Palin Urges GOP Governors To Lead Party

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Palin Urges GOP Governors To Lead Party

November 13, 2008 12:45 PM

ABC News' Imtiyaz Delawala Reports: In her first public speech since she and her running mate Sen. John McCain conceded the 2008 presidential election, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin expressed disappointment in the 2008 election results. But she urged her fellow Republican governors to help lead the party back by challenging an all-Democratic leadership in Washington through implementing conservative policies in their own states.

“Of course there was disappointment. You run to win,” Palin said of the election before a panel this morning at the Republican Governors Association’s (RGA) annual meeting in Miami, Florida. “But for us, it was not our time, it was not our moment. But it is our country, and the winner will be our president, and I wish Barack Obama well as the 44th president of the United States.”

While Palin was often an attack dog on the campaign trail questioning President-Elect Obama’s readiness to be president, she praised Obama’s potential today.

“If he governs with the skill and the grace and the greatness of which he is capable, we’re gonna be just fine,” Palin said. "And as he prepares to fill the office of Washington and Lincoln, know that this is a shining moment in American history."

Palin was the featured speaker before the RGA’s morning panel entitled, “Looking Toward the Future,” which featured Gov. Tim Pawlenty (R-MN), Gov. Mark Sanford (R-SC), Rep. Mike Pence (R-IN), General Tommy Franks, and conservative columnist Bill Kristol.

After widespread Republican losses across the country, Palin urged her party not to become negative, saying they should challenge Democrats in Washington on issues such as energy and health care policy through effective reform efforts in their own states.

“So now with recent elections wrapped up, yup, on the federal level we are now the minority party," Palin said. "But let us resolve not to become the negative party, too eager to find fault or unwilling to help in this time of crisis and war."

“Losing an election does not have to mean losing our way," Palin added. "And for governors, the way forward leads through our own state capitals, in reforms that we will carry on or begin anew. And I promise you, Americans will be looking to their governors for reactions, for stepped-up leadership, and for our ability to unite and to progress."

Palin dismissed speculation about her own political future -- with many now believing she will be a top candidate for the 2012 Republican presidential nomination.

"Let the pundits go on with their idle talk about the next election, what happens in 2012," Palin said. "Our concern should be about our state's next great reform, our next budget, our next opportunity to progress in the states that we serve."

Palin joked about the whirlwind she has been swept up into in recent months, as she went from an obscure state governor to the national political stage through her selection as the Republican vice presidential nominee.

“Honored to be here, get to speak with and to my fellow governors,” Palin said. “It hasn’t been that long I think since we all gathered, but I don’t know about you, but I managed to fill up the time.”

“Let’s see, I had a baby, I did some traveling. I very briefly expanded my wardrobe,” Palin jokingly added, referring to the flap over the $150,000 in clothes purchased for Palin and her family for the campaign trail. “I made a few speeches, met a few VIPs, including those who really impact society like Tina Fey. Aside from that, it was pretty much same old, same old.”

While her running mate Sen. John McCain did not make a public appearance for a week after Election Day, Palin has been on a media blitz in the last week.

Palin spoke twice with reporters in Phoenix the day after the Republican ticket’s loss, and twice more in the days after her return to Alaska. Since Monday, Palin has participated in four national television interviews, answering the charges of anonymous critics of her role in the campaign, while hinting at her own future in national politics.

Before the panel, Palin participated in a press conference with her fellow Republican governors, giving brief remarks and answering four questions. Media interest has remained high in Palin’s future – she has been swarmed by cameras in her two days in Miami, and her remarks at the RGA conference were aired live by all three cable news networks.

When asked how she would use the “political celebrity” she’s gained since being named the Republican vice presidential nominee, Palin again dismissed questions about the campaign and her own future plans, and reiterated that she will focus on her work as Alaska governor.

“As far as we're concerned, the past is the past, it's behind us," Palin said at the press conference. "And I, like all of our governors, we're focused on the future. And the future for us is not that 2012 presidential race. Its next year, and our next budgets and the next reforms in our states.”

“We are united and we understand what it's going to take to get this economy back on the right track, national security issues, immigration issues, education reform, health care reform, those issues that we deal with every day in our states,” Palin added. “We want to reach out to the new administration and offer our assistance, our support, offer solutions and I think that we'll be sought by the new administration, by Congress, and we're here to help."

November 13, 2008 in Palin, Sarah | Permalink | User Comments (283)

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Boy, you just can't shut her up now.

Posted by: eleanor | Nov 13, 2008 1:01:15 PM

Nobody's us forcing YOU to read this, or ABC and it's comrades in the media to cover it. GROW UP! WOW, ever hear of "sore winners"!?!

Posted by: hmn | Nov 13, 2008 1:13:32 PM

Palin's got a bad case of diarrhea of the mouth. If she had some brains it wouldn't be so bad, but this babbling on and on and on and on and on.................................................

Posted by: taking a break from Palin | Nov 13, 2008 1:19:07 PM

hmn - ever hear of freedom of speech? Goodness knows, if it's good enough for Sarah Palin to spout off nonsense every time she opens her mouth, it should be good enough for those of us who would like to express our disgust with her.

