Newsweek: Palin Plots Her Next Move

"I do believe that I can win."
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Released a day early due to popular demand, Newsweek's cover story on Gov. Palin. A few excerpts:

I believe that I can win a national election,' Sarah Palin declared one recent evening, sitting in the private dining room of a hotel in rural Iowa. The occasion for her visit to quintessential small-town America was a gathering of the faithful that would have instantaneously erupted into a fervent campaign rally had she but given the word. Instead, it had been another day on the non–campaign trail, this one capped by a sweet victory: she had just attended the premiere of a glowingly positive documentary about her titled The Undefeated.

“The people of America are desperate for positive change, and deserving of positive change, to get us off of this wrong track,” she told me during a conversation that lasted late into the night and, inevitably, kept returning to the subject that has titillated the media and spooked Republican presidential contenders for months: her political intentions. “I’m not so egotistical as to believe that it has to be me, or it can only be me, to turn things around,” she said. “But I do believe that I can win.”

[...]

If Palin doesn’t end up running, the reason will be simple, she said. “Family. If it came down to the family just saying, ‘Please, Mom, don’t do this,’ then that would be the deal-killer for me, because your family’s gotta be in it with you.”

[...]

Yet Palin, who is 47, now hinted that her family would not try to dissuade her from entering the race. “My kids know that life isn’t supposed to be easy, and it’s certainly not fair,” she said. “And they know that, even on their end, they have to make some sacrifices for the greater good.”

Track, the eldest son, who was deployed in Iraq during the 2008 campaign, is now married and running the family’s commercial fishing business in Alaska, living quietly out of the public eye. Willow, who turned 17 last week, seems amenable (“As long as her truck’s running, she’s fine,” Palin said), and Piper, who is 10, is a seasoned campaigner. Bristol’s all in. That leaves Todd, who sat in on part of the interview. “Do I want her to run?” he said. “It’s up to her. I mean, we’ll discuss it. But she’s definitely qualified to run this country. And she’s got a fire in the belly to serve.”

[...]

She would like to revamp, or even eliminate, whole agencies—the Department of Energy, for example—as Reagan once spoke of doing. “That’s the kind of grand reform that is very, very difficult to do. But it can be done.”

Palin made it clear that she’s against any deal that raises the debt ceiling and would hold House Speaker John Boehner’s feet to the fire if he agreed to one. “No, we have to cut spending. It is imperative, and I will be very, very disappointed if Boehner and the leaders of the Republican Party cave on any kind of debt deal in the next couple of months.”

[More]

- JP

Video: Sarah Palin interviewed in India by Koel Purie Rinchet

From Headlines Today
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Part 1:

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Part 2:


h/t: Ian and Ron

- JP

Sarah Palin: Money will be a consideration whether to run

"And... will the American electorate be ready for someone a bit unconventional?"
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Excerpts from the transcript of BBC Two's interview with Gov. Palin conducted by Jackie Long:

JL: Are you going to run?

SP: Well there again, you enter a race to win the race. There is still a lot of consideration that have to be made. We haven't made up our mind or desired to make an announcement yet as to what it is we will be doing.

JL: What are the considerations at the moment? What are the things that you are weighing up?

SP: Well, understanding that Obama has already said he's going to rake in and spend $1bn (£615.4m) in this race. Money is certainly going to be a consideration. And then just the idea of, will the American electorate be ready for someone a bit unconventional, in terms of a candidate who will call it like she sees it, and who will not be beholden to special interests or such obsessive partisanship as to let a political machine get in the way of just doing what's right for the voters.

JL: In a sense, do you think your "unconventionality" in that sense, the fact that you tell it as it is, is your strength but is also perceived as a weakness as well?

SP: I believe that it is a strength. I tell my kids, I encourage everyone I know that whether it be in their workplace, whether it be in a political arena or within their own families, to do what their gut tells them to do. And that involves calling it like they see it and tackling the tasks that are at hand and not worrying so much what other people are thinking or saying about them. And a lot of that goes along with that unconventional vein that I am talking about, that independent vein that I have within me. So I think that it's a strength and I encourage people I know to exercise that strength, too.

JL: In terms of making that decision, presumably the pressure on you and your family is a big part of the decision making, because you've been through a lot and you take a lot of flack?

SP: Our family is pretty thick-skinned, though. We have taken the pressure and pressure I think builds character and allows someone to handle what else is coming. For the last 20 years being in political office our family has had unconventional schedules, we've put up with a lot of flak, and we're still standing and we're doing well, so we're not worried too much about that pressure put on the family because we've been tried by fire.

