New Sarah Palin approach; better results

From the Politico:  New Sarah Palin approach; better results

Everyone has wondered who the Sarah Palin of 2012 would be. The answer is … Sarah Palin.
Palin’s star power faded along with that of the other conservative Mitt Romney alternatives and her media presence has dwindled. But the Republican presidential primaries have ended with an undeniable void on the right — one that the former Alaska governor and 2008 veep pick is trying to once again fill.

Palin has made a string of successful recent endorsements, including an against-the-grain nod to Nebraska Republican Senate hopeful Deb Fischer in a three-way primary where most other conservatives, including tea party leader Sen. Jim DeMint, backed another candidate. Rick Santorum, the last conservative non-Romney standing at the end of the primaries, endorsed there and in today’s Texas primary to no great effect.

She also backed Indiana state Treasurer Richard Mourdock, who beat longtime Sen. Dick Lugar in the Hoosier State’s May primary.

Palin’s remaining potency will get tested tonight, as Texas voters go to the polls to choose a Senate candidate. Palin’s pick, former state Solicitor General Ted Cruz, is hoping to force a runoff with front-runner David Dewhurst. Cruz’s camp has said publicly that her endorsement is a huge boost.

Palin confused her insurgent fans recently by throwing her weight behind veteran Sen. Orrin Hatch in his primary contest against ex-state Sen. Dan Liljenquist, who is favored by tea party groups — a move that struck some as jumping to the head of a parade, as the incumbent is favored.

This year, Palin has become almost irrelevant in the context of the presidential race she once had a chance to dominate and is seen more than ever as a sideshow by the Republican establishment. But after seeing her celebrity peak last year, Palin has settled into a role as something of a strong Triple-A political ballplayer, picking well on down-ballot races and earning credit as she goes.

If she jumps into the right streams, the ex-veep nominee’s backers will cite her endorsements as fresh evidence of her clout — even if she’s being carried by the tide. Yet her durability among the grass roots of the party, even with the tea party movement diffusing in 2012, is clear.

“There is a vacuum on the right now, and at some point that’s an opportunity for someone, and it won’t be resolved in this summer or this fall,” said Republican strategist Alex Castellanos. “Sarah Palin has as much a claim to that as anyone right now … I think she has settled into her role as the power behind the thousands [of] thrones, instead of sitting on one.”

So far this cycle, Palin has backed four GOP candidates in their primaries, and two have won (the others are Cruz and Hatch, who face voters starting today). Her support is guaranteed to generate headlines for the favored candidate, as she relies on her lengthy list of supporters to bring in an infusion of low-dollar donations from her grass-roots list.

It’s a far cry from the 33 winning candidates Palin endorsed for House, Senate and governor in 2010, compared with the 20 who lost. The once-flush SarahPAC had just under $1 million at the end of the first filing quarter for 2012.

Because Palin opted not to run for president in 2012, no Mike Huckabee-like figure emerged from this year’s nominating process to fill the role she would have assumed had she tossed her hat into the ring. Newt Gingrich failed in that quest, and Santorum has receded from view since he departed the race. Without a clear face, Palin has stepped in as the standard-bearer for the party’s grass roots.

It’s still a sea change from where Palin was this time a year ago, when she dropped by the Memorial Day motorcycle-fest “Rolling Thunder” with her bus tour, which sucked the oxygen out of the GOP primary media cycle just as Romney was officially declaring his campaign.

Once Romney selects a vice presidential nominee, that person will become chief attack dog. Meanwhile, Palin has found a role, thanks to the primary cycle.

Written off by many in her party and in the media after her vice presidential bid, Palin has re-emerged repeatedly as a talented campaigner who can dominate local press and, at times, play an important role in electing candidates. That was especially true in the 2010 cycle, when she cemented her brand with key endorsements of female candidates she dubbed “Mama Grizzlies,” including Nikki Haley and Susana Martinez, now the governors of South Carolina and New Mexico.

Part surrogate and part celebrity, she continues to pick her candidates by keeping close counsel, consulting with a handful of people she knows in politics who have a sense of the races she chooses.

Having spent years stoking a mystique around her plans and her interests, Palin’s main talents lie in performing, argued one Republican operative who has worked on presidential campaigns.

