The Evolution of the Lamestream Media's Palin Attacks

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The media's recent treatment of Sarah Palin shows how its Palin narrative has evolved. The new meme continues the eighteen-month attack on the 2008 GOP vice presidential candidate, of course, but now it admits to some degree of success on her part. This change in the lamestream media's strategy was mandated because when she resigned her office eight months ago, the media narrative at the time was that she had made a terrible mistake and was consigned to the dustbin of history.

Instead, The Arctic Fox emerged stronger and more powerful than ever, and nearly everyone can recognize that fact. So the media elites began to modify the narrative. The failure of the "irrelevancy" meme has led them to concede that Sarah Palin is a media star with a large following, but they continue to try to marginalize her as a political force. The new meme insists that Gov. Palin is the next Oprah Winfrey, but that she will never hold elective public office again. But saying so does not make it so.

A fine example of the evolved state-run media treatment of Sarah Palin can be seen in David Carr's column in the media section of the Sunday New York Times. Much of the familiar media condescension is still part of the media's most recent salvos fired at the former governor:

"After her failed bid for the vice presidency, she was more or less told to head back to Alaska to serve out her term as governor — a kind of metaphorical kitchen."

"Instead, she quit her day job and proceeded to become a one-woman national media empire, with the ratings and lucre to show for it."

Notice that by virtue of being chosen as Sen. John McCain's running mate, Gov. Palin is always described by the media as "failed," even though the failure was that of the McCain campaign. John Edwards is never referred to by the media elites as having "failed" in the 2004 election, nor is any other Democrat who ran on a losing presidential ticket.

"Filthy lucre" has become part and parcel of the new drive-by media meme. The latest effort is to use Sarah Palin's success as a wedge to drive between her and the average Americans who admire her because they feel that they share much in common with the happy warrior from Wasilla. The media is now trying to tell John Q. and Jane Q. Public, "Look, she's not like you. She's rich." Never mind that success hasn't spoiled Sarah one bit.

"With its tales of uplift and pluck, 'Real American Stories' trades in the kind of easy sentimentality that provokes eye rolls among those of us who work in media while quickening the pulse and patriotic ardor of almost everyone else."

This statement says a lot, probably much more than Carr intended when he wrote it. It is an admission that the lamestream media has severed the few remaining ties between the once-honorable profession of journalism and Mainstream America. It is a measure of the degree of condescension present in the media view of everyday Americans and drives home the meaning of the term "Media elites."

"Ms. Palin’s politics can border on the atavistic, but beyond her Tea Party theatrics, she has tunneled her own route into the public consciousness and gone into the Sarah Palin Across America business. And what a business it is."

Here Carr reveals that he and his fellow leftist media elites view Sarah Palin as a political throwback. The common sense conservatism of Ronald Reagan is indeed shared by Gov. Palin. That a large number of Americans also share it seems to be beyond the comprehension of the media elites. What Carr calls "theatrics" is what the right of center majority of Americans recognize as Sarah telling them the unvarnished truth.

"Many observers thought her unwillingness to serve out her term would be fatal to her ambitions, but the fact that governance did not suit her — she resigned as governor back in July — has become a kind of credential."

More spin. Anyone who is acquainted with the facts knows that it wasn't governance which did not suit Sarah Palin, it was trying to govern while under a full-scale Cloward-Piven attack. The $600,000 in personal legal bills Gov. Palin was saddled with as a result of the attacks was a major factor in her decision to resign as Governor of Alaska.

"Ms. Palin still gets a session in the media spanking machine every time she does anything, but the disapproval seems to further cement the support of her loyalists. Ms. Palin may or may not be qualified to represent America around the world, but she certainly represents vast swaths of the American public and has a lucrative new career to show for it."

"If we don’t see why, then maybe we deserve the 'lamestream media' label she likes to give us."

