Will Sarah Palin try to get nominated from the floor of the RNC?

[beartato]

The other threads about Palin are hijacked to hell and back so I thought I'd start a new one to ask a simple question: what's the likelihood that Sarah Palin tries to get nominated from the floor of the Republican National Convention?

I'm not an American political expert - not even American. If you think there's no chance at all, say so.

I'm not necessarily wondering if she will do it (she gets paid a lot more to sit in her Fox-built Alaskan studio for a lot less work), just if anyone think it's something she or her team would consider if no one has taken a commanding lead. Romney seems ideal but has the Mormonism and Romneycare knocks against him, Bachmann appeals to a loony and fervent base but might not be able to maintain it with the majority of Republicans, one of the others who seem like non-starters may come out strong... it seems possible that the primaries won't show a clear frontrunner. And it seems like something that would appeal to Palin - she can capitalize on the name recognition, it's dramatic and will grab news cycles on the 24 hour networks, she would avoid the work (and vetting) of a full campaign.

So, what are the chances?

[Recovering Republican]

None at all.

Once upon a time, maybe that would have been possible, when the delegates were all political operatives. But today, a slate of delegates is chosen for it's loyalty to a candidate, which is why you haven't had a brokered convention since the 1970's in either party.

The Democrats still have "superdelegates" of party elders who can swing a close race, but the Republicans don't.

Usually, a nomination is sewn up long before the convention starts, and all they've really become are three day commercials for your candidate.

[Smapti]

Unless the primary turns into a months-long slugout between three or more candidates that ends with nobody in a clear majority, it would be pretty much impossible. And that's a fairly unlikely scenario - historically, all but two or three candidates drop out after New Hampshire, and by Super Tuesday the nomination is sown up.

[Munch]

it seems possible that the primaries won't show a clear frontrunner.
Not with the winner-take-all format of the GOP primaries.

[Profound Gibberish]

She is an unpredicatable, and rather lazy, loony and the GOP knows that. She has no chance.

[BobLibDem]

Personally, I don't think we'll ever see a brokered convention or even a second ballot in our lifetimes. For what it's worth (very little, actually) my fearless prediction is that after Iowa, all but Bachmann and Romney will drop out. Ron Paul will, of course, not officially drop out until much later but the difference between his full campaign and a suspended campaign is at best academic. If the anti-Romney vote coalesces around Bachmann, she has a legitimate shot at the nomination. Certainly before the first multi-state primary, we'll know who the nominee is. Neither Palin nor anyone else could just show up and say "hey, I'll take it" and then actually get it.

[Simplicio]

Not with the winner-take-all format of the GOP primaries.

Didn't they change those after last cycle so that the delegate slate in a lot more states could be split then in that past? I have a vague memory of that being the case.

(I don't think it matters though, we won't see a brokered nomination even with split delegations, unless Romney is revealed to have a couple extra wives at the last minute or something)

(and even then, it won't be Palin).

[Captain Amazing]

The last brokered convention were the Democrats in 1952, and I really don't think it's possible anymore, especially for the Republicans, who, as were mentioned earlier, have winner-take-all primaries and no "superdelegates" who can swing the nomination one way or the other.

[Captain Amazing]

Didn't they change those after last cycle so that the delegate slate in a lot more states could be split then in that past? I have a vague memory of that being the case.

The Republican primary/caucus schedule this year is kind of weird, I think. They've got the first four in February (Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada, and South Carolina), all the primaries that award delegates proportionally in March, and all the winner take all primaries and binding caucuses in April, so stuff's going to both start later (last time, the first primaries were in January), and end earlier (last time, the last primaries were in June).

So that condensed schedule is both going to make things more expensive for the candidates (because they have to run active campaign offices in more states at once) and also means that an underdog candidate is less likely to be able to parlay an early primary victory into fundraising. I think that also lowers the chance for a brokered convention.

[Simplicio]

According to wikipedia, the RNC allowed states the agreed to proportion there delegates by vote share (so the opposite of "winner take all") to move their primaries up in the calander. So there does appear to be an effort to give "under-dogs" a chance via that mechanism, though you might be right that moving things up will nullify that advantage.

[Manda JO]

I can actually see Palin having daydreams about getting nominated from the floor: it's the folksy, dramatic, populist kind of thing that fits her narrative perfectly. That doesn't mean it's going to happen--there's no way in hell, for all the reasons described here--but I think someone could sell her the story.

