Palin's Running... for President

ST. LOUIS -- The best question asked of a vice presidential candidate in a broadcast television setting on Thursday night did not come from debate moderator Gwen Ifill.

It came from CBS News anchor Katie Couric, who continues to release bits and pieces from her interviews with Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin.

In a segment aired Thursday night -- a few hours before Palin would debate Democrat Joe Biden -- Couric asked the Republican contender to name the vice president she admired most.

Palin's response? "My goodness, I think those who have gone on to the presidency," said the governor, without blinking.

Palin expressed particular regard for former President George H.W. Bush.

Why? Because of Bush's "having kind of learned the ropes in his position as vice president and then moving on up."

More than any Q&A during the debate, this question and its answer actually revealed something about Palin.

The governor may be running for vice president this year.

But she is, as well, running for president.

If McCain wins, she'll have to wait awhile.

If McCain loses, watch for Palin to announce her candidacy for the 2012 Republican presidential nomination right around the time that her esteemed running-mate concedes.

There is much about ambition that is admirable.

But Palin's ambition, like her secretiveness and frequent abuses of the elected positions she has held, brings to mind another former vice president who became president: Richard Nixon.

Comments (54)

1. Kind of interesting to see that a lot of blogging "ink" has been spilled tonight on the so-called debate between Biden and Palin --with much ado about who "won".

   Bottom line:

   Joe Biden handled the pretender with kid gloves and still managed to "put her down" with Kervorkian efficiency. Did anyone still firmly planted in some reasonable semblance of reality expect anything less?

   Sarah Palin is pretty much crispy crittered at this point --relegated to historical footnote status. And more aptly historical punchline status. She may not have been "rolled" tonight in the eyes of many, but she's already been rocked by her own ineptitude --particularly by the Katie Couric and Tina Fey immortalizations.

   The more trenchant bottom line:

   We damn well better start seeing much more piercing analysis of the financial crisis that is bearing down on America --and the globe-- like a screaming eagle.

   This pot has only barely begun to simmer, and every current indication is that it's headed for boil over status in short order.

   Mark it down --if this nation doesn't soon "get" the central point of the link between overseas occupations, a massive trade deficit, burgeoning public and private debt, and a dollar that's essentially on life support-- we will be fucked royally, and thoroughly.

   Period.

   Over and out.

   G'night.

   Posted by b_kool_66 at 10/03/2008 @ 04:04am

2. Sarah is now a footnote, like Ferraro & Quayle.

   The only candidate announcement that might matter is Hillary '12 in the primaries, if the poisoned chalice Bush passes to Obama proves too toxic for any successor.

   Otherwise, all eyes & prayers on Obama for the next 8 years.

   Maybe Sarah might appear in a few ads for the NRA.

   Posted by sloper at 10/03/2008 @ 04:24am

3. Nawwww....the GOP knows Palin is a light-weight.

   McCain/Palin loses?...pretty much wraps it up for her in national politics for atleast a decade.

   Posted by Maskdelta at 10/03/2008 @ 07:21am

4. Funny now I am seeing the right take "Well, at least she didn't suck." into "Palin was a resounding success."

   A legend i n their own minds it seems. Perhaps it didn't occur to them that she answered less than half the questions posed. Reminds me of a student I had some years back. The assignment was to write about an Earthquake event. The essay started out "I don't know much about earthquakes so I've chosen to write about what I did this past summer." Guess he thought he was a maverick too. He got an "F".

   So when the question asked is "Give us your opinion of the importance of the Federal Bailout and the effects it will have on our economy and foreign policy in the future" and the answer is about the Wasilla AK city budget, soccer moms, Joe Sixpack and Mavericks we should remember to grade her on the answer to the question - an "F" - as it was never answered.

   Posted by leftofcenter at 10/03/2008 @ 09:20am

5. She's BAaaaaaaaaackk!

   Posted by CHIP THORNTON at 10/03/2008 @ 09:30am

6. Posted by CHIP THORNTON at 10/03/2008 @ 09:30am

   ...and?

   Posted by leftofcenter at 10/03/2008 @ 09:35am

7. as a mayor and a governor and a small business owner and an oil and gas regulator.......

   ENERGY INDEPENDENCE......

   as a mayor and a governor and a small business owner and an oil and gas regulator.......