[...]

SP: So again if I decide to run we know that we have to put up with a lot of the BS that comes from the media but ... It's not all of you guys but some of you still claim that Trig isn't my kid. I think that's an indication of screwed-up media.

[...]

JL: How offensive is that? How do you deal with that?

SP: Would you be offended if someone said you're child wasn't your child? It's offensive.

[Full Transcript]

Jackie Long also interviewed Sarah's parents, Chuck and Sally Heath. Here's an excerpt from the transcript of that interview:

JL: And people have threatened her life?

CH: Oh yeah, oh yeah. And her kids too.

[...]

JL: You say you laugh it off, but what does Sarah say about it? It must be terrifying.

CH: Well, she has good security when she goes places but here in Wasilla she doesn't have that good of security, other than family, friends and things like that. Not only Sarah has been threatened but her whole family has been threatened. We sleep with the guns.

[...]

JL: On a less extreme level, she has faced huge criticism and very personal criticism at times. How do you cope with that?

SH: I can't imagine what specifically they would object to, and that's what I would like to hear, and what I imagine Sarah would like to hear: 'well, what specifically do you not like?' And when we do read comments and then someone's asked, and they'll say 'well someone told me, such and such'. But truly, I do not know.

[Full Transcript]

The interview airs tonight on BBC Two's "Newsnight" at 10.30pm GMT/4:30 PM CST.

- JP

Gov. Palin interviewed by BBC at Iron Dog

Interview will air Monday
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BBC's Jackie Long interviewed Sarah Palin for the network's "Newsnight" program at the Iron Dog race. BBC Two will air the full interview on Newsnight Monday, March 7, 2011 at 10:30 PM GMT (4:30 PM Texas Time), and a video clip will be posted afterwards on BBC iPlayer and the Newsnight website.

A very brief preview clip (of Jackie Long introducing herself to Gov. Palin) is here.

- JP

The Brody File: Videos from the Sarah Palin Interview

Recorded Friday evening in Santa Barbara after her keynote speech
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Courtesy of The Brody File, here are the videos from Gov. Palin's CBN interview:

On the situation in Egypt:

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On President Obama’s handling of the crisis in Egypt:

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On the mainstream media's relevance:

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On what she might do differently if she runs for President:

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On being attacked by the media:

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On her devotional life:

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On CPAC:


h/t: Clifton B

- JP

Excerpts from the transcript of CBN's Sarah Palin interview

"It seems that 3am White House phone call went right to the answering machine"
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Here are some excerpts from the transcript of the exclusive interview with Gov. Palin for The Brody File on CBN News:

“Who’s going to fill the void... in the government [of Egypt after Mubarek]. Is it going to be the Muslim Brotherhood? We should not stand for that, or with that or by that. Any radical Islamists, no that is not who we should be supporting and standing by, so we need to find out who was behind all of the turmoil and the revolt and the protests so that good decisions can be made in terms of who we will stand by and support.”

“It’s a difficult situation, this is that 3am White House phone call and... it seems that that call went right to um the answering machine. And... we know that now more than ever, we need strength and sound mind there in the White House. We need to know what it is that America stands for so we know who it is that America will stand with.

“I think much of the mainstream media is already becoming irrelevant. Because there is not balance in many cases, David, there is not truth coming out of the mainstream media and I know that first hand, I live it everyday... We’re so far from being able to trust what so many of the mainstream media personalities, characters, feed the American public that it scares me for our country.”

“You know, I’m reminded so often of 2 Timothy 1:7 knowing that God does not give us a spirit of timidity or of fear, but he gives us a spirit of power and love and a sound mind... just calling on that verse, reminding myself over and over again what God promises, that gets me through the tough times.”

“Well, I’ve never attended a CPAC conference ever so I was a little taken aback this go around when I couldn’t make it to this one either and then there was a speculation well I either agree or disagree with some of the groups or issues that CPAC is discussing. It really is a matter of time for me... I look at participation in an event like CPAC... as the more information that people have the better.”

[More]

- JP

Video clips from the interview will be posted on The Brody File Blog on CBN's website sunday night, and the full television interview will air on The 700 Club Monday.

E! to air Bristol Palin interview Monday and Tuesday

"I've grown up independent, and I'm pretty fearless"
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E!'s interview with Bristol Palin in her new Arizona digs will air Monday and Tuesday:


6PM Central Time each night, with replays at 10PM.