In Madonna-like fashion, she is the master of “self-invention then self-reinsertion into the political churn,” the operative said. “I wouldn’t underestimate that. I wouldn’t rule out her ability to find a new way to express it or a new vehicle or a new method …. she sort of craves the attention. I don’t completely write off her ability [to re-enter the fray].”

For instance, her recent endorsement of six-term Sen. Hatch in his Utah primary against Liljenquist struck political observers as betting early on the likely winner.
But Al Cardenas, president of the American Conservative Union, whose group is also backing Hatch, defended her.

“From everything I know, Sen. Hatch has been very active in seeking her support, our support and many others,” he said, adding that conservatives are “keeping a close watch on his voting record.”

“I’m not entirely sure what her vision is for the future,” Cardenas added, but said Palin’s staying power has been proven. “I know that in the present, she is one of the most effective surrogates we have.”

Charlie Black, a Republican strategist who advised John McCain and is now informally advising Romney, said, “I think she’s still got a following among conservatives, and I have seen her endorsement be valuable for some of these primaries … she’s still got some political clout.”

But Black bluntly summed up the synergistic nature of Palin’s power: “I tend to think that Gov. Palin will be around and have a following as long as she’s on Fox.”

“She can’t be ignored,” said conservative strategist Keith Appell, who helped to promote the boosterish movie about Palin, “The Undefeated,” last year. “If Obama is reelected, I think her profile will even grow. But even if Romney wins, she will be a very powerful voice for all of these people to whom he has made promises. And she won’t let him forget it.”

Thanks in part to the attention refocused on her hasty vetting and disastrous veep rollout by the movie version of the 2008 campaign retrospective, “Game Change,” Palin has become a cautionary tale for the 2012 cycle about what not to do when picking a vice presidential candidate

Former McCain adviser Steve Schmidt has been vocal about how unprepared Palin was to be president after she was plucked from the Alaska state house to join the 2008 ticket, as has presidential vetter A.B. Culvahouse, although the latter has indicated he thought she could quickly get there. Palin endured a brief spate of headlines as her family denounced the film as unfair to her before it even came out, holding a fiery conference call to prebut a depiction they didn’t yet know the details of (her camp later said she hadn’t seen it once it did). A Palin aide helping trash the film had, while on break from working for her, discussed becoming a confidential adviser to the film-makers.

Faith and Freedom Coalition head Ralph Reed argued that Palin did what she was supposed to do in 2008.

“She clearly helped the ticket,” Reed said. “You can argue with Schmidt or whoever that she was unprepared. That’s a debate I’d be happy to have with people, but in terms of what people wanted her to do politically, there’s no question that she did it. … I think that Sarah Palin is not to be underestimated by anybody, inside the Republican Party or outside.”

Lawyer John Coale, a Palin family friend, called the “Game Change” portrayal of Palin “bull****.”
“There was a war on women and it happened to be the woman Sarah Palin over the last two years,” Coale said, referring to the scrutiny — and criticism — the ex-veep contender received by liberals, and by the press. “She never did anything like Eliot Spitzer or the senator from Louisiana or any of that crap. She just was a good governor, [who] knocked it out of the park with her convention speech.”

Palin, who needs the media attention to maintain her impact and her brand, has been stuck in something of a political netherworld, with her ultimate goal unclear. She seems to have no desire to return to elected office, and Romney’s campaign is not clamoring for her help (the role of off-message media attention-seeker has been split in 2012 by Herman Cain and Donald Trump, leaving Romney with his hands more than full).
Cardenas, a Romney supporter currently and in 2008, said he believes Palin will end up on the trail for the nominee at some point.

“I think Mitt’s campaign will be smart enough to appear with her,”said Cardenas, citing Palin’s heavily watched CPAC speech in February as proof of her appeal to the GOP grass roots. “They have to figure out the most effective way to do this, but you don’t leave on the bench, someone with such skill sets to get our base motivated.”

Of late, Palin’s TV appearances have been sporadic on Fox, where she has a contract, at a time when she’s tried branching out on other entities like NBC’s “Today,” where she recently guest-hosted (topics of discussion included pregnant moms appearing nude on magazine covers).