Carr is just one of an increasing number of leftist media types who now admit that their attacks on Sarah Palin and her family have backfired. But that's not the only reason why the label sticks. It is the media's failure to perform its primary function -- unbiased reporting of the news -- that makes it so lame. By acting as Barck Obama's publicity agents rather than journalists, the media lost what little remaining credibility it had with the majority of Americans.

"'Going Rogue' is just one more example of how her inability or unwillingness to connect with the establishment leaders gives her credibility elsewhere."

That Sarah Palin has the ability to connect with the GOP establishment has been demonstrated. Michael Gerson, Fred Barnes and Fred Malek are just a few of the Republican Party insiders who have championed her. It's the more corrupt elements in the GOP establishment that she refuses to kowtow to, but the lamestream media won't tell you because it doesn't fit their "Get Palin" agenda.

"Last week, she returned to Senator McCain’s side to help in his re-election bid. As she bounded across the stage in Arizona and Cindy McCain struggled to maintain her frozen smile, even people who can’t stand her politics must have laughed."

A twofer! Carr couldn't pass up the opportunity to beat Cindy McCain and Sarah Palin with the same club. And this is just one of the many reasons why the latest media attacks on Sarah Palin remind us so much of the old ones.

Update: Stacy McCain comments on Carr's piece:

"Burn, burn, burn!"

- JP

Quote of the Day (April 4, 2010)

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JammieWearingFool:

"[Sarah Palin] drew more viewers than Glenn Beck and two other news program, but it was modest. She more than doubled Olberdork and Maddow, but it was modest. Olberfraud would be doing cartwheels if he even approached such modest numbers. She more than tripled the inane Joyless Behar, but the numbers were modest. She obliterated Anderson Cooper in the same timeslot, yet her numbers were modest. If any other politician drew numbers even comparable we'd be told they were a juggernaut heading for stardom. But Palin gets over two million viewers and her numbers were modest."

- JP

Sarah Palin to speak in Waco September 14

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According to a Waco Tribune Herald report, Care Net of Central Texas CEO Deborah McGregor told the paper Friday that it was Sarah Palin’s personal history with pregnancy, not her rock star status, that compelled the nonprofit group to book the former governor to speak at its September banquet:

“She’s a perfect candidate,” McGregor said, pointing to Palin’s decision to continue her pregnancy with her youngest child, Trig, after he was prenatally diagnosed with Down syndrome. Palin wrote about her decision to go ahead with the pregnancy in her memoir, “Going Rogue.”

“And she had a teen daughter (Bristol) who carried out a pregnancy,” McGregor said.

Palin’s story illustrates how for women facing pregnancies, “when you have support, it can have a positive outcome,” McGregor said. And “that’s what Care Net does — it offers support to women.”

The Tribune Herald reported Gov. Palin’s scheduled appearance in its Thursday edition. The banquet will be held September 14 at the Baylor Ferrell Center. We're waiting for ticket information to be announced. The CareNet website is here.

- JP

Chris Good:'Real American Stories' a perfect fit for Palin

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A surprisingly positive piece from The Atlantic, in which staff editor Chris Good comments on the "Real American Stories with Sarah Palin" special which aired on Fox News Thursday night:

This show, and its format, is a perfect fit for Palin.

[...]

Palin woos voters because she purveys a certain sensibility of what it means to have common sense, of what values should motivate and guide the country.

Palin's book wasn't about politics or policy, it was about her own personal story, and that's what people want. At the end of the day, a lot of the fascination surrounding Palin boils down to her own personal dynamism and charm, her down-to-earth qualities that resonate with a segment of conservative voters who share those values.

In that regard, Palin has an opportunity to bring a set of marginal voters, people not always connected to the political process, into her ranks of supporters. We saw that in the buzz surrounding her campaign appearances in '08.

Good says there's a bigger market for this style of show, because he believes that people react positively to uplifting stories about the American Dream, while they are tired of the seemingly never-ending policy debates. But they never tire of stories which "reinforce their conceptions of opportunity and sacrifice and overcoming adversity that go along with their emotional definitions of what America should be."

