There is a lot I could say about John Ziegler’s article in The Daily Caller demanding that Sarah Palin not run for President, and insisting that Palin has become beholden to an inner circle of yes-men and yes-women.
I’ll make just two points.
First, Ziegler’s main argument is that Palin cannot win because she has been so unfairly damaged by mainstream media attacks and distortions. That argument conflates two different concepts.
I agree that Palin has been unfairly but extensively damaged, but that does not mean she should not run. Pre-selecting our candidates based upon what the mainstream media does is a huge mistake, because whoever the nominee is, that person will be savaged by the mainstream media and entertainment industry beyond comprehension. Palin simply has been the test case. Perceived electability now says little about actual electability once the nominee becomes the focus of the pro-Obama media.
Let anyone who wants to run run, and let the voters sort it out in the primaries. If Palin is unelectable in a general election, that will be an argument against nominating her; just as it is an argument against certain other candidates.
The primaries will bring out the best or the worst in the candidates, and candidates either will overcome voter concerns about electability, or the candidates will not succeed. Let the voters decide, not the editors of The Daily Caller or National Review or even tiny inconsequential Legal Insurrection.
Second, Ziegler is a complete narcissist. His article is all about him, his feelings, and his imagined facts. There is little substance, in fact almost no substance, to many of the negative conclusions he reaches. Here is a good example, in one of the sure-to-be quoted passages from the article:
There’s also the fact that Sarah’s entire operation is increasingly managed like a CIA field office; that she’s adopted a bunker mentality; that she’s trusting the wrong people, some of whom I know are simply exploiting her.
Yet what actual evidence does Ziegler cite; what quotes from people are included; what substance is there in the article other than the fact that Ziegler himself is offended that his opinions that Palin should not run may not be resonating with Palin (in fact, that’s not even clear).
The prime example Ziegler cites is that when he told Paln directly that she could not defeat Obama, the people in the room were silent:
John Zeigler Daily Caller, Never read it – never seen it – don’t need it.
Silence is GOLDEN
Curt I enjoy you objectivity and even how you like to throw dry grass out to watch if it will catch fire!
However as to if Palin should run or not?…Well…. One of the main problems with politics here in the US is that we lose sight of an very important factor and consideration!
If McCain and Palin had been elected in the last election that may have been good, she could have done a wonderful job using a frying pan in one hand to bop McCain when he would get a liberal inclination and a good ink pen in the other to sign the last pay check for the dismissed appointed officials who really have no business being part of this government!
We were in more of a repair the government stage at that time! Today we are in the position of a total overhaul and restructure of the government! For that we need Mavericks! Like the “Black Horse” and someone who can keep his back like Lt. Col Allen West! Don’t get me wrong, I really like Palin, she has many very good qualifications….however we are in a different state of being now! We have a dis-functional society on our hands…we have advanced down the road to a socialistic State more than people realize! The Republican party is concerned with being elected into to office for God sake why should they be returned to office? I do not want to call names but most of the people here do not look any different to me that the moderate Democrats do! We do not need spit shined politicians we need someone who will get the job done and turn this nation around! Honestly I could think of a dozen or more Offices that if we turned Sarah Palin a lose with an ax she could make Paul Bunyon look like a midget and send the News media and Liberals into a real frenzy! Best is that she could do a real hatchet job on them with her great smile and still look great for the next photo shoot!
you know, the media and the democcrats follower have done real damage into SARAH PALIN’ S EVERY ASPECT OF HER LIFE, PUBLIC LIFE, WHERE SHE WAS AGRESSED BY EVEN THE
IGNORANTS SHOUTING DEATH WISHES ,ON A PERSON BECAUSE THEY WHERE TOLD TO.
and yet, she came back like a PHENIX WAY ABOVE ALL OF THOSE HATERS, AND ALL OF THOSE
SCARED OF HER,AND ALL OF THOSE IGNORANTS FOLLOWERS
NOW I SURE WONDER HOW MUCH DAMMAGE SHE DID TO THEM,
when she came back on top, 20/20 even, with ROMNEY?
SHE IS A DEMOLITION BIG MACHINE READY TO TAKE ON THE DEMOCRATS, FROM THE HEAD DOWN,
NON STOP UNTIL NOVEMBER 2012, AND THEY ALL BETTER GET OUT OF THE WAY,
IF THEY DON’T WANT TO BE CRUSHED BY THE MACHINE,
@ilovebeeswarzone: Bees love you fellow! You are honest and sincere to the bone!