, and the wobbly RINOs, have all contributed to this, very clever on their part, they recognize a threat and do an Alinsky on her.
But hope springs eternal, I say Palin by a landslide. Wanna take that bet, GW?

JayJay| 4.20.10 @ 12:08AM

I think they have tried but Palin was polarizing from the start of the campaign. I am totally on the fence and think a few others have said the same so not sure the left has totally succeeded in their quest. She has always had her supporters and detractors, the same as O and just like O, I have talked to several that say they were totally for her in the beginning but no so much now, that they prefer to just take a wait and see attitude.

Viper4| 4.19.10 @ 9:31PM

Failed in business in 1831; Defeated for Legislature in 1832; Second failure in business in 1833; Suffered nervous breakdown in 1836;
Defeated for Speaker in 1838 ; Defeated for Elector in 1840; Defeated for Congress in 1843;
Defeated for Congress in 1848; Defeated for Senate in 1855; Defeated for Vice President in 1856; Defeated for Senate in 1858.

This was Lincoln's resume before becoming Presdent. Who would vote for this serial melancholic bust or somebody who said in the debates with Stephen Douglas, “I have no purpose to introduce political and social equality between the white and black races.” (21 August 1858) of his celebrated debates with Stephen Douglas.

and,

"I, as well as Judge Douglas, am in favour of the race to which I belong having the superior position.”

So, what did we get from Lincoln: a war fought to save the union rather than to preserve inalienable human rights.

A second consideration: I met Palin briefly while on joint exercises at Elmendorf and like many of the pilots who I flew with she was a quick study who absorbed complex concepts with surprising ease (ie., BFM--Basic flight maneuvers, the reasons behind choosing certain formations; mission planing.)

Nothing I saw in the Charlie Gibson or Katie Couric interviews (or read) has changed my impression that she is a very sharp woman with a surprisingly agile mind who knows the game.

I remember someone saying "Terry Bradshaw couldn't spell "Cat" if you spotted him the "C" and the "T" and yet he excelled at the toughest position in sports and won four super bowls.

There's a lesson there for those who think Sarah Palin is nothing more than a punch line.

Jerry Bradshw| 4.20.10 @ 12:50PM

There's a lesson there for those who think Sarah Palin is nothing more than a punch line.
That lesson?
Sarah Palin, new starting quarterback for the Steelers (sorry Ben).

proud progressive| 4.19.10 @ 9:59PM

Oh please, please, please, run a Palin/Bachmann republican ticket in 2012. Then we can be certain of 4 more years for Obama.

Bill in Baltimore| 4.19.10 @ 10:19PM

pp - bwa-ha-ha-ha.

be careful what you wish for

Addested| 4.19.10 @ 10:35PM

"Then we can be certain of 4 more years for Obama. "

Nothing will make that happen. Obama and the democrat contolled congress have ruined the brand. Will be many years before they take up residence in Oval Office agaim.

It's what happens when you follow a megalomaniac with one one eye on the mirror and the other on his place in history.

proud progressive| 4.20.10 @ 2:12PM

I think you must be having flashbacks to the Bush/Cheney years. Did you do a lot of acid in your youth? that could explain.

Margie| 4.20.10 @ 2:56PM

Progressives are the acid dropping Leftists from the 60's cum Democrats of present day.
Must still be dropping hits, eh?

Possum Dearie| 4.20.10 @ 1:31AM

The Democrats thought this, too, when they crossed over to vote for her in the Republican primaries for Governor. Underestimate Palin at your own peril.

proud progressives| 4.20.10 @ 2:08PM

Not quite dearie, it will be America's peril.

Mitch| 4.19.10 @ 10:59PM

By your definition, Joe Biden knows exactly what he's talking about in terms of foreign affairs and he's proven again and again that he is a buffoon. There are all kinds of experience which only time can provide. But if you don't, or can't, learn from it then you're quite simply an idiot. Palin is improving her skills and bolstering her experience. Give her 10 years and she just might be the leader we hope she can be.

Etiquette Man| 4.19.10 @ 11:18PM

Colonel Everyman: General Hilyer, sir, the enemy is on the run. We have broken through their lines, turned their cannon around on them, and captured their food stores. They are in full flight. Will you give the order to pursue, sir?

General Hilyer: Well, Colonel. I spend about 4/5 of my time fighting the enemy, but the other 1/5 of the time, I like to sit here staring at my navel and wondering what could go wrong.

Colonel Everyman: And, sir, I'm guessing that right now is that "1/5" time.

General Hilyer: Exactly. . . .
*******
Whom would you follow? Colonel Everyman or General Hilyer?

Brian72| 4.19.10 @ 11:45PM

"proud progressive"

You have no basis from which to be proud.