[Simplicio]

I can actually see Palin having daydreams about getting nominated from the floor: it's the folksy, dramatic, populist kind of thing that fits her narrative perfectly. That doesn't mean it's going to happen--there's no way in hell, for all the reasons described here--but I think someone could sell her the story.

I'll give you dramatic, but getting nominated by a bunch of delegates in backroom deals over the person most GOP voters presumably voted for is populist?

[pythonzzz]

The latest from the Huff Poo:

While Sarah Palin isn't letting any details slip on any plans she may have in the works to run for president in the next election cycle, that's not stopping her from sounding off on the state of the Republican presidential primary field.

In an interview published online on Sunday, Newsweek's Peter Boyer asks the former Alaska governor for her take on the fact that some within the Republican party are looking for another candidate to emerge who's not already in the current pool of GOP contenders.

“It suggests that the field is not set," Palin explained. "Thank goodness the field is not yet set. I think that there does need to be more vigorous debate. There needs to be a larger field. And there’s still time. There’s still months ahead, where more folks can jump in and start articulating their positions.”

As for whether she could potentially jump into the GOP primary mix, Palin said, "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 added, “But I do believe that I can win.”

The former governor suggested that whether or not she decides to launch a campaign for the White House comes down to how her family feels about the matter. Boyer, however, offers a rundown on where members of the Palin clan appear to stand on a potential run and, it seems that Palin's children, as well as Todd, stand behind her political ambitions.

[Manda JO]

I'll give you dramatic, but getting nominated by a bunch of delegates in backroom deals over the person most GOP voters presumably voted for is populist?

I'm not saying it IS, I'm saying she'd see it that way. Like being declared emperor by popular acclaim.

[Captain Amazing]

According to wikipedia, the RNC allowed states the agreed to proportion there delegates by vote share (so the opposite of "winner take all") to move their primaries up in the calander. So there does appear to be an effort to give "under-dogs" a chance via that mechanism, though you might be right that moving things up will nullify that advantage.

I don't know how much proportional delegation really helps underdogs, though. The way it looks to me, winner take all means that somebody can get the nomination early. With proportional delegation, there's no fixed winner early, but once somebody's behind in delegates it becomes very difficult to catch up, as the Clinton v Obama race in 2008 showed.

[Chronos]

What would she get out of it? The way I see it, there are three things Palin might gain from running: The Presidency itself, money, and attention. For the first, she has to know that getting in via a brokered convention is much less likely than any other avenue. For the second, the longer her campaign is running, the more time there is for money to find its way in. And for the third, winning a brokered convention might get her a lot of attention, but trying for it and losing will get her almost none at all. No matter what her motives are, she'd be better off actually campaigning for the primaries and trying to get votes the old-fashioned way.

[Boyo Jim]

I can actually see Palin having daydreams about getting nominated from the floor: it's the folksy, dramatic, populist kind of thing that fits her narrative perfectly. That doesn't mean it's going to happen--there's no way in hell, for all the reasons described here--but I think someone could sell her the story.

I think this is it exactly, except that I don't think she has to be sold on the idea. I think she fantasizes about it already, and I even think her bus tour was supposed to generate evidence of the groundswell of "real" American who would raise their voices to demand her to run. I think she is like Gingrich in a way -- someone who thinks of themselves as the savior of the party and at some point the party will call out to them to be saved.

[Chefguy]

I think she'll be content to give a speech and get the crazies all fired up and chanting "$arah, $arah, $arah!", and to make some folksy jokes at Obama's expense, but she has no intention of running, nor will she be nominated from the floor.

[appleciders]

If she ran, garnered a number of delegates directly while no one else won an actual majority, I can see her trying to broker a deal to get the nomination. I think it's more likely, though, that she'd trade away her delegates for a promised post in the new administration (VP, maybe, or a cabinet post) because I truly don't believe she wants to be President as much as she wants to affect the political process from outside; she'd rather be kingmaker than king.

If she did not run, and still tried to get the nomination in a brokered convention, I'd say it was one of the stupider things she'd ever done. Snatching the nomination from (let's face it) Romney or Bachmann would alienate all the voters who actually prefer Romney or Bachmann, and screw any chance of actually winning the election. The GOP can't afford to alienate its base; they're not much (if any) larger than the Democratic base, and they must rely on high voter turnout to win elections. (Witness 2000, 2004, 2006, 2008, and 2010-- the Republicans win only when they get high turnout from the base.)

[Boyo Jim]

Whatever happens, she will not actively run. She will be chauffeur -driven, maybe even hauled by a sledge or snowmobile. She may saunter, or sidle, or shimmy.