- JP

Interview with Gov. Palin by CBN's Brody will Air Monday

Video clips to be posted on The Brody File Saturday
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CBN's David Brody, in Santa Barbara for the Reagan 100 Birthday Celebration, interviewed Sarah Palin at the Reagan Ranch Center:

Video clips will be on The Brody File in the next 24 hours. A full report on the interview with Sarah Palin will air Monday morning on The 700 Club.

We talked about her take on the situation in Egypt and President Obama's response, President Reagan's legacy, her faith, how she's trying to help the mainstream media and the CPAC Conference controversy.

- JP

Fox News Insider: Sarah Palin speaks out Monday on 'Hannity'

“Every time you write something, it goes out over the wires”
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Monday night on Fox News' 'Hannity,' Sarah Palin will sit down with Sean for an extended interview, her first since the firestorm set ablaze by the media left in the wake of Jared Loughner's shooting spree in Tuscon:

Sean Hannity: “Every time you write something, it goes out over the wires … you’ve noticed that.”

Hannity's exclusive interview will air Monday at 9PM EST/8 PM CST on the Fox News Channel.

- JP

Sarah Palin on 'Good Morning America'

"It's a lousy tax deal, and we can do better for the American people"
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Gov. Palin states her opposition to the tax deal and discusses a possible 2012 run:




Gov. Palin reflects on the past two years:




Gov. Palin on raising 5 children and what she's learned from Trig:

ABC will air more of the interview tonight on "Nightline" at 10:35 PM Texas Time.

- JP

GMA interview with Gov. Palin will air Friday morning

Another leftist meme is shot down
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Well so much for the meme being propagated by moonbat bloggers and the media left that Sarah Palin avoids the press and communicates only through Facebook, Twitter and Fox News. George Stephanopoulos' co-host of ABC's “Good Morning America” is traveling to Alaska to interview Gov. Palin. The interview will air tomorrow morning on GMA:

Roberts will spend a day-in-the-life with the former governor and mother of five at her home in Wasilla.

In a wide-ranging interview, Roberts will talk to Palin about her new book “America by Heart: Reflections on Family, Faith, and Flag,” plus all the major political news of the day, from taxes to health care to foreign policy.

The network's morning program airs from 6AM to 7AM Central Time.

Meanwhile Politico, which is so left wing that it considers the New York Times to be a "neutral" media outlet, says the forthcoming GMA interview, as well as recent availabilities by Gov. Palin and her staff for pieces in the Times and TIME magazine, represent "a strategic shift" in Team Palin's relationship with the media.

But top Palin aide Tim Crawford explains:

“This is just about getting the press to characterize the governor accurately. And, if that can be accomplished through Gov. Palin and some of the people around her talking to the press, we’ll try that."

The Politico piece, written by Kenneth Vogel, also characterizes Karl Rove as "her sometime critic." When in recent memory has Rove not been a critic of Gov. Palin?

- JP

Video: Barbara Walters interviews Gov. Palin

"Determined, patriotic and faithful"
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Here's the full interview from last night's Barbara Walters special, "10 Most Fascinating People of 2010":


h/t: Jim Hoft

- JP

Video: A preview of Walters' Sarah Palin interview

"I'm the biggest klutz in the world"
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Gov. Palin, the only person to make Barbara Walters' "10 Most Fascinating People of 2010" list three consecutive years in a row, will be joined by her Husband Todd for the interview, airing Thursday at 9PM Texas Time.

In the interview, the prospective 2012 GOP presidential candidate addresses false rumors circulated by the lying Palin haters that the two have been having marital problems, telling Walters, "There's a lot of BS out there."

On ABC's "The View" Wednesday, Walters showed a short video clip from the interview as a tease for her special. Unfortunately, to watch the clip, you have to endure a few seconds of Joyless Behar, an incredibly nasty and ignorant person. Even Whoopi Goldberg had to clue Behar in after Joyless said, "Isn’t it a Little Racist to Call it Black Friday?" Then there was the time she agreed with Eve Ensler that "global warming causes earthquakes." And Behar calls Sarah Palin "stupid." But we digress:


- JP

Human Events: Jedediah Bila interviews Sarah Palin

Her words carry a realness uncommon in the political world
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Blogger and commentator Jedediah Bilah interviewed Gov. Palin last week and writes about it in an op-ed for Human Events:

What is she like?

Former governor Palin is down-to-earth and astute. There was nothing self-interested or narcissistic in her tone. She was optimistic about possibilities, but realistic about dangers. There was a warmth that shone through when she talked about her family; that same warmth was apparent when she spoke of America’s founding principles. There was an honest frustration in her voice with respect to “policies coming out of Washington, DC that punish the producers and don’t let the job creators do what they do best.” And there was an underlying toughness – a hearty durability – that made her thoughts grounded and stalwart. That toughness leapt forward boldly when it was time to defend how America should “be a light for others who seek to exercise their God-given rights and liberties.”