A century of failure means nothing!
March toward the light, comrades!

Nick| 4.19.10 @ 11:56PM

The biggest reason Sarah Palin is hated is because of Trig.

Those that have, or know someone who has, killed their baby, because some doctor claims the Amniocentesis shows an "abnormality", are the ones who hate Mrs. Palin with a passion.

Every time they see Trig, they see a reminder of what they did.

Therefore, in their opinion, she must be destroyed. So that they may justify the evil they have committed.

proud progressive| 4.20.10 @ 2:18PM

Wow, you had to dig deep to come up with that convoluted theory. First of all, the liberals don't "hate" her, they find her laughable. She is a liar and a moron. She is arrogant and truly believes she is a thinker and a leader. The only reason liberals fear her is that republicans have a track record of voting incompetent morons into office, and yes, we fear W in black leather and lipstick.

Margie| 4.20.10 @ 2:57PM

Weell then, better get ready to move to Mexico then!!

Nick| 4.20.10 @ 8:01PM

Proud Molech-worshiper,

No, Jesse Jackson is laughable. San Fran Gran Nan is laughable. Keith Olbermann-child is laughable.

Sarah Palin is a Pro-Lifer that actually lives out her Christian beliefs. That is why she frightens bleeding heart liberals.

She wouldn't have so many morons attacking her if she was "laughable."

People, who can be written off as a joke, don't have losers tring to convince others that she faked her pregancy to cover for her daughter.

Margie| 4.20.10 @ 3:06PM

Nick,
I think you're right about some of those women, it must be a reminder to them. Except the ones who are sorry for what they did.. and I know, and have known, there are many.

Nick| 4.20.10 @ 8:18PM

Margie,

Hi!

I'm generalizing, of course. But, the viciousness of the attacks against Mrs. Palin are personal.

It reminds me of arguing about abortion in general. If you say that abortion is murder (which it is), the person who has had one, or knows someone who has, will become very, very angry with you. Almost unhinged in some cases.

They take it very personally, which they should. As someone once said, "The truth hurts, doesn't it?"

Margie| 4.20.10 @ 10:21PM

Nick,

I have personal experience with a family member. We were having a discussion on Obama and abortion. His being for or against it. She thought he was against it and I was trying to tell her he was totally for it. She has the mindset of a Joy Bahar, mind you. She said well, it's legal and I said that doesn't mean it is right. It's murder. She flipped out and accused me of calling her a murderer. Then went to other family members to try and turn them against me. Meanwhile, I do not know whether she had an abortion or not, as she never told me. But the Liberal mindset cannot take the truth being spoken, even if it comes anywhere near them. Of course I am sure that she didn't mention that during the conversation I told her that even abortion can be forgiven by God. Sometimes they just want to have an excuse to hate you.

John Skookum| 4.20.10 @ 12:11AM

Hillyer,

You make some decent points. The Bridge to Nowhere story has definitely not accrued to SP's advantage. In retrospect, I don't think it was wise to make a big deal of it in the 2008 campaign rollout.

However, there are a lot of other details where it's obvious that the months of leftist question-begging, lies, and insinuations have rubbed off on you and become your default narrative. Her resignation is first and foremost.

People always forget that she is an honest self-made woman from a lower middle class background. No miraculous Hillary-style investments in long-shot livestock futures for her. And she had four children at home depending on her for financial security. It came down to a choice of resigning, or hanging on with half her thoughts and efforts and time turned away from governing the state of Alaska and towards how to stay out of bankruptcy court.

I wonder how many of the sneering commenters here could come up with enough money from their own resources to defend themselves against the kind of concerted assault she faced. There's certainly a "let them eat cake" tone to the narrative that seems positively bewildered that she wouldn't just hire an expensive consigliere to fix things for her, like all the other mysteriously wealthy "public servants" who've never worked a lick in the productive private sector, but have money to spare for $1000-per-hour lawyers. She could stay on and fight it out now that she's rich, but back then it was another story.

Maybe she should have foreseen this outcome when she brought in the ethics law, but can nobody in public life spare a word of condemnation for this kind of cynical, poisonous, destructive Alinskyite lawfare? I think she made the best of a bad situation that can rightly be attributed to beastly behavior on the part of win-at-all-costs Democrats inspired and probably even subsidized by the likes of Axelrod and Emanuel.

The other thing you're chapping my ass about is the Wasilla rec center. It was not imposed by Sarah Palin's fiat, but approved by a bond election of the taxpayers. It was not an unsecured debt for general purpose government squandering, as Obama is now taking on. It's more like a mortgage backed by an asset. When the bonds are paid off it will likely turn a nice little profit for the town.

