Sarah Palin rained on Mitt Romney's parade yesterday by showing up in New Hampshire during his 2012 announcement speech but she will have to do more that just play a political gadfly if she wants to be president.
A prescient Wall Street Journal column on Friday outlines Palin's dilemma. A darling of the right, she has solidified her base by attacking all the other candidates who stray from Republican orthodoxy but she has failed to come up with any new policies herself.
It is easy in politics to play the attack dog and Palin has done that very successfully, but whether she can ever be a fully fledged candidate remains to be seen.
In terms of policies Romney is far ahead of the field. His announcement was a brisk and clear 'it's the economy stupid' speech going after Obama on his critical weakness.
Romney has the experience and ability to back up his attacks , his political machine is revved up and ready. This is his hour and he is the man the White House fears most.
Palin on the other hand would be their dream if she somehow came through the primaries.
Sound bites won't work in debates or long media interviews.
Neither do flaming attacks on opponents based on catch phrases and clever words.
Palin may never actually become a candidate and her gadfly syle of attack politics will always please her base and make her even richer no matter what.
But if she wants to get into the big leagues with Romey she will have to do better than a sneak attack on Romney while he is announcing his candidacy.
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Switch to the desktop site to post a comment.jnewnam | Jun 13, 2011, 12:01 PM EDT
Romney just touted his Obamney Healthcare Plan and the proven lie of Global Warming. The RNC just asked me for more money. I said no as long as Romney keeps putting his foot in his mouth. This is so disappointing. But in truth I am in the ANYBODY BUT OBAMA camp. At least Romney knows how to create a job.
dan Breen | Jun 12, 2011, 12:11 PM EDT
She needs to take a lesson from Iris Robinson!
maloney | Jun 11, 2011, 11:02 PM EDT
Never fear, things are about to pick up. I think Rick Perry is about to throw his hat in the three rings. GingerDee, Ron Paul would make an excellent Potus but will never be given the press or time to get there. What a shame. Perry is taking addresses and phone numbers of out of state supporters, looks like it's on. He WILL get the press coverage, they are scared to death of him just like Palin. He beats the h*ll out of obama.
badolan | Jun 11, 2011, 10:44 PM EDT
So far, the Retardlicans have no candidate. Palin pales in comparison to Obama. She actually only wants attention and cash. She is not a serious contender. She can not stand up to scrutiny and a real debate. She has already had too many bad interviews in which she made herself look completely incompetent. Romney backed a version of "Obomacare" for his state and the religions right can't back him because he's a Mormon so he's out. . So far, it's been a three ring circus for the conservatives (regressionists).
GingerDee | Jun 11, 2011, 05:44 AM EDT
Ron Paul is worthy of mention in this context. Notice the author's slant is revealed by what he's omitted. Ron Paul is "a big boy" and is running a credible campaign, despite an orchestrated, nearly complete press blackout.
KathleenBerrio | Jun 06, 2011, 03:09 PM EDT
Isn't the Walmart in Wasilia hiring?
KathleenBerrio | Jun 06, 2011, 03:08 PM EDT
Isn't the Walmart in Wasilia hiring?
MarthaAnne | Jun 05, 2011, 12:27 PM EDT
Thank you for posting that comment, Irishsetter! Mitt Romney displayed remarkable cruelty towards that dog. I always think of that incident whenever, always, when I see Romney in a photo doing his campaign speaking. I have much dismay about the silence or minimizing by most Americans (alleged pet lovers, what a joke) who don't continually and constantly bring up that incident every single time Romney shows his face trying to run for office. He should be banned forever from office for cruelty to animals. For those who don't know it already, that dog let loose his feces on that ride due to the fear and stress of being made to sit inside a carrier ON TOP OF THE CAR FOR HUNDREDS OF MILES. On the highway. What kind of human being not only does it but also makes excuses for it. Did you know that he hosed the dog off part way and put him back into the carrier? This shows a person devoid of compassion. Please, Republicans, don't elect this man.