The most she will do is have the word passed around that she will accept a draft nomination from the floor.

[Sam Stone]

There's only one way I can see something like that happening (although not with Palin). I can imagine a scenario where the frontrunner is very popular, and the also-rans finished distant second and thirds and perhaps with some damage to their credibility during the tough campaigning.

Then the frontrunner drops dead at the convention, or is arrested with hookers and blow the night before, or otherwise invalidated for office. Now imagine another person who never ran, but who polled higher than all the other candidates except the now-disqualified leader.

That's about the only scenario I can imagine in today's political environment in which there could be a successful convention challenge from a non-candidate.

[Fear Itself]

That's about the only scenario I can imagine in today's political environment in which there could be a successful convention challenge from a non-candidate.Or, the front runner is Michelle Bachmann, and in a coincidence of epic proportiions, all the Republican delegates remember take their medication on the same day. In a moment of unfamiliar sanity, they realize with horror what is about to happen, repudiate the front runner and vote for a less crazed also-ran, like Herman Cain.

But you are right, that is pretty unlikely too. About the medication, I mean.

[Bridget Burke]

I'm not saying it IS, I'm saying she'd see it that way. Like being declared emperor by popular acclaim.

Perhaps she imagines herself being carried through the convention hall on the shields of her Praetorian Teabaggers. With the heads of Romney & Bachmann on their pikes.

Then she'll name her horse as her running mate. (Or maybe she'll pick Rick Perry.)

[Fear Itself]

(Or maybe she'll pick Rick Perry.)Ah, the other end of the horse.

[Snowboarder Bo]

Or, the front runner is Michelle Bachmann, and in a coincidence of epic proportiions, all the Republican delegates remember take their medication on the same day. In a moment of unfamiliar sanity, they realize with horror what is about to happen, repudiate the front runner and vote for a less crazed also-ran, like Herman Cain.

bolding mine; you misspelled "alas there isn't one to be found".

[Bryan Ekers]

Usually, a nomination is sewn up long before the convention starts, and all they've really become are three day commercials for your candidate.
Well, plus it's a big party for the delegates, who I understand view it as a reward for their months working for the party. And then there's the chance for each delegate to blather on about their home state:

"Mister Chairman, the great state of Alabama, proud home of the Corn and Chitlins Festival, inventor of the Elective Sisterfuck System, bold resister of gay rights, home of the birthplace of Kendal W. Klansman, casts its eight votes for the next President of the United States... [Mitt Romney, probably]".

[OttoDaFe]

You left out "proudly."

[Chefguy]

Rather than start a new thread about the stupid that is Sarah Palin, I thought I'd just revive this one.

In her most recent staged publicity event, she and her team sank to the level of 12-year old girls, calling over a reporter (http://spectator.org/blog/2011/08/15/palin-cheap-shots-a-good-repor#) to "accidently" listen in on dear Sarah cold-calling a reporter and taking him to task for a headline about her. Unfortunately for $arah, neither her nor her team bothered to find out the facts first (shocking, I know):

Specifically inviting over reporter Kasie Hunt from Politico so she could hear the exchange, Palin called Pappas' cell phone and began berating him in a very scolding manner for writing a headline suggesting she supports Romney. Pappas didn't even know what she was talking about. When he tried to say that neither he nor his editors had written such a headline, she said she didn't have time for this, that she needed to go back to the "real people" at the State Fair, and hung up on him.



The dimwittery and asshattery of this woman never stops. But all signs are pointing to her imminent irrelevancy.

[Clothahump]

The other threads about Palin are hijacked to hell and back so I thought I'd start a new one to ask a simple question: what's the likelihood that Sarah Palin tries to get nominated from the floor of the Republican National Convention?
I doubt that's gonna happen. Sarah is doing her job very well. She's being a stalking horse and drawing the wrath of the libs who are scared shitless of her. I don't think she plans to run for POTUS.

[Chefguy]

I doubt that's gonna happen. Sarah is doing her job very well. She's being a stalking horse and drawing the wrath of the libs who are scared shitless of her. I don't think she plans to run for POTUS.

I won't ask you to provide cites that "the libs. . .are scared shitless of her", because it's bullshit and you can't. She draws criticism and mockery because she's a dimwit who can't seem to just keep her mouth shut and just bank her winnings. It's like listening to Donald Trump in drag.

[Euphonious Polemic]

She's being a stalking horse and drawing the wrath of the libs who are scared shitless of her. I don't think she plans to run for POTUS.