And her record in public office is "quite short"? Horse shit. She was first elected to office the same year as Bill Clinton was first elected President.

David| 4.20.10 @ 12:34AM

What a complete fabble presenter you are.Palin left Wassilla almost 19 million in debt not 25. 14.7 of which was for a sports complex, approved in a vote by Wassilla residents.The other 4.3 million was bonded debt for capital projects she had done during her 2 terms.Things like new roads,sewers,infrastructure for new subdivisions,city vehicles and other things the city needed and council approved.By the way their debt is almost paid off, they have new roads a huge sports complex and many new residents and buisnesses.Do your homework next time.

Kenneth| 4.20.10 @ 2:05AM

My wife and I were thrilled when Palin was picked for the VP slot...we immediately donated the maximum to the ticket.

Our enthusiasm was based upon Glenn Beck's portrayal of Palin.

But as soon as she stepped out of the GOP convention and went out on the campaign trail, giving essentially the same canned speech time after time, we realized she was provincial, ignorant and un-tested. When little Katie Couric slapped her down, we knew she was way, way in over her head.

The woman doesn't have what it takes. Not smart enough, not informed enough. Nice person, but a disaster as a presidential candidate.

concern troll| 4.20.10 @ 1:38PM

takes one to know one.

proud progressives| 4.20.10 @ 9:33PM

That's what you get for listening to glen beck, the man is an admitted "entertainer" and totally deranged.

narciso| 4.20.10 @ 2:23AM

AS opposed who is in the White House now, the specifics of 'hope and change' the details he is not aware in his own bill, to be charitable, not to say
he is misleading. His hesitance in pushing forward
the effort in Afghanistan, his pitiful courting of the Iranian regime

Marc Jeric| 4.20.10 @ 2:35AM

Sarah's mistake was not to have countersued those who accused her of unethical conduct. In this country anybody can sue anybody, and if losing can just walk away; in all other civilized countries the loser must automatically pay all cost, direct and indirect, of the court and the defendent. That's why we have here 1,100,000 lawyers while Great Britain, Germany, and Japan have only 35,000 together.

Possum Dearie| 4.20.10 @ 10:23AM

I think her position as Governor forbid that. Plus, just defending against the attacks cost half a million.

pgp| 4.20.10 @ 2:42AM

Wow, hard to believe the good old AmSpec has declined this far. This is exactly the kind of silly, faux-grave, hit piece on a hard-working conservative that TAS would have mocked to a fare-thee-well back in its glory days. Does RET even care about the mediocrity of his new crop of writers?

louis tully| 4.20.10 @ 1:40PM

You're right about that. Glad I'm not wasting my hard earned conservative dollars on the dead tree version, if this is the kind of crap they print.

Jim| 4.20.10 @ 3:38AM

The Problem with Quin Hillyer's Problem With Palin

http://tinyurl.com/y6a83ap

Richard in NC| 4.20.10 @ 4:42AM

Thanks for posting Jim.

Hmmmm Quin... I wait in anticipation for your response to this rebuttal. C4P actually use citations to back up their assertions. What a novel concept. Will you now provide any facts to back up your hit piece? Maybe you can do a follow up and actually insert more facts and less opinion this time.

Levi Johnson| 4.20.10 @ 12:53PM

Maybe you can do a follow up and actually insert more facts and less opinion this time.
So, if you have so many facts, why did you not present us with just one?

csThor| 4.20.10 @ 4:20AM

According to Quin, Palin isn't smart enough to be president. And not much of a poltician (doesn't learn from her mistakes).

I'd say survival in politics is probably a better indication of a politicians ability than an "analysis by a some pundit - it proves endurance and messaging and "smarts".

Apart from reemerging from the 2008 campaign, when the media were convinced she had been destroyed, how has she done? Well lets look at what others have done ...

Jindal fell in a hole. Sanford fell in a hole. Huck fell in a hole. Romney fell in a hole. Palin seems to be still standing, indeed thriving.

Quin is too misogynistic and elitist to acknowledge these facts, though those character failings and those facts are the reasons for this "piece".

Yosemeti Sam| 4.20.10 @ 4:31AM

Sarah - an American Stature of Liberty!

That's correct - Stature of Liberty!

Indeed - "Stature" of Liberty!

Margie| 4.20.10 @ 1:24PM

So excellent!

Margie| 4.20.10 @ 3:08PM

Yosemeti~ I think you should copyright that.

Aqualung| 4.20.10 @ 5:53AM

Sara, would make a good Vice Presidential pick again. This would position her for a future Presidential run.

Mike Dysaart| 4.20.10 @ 6:05AM

Kind of a long and boring article - Did Palin announce that she is running for president?

