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The Palin Comeback?
December 02, 2008 11:33 AM
ABC News’ Rick Klein Reports: To those who thought Gov. Sarah Palin, R-Alaska, would disappear from the national stage after her failed run for the vice presidency, a glimpse at Georgia this week should serve as a reality check.
Palin chose the run-off Senate race as the sight of her first post-election political foray. She barnstormed through four events Monday on behalf of Sen. Saxby Chambliss, R-Ga., splashing her face across the state’s front pages on the day that Chambliss is favored to win reelection.
If Chambliss hangs on against Democrat Jim Martin in Tuesday’s run-off, Palin will be accorded at least some of the credit. The crowds greeting her Monday were huge and energized -- a reminder that the grass-roots excitement she generated as Sen. John McCain’s running mate has not evaporated.
Two paragraphs from Tuesday’s Atlanta Journal-Constitution speak to why any Republican thinking about a 2012 presidential run has to take Palin into account:
“Palin began her march across Georgia in Augusta, where 3,000 people lined up in the cold to get into the James Brown Arena for her 8:55 a.m. speech. She later spoke to about 2,000 people in Savannah and about 2,500 in Perry in Middle Georgia.”
“The self-professed ‘hockey mom’ was mobbed at her final stop in Gwinnett as she waded into the crowd to sign autographs and pose for photos after her speech. Hundreds of people held aloft camera-equipped cellphones trying to get an image.”
Last month, a range of other prominent Republicans -- including Mike Huckabee, Mitt Romney, and Newt Gingrich -- also cycled through campaign events on Chambliss’ behalf.
Celebrity is not necessarily viability -- but whom do you think got the most cellphone pictures snapped?
December 2, 2008 | Permalink | Share | User Comments (115)
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John McCain is a man of little education besides a dismal showing at the naval academy. Sarah Palin school hopped her way around five different schools until she finally came away with some sort of journalists degree. Joe the opportunistic couch potato never achieved any sort of post high school training or education. These are not people to be in charge of situations that effect other peoples lives.
Posted by: rich | Dec 2, 2008 12:52:13 PM
liberals - "What is it about a strong, intelligent, attractive, Christian, pro-life, conservative, America-loving, happily married woman that terrifies them so much???"
I will only speak for myself on this but personally I want my President and my Vice President to knkow the difference between Atlanta and the Capitol of Georgia. She is not very smart. Promotes hatered of anyone who does not believe as she does. She is also very anti American. You do not go to one area of the country and say this is where the true Americans are.
Posted by: Jenny Rome Ga | Dec 2, 2008 12:54:38 PM
dave - I agree she is an inspiration, and that is why most Democrats don't like her. Palin has done with her life what we should all aspire to do - get involved in our community and work to make it a better place. Sure, she's made mistakes along the way, but her entire career has evolved from her simply wanting to solve a problem in her community, then her state, then the country. Most Dems hate that because most of them are the type who would rather elect a politician who they believe will solve all the problems - it's easier then rolling up your sleeves and getting involved.
Posted by: Just another taxpayer | Dec 2, 2008 12:57:55 PM
jess - Can you name me one politician who has said abortion should be outlawed?? I can't think of any. Yes, McCain and Palin has said Roe vs. Wade should be overturned ... but even IF that ruling were overturned, it would not outlaw abortion. It would make it a state's rights issue - essentially putting abortion decisions in the hands of the voters. Most people - even most conservatives - recognize the need for safe, legal abortions in this country but they also believe abortion should not be misused as a form of birth control (or population control) as it is now. The focus should be on prevention, not expanding abortion rights. Abortion is legal and it will remain legal - get with the times. The debate is over how do we lower abortion numbers and where do we place the limits.
Posted by: Sellie | Dec 2, 2008 1:03:11 PM
jenny rome ga
Do you really want to compare idiotic statments made by palin's to biden's phenomenal amount??
The man actually said........
"you need a slight indian accent to go into a 7-11".