The lamestream media she once denounced covers her with less interest, after a sense of being toyed with for publicity and affect as she waited until the last possible moment to announce — on Mark Levin’s radio show, not Fox — that she wouldn’t run in 2012.

Palin also hasn’t shown much interest in getting her own show, like Huckabee did, which would be a time commitment that would have the effect of tying her down. Her family’s dramas continue to attract coverage in the celebrity magazines after years of the Palins’ claiming what they wanted was less attention (Levi Johnston’s broke! Bristol Palin is starring in a reality show!). But Palin does still like, and need, the media spotlight.

Using her helping hand in local races, and at the House and statewide level, has provided an opening to stay in the media glare.

“When she lands on the right number, everybody says that gambling has changed and she’s suddenly a great strategist, [but] she just happened to hit the right number,” said one Republican operative, who asked not to be identified.

Palin no longer seems to have the king-making abilities she exhibited in the 2010 primaries. But she is entering the latest incarnation of Palin-as-political-player, and mining existing conditions to become a part of the current races.
“I think she’s not a factor in Republican politics, but what she represented at her peak still is,” the operative said. “Deb Fischer is an example of that energy finding its expression in a new and kind of different way.”
However, the operative said, “You can’t ever attribute it to her with anything consistent, strategic or effective in the long run.”

“I think she will without question make a marginal difference for the people she’s endorsing. Without question,” said Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of the conservative Susan B. Anthony List, who worked with Palin on the 2010 races.

The current metrics of her success are not yet clear, Dannenfelser explained. “We’ll find out if the Palin calculus provides a huge impact or not,” she said. “I only know that it matters — we interview candidates almost every day in primaries and in general … the candidates themselves care immeasurably and with no rational data to back it up. They care immeasurably about her endorsement.”

 

Katie Couric: Sarah Palin has ‘open invitation’ to come on my show

This is from four days ago... but news about Palin is no longer appearing on a daily basis..at least, not recently.

From Daily News: Katie Couric: Sarah Palin has ‘open invitation’ to come on my show

Katie Couric wants Sarah Palin to know her door is always open.

"She has an open invitation to come talk to me," Couric said in Orlando on Monday while promoting her new daytime talk show, which premieres this fall.

"I'm not sure she'd be interested, but she'd certainly be welcome," Couric added, according to the Orlando Sentinel. "She's a fascinating figure not only on the political scene but in popular culture."

Palin famously sat down with Couric in 2008 during her vice presidential campaign for a series of interviews that proved disastrous for the former Alaska governor, in which she refused to name any newspapers she read and touted her state's proximity to Russia as bolstering her foreign policy credentials.

The interviews were widely seen as a turning point for Palin, who was quickly lampooned for her answers and saw her popularity begin to plummet.

The pair faced off again last month from the sets of competing morning shows, as Couric guest-hosted "Good Morning America" on the same morning that Palin made a guest-hosting appearance on the "Today" show.
When ratings later revealed the "Today" show won the morning by its usual margin, Palin took the opportunity to jab Couric in references to their 2008 showdown.

“I thought, well this could be worse," she told Fox News of Matt Lauer's questions on "Today."

"In fact I’ve had worse in interviews, you know, with questions like, what do you read up there in Alaska to stay connected with the real world — where you’re rolling your eyes like, are you kidding me?” she said.
She took another shot at Couric in an email to Zap2it.com, writing, “Frankly, I’m ecstatic we beat the ‘perky one.’”
Palin has yet to comment on Couric's latest invitation, but in past comments she's made it clear she is not interested in returning for round two.

"As for doing an interview, though, with a reporter who already has such a bias against whatever it is that I would come out and say? Why waste my time? No," Palin told Fox News' Sean Hannity in 2010 when asked about talking with Couric again.

"So a journalist, a reporter who is so biased and will, no doubt, spin and gin up whatever it is that I have to say to create controversy, I swear to you, I will not my waste my time with her. Or him," she said.
Couric's show "Katie" will kick off Sept. 10.

 

Many Sarah Palin fans not fond of her support for Orrin Hatch

From USA Today: Many Sarah Palin fans not fond of her support for Orrin Hatch

LOS ANGELES - There’s consternation in Palin Nation.
The former Alaska governor surprised many supporters this week when she endorsed Utah Sen. Orrin Hatch, a political fixture who would seem to represent everything that Palinistas loathe, which can be conveyed in a simple phrase: "the entrenched Washington elite."
Though she has taken herself out of contention for office, Palin continues to keep herself in the political game as a kind of would-be kingmaker, issuing endorsements in close races between Republicans, not always swaying a race, but almost always generating controversy over how much power she has.