Graham| 4.20.10 @ 7:23AM

Rebuttal to this BS hit piece

http://tinyurl.com/y6a83ap

jimr3| 4.20.10 @ 9:07AM

I encourage everyone to read this excellent rebuttal to Hillyer’s hit piece. And unlike Hillyer, the editors at C4P provide many actual facts and links to back up their argument.
You can read it here: http://tinyurl.com/y6d4a4p

Levi Johnson| 4.20.10 @ 12:55PM

All those 'facts' and yet you offer zero of them.

susan| 4.20.10 @ 9:18AM

Whenever the GOP's 'Highly Educated Whites' opine their Liberal Useful Idiocy they always attract the losers who lives are so trashed they must bash the indomitable American spirit just to make them feel better about themselves.

GOP's Highly Educated Whites' take note, the indomitable American spirit is beating the GOP's 'highly Educated White' candidate Charlie Crist in Florida.

Just because the GOP's 'Highly Educated Whites' are Liberal's Useful Idiots does not mean We The People will get on our knees to placate the GOP foolish tools.

The problem with Quin Hillyer is he is a foolishly useful tool for idiots: American is fed with with your misery-making insanity

Levi Johnson| 4.20.10 @ 12:56PM

Was there a particular fact that you wish to refute in the article?

narciso| 4.20.10 @ 9:21AM

You know it's particularly sad for this hit piece to come from The Spectator, which suffered mightily under a similar attack of innuendo from Salon and Conason's New York Observer, a decade ago, for it's daring to investigate the Clinton machine. It cost a great deal of money
and reputation, and we know what Raymond
Donovan said about that.

The problem begins when you ellipsed her rebuttal to the Speaker of the Alaskan State House. preceded by 'my opponents didn't have any executive experience, and I didn't think that
legislative experience constituted any greater preparation, particularly in a state legislature where the trading of favors seemed to run through the ventilation system as a substitute for air" Now that kind of omission flies for Couric,
Gibson, and Fey, but it shouldn't really have any
purchase here

DB(| 4.20.10 @ 9:38AM

Jeez Quin, make stuff up much? Can you back up your ludicrous assertion that she raised spending in Alaska? Did you just pull that out of your dumb *ss like everything else in your POS drivel? Which of the "good ole' boys" in the GOP are you carrying water for?

Jim| 4.20.10 @ 10:13AM

Excellent rebuttal of Quin Hillyer's hit piece.

You can read it here: http://tinyurl.com/y6d4a4p

blarset| 4.20.10 @ 10:19AM

HAVING EXPERIENCE AS A GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL- only shows you are an insider. Enough
of getting the best and the brightest to make us less free. The Federalist doesnt apply to now. The federal government is the problem! WE NEED people who believe less in government we need a free press- not one that atvocates government as the solution to the problem of government excess.

Cat| 4.20.10 @ 10:56AM

Quin Hillyer is a liar.

I'll never read this POS again.

Katie| 4.20.10 @ 11:24AM

Palin is not experienced and never will be to be a political leader. I think she likes to dream about it - like window shopping - but knows it's not where her heart lies. It's hard. One has to have a lot of knowledge and be open to listening to and understanding the opposing viewpoint with civility and respect, even if it doesn't sway one's own opinion. By showing such understanding and respect one can persuade someone to change their mind. Sarah doesn't have those qualities and doesn't try to cultivate them. Worse still, she's proud of what I would term flaws and eager to scorn me for even thinking she has flaws.

Everyone has flaws. Everyone makes mistakes. That's how people grow and learn. I don't see any growing or learning from Sarah Palin.

Quin's assessment is dead on. She's not ready to lead a country; she could barely lead a state - one that had no major issues and no economic problems. She's charismatic, she's plucky, she's perky, and she's "one of us" but she is no leader except to those who would place her on a pedestal and whose vitriol will blast me before they read through my entire post. Make all the excuses for her that you want, but calling me jealous or turning my words into a pro-Obama rant won't change the fact that Sarah Palin is too proud of her lack of knowledge and understanding and too unwilling to learn, and unable to accept responsibility for her own flaws or actions (ie to show growth) to be a leader.

Margie| 4.20.10 @ 3:01PM

You act like you know her and are full of assumptions and presumptions. I'd say you're an outright liar, but I won't.

Jim| 4.20.10 @ 11:39AM

In Alaska, Sarah's top priorities included fiscal restraint, limiting the size of government, resource development, education, equitable oil valuation as well as transportation and infrastructure development.

Sarah Palin fought for ethics reform and transparency in government.
Palin has a long record of achievement and experience in public office. Prior to her election as Governor, Palin served two terms on the Wasilla City Council and two terms as the mayor of Wasilla. During her tenure, she reduced property tax levels while increasing services and made Wasilla a business-friendly environment, drawing in new industry.