"Roosevelt went on tv in 1929 to tell America about the depression"
"Bosniac"
"Clinton would have been a better choice than me, she is more qualified" (please imagine if palin had said that about romney)
"Article 1 of the constitution deals with vp powers relative to congress" (and he is a lawyer)
"We, along with france, kicked hezbollah out of lebanon" (someone better tell lebanon)
"It's patriotic to pay higher taxes" (this coming from a man that has earned $2,590,000 in the last 10 years and given 3,000 to charity.
"Go down to katie's restaurant and see how middle-class I am" (the restaurant closed 20 years ago)
I could list 15 more, i'm just laughing too hard.
just because the media protected him, as they did when barry O said "i have been to all 57 states" and "i would really like to meet the president of canada", doesn't take away from the fact that biden is slipping in the common-sense dept and barry o is an unqualified, anti-American socialist.
As for palin spreading hate, when you hang out at an unrepentent terrorists living room, guess what, you are "palling around with terrorists".
Besides, barry O took his children to hear "goddamn America", "America is the worst terrorist nation in the world", and "America created the AIDS virus". That to me is un-American.
Posted by: dave | Dec 2, 2008 1:15:16 PM
Dave - Ole silver tongued Joe says some pretty stupid things. You left out the one where he told the friend to stand and be recognized forgetting that the man was in a wheelchair. He is not saying dangerous things that are going to get people hurt and or killed. He can read a map and knows who players on the world stage are and where they are located in the world. Sorry but Sarah Palin's rallys looked awfully like a KKK rally to me and I am from Georgia. (the State not the country which also brings up another concern. Joe Biden can find the country of Georgia on a map and is not going to nuke Atlanta in case of war with the Russians.)
Posted by: Jenny Rome Ga | Dec 2, 2008 1:24:58 PM
dave - Almost forgot, Palin not only pala around with bet share 5 children and a bed with a man who is a member of a group that wants to seperate from the United States and allow Alaska to be its own country. Yeah she is a real American.
Speaking of terrorists what do you call those people who regularly blow up abortion clinics and try to kill doctors who preform a legal procedure? I call them terrorists. ALso why isn't Piper in school?
Posted by: Jenny Rome Ga | Dec 2, 2008 1:32:35 PM
Jenny Rome Ga: "Sorry but Sarah Palin's rallys looked awfully like a KKK rally to me and I am from Georgia. (the State not the country which also brings up another concern. Joe Biden can find the country of Georgia on a map and is not going to nuke Atlanta in case of war with the Russians.)"
That's just utter nonsense, and I think you know it. Sometimes, it's easier to promote lies and distortions then to stick to the truth. Palin's rallies were like KKK rallies? Really? Can you give me an example of one racist comment she ever made? Can you give me an example of one quote where she incited the crowd to engage in acts of violence against people based on their race? Was she wearing a hooded white robe when she made these statements? It's odd that the media, who followed her everywhere, never caught her making these statements, but maybe you know something they don't know. As for not being able to find the country of Georgia on a map, and nuking the state -- that's just crazy talk since there never was any talk of nuking an ally country (Georgia).
Posted by: Simpleton | Dec 2, 2008 1:37:52 PM
Jenny Rome GA
It's funny how liberals are quick to call palin rallies violent, but they have no problem with rev wright rallies where people screamed in delight as the pastor shouted....
"goddamn America"
"America is the worst terrorist nation in the world"
"America created the AIDS virus"
"America is run by greedy rich white folk" (even though the good rev wright lives in a $2,000,000.00 10,000 sq ft mansion now on a golf course surrounded by greedy rich white folk).
Barry and michelle brought their kids to hear this filth. You liberals don't think it's filth because you agree with a lot of what rev wright said.
Posted by: dave | Dec 2, 2008 1:47:39 PM
If Sarah Palin is the next shining star of the Republican party, they must be really desperate.
Why aren't her kids in school???? Why isn't she spending time with the baby???? I don't think she is setting a very good example for many people. She has a special needs child and a child who is pregnant, kids aren't in school, and she is traipsing around the country. I bet she would be flapping her jaws if this was someone else.
Yes I said flapping her jaws, she talks and talks and doesn't say a thing.