Generally, she has favored tea party-style insurgents over incumbents. In Indiana’s closely watched recent U.S. Senate primary, for instance, she endorsed state treasurer Richard Mourdock in his successful bid against Senate fixture Richard Lugar, promising voters that Mourdock would not "just go along to get along with the vested interests of the permanent political class."

In Nebraska earlier this month, Palin supported little-known underdog Deb Fischer’s bid in the Republican primary for the U.S. Senate. Fischer’s come-from-behind victory stunned the GOP establishment and set off yet another round of debate over Palin’s power. (Democrats and Palin haters comfort themselves with memories of Palin’s endorsements of U.S. Senate candidates Sharron Angle in Nevada and Christine O’Donnell in Delaware, whose losses in 2010 helped Democrats hang on to their majority in the U.S. Senate.)
But every once in awhile, Palin zigs when people expect her to zag.

In 2010, she endorsed Terry Branstad over the more conservative tea party candidate, Bob Vander Plaats, for governor of Iowa. Branstad went on to win in a state that would have been deeply important to Palin had she decided to run for president.

This week, she threw another curveball.

Expected by many to support Hatch’s first serious challenger, former Utah State Sen. Dan Liljenquist, Palin instead posted a long defense of Hatch on her Facebook page Wednesday.

"Orrin Hatch is part of the 1 percent," wrote Palin. "No, not that one percent you’ve heard about. He’s part of the 1 percent of national politicians who I think should be re-elected." Invoking President Ronald Reagan’s praise of Hatch as "Mr. Balanced Budget," Palin cited Hatch’s record as a fiscal conservative, his opposition to "Obamacare" and his support of conservative Supreme Court justices as reasons she supports him.
But those words prompted an outcry from many of her supporters, who left scathing comments on her Facebook page.

"Sorry Sarah," wrote AnnaMarie Stephens. "Nobody needs to be a Senator for life! We’re just so sick of the same ole, same ole."

"You have disappointed millions of us, who once appreciated your wisdom," wrote Steve Hatfield. "Youre new-found ’wisdom’ seems to be more of the cronyism that has kept far too many RINOs in office. No thank you and goodbye." (RINO is the acronym for the derogatory term "Republican in name only."

Many wondered why Palin would choose a fusty veteran over a fresh challenger. On Wednesday, the National Review reported that Hatch, after watching the once-unthinkable political demise of his longtime Senate colleague, Lugar, began courting tea party conservatives in general and Palin in particular.

Hatch told the National Review that he has "doggedly" sought Palin’s support for a long time, and that he cultivated Palin and her husband, Todd, through handwritten letters and personal phone calls.
 
Hatch told the conservative publication that he spoke to Palin early Wednesday. "I told her that I love her and her husband," he said. "She said, ’We love you, too,’ and that she’s here to help."

A spokeswoman for Hatch’s challenger was not impressed, telling the National Review: "Sarah Palin can do whatever she wants, but this doesn’t affect our race," says Holly Richardson, Liljenquist’s campaign manager.

 "Endorsing Orrin Hatch is the antithesis of what she says she represents - breaking up the old guard and bringing change to Washington. But I guess they’re friends."

 

Bristol Palin’s ex Levi Johnston living with mom after wasting $1 million

The guy's an idiot, and I have no sympathy for him. Anyone want to bet he'll file a lawsuit against Bristol Palin, demanding father support?

From All Voices: Bristol Palin’s ex Levi Johnston living with mom after wasting $1 million

Levi JohnstonLevi Johnston, ex boyfriend of Sarah PalinSarah Palin’s daughter, Bristol, has reportedly wasted nearly $1 million on luxuries. The 22 year old is now penniless and living with his mom in Alaska.