Under her leadership as Governor, Alaska invested $5 billion in state savings, overhauled education funding and protected Alaska's natural resources. She created Alaska's Petroleum Systems Integrity Office to provide oversight and maintenance of oil and gas equipment, facilities and infrastructure and the Climate Change Subcabinet to prepare a climate change strategy for Alaska.

During Governor Palin's first year in office, three of her administrations major proposed pieces of legislation passed—an overhaul of the state's ethics laws, a competitive process to construct a natural gas pipeline and a restructuring of Alaska's oil valuation formula.

Palin is past chair of the Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission, a multistate government agency that promotes the conservation and efficient recovery of domestic oil and natural gas resources while protecting health, safety and the environment.

She also served as chair of the National Governors Association (NGA) Natural Resources Committee, which was charged with pursuing legislation to ensure state needs are considered as federal policy is formulated in the areas of agriculture, energy, environmental protection and natural resource management.

In her 'half term' as the Governor of Alaska Sarah Palin showed more leadership and determination to put her citizens in charge of their own destiny than Obama could in a full term.

When Gov. Palin Palin resigned her governorship she left a legacy of accomplishments .
http://tinyurl.com/yyc7au2

louis tully| 4.20.10 @ 11:52AM

More mush from a RINO wimp.
Next from Hillyer: love note to Jeb Bush.

Grand Ol Geezer Party| 4.20.10 @ 12:03PM

Here is a rebuttal piece that ought to be read with Old Man Quinn's Gripe About the Lady.
http://www.conservatives4palin.....-with.html

bellagrazi| 4.20.10 @ 12:33PM

You obviously have someone else in mind for '12. Otherwise you wouldn't be trying to torpedo Sarah Palin's chances. I don't know if you know this, but our current President had absolutely no executive experience when he became President. I don't know how you don't know that, it's been well-documented. But you couldn't have known, otherwise you would have included that in the article, yes? Or is that argument only relevant to Palin? I'd put her experience up against his any day. Plus she has the extra-added bonus of having common sense, which this President sorely lacks. As for her conservative credentials, the same was said about Reagan. And he is now the gold standard for conservatives. As you mentioned early on, Sarah Palin has a very loyal following. And it's only getting bigger. She is nothing this country has ever seen in politics before, so I can see why people would be confused by her. Sarah Palin is one-of-a-kind. She is going to restore this country back to its greatness. And decades from now people will be talking about what a great President she was, as they do Reagan now.

Oldefarte| 4.20.10 @ 12:42PM

She is green/inexperienced; but compared to the STREET HUSTLER-IN-CHIEF that we're now suffering through/with [or have so from the likes of Kennedy and Carter], Palin would be a Godsend. If political experience is so important, why did Lyndon Johnson nearly destroy this country with his GREAT SOCIETY welfare policies that taxpayers are still paying for today [and which still exist on the federal government's books]? Experience can be a asset/benefit, if [and only if] one's political philosophy, attitude, intentions, etc are correctly intact. Was Bill Gates or Donald Trump's inexperience detrimental to their personal success and their business benefit to the public? Was Sean Payton's or Nick Saban's inexperience detrimental to their personal success in football/sports? If one has the RIGHT STUFF, youth and inexperience will not hinder their achievements both personally and/or benefits the public at large. Palin does need to seriously BONE-UP/EDUCATE herself on any/all things political [ie Reagan's pre-presidency's radio political/diplomatic addresses to the public]; and with her EVERYWOMAN-MAN populariety/following, she just could become a major force in the 2012 presidential election!!!!!

bellagrazi| 4.20.10 @ 12:55PM

To diminish this woman's accomplishments is not only dishonest, but sexist. Sarah Palin was not only the youngest Gov. of Alaska, but the first female. And she had to take down the old boy network to do it. So I'm sure she has come up against the likes of men like you her whole life. You guys hate the fact that she didn't blink when asked to run on the Republican ticket with McCain as his running mate. She was expected to wait her turn like a good little girl. Well, she didn't do it then, and she's not going to do it in '12. Sarah Palin has been a lot of firsts. Being the first woman VP candidate on the Republican ticket is another one. But her biggest accomplishment in politics is yet to come. And it will be her greatest. And no one is going to stop it from happening. Most especially an unknown blogger such as yourself.

Bill in Baltimore| 4.20.10 @ 12:58PM

Quin,

please list all of the sources you used for this article.