That is just so... so.... Dog-gone CUTE, I could just pinch your little cheeks!

[Fear Itself]

I doubt that's gonna happen. Sarah is doing her job very well. She's being a stalking horse and drawing the wrath of the libs who are scared shitless of her. Because we have such a limited amount of wrath, we couldn't possibly have enough to pummel all the candidates at once. :D

[Little Nemo]

I think she's hoping that the early candidates will destroy each other and the GOP leadership will be looking for somebody to step in and unite the party. I don't think that's going to happen; Palin is not a party elder, whatever she might think. And people like Bachmann and Cain are already filling the need for a right wing radical, so if they collapse, the party leaders are going to be looking for somebody different not another shot of the same.

More likely, she'll end up selling her support and influence to one of the current candidates for some kind of deal - maybe a cabinet post promise. That and wait for 2016 when the Democrats won't be running an incumbent.

[Knorf]

She's being a stalking horse and drawing the wrath of the libs who are scared shitless of her.

"Scared shitless." This conservative meme really is really hilarious.

[gonzomax]

Palin is a bad joke. She is a spoiled pretty girl who thinks the world owes her a living. So far, she has been proven right. But that will stop . She is showing a bit of desperation. She is patrolling Iowa during the vote. Not a coincidence. But the fact that she did not enter, shows she knew she could not win. But at the rate the Repubs are crashing and burning ,she may be the last woman standing.
Nobody is afraid of her. She would get stomped by the Repubs long before she ever faced off with Obama. That is a scenario that the Dems are praying for. There have to be about 48 idiots in America who might vote for her.

[tracy1963]

I think her time,however small it was,is past. The main party doesn't seem to have ever been behind her and now she's being shoved aside like a weird relative that no one really understands.

[Chefguy]

She's notified Iowa that she'll be back in September. I'm sure her supporters are hoping she'll announce for POTUS at that point, but she won't. She doesn't have the money or the voter base, and people will make frowny faces at her if she runs. Also, there's no money in it. She'll probably endorse Rick Perry, thus dooming both of them to obscurity.

[Frank]

She's notified Iowa that she'll be back in September.
Oh, good. That's enough time to get her picture sent around to all the local police departments. Can't imagine what she was thinking of.

[gonzomax]

Oh, good. That's enough time to get her picture sent around to all the local police departments. Can't imagine what she was thinking of.

Latest poll shows 71 percent of Repubs don't want Palin in the race. How much worse could it be?

[Boyo Jim]

There's still 29% of Republicans left to alienate.

[gonzomax]

There's still 29% of Republicans left to alienate.

At least there is time.

[Boyo Jim]

Yeah, but those are the hard core. The only way she could alienate them would be to fuck Hugo Chavez on TV and convert to socialism.

[Chronos]

In addition to that 71% who don't want her to run, there are presumably others who want her to run (perhaps to shake up the other candidates a bit, or just for entertainment value) who still wouldn't want to actually vote for her.

[gonzomax]

She is not a serious candidate. But until it is made clear she will not run, she gets the power of being a potential presidential candidate attached to her. It helps her speaking prices . The longer she can drag it on, the better off her brand will be.
She is not announcing in the Iowa tea baggers convention. She will speak however. She is just keeping her name in public.

[monkeylucifer]

I'm watching her rally on CNN right now.

It's fucking hilarious.

[gonzomax]

The only ones scared of her are the Repubs running for the nomination. They have a tea bagger threat hanging over4 their heads. The Dems have little interest in her.
Cheney said he does not know how she could justify quitting as Governor. She can not even rally her own party.

[Chronos]

I'd just like to take this opportunity to announce that I'm a potential Presidential candidate, too.

<sits back and waits for the big-buck speaking engagements>

[gonzomax]

I'd just like to take this opportunity to announce that I'm a potential Presidential candidate, too.

<sits back and waits for the big-buck speaking engagements>

She will not likely do that. The longer she sits on the outside ,sniping, the more her name is mentioned. If she said she will not run ,who would listen to her, except some old tea baggers using up their last fantasy boners.
She would not appear on TV ,except TV Lite, Fox. But her shelf life would quickly decline.

[Fear Itself]

I think she is waiting until a main-stream Republican front runner has a commanding lead, then acquiesce to a draft movement by the Tea Party as a third party candidate.

[cckerberos]

I think she is waiting until a main-stream Republican front runner has a commanding lead, then acquiesce to a draft movement by the Tea Party as a third party candidate.
To what end? I don't see how running and losing would help her any.

