Sarah Palin: Not Running, But Continuing Her Mission
Earlier this evening, Sarah Palin announced her decision to forgo a run for the Presidency in 2012.
In her statement (via SarahPAC), the governor writes:
October 5, 2011
Wasilla, AlaskaAfter much prayer and serious consideration, I have decided that I will not be seeking the 2012 GOP nomination for President of the United States. As always, my family comes first and obviously Todd and I put great consideration into family life before making this decision. When we serve, we devote ourselves to God, family and country. My decision maintains this order.
My decision is based upon a review of what common sense Conservatives and Independents have accomplished, especially over the last year. I believe that at this time I can be more effective in a decisive role to help elect other true public servants to office - from the nation’s governors to Congressional seats and the Presidency. We need to continue to actively and aggressively help those who will stop the “fundamental transformation” of our nation and instead seek the restoration of our greatness, our goodness and our constitutional republic based on the rule of law.
From the bottom of my heart I thank those who have supported me and defended my record throughout the years, and encouraged me to run for President. Know that by working together we can bring this country back - and as I’ve always said, one doesn’t need a title to help do it.
I will continue driving the discussion for freedom and free markets, including in the race for President where our candidates must embrace immediate action toward energy independence through domestic resource developments of conventional energy sources, along with renewables. We must reduce tax burdens and onerous regulations that kill American industry, and our candidates must always push to minimize government to strengthen the economy and allow the private sector to create jobs.
Those will be our priorities so Americans can be confident that a smaller, smarter government that is truly of the people, by the people, and for the people can better serve this most exceptional nation.
In the coming weeks I will help coordinate strategies to assist in replacing the President, re-taking the Senate, and maintaining the House.
Thank you again for all your support. Let’s unite to restore this country!
God bless America.
- Sarah Palin
Though many of Sarah Palin’s supporters are - understandably - disappointed, it is clear from her words that Governor Palin plans to stay engaged, involved, and vocal for the 2012 election cycle and beyond.
Clearly, she understand what her voice has meant for the Conservative movement in this country. She has bolstered others to find their own voices and the courage to speak out in the face of unprecedented challenges to the very structure of our political system.
As Sarah Palin has asserted, almost since the day after the 2008 elections: This is not the time “sit down” or “shut up”. Rather, now is the time to redouble our efforts in support of those candidates and non-title-holders who are willing to step forward in the name of service.
This is the time to restore America together.
- tdc
September 7, 2011 - Tammy Bruce shares her thoughts regarding recent comments made by Laura Ingraham and Ann Coulter about Sarah Palin. Both women express their opinions that Governor Palin should “fish or cut bait”, rather than continuing to “tease” her supporters (and the media) as she continues to say that she is considering running for president in 2012.
From Tammy’s website:
I felt it an important show to release to the public considering the ramped up attacks on Tea Party in general by the left and Obama’s gestapos, plus now attacks on Sarah Palin’s supporters by some of our friends on the right. I wanted to make sure we had perspective about this strategy, hopefully helping us stay focused as these attacks will only increase as we proceed.
The first hour is focused on this issue, with the Laura Ingraham/Ann Coulter discussion on O’Reilly last night as the focal point. I hope you find it helpful, interesting and perhaps even enjoyable :)
As always, Tammy lays it all out with her usual passion and straightforward talk. Enjoy!
- tdc
August 12, 2011 - Sarah Palin is interviewed as she (and Todd Palin) attend the Iowa State Fair, kicking off the next leg of her One Nation bus tour through the country’s historical sites.
As you’ll see from this impromptu exchange with CNN in the midst of cameras, recorders, and autograph-seeking admirers, Governor Palin has no equal when it comes to speaking her mind - whenever and wherever she’s asked.
She’s a breath of fresh air and this design conservative is excited to see her back on the road in flyover country!
- tdc
gallup poll reveals statistical tie for palin, romney, huckabee
Today’s Gallup poll for likely 2012 GOP presidential candidates reveals a close race between Governors Mike Huckabee, Mitt Romney, and Sarah Palin. The poll was conducted with Republicans and “Republican-leaning” Independent voters and asked which candidate the voter would be “most likely” to support.
It’s interesting to note the shift that has occurred in recent months, as indicated in the chart below:
You will see that Huckabee’s numbers have increased 4% since the fall of 2010, perhaps due to his recently released book, Simple Government: Twelve Things We Really Need From Washington; while Mitt Romney’s numbers have decreased by a similar amount, 3%, in that same time period. By contrast, Governor Palin’s numbers have maintained a steady trend since last September - a remarkable feat considering the constant barrage of negative press directed her way. The latest, of course, being the leaked manuscript by a former aide (blogger Stacy Drake has a straight-forward post on this matter at Big Government).
Though daily and weekly polls are nothing to hang one’s proverbial hat on, reviewing the trends revealed in these statistics can be useful for understanding the mood of the average voter. Poll numbers can certainly be illustrative in pointing out preferred candidates and those with the highest name-recognition. However, these numbers are also instructive in revealing falsehoods (or wishful thinking) that are simply not the reality of the situation.