Jim| 4.20.10 @ 1:10PM

As Governor of Alaska, Sarah Palin was a fiscal conservative who reduced her State operating budget by 13.4%, the capital budget by 31.7% and the overall budget by 16.8% - that's over $2.3 billion,just between fiscal years 2009 and 2010.
( http://tinyurl.com/cusj99 )

Palin's record is no different when it comes to earmarks. In his last year as Governor, Frank Murkowski requested nearly $350 million in earmarks. Upon taking office, Governor Palin cut that to $256 million. The next year, she reduced earmarks to about $197 million. In her final year as Governor, Palin requested $69 million in earmarks. Those earmarks consisted of eight projects, compared to 63 in Murkowski's last year.

Sarah Palin is a fiscal conservative. She has enacted earmark reform, cut wasteful spending and fought for transparency in government and ethics reform.

Rebuttal of Quin Hillyer's hit piece.
You can read it here: http://tinyurl.com/y6d4a4p

Lord Elrond| 4.20.10 @ 1:42PM

No, liberals and RINO's. I'm sorry. Your arguments that Sarah Palin is too inexperienced to hold the POTUS office fail. Do you realize this country has had Presidents that didn't even attend college? And more laughingly so, whenever you bring up arguments about why Sarah 'shouldn't' be POTUS, those same arguments could easily apply to President Obama!

The RINO Libs need to wise up and start realizing that this country has been on the highway to hell for a very long time and is getting closer and closer to its destination. Having this clown currently in the White House who thinks there are 57 states, and never met a corporation he didn't want to socialize is stepping on the accelerator. Reagan didn't kiss Gorbachev's ass at Reykavik. He told him to get stuffed and walked away. And guess what? WE WON.

Chris Matlin| 4.20.10 @ 1:53PM

Sarah Palin…she’s like that friend you wish your kid wouldn’t hang out with, yet the kid is too naive and too infatuated to see the truth of the situation.

Margie| 4.20.10 @ 3:21PM

Really? I'd hate to see the kind of "kids" you'd approve of hanging out with yours. I feel sorry for them.

Pingback| 4.20.10 @ 5:18PM

The Unusual Sarah Palin | Chicago Daily Observer links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:

Palin Anne 20 April 2010 No Comment [This article was syndicated via RSS from BackyardConservative. The views represented do not necessarily represent those of the Chicago Daily Observer.] What's with Quin Hillyer in the American Spectator bashing Sarah Palin? It's over the top and tossing in lots of Latin phrases la di da is not persuasive. One comment on the article puts it well: Quibbling over a few…

David| 4.20.10 @ 5:59PM

I must take up for Quinn on this one. I first began reading his columns when he exposed Mike Huckabee as the fake conservative he was, and how he destroyed the Republican party when governor of Arkansas - especially his pardons and commutations of sentences for prison felons. I have enjoyed and agreed with most of his other positions on the issues.

Although I believe Quin is very harsh on Palin, I think he makes some valid points. It just doesn't appeal to me that she quit a few political positions. I can even empathize with her reasons for doing so, but at my core, it bothers me. I think her personal life is very inspiring.

Aside from Quin's comments, doesn't it bother anyone that as soon as she was introduced to the nation by McCain she immediately assumed rock star status? And her most ardent supporters refuse to acknowledge it when she does really make mistakes.

Does Palin's rise seem eerily familiar to any of you? As in Bam Bam's meteoric rise to rock star status. I have always liked her - a lot - but I have always been uncomfortable with her rock star status. Am I comparing her to Bam Bam? No, she is head and shoulders above him, and I think she would make a better prez than Bush just did.

Lighten up a bit on Quin. And Quin, why not answer some of your critics?

Quin| 4.20.10 @ 11:54PM

Can't answer critics right now; lack of time; am mostly out of pocket, helping in a sad time for my family.

Ken (Old Texican)| 4.20.10 @ 8:00PM

David,
I have congratulated Quin so many times for so many splendid articles...I have been accused of being a groupie.

If you have read my post above, I hope you can understand my jaw dropping at this departure from his usual demeanor.

After having read the comments above carefully, I'm not sure where this wild hair up his ____ came from. I truly cannot, especially at this time in our struggle to snatch our country back from the communists, (pardon the shorthand).
Folks,

We are balanced on the precipice of a world wide catastrophe of unbelievable dimensions. America has been the solid rock in the world since 1918.

The communists, (pardon the shorthand), have been chipping away, and now they have the BIG hammer sitting at 1600.

Is the final armegeddon going to be fought between American communists and world-wide islamic Sharia...on one side, and we Christians and Jews on the other?

Well, if so............... Lord, come quickly. Sarah will be on our side. Bless her and her family.

Margie| 4.20.10 @ 8:23PM

Amen.