Good makes an important point. Policy wonks and political junkies tend to forget that they are in the minority. Most Americans couldn't care less about political issues until those policy matters impact their own families, their households and their wallets. But stories of ordinary Americans who make extraordinary achievements resonate with everyday Janes and Joes. Most people find such stories both compelling and inspirational.

And the author is correct that with such shows as "Real American Stories," Gov. Palin can broaden her appeal to a wider number of voters. But her involvement with this series of specials serves, we believe, a purpose even more basic than that. The media has been of no small help in aiding its Leftist masters to demonize Sarah Palin day in and day out for eighteen straight months. While polls tell us that most Americans see through the media lies, there are still a number of people who will see the woman portrayed on a media outlet in a positive light for the first time when they first sit down to view an episode in this series.

Fox News will air a replay of "Real American Stories" tonight at 9:00 p.m. Texas Time.

- JP

Leftists push counterfeit Bachmann-Palin tickets

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Leftists, can't do anything in a straightforward manner. With them, it's always dirty tricks and subterfuge. Latest example The maggots at Wonkette (Dirtbag Warning!) have scanned some real tickets to the April 7th Minneapolis rally featuring Michele Bachmann and Sarah Palin, and posted them on the Web.

What do the widdle worms at Wonkette suggest the useful idiots who hang out there do with the ticket images? Wink wink, nudge nudge:

"... we’ve got scans of the rally tickets for you to, uh, look at. Or maybe try to use ‘em for real, by printing them out (5.5″ x 2″) on the same kind of cheap two-sided glossy laser-printer photo paper used by the real GOP of Minnesota!"

Their mommies or daddies must be so proud!

- JP

Fox News Video: Lamestream Media Takes Aim at Tea Party, Palin

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A video of a segment from Sunday's "Fox Newswatch" program on FNS:



- JP

Quote of the Day (April 3, 2010)

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Greta Van Susteren:

"You don't have to agree with everything Palin says (I do not) but how can you deny her success? If you look at the ratings for her special, she easily beat the competition in the time slot! What is with the critics?"

- JP

More Quote of the Day Honorable Mentions, Part 41

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"Have spine, will travel: Wire Palin" Edition...

Shushannah Walshe:

A former senior adviser to McCain during his primary battle and the general election said that he never heard McCain speak ill of Palin, but described their campaigning together as "entirely transactional," adding that 'she feels obligated and he feels that he benefits from her.'"

Clifton B:

"Thinking back to McCain’s concession speech... Sarah was not allowed to give her short speech. Today, McCain would probably give his eyetooth to have Sarah so much as wink to his audience. While McCain is still the same man he was then, Palin has grown by leaps and bounds."

M. Becker:

"[Sarah Palin] can do three things right now, is positioned and gifted to do all of them well, and she will make a big contribution to the effort to change the face of Washington DC in November. She’s well connected on social media and is an articulate bomb thrower. See 'death panels'. She’s good at throwing red meat to the base and getting them focused. She also drives the enemy berserk. She can raise money like nobody’s business... For the 'driving the enemy berserk' part... my personal favorite would have to be the Anchorage Daily News... These people need Thorazine."

Joe Gandelman:

"The bigger lingering issue has been whether the GOP can meld traditional GOP voters with the tea party movement. If Palin brings in tea party members to vote for candidates who have her blessing, it will be a significant development for the Republicans — and Democrats will ignore it at their peril."

Joshuapundit:

"I swear, sometimes I feel like Sarah Palin has more guts and common sense than half the Republican Party put together."

Taylor Marsh:

"To understand the enormity of [Sarah Palin's] people powered popularity you need to consider that Searchlight has a population of around 760 people, give or take, but certainly less than 1,000... The lines of cars and crowd shots.. are nothing short of monumental..."

Jackie Bartz:

"According to a recent poll by the Dittman Research Corporation, 53 percent of Alaskans want Palin to stay politically active... Whether people love her or love to hate her, people seem to agree that Palin will likely be good for Alaska's economy, with some expecting her fame to bring in extra tourism dollars."