In the case of Governor Sarah Palin, the prevailing meme in mainstream press is that she is polarizing, disliked, and disrespected. This week’s Gallup poll, however, shows a different trend. Despite the efforts of those who would banish her from the political scene, Governor Palin remains a strong, steady presence - she manages to persevere in the face of extraordinary odds.
Regardless of who enters the race to become the GOP presidential candidate in 2012, the numbers released by Gallup today should be a reminder that this election will not be a foregone conclusion - in the primary or the general election.
Voters’ opinions are fickle and the majority of Americans don’t pay much attention to politics outside of a few weeks before a major election. The most important thing for conservatives to do between now and November 2012 is to remain strong and steady, continuing to persevere through the blitz that is sure to come from the other side.
- tdc
mind your manners for governor sarah palin
First, please pardon the long delay since my last post. I hope you didn’t take it personally - it’s me, not you.
Anyway, to the topic at hand: my thoughts on the past/recent/continuous/predictable treatment of Governor Palin in the media. I actually started writing this post weeks ago but, as you may know, Governor Palin is always treated like crappola by most of the media, so these words are eternally relevant.
I’ve been thinking that it’s a good thing Sarah Palin grew up in a place where a person could be unceremoniously chased by a moose or growled at by a large bear while out for a neighborhood walk. It’s made her tough. She remains resolute in any situation, and her steel spine not only serves her well, it’s a good example for us.
As I am routinely reminded, being a Sarah Palin supporter can be exhausting. One minute, you’re having a conversation about sports or the weather; the next minute, you hear the not-so-innocent question, “So whadya think of Sarah Palin on Fox News now?” Heheheh…
We’re all familiar with that, are we not? The smirk. Perhaps an audible snort.
The speaker waits gleefully for you to make a snarky comment and offer a snort of your own as you echo the thoughts in his head: Sarah Palin is SO extreme…of course she’s going to Fox News - they’re all nuts like her!…John Stewart was so hilarious when he made fun of her, calling her a “genius”!…I wonder if the free-range toothpaste is on sale at Whole Foods…hmmm…
It’s disheartening to witness, in friends and colleagues, the type of group-think that is perpetuated by the political disourse in our country. The issues fall by the wayside as conversations turn to which politician is dumber and/or more sinister than the other. And, for some in the media (and plenty of folks who don’t have that occupation) it’s apparently acceptable to pile on the insults to one God-fearing, joyful mother-of-five because, well, everyone else is doing it so why not?
The thing is, our collective treatment of Sarah Palin is not just about her. Rather, it speaks to the moral relativism espoused by so many in our society - from political leaders to Hollywood starlets - and all of it is incredibly far removed from what typically passes as acceptable behavior in polite company. Instead of exercising common decency in all instances, too many of us pick and choose who is worthy of respect, seemingly based on little more than the prevailing winds of public opinion.
To be frank, it’s kind of pathetic and I am hopeful for the day when our politics reflect the lessons (not the immaturity) of our childhood:
- Use kind words.
- Treat every person as you would like to be treated.
- Tell the truth.
- Do your homework, then go play.
- Stop being a moronic media tool and act you’ve got some sense
I may have paraphrased that last one, but you get the idea. As we move into the 2010 election season, we are certain to see a great deal of Governor Palin as she stumps for candidates, headlines fundraisers, and taps away on Facebook notes. More Palin, of course, means more rude comments and truth-stretching from the media. So, it will fall upon all of us pro-Palin bloggers to stay above the fray.
The ill-mannered of the LSM and their trolling shills will try to draw you into their lair of muck and imbecility, to be sure. But you, my friends, are your mothers’ well-behaved darlings who know better. You may still hate tomatoes (yes, I’m projecting), but you’ve learned to control your childish impulses to name-call.
We, like Governor Palin herself, will kill “the haters” with kindness and a smile…or at least make them nauseous until we get our way in January 2013.
- tdc
BONUS:
*For a how-to of blogging with manners, read this to see how it’s done. Then tune in to Join Team Sarah Radio Thursday, March 18th, at 6pm PST/9pm EST to hear the author, Ilana Angel, share her story live.
*Photo credit - msn.com.nz
2012 Draft Sarah Committee Fundraising Drive
Adrienne Ross, member of the 2012 Draft Sarah Committee in Upstate New York, shares the organization’s fundraising goals for the year ahead. 2012 DSC is an official FEC-registered group run by dedicated volunteers - they are in it for the long-haul.
If you believe in Sarah Palin and want to help mobilize the grassroots effort on her behalf, consider a donation to the 2012 Draft Sarah Committee. Governor Palin can’t do it alone, and neither can DSC!
- tdc
Note: the design conservative is unaffiliated with the 2012 Draft Sarah Committee, but heartily supports the work of all those who put their resources, time, and efforts into disseminating the truth about Governor Sarah Palin and her record.