Pingback| 4.20.10 @ 9:02PM

Zombie Contentions - The obligatory “problem with the problem with the Palin problem” links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:

…problem” post Ian Lazaran at Conservatives for Palin, the go-to site for anyone interested in the Palin supporter’s side, raises some serious questions about Quin Hillyer’s “ The Problem with Palin ” – a piece whose title somewhat defeats the author’s numerous compliments to Sarah Palin.  Lazaran introduces reasonably well-evidenced arguments on Palin’s behalf…

Stuart Koehl| 4.20.10 @ 9:37PM

I'm kind of wondering what government experience Quinn thinks Patrick Henry had--a couple of terms in the House of Burgesses, a term as governor of Virginia at a time when the state was essentially in anarchy, membership in the convention that ratified the Constitution in Virginia, and election to the House of Delegates (a position he died before being seated).

Henry may have meant what he said about experience, but one thing is clear: he could never have meant "government experience". In fact, Henry's reputation is based not on his experience, but on his fluency as a demagogue and rabble-rouser.

Odd, then, that Quinn would go on to criticize Palin for exhibiting many of the same traits as the man whose quote he uses as an implicit indictment of Palin.

narciso| 4.20.10 @ 11:10PM

Let see, Obama was given a book contract for graduating from Harvard and doing some community organizing, he ran practically unopposed in his first race, because he disqualified allth e challengers, he did precious little in the state legislature, voting present 147 times, when he wasn't supporting infanticide or gun bans, he had a bit of a tough race with Bobby Rush, that district was redesigned, he was pretty much a tool of the Daley machine, then he was
'fortunate' to have his two leading opponents to bow out of the Senatorial primary, yes Sarah is exactly like that, please.

Jim| 4.21.10 @ 5:13AM

Excellent rebuttal of Quin Hillyer's hit piece.

You can read it here: http://tinyurl.com/y6d4a4p

Strill Working In Texas| 4.21.10 @ 11:33AM

@Ken (Old Texican): Let's skip the "reductio ad Communism" fallacy: good people in this state can agree to disagree and I've voted GOP probably as long as you have, having beep paying attention to politics as far back as when Bill Clements picked up the pieces from Jim Granberry's failed election to unseat Dolph Briscoe...remember him?

That having been said, Sarah Palin is uninformed and overexposed right now. She makes Rick Perry look like an elder statesman.

Oldefarte| 4.21.10 @ 11:41AM

There's an old saying about giving CRITISISM WHERE CRITISISM IS DUE, and as long as it's CONSTRUCTIVE, it should be of no harm. Re:Palin, if she can perform two actions, I'll vote for her for president.........[1] BALANCE A CHECK BOOK and [2] KICK SOME ARSES!!!!!

Aelfgyva| 4.21.10 @ 11:42AM

Folks, this woman is a good and decent person who represents values that make her a lightning rod for the left. She has courage of conviction and I think she does the conservative cause a great service. She is not, however, presidential material and she never will be. She is unelectable to that office and we would be wise to put her in a realistic niche in which she can continue to drive the lefties crazy and generate passion on the right. I like and admire her very much but I do believe her to be a lightweight in the ring .

Still Working In Texas| 4.21.10 @ 11:54AM

@ Aelfgyva: Good points.

mike ames | 4.21.10 @ 1:18PM

She chose to run with the RINO McCain. Then she chose to go back to that vomit. Then she liked the idea of running with the RINO Romney. She is a RINO and not at all that well informed or well versed on the founding documents. She is a empty pant suit.

mejamom| 4.21.10 @ 2:46PM

This was an excellent article. What's wrong with being objective about Sarah Pallin's faults? Yes, I agree that Pallin has all the best interests of our country. Her heart is really in the right place, but all one has to do is watch the video of her debate with Biden. When asked when it would be okay to deploy a nuclear weapon, not only did she not answer the question, but she rambled on about Afghanistan.
She needs to start hitting the books and learn something more than what to say in order to get an applause from the people who support her.

Mary| 4.21.10 @ 2:57PM

About time even the Spectator catches on to the fraud Sarah Palin. Amazing how angry people get here when they hear something contrary to what they want to believe (ie how great Sarah supposedly is).

Jim| 4.22.10 @ 12:25AM

Excellent rebuttal of Quin Hillyer's hit piece.

You can read it here: http://tinyurl.com/y6d4a4p

J.D. Askrew| 4.23.10 @ 8:16AM

Obama had zero experience except as a radical. A PHOTO of him with "Reverend" Wright should have been enough to disqualify him. Biden has so much integrity that he said "Roosevelt got on TV after the crash and reassured the people." There was no TV and Roosevelt was president.

All the data shows that Palin helped the hapless Rino McCain.

Palin also came across as the candidate who was the most principled and she certainly was not far right wing as the laughingly dishonest and biased left wing media tried to paint her.