Lou Harris:

"The outlook for the Tea Party venture into politics must be viewed as well set-up to succeed. Above all else, they can make hay with their denunciation of the Washington crowd... Very important, they have a highly charismatic possible leader and potential candidate in Sarah Palin... The Tea Party may prove to be the marginal difference in determining who will occupy the White House in 2013 or who will control the House of Representatives in 2011."

Merv Benson:

"I think Sarah Palin is pretty much a center right conservative whose views on foreign policy are pretty mainstream among conservatives. The same can be said for her domestic positions, where if anything she may be more interventionist than libertarian conservatives. What really scares liberals is that she connects with voters in ways that motivate them to action. She has a way of making fun of opponents that is difficult for them to respond to. [Her] ability to deliver a low key zinger against Obama seems to drive them up the wall."

Eric Dondero:

"Palin has had many Libertarian Party supporters over the years. Her first campaign manager in her runs for Mayor of Wasilla was identified by the Boston Globe... as a 'Libertarian.' In 2005, she attended two local Libertarian Party meetings in Anchorage... And in 2006 the entire board of the Libertarian Party of Alaska endorsed her candidacy. Additionally, the LP candidate against her on the ballot Billy Toien, publicly backed her campaign the last three days of the race. In 2007/08, all three co-founders of 'Draft Sarah Palin for VP' were self-described 'libertarians.'"

Larry Lambert:

"Sarah Palin doesn't lack for courage or moral fiber, and she is a spokesperson for a better America - an America without barack hussein obama or his stooges leading the country."

Dan Calabrese:

"[Sarah Palin] should endorse who she wants, not because she’s trying to be a conservative, but because she’s being herself. If you think that’s conservative, fine. If you don’t, who cares? She is a person with great skills, great integrity and an exceptional understanding of the issues facing this country. I have no idea if she wants to run for president, but I want to see her influence grow, because it is good influence, and she accomplishes good things."

Patrick Archbold:

"Liberals have derided the concept of 'death panels' for months ever since Sarah Palin coined the term... Paul Krugman of the NY Times appearing on This Week laughs at the notion of death panel and then goes on to explain in startling detail how the death panels will save money... A lot of people owe Sarah Palin an apology."

Cassy Fiano:

"Levi Johnston is shopping around his very own 'Jersey Shore' style reality show... It seems to me that Alaskans will prefer Sarah’s version by far. It looks as if Levi is out to make young Alaskans look like nothing more than idiotic, adrenaline-seeking hicks. Sarah Palin is out to show the beauty and the adventure of Alaska. Which [one] seems to be a more positive representation? If anything, I’d imagine that Levi’s show will be an embarassment to Alaskans, and especially the community of Wasilla."

Steve Krakauer:

"It’s a bit ironic that all the controversy from the rap and country worlds leading up to Sarah Palin’s first ever Fox News special concerns one of the least controversial things she may have ever taken part in... Those who love Palin will love this – those who hate her won’t find much to bash, other than to maybe snark the occasional awkwardness in her on-set exchanges. There’s very little doubt the former GOP VP nominee will be an enormous star, and this proves that even further... In this format... she thrives."

Tunku Varadarajan:

"The elites hate Palin, in truth, because she is subversive. But her subversiveness has its bounds, and this is what makes her such a skilled politician... In stumping for McCain, Palin is able to reassure the GOP establishment that she is a pro, not a flamethrower, and also make clear to them that if they go into battle for November’s elections without her, they will have a much harder time getting recalcitrant Tea Partiers on board."

Daniel Halper:

"Palin's [Passover] statement hits home, paying tribute to the historic connection between the Jewish people and the (entire) city of Jerusalem, while riffing off the Obama administration’s often repeated but utterly dissonant statements about the 'unshakable' bonds between the United States and Israel. In fact, this administration seems determined to undermine that alliance to the greatest extent conditions will allow... Still, for the anti-Palin left, surely this statement will set off another round of handwringing and worry that, horror of horrors, 'even on the difficult issues she supports Israel.'"