[Chronos]

It would keep her in the headlines. Which, of course, is all she's getting from this election cycle no matter how she goes about it.

[Death of Rats]

Yeah, but those are the hard core. The only way she could alienate them would be to fuck Hugo Chavez on TV and convert to socialism.

Nah, even then most of them would immeadiatly start to rationalize why this is actually a good thing that will create a Gazillion jobs and make Obama a one-term president.

[Fear Itself]

To what end? I don't see how running and losing would help her any.It didn't hurt her last time, did it?

[TruCelt]

You know, that would make a really great modern version of the "Beverly Hillbillies" - the Palin Clan living in the White House.

Toooddddd! That boy Levi is out talking with Bristol again, out by the see-ment pond! And she's in her skivvies! !!

[gonzomax]

It didn't hurt her last time, did it?

Last time she was an unknown. Now she is a known. She was better off being an unknown ,known. Now as a known unknown, she can't pretend any more. Channeling Rumsfield.
She also quit as governor. That is a huge problem for the voters who can think and those who care about the process. She can not be trusted. She will walk off if she smells money.

[Fear Itself]

Last time she was an unknown. Now she is a known. She was better off being an unknown ,known. Now as a known unknown, she can't pretend any more. Channeling Rumsfield.
She also quit as governor. That is a huge problem for the voters who can think and those who care about the process. She can not be trusted. She will walk off if she smells money.She has no intention of winning. It is good for her brand to run. I think maybe she is waiting until it is certain she can't be nominated, but another nine moths of campaigning will keep her in front of the cameras.

[Boyo Jim]

She has no intention of winning. It is good for her brand to run. I think maybe she is waiting until it is certain she can't be nominated, but another nine moths of campaigning will keep her in front of the cameras.

I buy this. The only way it doesn't work is if all the other candidates start making jokes and laughing at her expense. I doubt they would do that, an in the meantime she can use her "candidate appearances" to sell more books, make a new movie, or create the ultimate reality show - "Sarah Runs For President".

[cckerberos]

It didn't hurt her last time, did it?
Last time she was running as VP; the blame fell at McCain's feet. If she ran and lost this time, she'd be the one to take the hit. Additionally, running as a third party candidate would burn her bridges with the GOP establishment.

No, I expect her to play the cocktease until the last possible moment then throw her support behind the GOP nominee.

[Chronos]

Last time she was running as VP; the blame fell at McCain's feet.I dunno; a lot of folks do blame her for the loss. McCain was polling neck-and-neck with Obama, then took a nose-dive right around the time she was nominated. Now, that's also right around when he made his infamous "the fundamentals of the economy are strong" quote, which also cost him, and it's hard to disentangle the two to say just how much each one cost him. But Palin was certainly one of the factors.

[DigitalC]

I dunno; a lot of folks do blame her for the loss. McCain was polling neck-and-neck with Obama, then took a nose-dive right around the time she was nominated. Now, that's also right around when he made his infamous "the fundamentals of the economy are strong" quote, which also cost him, and it's hard to disentangle the two to say just how much each one cost him. But Palin was certainly one of the factors.

Actually McCain surged ahead when she was nominated, then crashed down when people got to know her.

[Frank]

Actually McCain surged ahead when she was nominated, then crashed down when people got to know her.
His surge likely had little or nothing to do with Palin. Polls generally show a post-convention bounce for candidates of either party.

Frankly, I doubt if his crash had anything to do with Palin, either. (After all, we've elected the likes of Dan Quayle to the office.) One of the reasons Clinton fought so tenaciously (practically to the last minute) was that a Democrat was going to win the 2008 election.

[ElvisL1ves]

In fact, the polls were pretty even before the financial crash, for which the blame fell mostly on the Republicans. That was about the same time as Palin's vapidity (and, by extension, McCain's poor judgment) entered the public consciousness. Any sensible-seeming Dem candidate would have won after that, by about the same margin Obama did, or more.

[gonzomax]

In fact, the polls were pretty even before the financial crash, for which the blame fell mostly on the Republicans. That was about the same time as Palin's vapidity (and, by extension, McCain's poor judgment) entered the public consciousness. Any sensible-seeming Dem candidate would have won after that, by about the same margin Obama did, or more.

You have no basis for that opinion. The young and the blacks turned out in record numbers for Obama. What makes you think they would have turned out for some other Dem?