   ENERGY INDEPENDENCE......

   as a mayor and a governor and a small business owner and an oil and gas regulator.......

   ENERGY INDEPENDENCE......

   as a mayor and a governor and a small business owner and an oil and gas regulator.......

   ENERGY INDEPENDENCE......

   as a mayor and a governor and a small business owner and an oil and gas regulator.......

   ENERGY INDEPENDENCE......

   as a mayor and a governor and a small business owner and an oil and gas regulator.......

   ENERGY INDEPENDENCE......

   as a mayor and a governor and a small business owner and an oil and gas regulator.......

   ENERGY INDEPENDENCE......

   as a mayor and a governor and a small business owner and an oil and gas regulator.......

   ENERGY INDEPENDENCE......

   as a mayor and a governor and a small business owner and an oil and gas regulator.......

   ENERGY INDEPENDENCE......

   as a mayor and a governor and a small business owner and an oil and gas regulator.......

   ENERGY INDEPENDENCE......

   as a mayor and a governor and a small business owner and an oil and gas regulator.......

   ENERGY INDEPENDENCE......

   as a mayor and a governor and a small business owner and an oil and gas regulator.......

   ENERGY INDEPENDENCE......

   Posted by frosty zoom at 10/03/2008 @ 09:39am

8. Nothing like a couple of interviews with a second rate reporter to wake you up and show you where you need to be.

   Thank You Katie Couric

   Posted by CHIP THORNTON at 10/03/2008 @ 09:43am

9. well scripted, coached, and without even a hidden earpiece (i guess...), mrs. palin is slightly more comprehensible and ever so slightly more grammatically correct than president mushmouth himself!!!

   does that make her even more qualified to be prezidint than he????

   Posted by dexter666 at 10/03/2008 @ 09:45am

10. and still managed to "put her down" with Kervorkian efficiency.

    Posted by b_kool_66 at 10/03/2008 @ 04:04am

    ouch!

    Posted by frosty zoom at 10/03/2008 @ 09:58am

11. Posted by CHIP THORNTON at 10/03/2008 @ 09:30am

    Okay, CHIP...aside from ONLINE POLLS from Fox and Drudge (LOL!)...

    what do you got to back that up with?

    Posted by Maskdelta at 10/03/2008 @ 10:08am

12. Posted by frosty zoom at 10/03/2008 @ 09:58am

    Well, at least he didn't shoot her from a helicopter ...

    Posted by leftofcenter at 10/03/2008 @ 10:11am

13. "The financial system has been under severe stress for more than a year, and there should have been carefully thought-out contingency plans ready ... Obviously, there weren't:"

    http://economistsview.typepad.com/economistsview/

    Posted by frosty zoom at 10/03/2008 @ 10:15am

14. BTW....THIS is the best Palin interview so far-

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZEidkJJlD9I

    Posted by Maskdelta at 10/03/2008 @ 10:22am

15. fire up the wood chipper!

    Posted by frosty zoom at 10/03/2008 @ 10:28am

16. She's from Wasilla, not Fargo. Well heck, fire it up anyway, close enough.

    Posted by MyParadigm at 10/03/2008 @ 10:42am

17. TWO WRONGS MAKE A RIGHT TO REMAIN SILENT Spoken by a presidential candidate to his running mate after a debate

    Your match before the TV throng tonight, Was to show if I was wrong or right In my selecting you to ride along, In hopes that you'd turn out more right than wrong.

    You showed us all that you are strong with fight And that you try to be less wrong than right. But I am still prepared to smite the gong If you ever get the Bill of Rights all wrong.

    www.newsandverse.com Light verse, ripped from the headlines

    Posted by newsandverse at 10/03/2008 @ 10:43am

18. If Mrs. Palin is running for the presidency, I hope it is for the presidency of the PTA of Wasilla. She is really very parochial and to cute by to much.

    Posted by lachatte at 10/03/2008 @ 10:51am

19. Well, MASK, Diane Rehms guests are praising her a lot more than I expected, for one.

    And as a general rule, I got about as much respect for Fox and Drudge as I do for Olberman and Maddow. Why is it that when someone sees or thinks something outside the Nations own little mainstream that it MUST be coming from some right wing fascist poll or blog or something. Palin was on the ball last night. Everybody knows it, and those hoping for her final fall have leaked enough sour grapes this morning to make a bad bottle of wine. As I suspected they would

    Posted by CHIP THORNTON at 10/03/2008 @ 11:43am

20. the constant smirking was unbearable. as was the folksiness. stick a fork in her, she is done.