Johnston’s 15 minute of fame might have made him rich, but it looks like it didn’t take the money to fly out of hands as quickly as it came. A source told US weekly that “Levi made more than $1 million and squandered it on guns, boats and four-wheelers”. Nearly all of his wealth is attributed to the chance he got to step into the stop light after his girl friend’s mother, Sarah Palin was selected as John McCainJohn McCain vice Presidential running mate in 2008 elections.

His high profile relationship also led him to publish a book, “Deer in the Headlights: My Life in Sarah Palin’s Crosshairs” and allowing him to pitch a reality show about his bid to run of mayor of Wasilla Alaska. Despite all efforts the show failed to get picked up by the audience. In 2010, Johnston made another effort to gain publicity by posing nearly nude for Playgirls winter cover. But now, a source tells that the 22 year old is broke and has found temporarily shelter in mommy’s home.

Johnston is also the father to Bristol Palin’s 3 year old son, Tripp, but has done nothing fatherly so far, according to the source. “Levi hasn’t paid child support in nearly two years,” the source said. “And he has little contact with Tripp.” He currently owes $38000 to ex girlfriend and their son according to Daily Mail.

Johnston claims that he loves his son but Bristol is keeping their child away from him."No, I will never be a dead beat dad”, Johnston told Inside Edition, “I love Tripp more than anything and he is my son but I don't feel like a dad to him. Not by choice, though ... hopefully one day I can be."


Bristol Palin denies any such allegation.

Johnston is currently expecting a daughter with girlfriend, Sunny Oglesby and is planning to name her after the Italian gun maker, Breeze Beretta.

Johnston’s former representative, Tank Jones is trying to dispel rumors about his client’s financial troubles claiming that ending his professional relationship with Johnston was a mutual decision and has nothing to do with Johnston’s finances declaring that he would never leave his client’s side no matter how difficult a situation he’s passing from.

 

It's not supposed to rain while you're on vacation!

I'm sitting in a cabin up near Mount Rushmore with my mom and my aunt...and it's raining!

So we're playing Scrabble.

We'll be leaving for home early tomorrow, as its a 5 hour drive and we're seeing a play at 7.30...but I'll try to post at some point, on matters relevant to this blog!

Saturday I should be back to my old routine.

Again, thanks for your patience.

Ted Cruz, U.S. Senate candidate from Texas, reports bounce from Sarah Palin's endorsement

From ABC News: Ted Cruz, U.S. Senate candidate from Texas, reports bounce from Sarah Palin's endorsement
Call it the Sarah Palin bounce: Hours after the 2008 vice presidential nominee endorsed Ted Cruz, a Republican candidate for U.S. senator from Texas, on Thursday morning, the staff at Cruz's headquarters in Austin reported a swift and positive reaction. Nick Dyer, the Central Texas/Youth Director for Cruz tweeted: Campaign manager John Drogin confirmed by email to Yahoo News that Palin's endorsement "has added HUGE buzz to our campaign." "Phones are ringing, online contributions are pouring in, and supporters are more excited than ever on our social networks," Drogin wrote, adding that he's seen a "flood" of donations but has yet to tally them. Select reaction from Cruz' Facebook page Thursday included:

"Fantastic endorsement. Congratulations. I support Sarah Palin, and after a lot of research I can honestly say you're the man for this job," wrote Facebook user Charles Netterville. "Thank you for your willingness to help take on the establishment (Both sides) and return this great nation to its former glory."

"Good choice Sarah! Sarah is a true Conservative and so is Ted! We need Ted representing Texas in DC!" wrote Barbara Rains Schroeder Hill.

Palin issued a public letter Thursday offering her endorsement of Cruz, who has earned support from national tea party groups including FreedomWorks and the Tea Party Express (groups that recently helped take down Republican Sen. Dick Lugar in Indiana). Palin wrote:

Your conservative principles, passionate defense of our Constitution and our free market system come at a time when these cornerstones of our freedom and prosperity are under attack. Our shared goal isn't just to change the majority in control of the Senate, but to assure principled conservatives like you are there to fight for us.

Cruz, the former solicitor general of Texas and the first Hispanic to serve in that position, is one of nine Republicans running for their party's nomination. (Current Republican Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison is retiring.)

Drogin noted the beneficial timing of Thursday's endorsement: four days before early voting is set to begin in Texas.