[...]

Palin spoke extensively about her record, beginning with her days of local office “taking on the good old boy network in my own town running for city council because I saw that many on our local city council and in our Mayor’s office decided that because they had a title, a political position, they were going to start taking private property rights away and start telling businesses and homeowners what they could or couldn’t do on their own private property.”

She discussed her roles as Mayor, Chair of the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, and especially Governor. “To be a successful governor,” she said, “you have to put obsessive partisanship aside, and you have to be a really good administrator, and you have to have a good team around you, and you have to make prudent decisions based on what is best for the people whom you are serving.

[...]

There was a confidence in her voice when she spoke of her record, a reverence for the teamwork that went into her accomplishments, and a fearlessness with respect to taking on what is powerful and entrenched in the name of doing what’s right.

[...]

In response to the fact that some have labeled her “too polarizing,” Palin replied, “I think the polarizing thing is the most perplexing because the positions that I hold, I believe, are quite reflective of what most Americans believe in, and that is the protection of our freedoms and our free market and doing all that we can to remain a superpower.” She questioned why President Obama’s positions aren’t considered polarizing to those same critics...

[...]

What attributes does Palin think a GOP candidate who steps up to the plate in 2012 should have? “Someone who’s willing to take some risks in terms of bringing in people who aren’t the known bureaucrats, but people with private sector experience who know how to run a business, make payroll, balance a budget, and live within your means.”

[...]

Throughout the interview, I didn’t see any signs of naïve, ditzy, or amateur. I saw knowledgeable, level-headed, and accomplished.

[More]

Jedediah Bila's conclusion from the twenty minute interview echoes what an increasing number of commentators have said lately of Gov. Palin: it would be foolish to underestimate her.

- JP

Tammy Bruce: The Sarah Palin Interview

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Courtesy of Palin TV:



Support Palin TV

- JP

Daily Caller Interview: Chuck Heath, Jr.

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Sarah Palin’s older brother said Thursday that the former Alaska governor is concerned about her children's safety due to her family's “creepy” new neighbor. Chuck Heath Jr. told the Daily Caller, “We’re creeped out by it, like everyone else is. It’s an unbelievable invasion of privacy.”

Heath, a 48-year-old schoolteacher in Anchorage, discussed Joe McGinniss and other subjects in a Daily Caller interview:

“Sarah hasn’t gone after the publicity, the publicity has gone after her,” he said. “She’s getting out there and she’s doing all she can to help this country.”

As if anticipating the question, Heath said critics might ask why Palin is doing a reality show this summer if she doesn’t like attention. “That’s an attempt to show off this state,” he explained. “And promote people coming up, increasing tourism, brings more dollars into this state. It’s going to help this state out. It’s just amazing how everybody blows everything out of proportion and they boil it down to what he said, ‘this is just a publicity stunt’.”

Heath said his brother-in-law Todd Palin and some buddies “worked through the night” to build up a 14-foot high fence between the Palin's house and the house McGuiness is renting to give his family at least some privacy from the stalker-reporter's prying eyes:

Asked if his sister might decide to leave Alaska entirely – say, by running for president in 2012 – Heath is noncommittal. “Nobody knows her plans except for Sarah,” he said. “That’s the $64,000 question that everybody, everywhere we’ve gone has asked us. And like we say, in total honesty, we have no idea.”

If she did run, he says, the family “would definitely support her run. And would be excited for her to do that… I can say that if Sarah was in charge right now, I think this country would be going in a lot better direction that it is right now.”

Read the full interview here.

- JP

Glenn Beck interviews Sarah Palin on radio, 5/26/2010

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h/t: Eyeblast.TV Video courtesy of TheRightScoop

Update: Ed Morrissey comments...

"If McGinniss wanted to write an unauthorized biography, he could certainly do that without moving in next door to the Palins. In fact, it’s hard to figure what McGinniss would learn from that kind of physical proximity that has anything to do with politics or activism that couldn’t be learned through regular research and footwork."

- JP

Liberal talk show host defends Sarah Palin

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Jerry Springer wasn't always a "reality" talk show host. He has a law degree from Northwestern University and was one of Robert F. Kennedy's campaign aides. After an unsuccessful Congressional run in 1970, Springer was elected to the Cincinnati city council the following year. In 1977, he was chosen to serve one year as mayor by the City Council. So he knows a few things about politics. When asked about Sarah Palin in a recent interview, the politically liberal Springer was exceedingly gracious:

So I wanted to chat about someone you have a little in common with: Sarah Palin. She's also a former lawmaker who pivoted to television. Could she hack it with her own talk show?