    Posted by emile duBois at 10/03/2008 @ 11:44am

21. Palin appalled me by telling the immediater that she wasn't going to answer the questions. And she didn't...She kept going on about things that had nothing to do about the question asked. Seemed like doubletalk to me, which is what McCain does also. No one answers a question, and no one explains their position in that campaign or what they are going to do if they do become our next president and vice president.

    Biden was concise, and yes maybe he got a few facts wrong, but he didn't out and out lie about the issues. Biden won this debate as far as I am concerned, just because he did answer the questions that were asked of him.

    McCain and Palin really don't get it. They just want the power to do what they want to do and don't think they have to explain their actions to the American people.

    Posted by dnnllb at 10/03/2008 @ 11:46am

22. As I suspected they would-----Posted by CHIP THORNTON at 10/03/2008 @ 11:43am

    And of course there was NO suspicion that Palin could have flashed her boobs and said "Kiss these earmarks, Joe Biden"...

    and guys like you would still declare her the winner.....or blamed Gwen Ifil!

    LOL

    Posted by Maskdelta at 10/03/2008 @ 12:03pm

23. Posted by Maskdelta at 10/03/2008 @ 12:03pm

    LOL .. now THAT would be a political scene worth watching and the mere thought may cause a sudden run on Kleenex in "Joe Sixpack"-land

    Posted by leftofcenter at 10/03/2008 @ 12:06pm

24. Within the past two or three weeks, friends (or former friends) of Palin were talking about conversations they have had with her. One friend mentioned that when Palin decided to run for Governor of Alaska, the friend said something like, that's great Sarah. You can be Governor. Imagine. Sarah's response to her friend was, "I want to be President." SOoooo, yes. Look for Sarah to declare for 2012. Then, look for the general public to be rolling in the aisles with hysterical laughter. I would hope the American electorate know that Granma Clampett would not be a good candidate for the Presidency--despite her oil money.

    Posted by PJ Coco at 10/03/2008 @ 12:13pm

25. instead of answering questions, the Alaska bimbo prattled on about energy self sufficiency, which is an impossibility.

    we have 3% of the world's oil resources. we consume 23% of the world's oil resources. you do the math. we will never be self sufficient. never.

    let's also remember that most of our oil imports come from Canada and Mexico, our allies.

    Posted by emile duBois at 10/03/2008 @ 12:14pm

26. Are you kidding me? This wasn't the best question. The best question was when Gwen asked her if she thinks the vice-presidential powers need to be expanded and she said yes. What person in their right mind says that the office they are about to take needs to have more powers? Do you really think the American people want to hear that after Dick Cheney? That's a VERY revealing statement ESPECIALLY from someone who is currently under investigation for abuse of power and ethics violations.

    Posted by Cccomfo1 at 10/03/2008 @ 12:21pm

27. gosh, Chip Thornton, for someone who doesn't like sour grapes being made into bitter wine, you spend an awful lot of time attacking Katie Couric.

    Now why would that be?

    I'm really curious why you think her previous arguments with her employers have anything at all to do with her trio of interviews of Palin.

    While you're at at, why don't you tell us just how, exactly, she could have risen to your high standards for television interviewing. Can you tell us exactly which Couric questions you object to? I'm sure curious to know exactly how you think Couric needs to become a better journalist.

    Posted by maddox at 10/03/2008 @ 12:40pm

28. http://www.thenation.com/blogs/action/warn.mhtml?pid=368089

    perhaps I can help. Couric is no Edward R Murrow. she is decidedly second shelf, where she is tottering due to inadequate ratings.

    all of Palin's interlocutors have been going very easy on her. She was a ditz before the debate and was a well rehearsed ditz during the debate, and we can all sit back and wait for her next "deer in the headlights" moment.

    she does however have some positive attributes, which include charm, good looks, a certain folksiness, which I'm told is really her, as opposed to the schtick that I suspect.

    these qualities would go far in another line of work. Couric's job for instance or Oprah's. she woulda, see I can be folksy too, made a terrific press spokesman for the Cheney/Bush misadministration.

    presidential timber? I don't think so. well ok, preposterous.