David Innes:

"If what the country needs to pull us out of our free fall into European social democracy is someone with a solid center in classical republican principles as well as the skill, vision, mettle, and integrity to pull it off politically, Sarah Palin may be the one to do it. I’m not convinced, but I’m listening."

Mike Zeldis:

"It seems to me that Palin is the only person that for the most part represents a true U.S.Constitutional position as envisioned by our founding fathers who could get elected in 2012 and have a chance of stopping and reversing this tyrannical destruction of the U.S that is being advanced by Soros/Obama. Sarah Palin can save us from the Soros/Obama tyranny."

Ted Bellman:

"Sarah Palin is hot. The tide has turned. She can no longer be denied. She will be elected President in 2012... People are rallying around her and her principles. Critics can argue with details, if they are given any, but they can’t argue with her principles."

- JP

Quote of the Day (April 2, 2010)

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Mark Halperin:

"Palin is consolidating her position as the most powerful person in the Republican party."

- JP

Read 'em and weep, Palin detractors

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Matt Drudge reports that Sarah Palin's Fox News special Thursday night scored the third-highest rating of the evening among the major cable news networks:

CABLE NEWS RACE
THURS., APRIL 1, 2010

FOXNEWS O'REILLY 2,981,000
FOXNEWS HANNITY 2,256,000
FOXNEWS PALIN 2,073,000
FOXNEWS BECK 2,014,000
FOXNEWS BAIER 1,877,000
FOXNEWS SHEP 1,658,000
MSNBC OLBERMANN 989,000
MSNBC MADDOW 950,000
CNN KING 839,000
CNN COOPER 820,000
CNNHN BEHAR 641,000

In its time slot, according to the Nielson numbers revealed by TV Newser, "Real American Stories with Sarah Palin" captured more than twice the number of viewers in the 25 to 54 age demographic of any of its competitors, including "Anderson Cooper 360" on CNN, "Countdown with Keith Olbermann" on MSNBC and "Nancy Grace" on HLN:



Among all viewers, the Sarah Palin special had more viewers than Cooper, Olbermann and Grace could manage combined:


As Frank Sinatra is quoted as saying, “The best revenge is massive success.”

h/t: HotAirPundit

- JP

Judge upholds warrants in Palin e-mail hacking case

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A U.S. district judge ruled against the defendant charged with hacking Sarah Palin's e-mail today by refusing to dismiss search warrants for Internet provider records:

U.S. Magistrate Clifford Shirley Jr. in a decision Friday denied the motion filed on behalf of David C. Kernell, 22, whose father is a Democratic state lawmaker from Memphis.

Defense attorney Wade Davies and the chief prosecutor in the case, Assistant U.S. Attorney Greg Weddle, did not answer telephone messages seeking comment.

Authorities say Kernel was a University of Tennessee student who gained access to the former Alaska governor's personal Yahoo e-mail account when she was serving as the running mate to Republican presidential candidate John McCain.

Kernell is free on bond, charged with computer fraud, unlawful electronic transmission of material outside Tennessee and intentionally accessing Palin's e-mail account without authorization. His trial is set for April 20 in Knoxville.

Davies' motion charged that the magistrate overstepped his authority by issuing warrants beyond the East Tennessee federal court district, but prosecutors countered that the warrants were proper under the Electronic Communications Privacy Act.

Shirley's decision cited a change in federal law made in 2001 which granted such authority to a "court with jurisdiction over the offense under investigation."

- JP

McEwen: Crusade on Palin's speaking fee is purely political

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In a Fresno Bee op-ed by Bill McEwen dealing with the dust-up over Sarah Palin's impending appearance at Cal State, Stanislaus, the author correctly tags California State Sen. Leland Yee's crusade for what it is -- pure political grandstanding:

Instead of privately asking the school's foundation to reveal what it was paying Palin, Yee's office sent out a news release stating that "the CSU should immediately disclose how much money is being diverted from students to pay Sarah Palin's exorbitant speaking fees." The release also called Palin "out of touch."

