# Sarah Palin: I can beat Obama in 2012 **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 18, 2010, 9:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sarah-palin-i-can-beat-obama-in-2012/561080 "2010-11-18T09:33:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Superfluous\_Parentheses](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8edcca/32.png) [@Superfluous\_Parentheses](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superfluous_Parentheses)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2010, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sarah-palin-i-can-beat-obama-in-2012/561080/21 "2010-11-18T14:06:08Z")
By 2012 the people who’d even consider voting Rep will be so used to much worse “politicians” that Palin will look positively sane and responsible in comparison. If Obama doesn’t “do well” (basically, if the economy is not going to get much better) in the next two years and she’s the candidate, my bet is she’ll win. ---
**Author:** ![interface2x](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c0e974/32.png) [@interface2x](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/interface2x)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2010, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sarah-palin-i-can-beat-obama-in-2012/561080/22 "2010-11-18T14:25:40Z")
> [@LouisB](#): > > Ms. Palin, who is not one of my favorite people, had made the statement that she can, in fact, defeat President Obama for the Presidency of the USA in the year 1912. Her best strategy is to somehow blame him for the Titanic disaster. ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2010, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sarah-palin-i-can-beat-obama-in-2012/561080/23 "2010-11-18T14:35:16Z")
Not only do I think she has no chance in hell, I’d be willing to wager $1,000 right now that Obama would clean her clock if she got the nomination. ---
**Author:** ![Lightnin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lightnin/32/180_2.png) [@Lightnin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightnin)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2010, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sarah-palin-i-can-beat-obama-in-2012/561080/24 "2010-11-18T14:45:26Z")
> [@LouisB](#): > > Don’t forget: The American public has the attention span of an Irish Setter puppy. TL;DR ---
**Author:** ![Baracus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/2bfe46/32.png) [@Baracus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baracus)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2010, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sarah-palin-i-can-beat-obama-in-2012/561080/25 "2010-11-18T14:58:06Z")
It really depends on the state of the economy in 2012 and by the state of the economy I really mean the unemployment rate. If that hasn’t dropped significantly by then, I think any Republican candidate would have a good shot at defeating Obama. I don’t think that Palin has a snowballs chance at getting the nomination though. When she gets torn to shreds by her fellow primary candidates, she (or her supporters) will not be able to play the victim of the mean liberal media. ---
**Author:** ![Balthisar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/balthisar/32/2825_2.png) [@Balthisar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balthisar)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2010, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sarah-palin-i-can-beat-obama-in-2012/561080/26 "2010-11-18T15:07:03Z")
> [@newcomer](#): > > …and I find it insulting that someone would scorn me for how I view her. I wouldn’t scorn you, and I pretty much agree with you, and I’m generally Republican. ---
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2010, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sarah-palin-i-can-beat-obama-in-2012/561080/27 "2010-11-18T15:12:25Z")
I doubt she could win the nomination. But really what’s she gonna say, “No I can’t.” That’s like asking the quarterbacks of two teams in the Superbowl, “Do you think you can win”? And expecting one of them to say “No.” ---
**Author:** ![darkgoddess](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a183cd/32.png) [@darkgoddess](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/darkgoddess)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2010, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sarah-palin-i-can-beat-obama-in-2012/561080/28 "2010-11-18T15:20:12Z")
Sarah Palin: I can beat Obama in 2012 She was confused, I’m sure she was talking about using a stick. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2010, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sarah-palin-i-can-beat-obama-in-2012/561080/29 "2010-11-18T15:23:26Z")
> [@LouisB](#): > > I should have specified that I was assuming she and Obama would face off, mano a’ mano, as it were. Bare _manos_, or gloves? Obama plays basketball, so he has the moves. He also has a longer reach. When Duhbya was President, we were a laughingstock. If Palin were President, the world would know we are insane. Palin said that the Liberal Media distorts or fails to take into consideration her record. As far as I can see, her record is this: DNF. ---
