Sarah Palin Declares Her Independence

Today, in a bombshell of an announcement, Alaska's governor Sarah Palin declared that not only would she not run for re-election for governor in 2010, but she would not finish out her term. In fact, she announced that she would turn over the reins of Alaska's government to Lieutenant Governor Sean Parnell on July 26. The announcement was apparently a huge secret, the press conference was not announced far in advance, and the magnitude of the announcement sent the political wonks, Republican higher ups and Sarah Palin followers in general into a frenzy.

Her detractors gloated predictably

"It was an almost impossible mission, but in resigning from office with 17 months to go in her first term, Sarah Palin has made herself the bull goose loony of the GOP."

and some are waiting for the other shoe to drop ala Mark Sanford. More rational detractors opined that this was political suicide. The DNC already has pointed out that her decision is weak and the fodder for political ads is ready should she run for national office.

Her supporters say that this shows she is a real independent. They argue that her location in Alaskan isolation make any political aspirations all the more difficult to forge. The Governor has a book advance and is able to command speaking engagements which will further her ability to move her political aspirations ahead, but not while she is Governor of a distant state. Her legal expenses incurred in defending herself against frivolous charges have been a drain on the Palin personal resources and her family has borne the brunt of scathing smears from liberal detractors. All apparent reasons why she has taken the gamble of abdication.

A telling phrase from her press conference suggests that she may or may not continue to be a Republican loyalist, (payback for the trashing she received from her own party after the election was lost)

"I WILL support others who seek to serve, in or out of office, for the RIGHT reasons, and I don't care what party they're in or no party at all."

Perhaps she is positioning herself to be a part of an third party effort or an independent candidate.

Whatever the outcome, this is her personal Independence Day. She has rock star appeal when she appears publicly. She has a dedicated following of conservative men and women. She has secured some measure of financial security for herself and her family. She is young and still has a long political future ahead of her should she choose that path. She has paved the way for freedom to learn, write and polish her world view (that Katie Couric and Charlie Gibson felt that she did not possess). Margaret Thatcher, who is a fan of Sarah Palin, had to undergo a reformation to become more polished and properly spoken before she entered politics. Now Sarah Palin has the opportunity to do the same and whether she is a spokesperson or a fundraiser for conservative candidates or a candidate in her own right, Sarah Palin has now been set free.

Thank you Sarah Palin!

There is no doubt that Sarah Palin has left her mark on the 2008 Presidential election. Now that she is back in Alaska, she is still the target of the MSM in an attempt to neutralize her. The measure of her mark, however can be found at Team Sarah where members are still joining and the membership is just shy of 60,000 members today!

The grassroots effort to unify the conservative voice to be fully prepared for the 2010 election is gaining momentum through a variety of alternative media sites such as Smart Girl Politics, Team Sarah, #dontgo movement, Grizzly Groundswell and the conservative voices on Blogtalk Radio to name just a few.

As we have just finished celebrating a national day of Thanksgiving, it is worthy to reflect on the things that we have to be thankful and for the things that have made this nation great. Sarah Palin is representative of these ideas and ideals and for this we should ask why she represents such a threat to the left in this country? This should explain it:

Sarah Palin is a Role Model for Girls Today

She Shoots....She Scores!!!

I am sure that Sarah Palin never got to read my "Open Letter to Sarah Palin" posted earlier this week, but in spite of this, she did many of the things that I thought she should do in the debate last night. As a result she stopped the bleeding wounds from her traumatic interviews with Charlie Gibson and Katie Couric. Going into the debate last night, frankly the bar was low for her and many of us were hoping that she would not implode before our eyes.

Thankfully last night "Sarah Plain and Tall" that we have come to love was present and she successfully polished up her image and in true Hockey Mom fashion, scored a hat trick.

1. Sarah talked knowledgeably and masterfully about energy and energy independence.

2. She gave a good exposition of her experience as a Governor as a microcosm of the national government.

3. She defended McCain's withdrawal in Iraq position well and contrasted it with the Obama strategy that would have been tantamount to "waving the white flag of surrender."

4. She was reassuring that there is an Iraq withdrawal strategy in a McCain presidency.

5. She talked past the MSM and directly to the people in the heartland of America who desperately needed to hear from her.

6. She was brutally honest that she is a "Washington Outsider" who has not made promises that she cannot keep.

7. She made it clear that as Vice President she would use her personal strengths in the areas of energy and disabilities to better the country.

8. She made good defenses of McCain's positions on tax cuts and business stimulation.

9. She portrayed a woman who could compete on a national dias with poise and confidence.

I can just see Sarah Palin, Angela Merkel and Tzipi Livni fixing the world over lunch at the kitchen table!