First off, "exorbitant" is in the eyes of the beholder. The market dictates what a speaker gets.

There's no better example of this than former president Bill Clinton, who collected $40 million in speaking fees in his first six years after leaving the White House.

Second, Palin -- whether you agree with her views or not -- is a political powerhouse and part of the national discussion.

The folks at the Stanislaus foundation know better than Yee who would pack the house and the profits that might result. Yee has no more business passing judgment on the event's featured speaker than he does picking the color of the appetizer napkins.

Third, public money for student education isn't being used to compensate Palin. Yee, who is highly involved in education issues and holding university foundations accountable, surely knew this before grandstanding for the left.

Conservatives nationwide, with justification, see this as a liberal politician from a nearly bankrupt state picking on Palin, darling of the Tea Party movement, for his own political gain.

Read the full Bill McEwen commentary here.

- JP

What are the two most powerful words on the web?

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Philadelphia Magazine blogger Larry Mendte, in a Philly Post opinion piece, says the two most powerful words on the internet are Sarah Palin:

As Marshall McLuhan once said, “The media is the message.” And that is never truer than in the phenomena called Palin.

She has found power without the baggage of politics. She can post on her Facebook page to a million-and-a-half loyal followers and change the health-care debate to the point that the President of the United States has to answer her “death panel” claim to a joint session of Congress. She can meet thousands of adoring Americans on a record-setting book tour and not once speak with a pesky reporter. She can walk into the studio that Fox built for her in her home to talk with her friends at Fox News and never have to do one hard hitting interview with the likes of Katie Couric or Charlie Gibson.

It is interesting to note here that the Power of Palin affects almost everyone who crosses her path.

[...]

In the end, Palin, the Queen of all media, gets the same attention and polarizing reaction as Vice Presidential candidate Palin. And again, none of it is based in the person of Palin, but the persona of Palin.

Which is why I’m convinced she’s not running for anything ever again.

Though Mendte and some others are so convinced, theirs is a minority opinion. A much larger crowd is just as convinced that she will run again just as sure as night follows day. The only point of contention among them is when she will run, and which public office she will pursue first. Many see her making a run for the presidency in 2012, just two short years away. Some, including John Ziegler, believe the former governor will challenge Alaska's junior Senator Mark Begich (D) in 2014 and then run for president in 2016. Some others think she will indeed take on Begich, but that she will serve a full Senate term and make a White House run in 2020.

But all of the political fortune tellers' crystal balls are cloudy where Sarah Palin's future plans are concerned. When even her own father says it's a mystery to him, how can anyone else say that their reading of the tea leaves doesn't come with the caveat of a very large margin of error?

We don't disagree, however, with the author on his assessment of the force of The Power of Palin, a power that her unwitting detractors have helped her to amass:

And the greatest irony to all of this is that those initial attacks after her convention speech helped to create the powerful persona of Palin.

[...]

Sarah Palin has become rich and more powerful than ever because of it. And now she cannot be ignored. Even those in the media who loathe her understand her draw, and they talk about her whenever they can. David Letterman and Chris Matthew, two of her well known critics, both have practically begged for her to appear on their shows. Sarah Palin declined — because the biggest celebrity in America doesn’t need either of them.

Stupid? I think not. Sarah Barracuda saw an opportunity and grabbed it with both hands. When she quit as governor, she kept the perks of power sans responsibility. She gets to work a little less and make a lot more.

Sarah Palin is brilliant.

- JP

Sarah Takes West Texas

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Sarah Palin's recent appearances in Midland have made an overwhelmingly positive impression in the Permian Basin, according to the Midland Reporter-Telegram's Ed Todd:

One day last week, Sarah Palin no doubt charmed and aroused a staunch and enthusiastic multitude of West Texans and, especially, diehard conservatives with or without party affiliations. Surely, most were Republicans and Tea Party loyalists and, to boot, a smattering of Independents and, perhaps, a few Democrats who fancy or decry her rhetoric and who critically mull over her preachments to set aright a nation gone astray.