[Pashnish Ewing]

I'm starting to think Palin actually wants to run as a third party candidate against Romney and Obama. I know people talk a lot about her fundraising skills, but would she actually be able to get enough money? I suppose not having to spend cash on primary elections means the bar is a little lower, plus she can get in relatively late in the game... but it's not like she has Perot money.

Could she really raise enough dough to mount a legitimate third party campaign?

[gonzomax]

I'm starting to think Palin actually wants to run as a third party candidate against Romney and Obama. I know people talk a lot about her fundraising skills, but would she actually be able to get enough money? I suppose not having to spend cash on primary elections means the bar is a little lower, plus she can get in relatively late in the game... but it's not like she has Perot money.

Could she really raise enough dough to mount a legitimate third party campaign?

Palin's fund raising skills are limited to the money she puts in her bank account. That is what she cares about.

[Fear Itself]

Palin's fund raising skills are limited to the money she puts in her bank account. But once the primaries are over, there is going to be considerably less of that. So she either continues her media whoring as a third party candidate through the general election, or she goes back to being a B-list reality show subject.

[Bosda Di'Chi of Tricor]

She could conceivably try a shakedown.

Threaten the Repubs with an Indy run, unless bought off for big bills.

[gonzomax]

Palin has outlived her shelf life. It was a stupid run. She is about to become a trivia question answer. Nobody ,including Repubs, take her seriously.

[gonzomax]

Does she want to be president? She will stick with around race "like white on rice"., until the GOP nominee gets all the electoral voted needed.

[That Don Guy]

None at all.

Once upon a time, maybe that would have been possible, when the delegates were all political operatives. But today, a slate of delegates is chosen for it's loyalty to a candidate, which is why you haven't had a brokered convention since the 1970's in either party.

The Democrats still have "superdelegates" of party elders who can swing a close race, but the Republicans don't.
Actually, the Republicans do have their version of superdelegates - most states get three (the ranking man and women on the state GOP committee, and the state's RNC member, although in some states, they have to vote for whoever won that state's primary). Okay, it's not much, considering that each state gets at least 13 (20 for McCain-in-2008 states) "pledged" delegates, but they can make a difference.

However, "can" and "will" are two different things, and if it does get to the point where their votes can decide things, it is far more likely that they would get together and agree on one of the two who could be nominated with their votes rather than force enough ballots to free the delegates from their pledged candidates. If it is a two-horse race (and at the moment, all signs point in that direction), nobody else will get their foot in the door.

[gonzomax]

Palin may get lucky. The rest of the candidates are fucking up so badly that they may have to turn to her. I predicted they would beg Tony Soprano, oops I mean Christie to save them, but Huffpo says he rejected the offer.
She has been tainted by revelations of drugs and sex ,but the rest just will not do. keeping off the debate stage may have worked for her. repubs are not too bright and will forget what a stumbling idiot she is. She can talk like she is far right enough.

[Namkcalb]

Actually McCain surged ahead when she was nominated, then crashed down when people got to know her.

She should have never done Nailin‘ Palin, making that kind of movie was a stupid move

[gonzomax]

Palin said last night that becoming President would "shackle " her. Shackling Palin does have some sexual connotations that can not be ignored.
The woman sure as fuck has a huge ego, with no reason. But she suffers from pretty girl disease. Things are easier when you are pretty. After awhile you think breaks are your birthright and you expect them and deserve them. She is too stupid to realize how woefully unprepared and unqualified she is for the job of president.

[Knorf]

Palin said last night that becoming President would "shackle " her.

That's hilariously narcissistic! Do you have a link or cite? (Not doubting you, just want to use it myself!)

[SpoilerVirgin]

"Does a title take away my freedom to call it like I see it and to affect positive change that we need in this country?"Yes, because it's so hard to affect positive change when you actually hold the power to do something.

Here's the CBS news link (http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20112944-503544.html).

[Namkcalb]

“I’m going to keep repeating, though, Greta, through my process of decision-making with my family and with my close friends as to whether I should throw my name in the hat for the GOP nomination or not for 2012 — is a title worth it? Does a title shackle a person? Are they — someone like me, who’s a maverick — you know, I do go rogue and I call it like I see it.”

“Somebody like me — is a title and is a campaign too shackling? Does that prohibit me from being out there, out of a box, not allowing handlers to shape me and to force my message to be what donors or what contributors or what political pundits want it to be? Does a title take away my freedom to call it like I see it and to affect positive change that we need in this country? That’s the biggest contemplation piece in my process.”