**Author:** ![pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pseudotriton_ruber_ruber)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2010, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sarah-palin-i-can-beat-obama-in-2012/561080/30 "2010-11-18T15:32:04Z")
> [@Markxxx](#): > > I doubt she could win the nomination. But really what’s she gonna say, “No I can’t.” That’s like asking the quarterbacks of two teams in the Superbowl, “Do you think you can win”? And expecting one of them to say “No.” Analogy is off. It’s more like asking the QB of a 3-5 team if he expects to win the Super Bowl. Favre at least had the grace, when asked that question last week, to pause and go, “We’ve got a lot of work to do before we even think about that” (paraphrased.) If you’re IN the Super Bowl already, sure, you’ve always got an Asian’s chance of winning it. ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2010, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sarah-palin-i-can-beat-obama-in-2012/561080/31 "2010-11-18T15:37:22Z")
As much as I’d like to see Obama win a 2nd term, I think I’d rather not have even the slimmest chance that this person be president. You never know what can happen. All you need is for her campaign manager to be really good, and some chance, and there you go. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2010, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sarah-palin-i-can-beat-obama-in-2012/561080/32 "2010-11-18T15:41:05Z")
She probably _could_ beat Obama, but she’d withdraw halfway through campaign season in order to better serve America. ---
**Author:** ![Balthisar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/balthisar/32/2825_2.png) [@Balthisar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balthisar)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2010, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sarah-palin-i-can-beat-obama-in-2012/561080/33 "2010-11-18T15:50:28Z")
> [@Revtim](#): > > As much as I’d like to see Obama win a 2nd term, I think I’d rather not have even the slimmest chance that this person be president. > > You never know what can happen. All you need is for her campaign manager to be really good, and some chance, and there you go. Oh, God. You made me realize that both potential outcomes are horrid. I may have to see if my employer will let me stay out of the country for a few more years. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Morgenstern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Morgenstern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgenstern)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2010, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sarah-palin-i-can-beat-obama-in-2012/561080/34 "2010-11-18T15:56:12Z")
Donald Trump vs. Sarah Palin in the 2012 rep. primary. (God loves the Democrats.) ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2010, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sarah-palin-i-can-beat-obama-in-2012/561080/35 "2010-11-18T15:58:48Z")
The dangerous thing is that Presidential elections are not meritocratic. They are popularity contests dependent upon the capricious will of a largely uninformed, short-sighted and immature electorate. It’s American Idol. Don’t underestimate the stupidity of American voters. If Palin is enabled by the media to control the narrative (as she always is), it’s not out of the question that it could happen. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2010, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sarah-palin-i-can-beat-obama-in-2012/561080/36 "2010-11-18T16:04:32Z")
All Obama (or anyone) would have to do to is flood the airwaves with an ad that simply stated: “The people of Alaska elected Sarah Palin to lead them, and when the job got hard, she quit. Vote _insert name here_” ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2010, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sarah-palin-i-can-beat-obama-in-2012/561080/37 "2010-11-18T16:06:36Z")
Sarah P. seems more interested in the money. She resigned as Governor to cash in on the speaking tour, book deal, and now a tv show. I can’t see her walking away from the gold mine for a Presidential run. It seems like she could be easily discredited in a campaign. She’s said some pretty wacky things. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2010, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sarah-palin-i-can-beat-obama-in-2012/561080/38 "2010-11-18T16:06:59Z")
I doubt she could even win the primary. The RNC would go after her like a bastard step-child, and so would other candidates. Think Bush v McCain. ---
**Author:** ![LavenderBlue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e95f7d/32.png) [@LavenderBlue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LavenderBlue)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2010, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sarah-palin-i-can-beat-obama-in-2012/561080/39 "2010-11-18T16:24:12Z")
I saw that headline and giggled loudly. Palin is always good for a great laugh. She’s a soap opera not a serious world leader. ---
**Author:** ![Wile\_E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c37758/32.png) [@Wile\_E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wile_E)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2010, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sarah-palin-i-can-beat-obama-in-2012/561080/40 "2010-11-18T16:25:45Z")
Hey, if her daughter counts as a “star” for being the child of a person in the news and an unwed teen mom and can win Dancing With The Stars then anything can happen in this crazy mixed up kookoo world. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sarah-palin-i-can-beat-obama-in-2012/561080.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sarah-palin-i-can-beat-obama-in-2012/561080.md?page=3)