An Open Letter to Sarah Palin

Dear Sarah,
In the past two days, I have heard several pundits raise the mantra "Free Sarah Palin". I am certain that you are prepping for the Vice Presidential debate on Thursday and your constituents are looking forward to it. But I would like to offer you some debate prep straight from the fly over states.

First, and foremost, stop everything and watch the classic movie Mr. Smith Goes to Washington. No....watch it a couple of times. This is your story on so many levels. Individual from small town America goes to Washington to represent the common folk. Big and corrupt government tries its best to sabotage his mission with massive red tape and underhanded smears to destroy his credibility. His mainstream supporters and a couple of insiders who become sympathetic to his cause provide him what he needs to triumph in the face of extreme adversity. You have a broad base of conservative supporters who will rally behind you. We share your views. We know that you are more like us than you are like THEM. When you debate on Thursday, speak from your heart. That is what we want to hear. You are a diamond in the rough, untainted by the Washington machine and that is what you need to be.

Break free of the micromanagers for the campaign. Spread your wings and show us more of what we saw in your acceptance speech at the convention. You are a bright and talented woman who has succeeded in state politics and knows what it takes to get things done at the state government level. A state is a microcosm of the nation. Bring that common sense to Washington where they need a huge dose of it.

Since you and Senator McCain are running on a maverick reformer platform, tell us what should be changed in Washington. It doesn't even matter to me if what you think should be done is not in lock step with your running mate. If questioned, tell them that you and Senator McCain are your own individuals, he is at the top of the ticket, but that no two people are ever in total agreement on all issues...Period. If you are faced with a Gotcha question--and I am sure that there will be many--ask for clarification and if you don't know, tell them that...Your base will understand. Then follow with something that lets the audience know that you will be giving your all to learning everything that there is to know about the subject so that you will be able to represent them well--and remember, you are not running for President---yet. You are great in one on one situations and small groups---well Thursday you are going one on one with the little people of America. Forget the audience, forget the media, forget all of the trappings and the hype and just SPILL YOUR GUTS. The moderator is just another guy with a question. Biden is just another guy with a different point of view. Deal with them just like you would in the mayoral chambers or the governor's office.

While the Obama campaign is showing Senator Biden as a scrappy Scranton small town guy, I can guarantee that he has long since stopped shopping at Sam's or Costco. Let us see that you are still like us and know what happens at the check out line. Let us see that you know what life is like in Small Town America where people get up, go to work and come home to wrestle with the real issues of the day. Where honorable young men and women volunteer to serve in the military to keep us safe, where people are trying to stretch a dollar and pinch pennies hard, where parents home school their children because they want to provide them with a quality education that mirrors their values, where junior athletics still requires that one team WIN, where good people wrestle with the job of parenting and sometimes fall short and where people run small businesses that move the economy.

Lastly, get the campaign to let you do interviews on conservative media. They have huge audiences and are a powerful voice in your corner. There is no real need to lay yourself at the altar of MSNBC and the MSM where your words will be twisted and the entire interview will be hostile. You don't deserve the treatment that they have afforded you. You need not apologize for your personal feelings and morals. We understand! So throw us some red meat and get out there where we can hear from you in friendly turf so that you can flesh out your own positions and ideas.

You are the embodiment of what conservative voters have been longing for, so take off the gloves and show us the real contrast that you and Senator McCain bring to this election. Be a sweet shark and don't give an inch to anyone. WILL THE REAL SARAH PALIN PLEASE STAND UP!!

Sincerely,
One of your supporters in the Heartland

That Down Syndrome Baby

During the silly season of politics just before an election, politics gets down and dirty with attacks on both sides. Some of the attacks are justified and others are just gratuitous insults. This year is no exception and, in fact, the personal attacks on Sarah Palin and her family have been blatantly abhorrent. That said, the comments revolving around one member of the Palin family that bother me the most are those regarding Sarah Palin's infant son, Trig. I am sick to death of hearing him referred to as "that Down Syndrome baby," "Sarah Palin's Down Syndrome baby", "the baby with Down Syndrome", etc.

Yes, Trig does have the genetic condition Down Syndrome. However, Trig is just a little defenseless baby. Trig is an individual just like your child with red hair, your child with freckles, your child who stutters, your child who cannot read well, your child who isn't the prettiest child in the class....he is just an innocent baby. He is loved just as much as your child. He will be cared for by a family that is totally accepting of his frailties. And blessedly, he may never realize the malice with which the appellation "that Down Syndrome baby" is associated.

The people who tout tolerance and acceptance for all people are the ones who are most unaccepting of Trig and the Palin's decision to bring this special child into their family and accept him for what he is rather than discarding him as "that Down Syndrome baby."