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Right Wingers Already Partying Like It’s 2012

Posted by SHAUN MULLEN, TMV Columnist in At TMV.
Oct 24th, 2008 | Comments

My jaw kept dropping every time I read a right-of-center commentator who is licking their chops over a Sarah Palin candidacy in 2012.

For one thing, the 2008 election isn’t even over. For another, how could these people ignore the obvious: While McCain has brought his own baggage to the big dance, his partner has been like a giant anchor, pulling the ticket down, down, down with every passing week since her post-convention boomlet faded like so many summer flowers.

Isn’t it obvious that Palin will slink back to Alaska on November 5 to face the fallout from Troopergate and her other Cheney-esque abuses of power? As it is, she probably will have a helluva gubernatorial re-election fight in 2010 and may decide that the path of least resistance to Washington is appointing herself to Ted Stevens’ Senate seat should he be forced to resign. Or maybe she can ride her celebrity to a Fox News show.

And then, dumb old me, I finally understood.

A Palin presidential run in 2012 would represent the final right-wing takeover of the Republican Party. This is because Palin has done something that McCain could never do: Energize the GOP’s ultra conservative base even as the Republican tide has been running out.

These are the angrily moralistic culture warriors who don’t give a damn that the more voters have gotten to know Palin the less they like her. Or that she is less-qualified than Tina Fey and would be unprepared for that 3 a.m. phone call in 2012, let alone today.

For them abortion, gays and stem-cell research are the big issues, and their self-righteous sycophancy is far more important than the likelihood that a right-wing takeover will marginalize the GOP to the point of near electoral extinction outside the Deep South while further alienating the moderate Republicans and independents who are flocking to Barack Obama in droves.

More here, here, here, here and here.

Photograph by The Associated Press

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superdestroyer

The people who are talking about Palin in 2012 are the same ones who were excited about George Allen for 2008 or Dan Quayle in 2000.

jchem

Yeah, Palin in 2012 won't happen because the people she gets fired up will no longer be in charge of the party.

"For one thing, the 2008 election isn’t even over"

C'mon Shaun. I think your most recent post says otherwise. You know, what you have been calling the “McCain-Palin Trainwreck Excuse du Jour". I don't believe for one minute that you honestly believe that McCain could pull this out.

Lit3Bolt

Shaun, the only reason Ambinder floated up that Palin in 2012 story is to have it shot down and utterly demolished. No one in their right mind seriously considers Palin a serious contender, and she'll be toxic soup to GOP strategists and staffers and donors, the ones who really control the party. She may end up being a pretty face for fundraising in the future, but plans of national office are simply laughable.

Also jchem, sure the election is "over" in every meaningful sense of the word, but McCain needs to help his party now on the downticket. That's why you keep pretending until the fat lady sings that you can win. Only 3rd party candidates candidly acknowledge they have no shot in hell.

kritt11

I agree that is what is going on. That is why Palin herself said she has "nothing to lose"---uh how about the '08 election? It is also why there is such a divergence of position btwn the candidate and his VP. Palin is building up her national recognition factor and street cred with the GOP powerhorses. We have not seen the last of her by a mile- so Tina Fey--- keep that nifty red suit after 11-5

FuzzyFace

"For them abortion, gays and stem-cell research are the big issues"

I cannot think of another comment that more clearly demonstrates the big disconnect between what the right thinks and what the left believes the right thinks.

StockBoySF

Lit3Bolt: "No one in their right mind seriously considers Palin a serious contender".

No one in their right mind seriously considered Palin to be on McCain's shortlist, and yet there she was. The power of idiots acting together is amazing.

But I agree with you, no one in their right mind would consider Palin to be a serious contender in 2012. Besides she has all these scandals and the fact that she supported the AIP as governor (even if she was not a member, she still spoke at their convention and told them they were doing a good job) should be a deal breaker for everyone in this country. But then again there are those idiots who just don't think....

Jim_Satterfield

FuzzyFace,

The comment does not refer to "the right" but a segment of the far right. They exist and they have a disproportionate influence in the current GOP.