Well, she's incredibly charismatic. Her politics are different than mine. But I don't belittle her. She represents a significant segment of America. It might not be the majority, but certainly a significant segment of America that lives her lifestyle and believes as she does. And therefore, I can disagree with her without making fun of her. And for those of us who are more liberal, we step on dangerous ground when we try to belittle her, or belittle her fundamentalism, or religion or stuff like that, saying you know she is backwoods or stuff like that. That is how liberals come across as elitists or snobs.

Palin is viewed as a woman of the people; easy to relate to.

She's obviously got something going. Just look at the reaction! It wasn't just her 15 minutes of fame. It's lasted. She touches a nerve for people who resent being looked down upon. And there is a significant segment of America that feels it is being looked down upon. I think that's dangerous. It's where people who are liberal can get into trouble. So, I respect her. I disagree with her. But I have nothing bad to say about her. And I am sure anything she does in the media will be successful. She's got that "whatever that is" that makes you pay attention.

As a keen observer of the media and politics, does it seem she's gearing up for a 2012 run?

I think it would be naive to believe she wasn't thinking about running for president. She'll read the tea leaves and figure it out and figure whether she can win the GOP nomination. Winning the general will be tougher. But you know, who knows? Ten years ago, who would have said that we would have an African American in the White House? World events happen, things come to pass. Is it possible? Sure. Does she think about it? Of course she does. I can't imagine she doesn't.

The full interview is here.

- JP

Sarah Palin on a 2012 run: 'If it's right, then we will pursue that'

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Sarah Palin said in an interview with Canadian network CTS TV that she will "pursue" a presidential bid in 2012 if she decides it's the best way to help everyday people with their challenges. On CNN's Political Ticker blog, CNN Political Producer Peter Hamby reports:

The former vice presidential candidate has generally avoided talking specifically about her 2012 plans, but her comments in Canada are her most forthcoming since she told Fox News in February that it would be "absurd" not to consider a presidential bid.

Palin said she and her family have had an "exciting and full ride" since the 2008 presidential campaign ended. Her travels around the country over the last year and a half, she explained, have given her a glimpse of some of the struggles that regular Americans face every day.

"If I can help provide some encouragement, some inspiration, some hope for them to get through their battles and make good decisions and get through a challenge, because that's what we've been able to do, then I am going to stay focused on that," she said in the interview, set to air next week. "Whether that's on a local level in my own little town of Wasilla, or in the Oval Office, if it's right, then we will pursue that."

[...]

Palin said her next move depends, in part, on what God has in store for her.

CTS has posted a video of its "Always Good News" program which includes the full interview here. YouTube excerpts from the interview can be found here and here.

The interview was recorded Thursday, before her appearance in Hamilton, Ontario.

- JP

Canadian TV network to air Sarah Palin Interview tonight

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An interview with Sarah Palin which was recorded when she was in Ontario last week will be aired tonight in Canada. A special edition of the program Always Good News on CTS TV (Crossroads Television System) Wednesday, April 21st at 5:30 pm EST and again at 12:00 noon EST on April 22nd:

The entire interview will also be featured within Canada's longest running daily TV program, 100 Huntley Street, airing the following Tuesday on April 27th at 9 am on CTS TV and Global.

As the only Canadian Television interview on this visit north, Connie Smith who hosts Always Good News (AGN) will be tracking Palin's meteoric rise from small town Alaska hockey Mom, to international celebrity, and most recently the darling of the Tea Party Movement that has shaken the U.S. political system with it's strong opposition to growing government and higher taxation.

"The interview was great", says Ms. Smith, "It was one of only two granted by Governor Palin. The other was a print news outlet. I caught up with her on camera after she spoke to a crowd of 900 people at Carmen's Banquet Centre in Hamilton, Ontario, recently where she was instrumental in raising $50,000 for The Charity of Hope for needy children." Connie Smith has been one of the most recognizable and engaging personalities on the air in Southern Ontario for more than 30 years. Since September 2009, Ms. Smith has been the Producer and host of Always Good News seen daily on CTS.

We're not familiar with CTS TV, but it appears to be a Canadian network roughly analogous to Christian network CBN. We're not sure if CTS is part of any of the packages that satellite services such as Direct TV and Dish Network provide access to in the lower 48, but we don't think they do. We'll just have to wait for CTS TV to post the video on its Web pages. The AGN page is here.

- JP