Palin's endorsement was a coveted prize in the 2010 election, when the former Alaska governor campaigned for tea party conservatives across the country even when they faced established Republican incumbents. Palin has earned the same reputation this cycle and already saw one major candidate she endorsed, Richard Mourdock, achieve victory in Indiana.

Cruz faces a very strong May 29 primary challenger in Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, who has the personal wealth, name recognition and experience to put him in a frontrunner position.

Former Dallas Mayor Tom Leppert and ESPN analyst Craig James are among the other candidates campaigning for the seat.

More popular Yahoo! News stories:

Bristol Palin Blames Obama’s Daughters for His Embrace of Same-Sex Marriage

From the Wall Street Journal: Bristol Palin Blames Obama’s Daughters for His Embrace of Same-Sex Marriage

Bristol Palin suggests that President Obama’s daughters Sasha and Malia are behind his embrace of same-sex marriage rights, and she thinks that’s a shame. In a blog post titled “Hail to the Chiefs – Malia and Sasha Obama,” the 21 year old daughter of former presidential candidate Sarah Palin criticized the president for being overly influenced by his family. ”While it’s great to listen to your kids’ ideas, there’s also a time when dads simply need to be dads. In this case, it would’ve been helpful for him to explain to Malia and Sasha that while her friends parents are no doubt lovely people, that’s not a reason to change thousands of years of thinking about marriage,” wrote Palin, a single mother. “Ideally, fathers help shape their kids’ worldview. In this situation, it was the other way around. I guess we can be glad that Malia and Sasha aren’t younger, or perhaps today’s press conference might have been about appointing Dora the Explorer as Attorney General because of her success in stopping Swiper the Fox.” She continued, “sometimes dads should lead their family in the right ways of thinking. In this case, it would’ve been nice if the President would’ve been an actual leader and helped shape their thoughts instead of merely reflecting what many teenagers think after one too many episodes of Glee.”

John McCain tells Romney: 'I chose Sarah Palin as I trusted her'

From The Telegraph: John McCain tells Romney: 'I chose Sarah Palin as I trusted her'
Mr McCain, who lost the election four years ago to Obama, a Democrat, picked Sarah Palin as his running mate. His choice of the little known Alaska governor with limited experience on the national stage fired up the Republican Party's conservative base, but failed to stem a Democratic tide.

Mr McCain was asked on ABC television's "This Week" how he would advise former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney about picking a running mate.

"I think it's a person that he knows he could trust, and the primary – the absolute, most important aspect is, if something happened to him, would that person be well qualified to take that place?" Mr McCain said.

"I happen to believe that was the primary factor in my decision in 2008. And I know it will be Mitt's."

Palin, who was savaged by critics for being divisive and unprepared, resigned as Alaska governor after losing the election and went on to become a media personality and a fierce critic of the Obama administration.

One of the names mentioned as a possible Romney running mate is Cuban-American Marco Rubio, a 40 year-old senator from Florida who is a favourite of "Tea Party" conservatives.

Rubio, speaking on "Fox News Sunday," said the economy was worse off under Obama, and dismissed the president as a divisive Washington politician.

"All of the things that made him different and special four years ago are gone, and now, all he does is run dividing Americans against each other, obviously, because he can't run on his record," said Rubio.

But he dodged questions about a possible vice presidential run with Romney.

"I'm not going to talk about the vice presidential process," Rubio said. "But I can tell you that there are multiple ways that someone can help our nominee and I look forward to doing that."

Vice President Joe Biden joked that he might be interested in running in 2016 paired on a ticket with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

"I think we may run as a team," Biden told NBC's "Meet The Press" when asked to discuss his political future.

"I'm only joking obviously," Biden quickly added. "I don't know. I don't know whether I'm going to run and Hillary doesn't know whether she's going to run."

It was unclear from Biden's remarks which of the two political heavyweights would head the putative ticket.

Mrs Clinton, who ran a tight campaign against Obama in 2008 in a failed bid to win the Democratic nomination, has at least publicly ruled out any further White House bids.

But Biden said he was certain that he will be Obama's 2012 running mate, despite speculation the president would try to strengthen the ticket's appeal by choosing Mrs Clinton instead.

"There is no question about it. There's no way out. They've already printed Obama-Biden (campaign posters)" he said. "You are looking at the vice presidential candidate of the United States of America."