    Posted by emile duBois at 10/03/2008 @ 1:29pm

29. I'm surprised so few people noticed the single question that Palin clearly could not categorize, and for which she seemed unsure how to channel the response into one of her carefully prepared scripted speeches. Go back and watch her face as Ifill asks about Cheney's absurd claim that his office does not belong to the executive branch. After suffering through her seemingly endless stream platitudes for about 45 minutes up to that point, I had nearly lost hope that she could be shaken from her talking points, but as the question was being asked I immediately told my wife that this was one she wasn't ready for. The familiar deer in the headlights fear was plainly evident, she lost the plastic smile, forgot to look Joe Sixpack in the eye through the camera lens, and then basically babbled nonsense for 20-30 seconds before regaining her composure. Although obviously she had been carefully coached and had done an excellent job of memorization, the moment she was confronted with a situation that came as something of a surprise and was forced to improvise she became the nearly incoherent blathering buffoon that we have come to know and love from the Couric interviews. Considering that 99% of the important parts of the VEEP's or (God help us all) POTUS' job is unscripted, it is my opinion that this instance was most telling point of the entire debate, demonstrating Palin's unsuitability for any public office above the street commissioner level.

    Posted by warn_this_person at 10/03/2008 @ 1:49pm

30. Posted by warn_this_person at 10/03/2008 @ 1:49pm

    Thank you. Someone else noticed this. It terrifies me that someone under investigation for ethics violations said that their powers need to expanded in the office that they might potentially take.

    Posted by Cccomfo1 at 10/03/2008 @ 2:31pm

31. Yeah, that was it, Mask.

    And my Sarah Palin blow-up doll arrives next week, courtesy MooseMusk Enterprises, Ltd

    jeez

    Posted by CHIP THORNTON at 10/03/2008 @ 2:41pm

32. Posted by CHIP THORNTON at 10/03/2008 @ 2:41pm

    Yeah, that kind of imagery would sure put a skeer into ol' Ahmadinejad if Maverick won and keeled over and "President Caribou Barbie" took over!

    Posted by Maskdelta at 10/03/2008 @ 2:47pm

33. Posted by CHIP THORNTON at 10/03/2008 @ 2:41pm

    Chip ... here ya go (in case you need a second Palin pal)

    http://tinyurl.com/5ochua

    I think if you put glasses on a number 7 or 8 you'll be pretty close.

    But if those don't work you could try: http://realhamster.com/intro.html

    enjoy!

    Posted by leftofcenter at 10/03/2008 @ 3:13pm

34. THE CIOPPA PRESIDENTIAL SELECTION PLAN Judging from the direction this country is going in choosing our leaders, I have a plan that will save million of dollars in campaigning costs and dramatically shorten the time necessary on the campaign trail. Simply take the sum of the IQs of the presidential and vice presidential candidates of both parties, and give to presidency to whichever party comes up with the lower number.

    That's direction we are heading in; why not get ahead of the curve.

    "As democracy is perfected, the office of the president represents more and more closely, the inner soul of the people. On some great and glorious day the plain folk of the land will reach their heart's desire at last and the White House will be adorned by a downright moron"--H.L. Mencken

    Posted by zorandi at 10/03/2008 @ 3:47pm

35. From the encyclopedia again... under National Socialism... a little 'clue in' to one of the basic ideological recruitment techniques of the totalitarian fascist state... or... just call it "Government by and for the dummies"...;^)

    Propaganda should say very little, but repeat this very little forever. Hitler understood that, especially with as wide and far reaching goal as world domination, it was of the utmost importance to be able to present under one common denominator all potential adversaries who might themselves change according to the circumstances. "The art of truly great popular leaders in all ages has consisted chiefly in not distracting the attention of the people, but concentrating always on a single adversary. The more unified the object of the people's will to fight, the greater will be the magnetic attraction of the movement and the more tremendous it's impact. It is part of a great leader's genius to make even widely separated adversaries appear as if they belonged to but one category, because among weakly and undecided characters the recognition of various enemies all too easily marks the beginning of doubt in one's own rightness." (From Hitler's Mein Kampf.)