It is true she lacked experience, and it is true she didn't have a first rate education, but who in his right mind who wasn't naive and also economically literate wouldn't prefer her to Obama.

Finally, there is a reason the attacks on this supposedly stupid and unqualified woman never cease.

The absurdly biased and stunningly ignorant Chris Matthews devotes whole shows to trashing her. Joy Behar who even if she weren't homely, has a voice that makes one cringe, cannot stop insulting her. I can only assume that the left is afraid of her---for good reason.

Hillyer is sure right about one thing. She has plenty of time.

JD

Eric| 4.23.10 @ 6:30PM

1) Is there a similar article by this author on the current White House occupant?
2) Besides complaining about her lack of experience, what can be done to boost her experience?
3) Who better for 2012?
4) Yeah, sure, I'd wait for more experience if given the option, but not at the expense of another 4 years of Obama.

BC| 4.24.10 @ 3:56PM

WAR! Annoying Palinista Cult vs. Batsh*t Deranged Obamabots! Doom and gloom!

The comments to this article make the baby Jesus cry. One one side, the blindly devoted followers of Palin (who resemble Obamabots in more ways than one, and the Ron Paul cult in many others). On the other, the vomit-spewing lefties who are even worse, as they're just repeating the lie of the day, every day - and peppering it with brainless profanities like "teabaggers," with a juvenile giggle.

America is doomed if these loudmouthed cult zombies (on either side!) are the people who are deciding our future. *groan*

WTF is wrong with America these days, where people get so easily swept up in these cults of personality? Has everyone lost their damn minds?

BC| 4.24.10 @ 4:00PM

@Eric - I think you will find the author of this piece is by no means enamored of Obama. Just because Obama is OBVIOUSLY inexperienced (and oh, how that inexperience shows!) doesn't mean it's okay for Palin.
You would think that the results of Obama's inexperience would serve as reinforcement for Hilyer's point. But I guess not, when one chooses to see things only through the prism of Palin as savior.

Jim| 4.26.10 @ 5:51AM

In Alaska, Sarah's top priorities included fiscal restraint, limiting the size of government, resource development, education, equitable oil valuation as well as transportation and infrastructure development.

Sarah Palin fought for ethics reform and transparency in government.
Palin has a long record of achievement and experience in public office. Prior to her election as Governor, Palin served two terms on the Wasilla City Council and two terms as the mayor of Wasilla. During her tenure, she reduced property tax levels while increasing services and made Wasilla a business-friendly environment, drawing in new industry.

Under her leadership as Governor, Alaska invested $5 billion in state savings, overhauled education funding and protected Alaska's natural resources. She created Alaska's Petroleum Systems Integrity Office to provide oversight and maintenance of oil and gas equipment, facilities and infrastructure and the Climate Change Subcabinet to prepare a climate change strategy for Alaska.

During Governor Palin's first year in office, three of her administrations major proposed pieces of legislation passed—an overhaul of the state's ethics laws, a competitive process to construct a natural gas pipeline and a restructuring of Alaska's oil valuation formula.

Palin is past chair of the Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission, a multistate government agency that promotes the conservation and efficient recovery of domestic oil and natural gas resources while protecting health, safety and the environment.

She also served as chair of the National Governors Association (NGA) Natural Resources Committee, which was charged with pursuing legislation to ensure state needs are considered as federal policy is formulated in the areas of agriculture, energy, environmental protection and natural resource management.

In her 'half term' as the Governor of Alaska Sarah Palin showed more leadership and determination to put her citizens in charge of their own destiny than Obama could in a full term.

When Gov. Palin Palin resigned her governorship she left a legacy of accomplishments .

Stopping corruption, and having complete transparency in government, is a subject Sarah Palin knows a little something about. Above she modestly talks about taking on “Big Oil” in Alaska. That was an epic battle!

In fact, Sarah’s successful efforts to stop the cronyism and reform the energy business in Alaska were so impressive Kay Cashman, the publisher and executive editor of Petroleum News, wrote the book entitled: Sarah Takes On Big Oil. This is a must read for anyone who wants to understand the leadership Sarah Palin has exhibited in the area of reforming government and industry.

We should also remember that Sarah, while working as the state’s chief energy and environmental regulator, found massive corruption within her own Republican Party. Those included were the party chairman, and a former Attorney General. When she was through fines were paid, and some were trotted off to prison.
http://tinyurl.com/2vpdweb

dave| 4.26.10 @ 10:54AM

I think the criticism of Palin in this article was well spoken and well thought out. she needs to transition from phenomenon to serious candidate and publish pieces in WSJ and other places about foreign and domestic policy if she is to be a serious candidate for president. Karl Rove even said this a few months ago.

Elijah | 9.3.10 @ 10:25AM

I agree...

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