Posted by: taking a break from Palin | Nov 13, 2008 1:21:43 PM

I look forward to Palin's leadership. She has been gracious with Obama after the election. As she said the election is over and is now time to move on. The GOP have alot of work to do just as the Democrat party did in 2000 and 2004. Time to look to the future and work together to solve the enormous problems we are facing.
For those Palin haters out there, is time time for you guys to let it go. The campaign is over.

Posted by: Paul | Nov 13, 2008 1:42:36 PM

Everthing is for ratings with the TV networks. It doesn't matter what the subject is as long as network polling shows we are interested in watching it they will keep on covering it. We might as well get used to it or shut the TV off and stay off the internet. It is only going to get more hillarious as this "Airhead" Palin, old man McRage and others head for Georgia for the senate run-off. Wow "Hillbilly Heaven".

Posted by: Jim (Canada) | Nov 13, 2008 1:43:25 PM

This woman can talk. Oh lord! She managed even to shut up the "king of talk" Larry King. I could not believe my eyes watching the show.

Posted by: FM | Nov 13, 2008 1:45:27 PM

This is amazing. The losing VP candidate gets more press and attention than the president elect. Free advice for Obama supporters in 2012: "Be afraid.. Be very afraid."

Posted by: jstacey | Nov 13, 2008 1:45:48 PM

Her resolve to rise from the ashes is remarkable and she deserves a chance at the Republican nomination in 2012. Some how she will have to convince Independents, women, African-Amricans and Hispanics that she is worth the shot. She alientated most of that demographic in this election. There is are many young educated and more capable talented candidates within the Republican party at the moment. People like the Gov. of Minnisotta and Bobby Jindal, have a better chance of extracting votes from the demographics I mentioned.

Posted by: GiveTalentaChance | Nov 13, 2008 1:48:08 PM

The GOP needs to look at every transcript of every interview Gov. Palin has ever given, to determine if the coronation of her as their Queen is the last thing that they want too do. The divisve politics, lack of education, and hateful rhetoric that she favors will bring about loss after loss for the GOP in upcoming elections.

Posted by: uott2know | Nov 13, 2008 1:49:48 PM

The American Idol of politics.

Posted by: Texas Voter | Nov 13, 2008 1:54:40 PM

Sarah Palin, just go away!!!!

Posted by: TAMMY CHERRY, VIRGINIA BEACH, VA | Nov 13, 2008 1:55:17 PM

I have an idea. Let's ignore Palin. She likes the attention - she likes the celebrity. OF COURSE she wants to run in 2012 - let's not play the game, the media and the public both, of paying her serious attention. Let's ignore her because:

1. She is ignorant - and I think we all know it.
2. She is untruthful.
3. She is no reformer - she is as corrupt as any politician, and more so than most.
4. She will never get widespread appeal among women.

Posted by: jon in maryland | Nov 13, 2008 1:55:23 PM

"The country is changing culturally, demographically, technologically, economically and the like. And the Republican Party isn't changing in a way that reflects those major or macro changes across the country," Pawlenty

This guy gets it.

Posted by: TimGetsit | Nov 13, 2008 1:55:31 PM

keep her talking - into 2010, 2012, 2014-2016 and on the more she talks the chances increase that democrats will be in power for the next - 50 years. maybe longer

Posted by: cjr | Nov 13, 2008 1:56:56 PM

From the RGA press conference this morning:

Q: During the campaign, you never held a news conference, which I believe is unprecedented. What’s changed?

PALIN: The campaign is over.

Posted by: WWW | Nov 13, 2008 1:57:17 PM

Like she has the answers boyyyyyyyyyyyy she is something else....Honest she is so dirty she would have fun on free speech if the party had allowed>>>>I am betting one quater would have been maybe true....This woman is a crafty wench watch out for her GOP.....

Posted by: NH voter | Nov 13, 2008 1:59:22 PM

Jim (Canada) Jim, you shouldn't say anything bad about the mainstream media and major TV network such as NBC, CNN, and ABC. Did you forget they are the biggest contributor to Obama's getting elected? They are the big Leftist propaganda machine---churning out nasty lies-- left and right-- against this beautiful and intelligent woman. They have done a good job, like you. I suggest you vow to this network.

Posted by: Eva | Nov 13, 2008 2:01:11 PM

She is auditioning for a job as a talk show host. She and Elisabeth Hasselbeck are a former beauty queen and reality show contestants. They will be wonderful together as political pundits. Totally inane topics. Way to go GOP this is the future of your party. Two right wing "whack jobs".

Posted by: micaroni715 | Nov 13, 2008 2:01:52 PM

Governor Sarah Palin is a force to be reckoned with!

And I look forward to her successful leadership!

The Republicans will get their act together with this happy, gracious, strong, courageous, smart, wise, intuitive, charismatic with a record of authentic reform! She walks the talk!

Go Sarah! :)

Posted by: aware2u | Nov 13, 2008 2:03:23 PM

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