By her rhetoric, upbringing and competitiveness, Sarah Palin is feisty. She is a smartly attired celebrity star often sporting a modified French-braid hairdo. She is emboldened by success, re-routed by failure and eager to "reload" and try again.

Midland's Clayton W. Williams Jr., West Texas rancher, oilman and adventurer who was the Republican Party's 1990 candidate for Texas governor, said Sarah Palin is "presidential material."

Williams, "very impressed" by the former Alaska governor and 2008 Republican vice-presidential candidate, said he "liked her wit. I liked her appearance, and I now think she's presidential material. I like her conservative stance. She's definitely got the intelligence and nearly two more years to continue to grow. She's already grown a lot since she was the VP candidate. Her bearing is such that I think she'd make a good president."

Her self-esteem seems intact and booming. As both the literate and unlearned populous surely knows, she is not by disposition a quitter, though she did bow out of the Alaska governorship (2006-2009) to pursue personal and political interests following her bold run for America's vice-presidency in 2008.

One of her favorite poets, Robert Service, the "Bard of the Yukon," penned in the poem "The Quitter":

"It's easy to cry that you're beaten - and die; It's easy to crawfish and crawl; But to fight and to fight when hope's out of sight - Why, that's the best game of them all!

Just have one more try - it's dead easy to die, It's the keeping-on-living that's hard."

Read more reactions to Gov. Palin's visit from West Texans in Todd's full article here.

- JP

Quote of the Day (April 1, 2010)

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Lisa Fabrizio:

"So, mean right-winger Tea Partiers are hurting the feelings of our sainted elected officials in Washington. There are rumors of intimidation, death threats and, horror of horrors, inappropriate language. So thin-skinned are these folks that Sarah Palin's simple exhortation, 'don't retreat, reload,' was referred to as 'violent words and imagery.' Even dead Republicans are the subject of posthumous excoriation, as in these noble words of Barry Goldwater: 'Extremism in defense of liberty is no vice.' One wonders what they would make of Thomas Jefferson's observation that, 'The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants.'"

- JP

Sarah Palin: A Celebration of Hope

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Gov. Palin posted an Easter message of hope Thursday night on her Facebook Notes page:

A Celebration of Hope

For many of us, the arrival of Easter means the arrival of a new season of joy – of Easter parades, Easter egg hunts, chocolate bunnies, and sweet Peeps topping off a family meal. Some may wonder why we merrily celebrate at a time when we’re remembering Christ’s crucifixion on the cross. And there is something to that. Good Friday is, after all, about God who became Man, dying on the cross for our sins. And yet we celebrate Easter Sunday, and we are right to do so.

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). This one verse sums up the miracle that is the Easter season and helps explain the celebration. Yes, Christ died for us, but in the end Easter isn’t a season of sadness. Ultimately, the story of Christ’s rising from the dead three days after the crucifixion is the story of the triumph of hope over despair.

Hope is one of America’s unique virtues. Hope makes us dream and achieve the seemingly impossible. It’s who we are, and it’s why we’re able to always believe that our best days are yet to come, both for our families and for our country. Easter time reminds us that we have every right to believe that this hope is based on time-tested truths and a solid foundation.

On behalf of the Palin family, I wish you all a peaceful and reflective Good Friday and a blessed and happy Easter Sunday.

- Sarah Palin

Amen.

- JP

Liz, Fred and Jeri to join Sarah in Independence

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Fred and Jeri Thompson and Liz Cheney will join Sarah Palin for the “Winning America Back” conference at the Independence Events Center, Saturday, May 1, it was announced today:

Tickets for the event are available at the Independence Events Center box office, online at www.GetTix.net or by calling 1-866-443-8849:

There will be two separate tickets – general admission and priority seating. General admission tickets to the one-day 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. conference are $50 and priority seating tickets are $75. Both prices include ticket fees and taxes at the box office, additional service fees will apply to tickets bought online or over the phone. Parking is free.