Jim_Satterfield

In fact I was listening to interviews of people at a Palin rally and that's exactly what they were saying.

jchem

Lit3Bolt, I don't think McCain can do much help downticket, not with all of the reported infighting and resume tossing going on. And with more and more Repub loyalists jumping the ship on him it seems to me that the party establishment is already beginning to look at him as toxic goods.

StockBoySF: "The power of idiots acting together is amazing."

That may be the smartest thing I have heard all morning and it seems to summarize a good portion of this election season. Congress seems to come to mind as well.

AustinRoth

Palin may run in 2012, but she wouldn't even make it past the early Republican primaries. Her 15 minutes will be long used up by then.

superdestroyer

Anyone who runs for president as a Repulbican in 2012 is an idiot. short of Obama being caught in bed with a dead girl or a live boy, he will assuredly be reelected.

so the next relevant question in presidential politics is will Obama hand pick someone to replace him in 2016 or will the Democrats have a wide open primary season in 2016. Given the collapse of the Republican party, the presidential election in 2016 could be over by super Tuesday. If the Democratic nominee and almost certain winner in 2016 is not Obama's handpicked successor, the U.S. could be facing the longest presidential transition ever.

PattonGuy

OMG, and I thought this election was long. And now people are already talking about 2012? Blah blah blah, I can't hear you! Seriously, at least have the decency to wait until after Election Day. I do agree with the above comments to the effect that Sarah Palin would not get enough support, in all likelihood, to get her far at all.

PWT

Obama will be Carter II, the sequel. Even with a dominant majority in congress, he will be ineffective. Whoever runs against him in 2012, will win easily - and mark my words, the person running aginst him will be Mrs. Palin.

Ricorun

PWT: Whoever runs against him in 2012, will win easily - and mark my words, the person running aginst him will be Mrs. Palin.

Consider your words marked. Good luck with your prediction. And just so you know, I don't share it.

far_left

Here's an interesting video that says more than my comment could:

http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm...

And the controversy is here:

http://thenewagenda.net/2008/10/22/together-w...

http://thenewagenda.net/2008/10/17/does-anyon...

StockBoySF

jchem, thanks!

StockBoySF

If Obama wins this race, the key to his reelection will be the Republicans.... given that we are headed into what will be a long and deep recession the Republican media folks (Hannity, Rush, etc.) will crucify Obama for everything he does. He will not be re-elected unless he really does reach across party lines and have the backing of moderate Republicans. To be clear: I'm not talking about Republican backing in his re-election, I refer to Republicans such as Lugar, Hagel, etc. working with him on his policies (and Obama working with them on their policies and needs, too). Sensible Republicans need to standup and say that Obama's plans make sense (or that Obama has given due consideration and incorporates policies important to Republicans).

I don't want to hear about the Republicans being a dead party and they have no influence. Rush, Hannity, etc. wield enormous influence and will remain relevant even if their party is out for the time being. Remember many people thought the Dems were dead in 2004. What a difference four years makes.

superdestroyer

stockboy,

Do you really think the Pelosi, Reid, and Byrd will be able to turn off decades of political war to actually work with Republicans. Any Repulbicans who works with the Obama Administration is begging to be stabbed in the back. See what happened to the Bush ADministration on the Bipartisan NCLB.

The Republicans would be better off matching every Democratic proposal with one of their own and force every Democrat and especially the blue dog Democrats to vote against real conservative bills and for bills favored by groups like the CBC.

Of course one of the Republican bills would have a chance of passing but asking question, making proposals, and offer real criticiswm would go much further to advancing conservative policy and being stabbed in the back by the Democrats.

Also, no matter how badly the Obama Administration performs, Obama will get the same level of support from blacks, Hispanics, Jews, Asians, government employees, and elite whites that he will get this year. So there is no chance of him losing.

AsherJ

A Palin candidacy might be a really good thing, as I suspect that could easily spell the complete demise of the Republican party, ala the Whigs.

The bad news: a short-term one party rule.
The good news: nature abhors a vacuum and a new party would form to advance the group interests that the Dems simply cannot advance, due to their current demographic base

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