Sarah Palin delivered a pep talk laced in red, white and blue to Iowa Republicans Friday night, calling nominated Tea Party candidates true patriots set on restoring America.
Exactly what point in time she wants America restored was not clearly established in what for Palin was a relatively bland speech.
But, what do I know. She poked jabs at the “lame street media” who she said distorts and citizen bloggers who fabricate the truth. She accused the media elite as being “movers and shakers” who are “gutless” hiding behind anonymous sources.
The speech billed as a “Salute to Freedom” called for limited government, common sense, Republican unity and protection of state rights.
She criticized President Obama’s top down rather than bottom up means of restoring the economy which crashed during the last year of the Bush administration.
She said the private sector needs less taxes and regulations and called upon the federal government to live within its means as if the American people been there, done that.
Again, no specifics where the budget axes fall.
It was up to Republicans “to turn this around for time tested truths.”
From what I suspected as sarcasm dripping from her mouth, Palin said she actually agrees with Obama on two things he said at a recent speech in Cleveland, accusing the Republican minority in Congress as the party of no.
“I agree with the president that the sky is blue… and, yes, fish swim in the ocean.”
On foreign policy, Palin asked for an approach to our enemies taken by President Reagan — “We win. They lose.”
She concluded her remarks by telling Republicans “this is our moment, our morning in America… Freedom is a God given right worth fighting for.”
During the primaries, Palin endorsed 43 candidates in which 27 won, according to Chris Matthews on his Friday show “Hardball.”
That’s a remarkable record in politics, especially since endorsements rarely influence elections.
The true test of Palin’s queenly powers will come Nov. 2 when the entire electorate in the states — meaning about 35% at best — make or break the Republican surge to wrest control of Congress and state governments.
In her brief span of national spotlight, Palin has become one of the nation’s most quotable politicians.
Here’s a sampling of broad policy statements, some repeated in her Friday speech, that do generate a definite point of view:
Politics isn’t just a game of clashing parties and competing interests. The right reason is to challenge the status quo, to serve the common good, and to leave this nation better than we found it.
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The only place that the left hasn’t placed the blame is on their agenda, so some advice for our friends on that side of the aisle: that’s where you’ve gotta look because that’s what got you into this mess.
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They think that, if we were just smart enough, we’d be able to understand their policies. And I so want to tell ‘em, and I do tell ‘em, Oh, we’re plenty smart, oh yeah – we know what’s goin’ on. And we don’t like what’s goin’ on. And we’re not gonna let them tell us to sit down and shut up.
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Common sense tells us that the government’s attempts to solve large problems more often create new ones. Common sense also tells us that a top-down, one-size-fits-all plan will not improve the workings of a nationwide health-care system that accounts for one-sixth of our economy.
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I am a conservative Republican, a firm believer in free market capitalism. A free market system allows all parties to compete, which ensures the best and most competitive project emerges, and ensures a fair, democratic process.
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New terms used like, ‘overseas contingency operation’ instead of the word ‘war’ – that reflects a worldview that is out of touch with the enemy that we face. We can’t spin our way out of this threat.
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The administration says, then, there are no downsides or upsides to treating terrorists like civilian criminal defendants, but a lot of us would beg to differ.
And, then, there are the dumb things she has said and written which resemble her caricature played so adroitly by actress Tina Fey.
“As Putin rears his head and comes into the air space of the United States of America, where– where do they go? It’s Alaska. It’s just right over the border.”
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“Well, let’s see. There’s ? of course in the great history of America there have been rulings that there’s never going to be absolute consensus by every American, and there are those issues, again, like Roe v. Wade, where I believe are best held on a state level and addressed there. So, you know, going through the history of America, there would be others but ?” (unable to name a Supreme Court decision she disagreed with other than Roe vs. Wade, interview with Katie Couric, CBS News, Oct. 1, 2008)
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“‘Refudiate,’ ‘misunderestimate,’ ‘wee-wee’d up.’ English is a living language. Shakespeare liked to coin new words too. Got to celebrate it!’” –a Tweet sent by Sarah Palin in response to being ridiculed for inventing the word “refudiate,” mistaking her illiteracy for literary genius, July 18, 2010
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“[T]hey’re in charge of the U.S. Senate so if they want to they can really get in there with the senators and make a lot of good policy changes that will make life better for Brandon and his family and his classroom.” — Inaccurate answer after being asked by a third grader what the vice president does, interview with NBC affiliate KUSA in Colorado, Oct. 21, 2008.
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“I think on a national level your Department of Law there in the White House would look at some of the things that we’ve been charged with and automatically throw them out.” –Referring to a department she misidentified while attempting to explain why as president she wouldn’t be subjected to the same ethics investigations that she said compelled her to resign as governor of Alaska, ABC News interview, July 7, 2009.
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EPILOGUE
The political winds are blowing from the right. Like it or not, Sarah Palin is the most major player in this conservative movement. Blowhard or not, she is the straw that stirs the conservative passion drink. She relates to the common folk and they see themselves in her. My concern is her limited attention span which isn’t of presidential caliber now. We don’t need a second president to resign from office, this one from boredom. You cannot be commander-in-chief writing cutesy bromides on Facebook and Twitter, which, for now, is her forte and lone credentials.
Cross posted on The Remmers Report
Comments are welcome. Link to my blogsite or go to my email address at [email protected] . Remmers’ varied career spans 26 years in the newspaper business. Read a more thorough resume on The Remmers Report.
Jerry Remmers worked 26 years in the newspaper business. His last 23 years was with the Evening Tribune in San Diego where assignments included reporter, assistant city editor, county and politics editor.