    Posted by ttr at 10/03/2008 @ 4:33pm

36. I have a better chance of becoming President than Palin. It's all nice to be ambitious and all, but let's be real.

    Who's going to be likely players for Presidential nods from Republicans? If I were a betting man, I'd put money on Petraeus and Rice - both of whom would smoke Palin so fast in the primaries it couldn't even be called a race.

    Posted by srjenkins at 10/03/2008 @ 7:26pm

37. Like millions of American's I'm hoping that after the election Palin will return to the frozen tundra and never be heard from again.

    Palin must realize in her heart of hearts that she has only been used by McCain to inject "something" into his limp campaign.

    But as with most celebrities her ability to dodge bullets in Alaska and her instant celebrity on the national level is being believed even by her ... "you like me, you really like me!"

    She should of course recognize that people are laughing at her as well and do not take her seriously. If she had an ounce of humility, I believe there would be many who would feel sorry for her.

    But Palin's transparent desire to "become" is probably a bit more than even McCain had bargained for. And even through this good ole boy, hockey mom persona, a cold and calculating side can be seen. She is not Mother Theresa by any stretch.

    Mixed with inane comments and cutsie, flirty and sophomore antics, her tactics are beginning to backfire and wear on people, even her supporters.

    I would guess that her electability in Alaska, should she wish to stay in politics after this, will be questionable.

    And besides .... we haven't heard the last of the "troopergate" investigation have we?

    There's more to come.

    Posted by Hoot at 10/04/2008 @ 02:39am

38. I agree with Biden when he hammered Obama during the primary debates about sitting down with the leader of Iran.

    I don't know why he changed his position during the debate.

    Joe, lay off the botox. It was hard to watch. Thank God that keep Sarah in the picture, after all this TV.

    Posted by fuelrod at 10/04/2008 @ 05:05am

39. 70 million.. all to watch Joe, Now it eazy to understand why he could not even get 1% in Iowa.

    obama and mccain put me to sleep..

    Posted by fuelrod at 10/04/2008 @ 05:13am

40. I lived down the road from Wasilla when Palin was Mayor. The only reason she was able to lower property taxes was she got Sen. Stevens to get earmarks to cover the projects (mostly sewers and roads) the property taxes were meant to cover. And she had lobbyists to help.

    I'm sure McCain would be pleased. Right? Just like you're pleased she used your money instead of Alaska money for their sewers. Right?

    And forget using oil money for such mundane projects when the rest of America can step up and fund it, right?

    Posted by Ceredwin at 10/04/2008 @ 07:12am

41. At this distance in time, it seems to me that Sara did exactly what the GOP needed her to do. She wasn't there to beat Biden, she was there to reassure the GOP base that she was capable of using complete sentences, and could dance around a question, or totally ignore one, as easily as anyone. I found it interesting that she had little idea of what the Constitution says are the duties of the VP, but seemed solidly founded in what Dick Cheney thinks the duties are. You remember Cheney, he's the one who doesnt' think his office is part of the Executive Branch. Doggone inelegant of the framers to put it there. Did Sara do McCain any good? I don't think so, did she do Sara Palin any good? Oh yeah, she did. I noted also that on the day following the debates the rightwingnuts were all slamming Biden. It's the Clanence Darrow theory, if you can't attack the charge, attack the system-or in this case the messenger. McCain may or may not lose this election, but Sara Palin is now going to be a voice to be heard in the GOP.

    Posted by DanielG at 10/04/2008 @ 07:27am

42. soccer mom=millionaire?

    yeah, sure, whatever.

    Posted by emile duBois at 10/04/2008 @ 08:32am

43. I think the Nixon comparison is good in terms of Palin's small time upbringing and lack of Washington ties. However, when it comes to the Straussian RNC of today--Cheney, Norquist and Bush Jr--I think the resemblance to Dan Qualye is closer in that she lacks independence, simply wanting to act as a willing figurehead. Remmeber that Nixon did try but fail to take over his government at one point..the results was Watergate ..but he did try.