Irishsetter | Jun 05, 2011, 12:03 PM EDT
The GOP is sunk if Romney is there lead candidate. Mitt has had allegations made in the Mormon Church area, where the Romney family dominated over for decades in Michigan, viciously covered-up childhood sexual assaults. Unlike the Catholic Church, the Mormon Churches leadership is run by lay ministers, Romney family members have been Mormon Stake President, Bishops, and Regional Representatives, all high positions in the Mormon Church. Even in Boston, Mass. While Mitt was governor, there was an attempted cover-up of childhood sexual assault, church members being told not to talk or be corporative with police. And on very strange thing happened, as the story began to brake on the Boston Mormon Sexual assault – is when police on the west coast received a fake terrorist report that Chinese National terrorist where heading to Boston – just in time to take the focus off the child sexual assault. Good information on Mitt Romney use Google and Google in – Mitt Romney the Weather-vane Candidate
Irishsetter | Jun 05, 2011, 12:01 PM EDT
bonbon1 -- Mitt Romney put his Irish setter dog on top of his car and, traveled at break neck speeds, from Mass. to Canada. That is Mitt, he takes everyone for a ride.
IAPRINCESS | Jun 05, 2011, 09:03 AM EDT
Dear Sarah, Please see you will not win. Disappear into the past please! No Fan
KathleenBerrio | Jun 05, 2011, 12:20 AM EDT
My chocolate lab is smarter than Sarah Palin.
bonbon1 | Jun 04, 2011, 11:02 PM EDT
Sarah Palin isn't Irish. However, my Irish setter would get a higher score on a test than Sarah Palin. For some reason she's a celebrity and knows how to make money for herself. Maybe it would be good for Ireland if she ran the government of Ireland and could enrich the treasury.
ciarrai | Jun 04, 2011, 10:00 PM EDT
Why do you insult the readers of this website with the fiction that this dingbat could "get serious" enough to run for POTUS. Did you hear her recent attempts at recounting the story of Paul Revere. Any 4th grader used to be able to recite the story by heart with all the details. Sarah Palin wasn't able to do that. What about her understanding of the Statue of Liberty? She is an incorrigible dumbbell and people like you, Niall O'Dowd, really do a disservice to the people who waste their time reading the drivel the site contains by putting this woman out there as a viable anything. She is physically attractive. Period. She doesn't have the smarts to do anything approaching the presidency of this country. Please show some respect for the Irish crowd that has signed onto your site. We are the smart ones (to borrow from another of your favorites, Donald Trump). Enough of this Palin rubbish.
jamthecat | Jun 04, 2011, 05:20 PM EDT
Yeah, and I'd like to win the lottery. Not gonna happen.
SeamusMor | Jun 04, 2011, 02:05 PM EDT
Palin is the Democrat's "great white hope!" There is no one they would rather see as the Republican nominee!
McNamara31 | Jun 04, 2011, 02:03 PM EDT
This person can't form a spontaneous thought into sentence form and she boarders on being out right illiterate when she does speak. Could you imagine her in negotiations with Pakistan over their 100 nukes, or discussing worldwide financial matters with the G8? God help us. She’s the world’s first reality show candidate, first created to do the dirty work for the GOP, but now she she’s doing it for herself and making a fortune along the way. Has anyone looked into the face of her little daughter being dragged around the country while her mother stages her last opportunistic bus tour mission? Palin will use all and anything for her own purposes; even her children as props.
cillowen | Jun 04, 2011, 12:17 PM EDT
she's making out like a bandit - amazing the power of a zero.
seagreen | Jun 04, 2011, 11:12 AM EDT
Its interesting watching all of these hen pecked men droolng ovr Palin like Hannity does over Ann Coulter. She is their sixth grade teacher, their fantasy wife, the queen that America never had! She knows what is out there, and is very good at playing it all to her advantage. One would have to be certifiably insane to imagine this woman in charge of American fleets roaming the world with nuclear weapons that could destroy the planet....Guys, please get your rocks off some other way!!!
ellenfromcork | Jun 04, 2011, 10:25 AM EDT
Where's her youngest child and grandchild in that picture?
Mairin67 | Jun 03, 2011, 07:21 PM EDT
She needs to do a lot more than just get serious. She needs to live her life over and learn quite few things, starting with how to be a decent, honest, intelligent person.
IronMountainMovies | Jun 03, 2011, 01:34 PM EDT
Yes, Sarah Palin needs to get serious if she wants to win the republican nomination. She could also be helped with a large dose of sanity too, but come to think of it, given the history of previous Republican patriots in the White House, that may be more a hindrance than a help. 'A Tea Party? Oh I do love a tea party.' cried the Mad Hatter.... Ronan Gallagher