Posted by: smt | Dec 2, 2008 1:50:00 PM
ABC bloggers,... always the same tired refrain, the same prejudice and stupidity. "Uneducated Republicans",... that would be about the same percent of the Republican party as it is with the Democratic party. Or do you consider actual, useful degrees to be uneducated? More Republicans have science and engineering degrees than do democrats. More democrats have history, english, and underwater-basket-weaving degrees. Who's truly uneducated? yes, there are "uneducated Republicans",... what you dismissively refer to as "ignorant rednecks",... but what about the "uneducated democrats",... welfare cheaters, prison inmates and hippie dropouts? Get a clue. There are just as many "uneducated morons" on both sides of the political aisle,... and some you keep voting back into office after their stupidity has been proven,... hell, you've re-elected dead people. How smart is that?
Posted by: Capt D | Dec 2, 2008 1:50:25 PM
Simpletom - For the most part the KKK ditched the robes a while back. I well remember one rally that absolutely sent cold shivers down my back when the people were screaming "kill him" and other such things during her speech when Obamas name was brought up. She did not flinch or miss a beat. Her complete intolerance of anyone who thinks differently from her also is a type of hatered in my opinion. The way in her acceptance speech she dismissed community organizers as useless is also a from of hatred and discrimination.
Posted by: Jenny Rome Ga | Dec 2, 2008 1:51:45 PM
Jenny
Do you really want to argue who is more patriotic? the obamas or the palins? really?? i think i could win that one in court pretty easily.. it's a known fact that liberal patriotism is an oxymoron.
please look looonnnggg and hard for statement todd palin made resembling michelle's "this is the first time i have really been proud of my country". or try to find where sara argued over wearing the flag lapel pin or saying the pledge of allegiance.
Posted by: dave | Dec 2, 2008 1:54:48 PM
jenny,
no one shouted "kill him", the secret service looked into it... please do outside research in addition to reading abc articles that give 1/2 the story.
Posted by: dave | Dec 2, 2008 1:56:56 PM
Jenny Rome Ga - Would that be the same rally where the Secret Service agents said that reports of the crowd yelling "kill him" never happened? The same one where not one tape of that chant has ever surfaced, despite the fact that thousands of people were in attendance and many had cell phones that can record audio as well as video? The media didn't catch it either - it was all made up. Yes, sometimes people yell crazy things at rallies - but that's a reflection on the person yelling, not Palin who never once encouraged that type of behavior. And she didn't dismiss community organizers as useless - she said her experience as a mayor was equal to or better then the experience of one former community organizer in particular. Go back and listen to the speech.
Posted by: Simpleton | Dec 2, 2008 1:58:55 PM
PALIN/ROMNEY2012
ROMNEY/PALIN2012
PALIN/ROMNEY2012
PALIN/ROMNEY2012
ROMNEY/PALIN2012
PALIN/ROMNEY2012
Posted by: liberalshateAmerica | Dec 2, 2008 1:58:56 PM
Dave - I believe Todd is a card carrying member of the group that wants Alaskan independence. I also really love the way Sarah wore the Alaska Pin over her American flag pin no doubt given to her by Cindy Lou on several occasions. Yeah fine Americans those Palins. Why isn't Piper in school? ANYONE?
Posted by: Jenny Rome Ga | Dec 2, 2008 2:04:39 PM
dave/simple - I know what I heard. it does not really matter what specifically was said or heard. The content of the speeches she gave were of intolerance and fear mongering.
Posted by: Jenny Rome Ga | Dec 2, 2008 2:08:16 PM
community organizers are really just community agitators in a lot of cases.
This is ESPECIALLY true IN BO'S CASE where he modified his approach as the messiah of the poor.
He allied himself with ACORN where they did sit-ins at bank board meetings, harassed the CEO's children and protested outside all in the name of "affordable housing" in Chicago. just look where than mentallity got us.
Posted by: liberalshateAmerica | Dec 2, 2008 2:08:31 PM
jenny
please telling me how "pallin around with terrorists" is an inaccurate statement when describing BO as palin did.
I, for one, would not be within 200 yards of bill ayers, he literally makes me sick.
BO, however, had a political fundraiser/coming out party in ayers' living room. He sat on multiple boards with him and gave ayer's book a postive review. THAT IS DISGUSTING!!
Posted by: liberalshateAmerica | Dec 2, 2008 2:12:39 PM
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