    Posted by hrayovac at 10/04/2008 @ 2:32pm

44. I think the Nixon comparison is good in terms of Palin's small time upbringing and lack of Washington ties.

    say whaat? Nixon was elected to the House at age 33, in 1946. lack of Washington ties? vice pres in '52 and the big enchilada in '68.

    Posted by emile duBois at 10/04/2008 @ 3:28pm

45. left out elected to the Senate in '50. he coulda been a contender, but for the dark side, a trait he shared with the electorate.

    Posted by emile duBois at 10/04/2008 @ 3:31pm

46. Palin, didn't pick Bush I so much because she admires him, she picked him because he is the only Republican VP that she actually is aware of that isn't toxic, and therefore the only "safe" one to mention.

    Remember, this is a person that doesn't know history. She's in her 40s and can only go back to about 1980 in her political consciousness. That means she has a limited number of choices -- Bush I, Dan Q. (who was widely perceived as a know-nothing-pretty-boy) and Cheney (who is frequently compared to Darth Vader).

    Biden, however, clearly had a command of history and talked about Johnson. But she was forced to deal with only what she seen pass in her lifetime.

    Posted by Clord at 10/05/2008 @ 12:25am

47. All those concerned about a VP or heaven forbid a Pres. Palin ...

    Check out what those in her state say about her. Google the Anchorage Daily newspaper.

    An local editorial today states that McCain's camp has taken over the governors office and any inquiry that is sent to the office is cleared by McCain's goons.

    This is no joke and a must read. Why the media isn't reporting on this is beyond me.

    Also ... the effort of state rep. legislators to block the investigation has been over ruled by a judge up there and must go forward. The republican's are screaming bloody murder.

    Todd Palin has agreed to be interviewed so we know he's been coached to the hilt.

    But ... even the locals know what's going on with Palin and are none to happy about it.

    Seems there are voices now speaking up that were afraid to voice their opinion before.

    If Palin is going to be told to pull antics like linking Obama to Weathermen and calling him a terrorist, then I suspect she would strap a bomb around her waist if they told her to.

    This women is not just scary but dangerous. She has zero conscience.

    Posted by Hoot at 10/05/2008 @ 08:55am

48. "Troopergate" investigation begins!

    McCain's goons that are running Palin's office have done their level best to prevent this but it's happening anyway.

    Many Alaskan's are taking a perverse pleasure in this investigation. It would appear as of late that they are not as high on Palin as we were led to believe.

    Should be interesting.

    Posted by Hoot at 10/05/2008 @ 10:48am

49. And in addition ... it appears that a group of Alaskan's are asking how Palin on her and her husbands salary can afford the home they live and the plane they fly.

    Seems as though they are worth a lot more money than the tax returns would lead you to believe.

    Posted by Hoot at 10/05/2008 @ 10:53am

50. She is *anything but* toast. This is the country that made Dubya president, remember.

    Posted by wegesrand at 10/05/2008 @ 4:28pm

51. the Most Dangerous Things that Occurred in the Vice Presidential Debate.

    "..I may not answer the question the way the Moderator wants…….."

    How dangerous and what an omen this statement is. When most of us hear an elected official speak in this manner we shutter from recent experiences. The very nature of being an elected official is the antithesis of being obstinate.

    A statement of this type says to the electorate, get prepared because when I'm elected I'm going to be stubborn in my purpose, my opinions, and I will not yield to argument, persuasion, or entreaty.

    Complete post at: http://wildweezle.wordpress.com/

    Posted by wildweezle at 10/05/2008 @ 6:19pm

52. Palindrome – A buncha words that don't know if they're comin' or goin'.

    Posted by Ralph124C41 at 10/05/2008 @ 8:34pm

53. The Greek root of palindrome is palin, which means "running back", "backward", or "recurring". Appropriate! Here's a palindrome for ya. It's making the rounds up here in AK:

    Wasilla's all I saw.

    And yes, up here in the frozen north, we are pretty tired of Sarah's and the rest of the Palinistas' antics.

    Posted by matinak at 10/06/2008 @ 12:27pm

54. She is *anything but* toast. This is the country that made Dubya president, remember. Posted by wegesrand at 10/05/2008 @ 4:28pm | ignore this person | warn this person

    where is the bump in McCain's poll numbers?

    scrap heap of history is their only destination.

    Posted by emile duBois at 10/06/2008 @ 2:25pm