- JP

Sarah Palin: Real American Stories

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Posted Thursday by Gov. Palin on her Facebook Notes page:

Real American Stories

America is exceptional! It’s not her politicians that make her so; it’s her everyday people and the values Americans hold so dear. During this special week let’s take time to honor some exceptional citizens who may have felt ordinary, but by acting on opportunities in front of them, they’ve accomplished some extraordinary things and have made this world a better place. “Real American Stories” highlights some good people who help lift America’s spirit. Enjoy their stories as they inspire all of us to look beyond self and strive to contribute to this great, blessed country.

I will be guest hosting “Real American Stories” tonight on Fox News Channel. The show airs at 10pm EDT, 9pm Central, 8pm Mountain, 7pm Pacific, and 6pm Alaska time.

- Sarah Palin

- JP

Can Sarah take Iowa and New Hampshire?

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In an NPR story by Liz Halloran, there are quotes from GOP insiders in Iowa and New Hampshire saying Sarah Palin could be the top GOP presidential contender in those two key early primary states in 2012 if she's interested in making a White House run. Only problem is, you have to wade through the typical leftist anti-Palin innuendo, lies and distortions (that your tax dollars help pay for) to get to the good stuff:

"Currently, Sarah Palin can raise more money and generate more excitement among likely Republican primary voters than any other politician," says Sarah Crawford, a New Hampshire-based consultant who was a senior McCain adviser during his 2008 presidential run.

[...]

"She's a political celebrity — and it doesn't hurt to be a celebrity in politics," says Douglas Gross, a lawyer and top Republican in Iowa who chaired Romney's state effort in 2008. (But don't suggest that to McCain, whose presidential campaign repeatedly attacked candidate and future President Barack Obama as a celebrity.)

Palin, says Gross, who has not gotten behind a candidate yet, could win in Iowa if she wants it.

[...]

But can Palin can translate excitement and ability to raise money into a legitimate presidential run? Former McCain adviser Crawford says that remains unclear.

"Of all the top-tier potential 2012 candidates, I think that Sarah Palin has done the least to start organizing in New Hampshire," says Crawford. "That's problematic if she is serious about running for president."

In Iowa, however, where former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee beat the wealthy Romney in 2008 with a shoestring organization and little money, politicos know that stranger things have happened.

"If she wants to run for president," Gross predicted, "the door's wide open."

The full NPR article, for those willing to wade through the liberal media manure minefield, is here.

- JP

Politico: Sarah Palin just says "No" to corrupt RNC

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Politico reports that Sarah Palin has asked the Republican National Committee to stop using her name in its promotion of a fundraising event she does not plan to attend:

Palin’s staff has twice told the RNC to remove her name from an invitation sent to donors, obtained by POLITICO on Wednesday, showing her as an “invited” speaker to the four-day fundraiser in New Orleans, timed to coincide with the SRLC event in Louisiana.

Palin, who will appear at SRLC, “will not take part in any RNC fundraiser in New Orleans,” an aide said.

Gov. Palin doesn't take too kindly to people using her to promote events that she prefers not to be associated with:

Palin previously asked to be removed from a Conservative Political Action Conference invitation, which twice listed her as an invited speaker though she hadn’t agreed to attend the event.

Sarah Palin is right to tell the RNC to stop using her name to promote its events and raise money. We don't blame her a bit for not wanting her name to be associated with such a corrupt and dysfunctional organization as the RNC. Recent news headlines about Chairman Michael Steele's lavish spending on himself and some committee members' idea of a fun night out on the town demonstrate that RNC is not an entity any sane person would want to enable. Plus, the RNC's “six-figure transfer” of funds to support Dede Scozzafava and its history of funneling large sums of cash to Arlen Specter clearly demonstrate that donors would be better off directing their contributions to individual campaigns and PACs rather than trusting the RNC to do it for them.

Well done, Gov. Palin.

- JP