# Sarah Palin may leave Republican Party. **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [June 30, 2013, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sarah-palin-may-leave-republican-party/662291 "2013-06-30T21:39:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**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:** [July 2, 2013, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sarah-palin-may-leave-republican-party/662291/61 "2013-07-02T13:35:15Z")
> [@pkbites](#): > > Yes, I am from America. Like I said earlier of all the insults flung at her I hadn’t heard one as benign as “witch”. Seems kind of mild considering how much some of you hate and fear her. We hate her, but the only people we _fear_ are the morons who think she ought to be POTUS. ---
**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:** [July 2, 2013, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sarah-palin-may-leave-republican-party/662291/62 "2013-07-02T14:08:03Z")
> [@pkbites](#): > > Yes, I am from America. Like I said earlier of all the insults flung at her I hadn’t heard one as benign as “witch”. Seems kind of mild considering how much some of you hate and fear her. She represents much of what is wrong with America today: she’s vapid, stupid, entitled and lazy. Those aren’t insults, they’re accurate descriptions. If this trend becomes the norm, we have much to fear; but as for being afraid of Palin herself, sorry to disappoint. ---
**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2013, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sarah-palin-may-leave-republican-party/662291/63 "2013-07-02T15:37:35Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > But perhaps Palin doesn’t know that. What Palin doesn’t know could fill oceans. ---
**Author:** ![Buck\_Godot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/buck_godot/32/6573_2.png) [@Buck\_Godot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buck_Godot)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2013, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sarah-palin-may-leave-republican-party/662291/64 "2013-07-02T15:49:07Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > Palin has undeniable charisma when she speaks to crowds. People practically hang on every word. She’s got some kind of Mojo. Maybe she is casting spells. 😛 > > It’s a shame that she hasn’t made the effort to be better informed on major issues. Her speeches lack intellectual substance. But they do get the masses excited. The problem is that those last two qualities are incompatible. The reason she has such charisma is that she is unencumbered by intellectual substance. Her speeches are all “home-spun wisdom” and simple platitudes which is the way most of her audience views the world, so when she speaks it makes sense to them and they feel as though she is speaking for them. Including a more nuanced view of the world or thinking through what the actual consequences of her simple ideas would be would just act to turn off the audience. ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2013, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sarah-palin-may-leave-republican-party/662291/65 "2013-07-02T15:53:56Z")
Palin is a gibbering monkey who has learned the sounds of a few English words. She doesn’t know what they mean, but she likes how people pay attention to her when she says them. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2013, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sarah-palin-may-leave-republican-party/662291/66 "2013-07-02T16:29:31Z")
> [@zoid](#): > > Again, I could be wrong here, but I thought it was common knowledge that he more or less had her forced on him by the party. Am I misremembering this all? I think you are wrong. The rumors are that McCain wanted Lieberman, and the PTB didn’t like that. But that’s altogether different than saying the foisted Palin on him. It was ultimately his decision, and it’s just silly to imply that he was a powerless pawn at the mercy of his overlords. ---
**Author:** ![Knorf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/58956e/32.png) [@Knorf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knorf)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2013, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sarah-palin-may-leave-republican-party/662291/67 "2013-07-02T18:12:20Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > I think you are wrong. The rumors are that McCain wanted Lieberman, and the PTB didn’t like that. But that’s altogether different than saying the foisted Palin on him. It was ultimately his decision, and it’s just silly to imply that he was a powerless pawn at the mercy of his overlords. I agree with John here. McCain is wholly responsible for that choice, and for foisting that pest on American politics. ---
**Author:** ![a35362](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3da27b/32.png) [@a35362](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/a35362)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2013, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sarah-palin-may-leave-republican-party/662291/68 "2013-07-02T19:00:11Z")
“It was ultimately his decision…” Hmmm, I wonder. Was his decision “I want Governor Palin,” or did his guys come to him and spell out all the ways she was an appealing choice and he said, “Okay, fine”? ---
**Author:** ![Knorf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/58956e/32.png) [@Knorf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knorf)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2013, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sarah-palin-may-leave-republican-party/662291/69 "2013-07-02T19:02:28Z")
> [@a35362](#): > > “It was ultimately his decision…” > > Hmmm, I wonder. Was his decision “I want Governor Palin,” or did his guys come to him and spell out all the ways she was an appealing choice and he said, “Okay, fine”? Either way, McCain’s responsibility. Either he didn’t vet her enough, which is bad, or he thought she was a great choice, which is bad. We’ll never know for sure which. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2013, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sarah-palin-may-leave-republican-party/662291/70 "2013-07-02T19:05:25Z")
It was his way of being mavericky. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2013, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sarah-palin-may-leave-republican-party/662291/71 "2013-07-02T19:45:16Z")
> [@Knorf](#): > > I agree with John here. McCain is wholly responsible for that choice, and for foisting that pest on American politics. I think She would’ve come in one form or another anyway. I saw her on several “Presidential contenders” etc. lists before most people had heard of her, when she was just Governor of some state that most people aren’t sure is really a state or Canada or something. I also remember it emphasizing how moderate/not crazy she was, :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Knorf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/58956e/32.png) [@Knorf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knorf)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2013, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sarah-palin-may-leave-republican-party/662291/72 "2013-07-02T19:59:00Z")
> [@thelurkinghorror](#): > > I think She would’ve come in one form or another anyway. Perhaps, but it was McCain who did it. ---
**Author:** ![Kenm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bc79bd/32.png) [@Kenm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kenm)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2013, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sarah-palin-may-leave-republican-party/662291/73 "2013-07-02T20:04:14Z")
> [@thelurkinghorror](#): > > I think She would’ve come in one form or another anyway. I saw her on several “Presidential contenders” etc. lists before most people had heard of her, when she was just Governor of some state that most people aren’t sure is really a state or Canada or something. Quit trying to blame that cow on us. David Frum is more than enough. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2013, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sarah-palin-may-leave-republican-party/662291/74 "2013-07-02T20:26:38Z")
> [@Knorf](#): > > Either way, McCain’s responsibility. Either he didn’t vet her enough, which is bad, or he thought she was a great choice, which is bad. We’ll never know for sure which. Either he chose her, which is bad, or he let someone else choose her, which from someone running to be a leader, is totally fucking unacceptable. ---
**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:** [July 2, 2013, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sarah-palin-may-leave-republican-party/662291/75 "2013-07-02T20:32:49Z")
> [@thelurkinghorror](#): > > I think She would’ve come in one form or another anyway. I saw her on several “Presidential contenders” etc. lists before most people had heard of her, when she was just Governor of some state that most people aren’t sure is really a state or Canada or something. I also remember it emphasizing how moderate/not crazy she was, :eek: I’m not so sure. She was in trouble while in the governor’s office, and more and more people on both sides of the fence were looking askance. The legislature was both annoyed and frustrated with her in about equal parts. Her nominations for key positions were being rejected out of hand, one of whom she nominated _twice_ for the same position of Attorney General (part of the laziness I mentioned above). She was also being investigated for a few things, and I believe lawsuits would have eventually been forthcoming over her husband’s accessing personnel records of State employees. Had not everyone been temporarily stunned by McCain’s selection of her as a running mate, these things would have come to fruition fairly quickly and damaged any national ambitions she might have had. That said, she might have been able to unseat Lisa Murkowski or Mark Begich in the Senate, although either of them would have turned her into shredded underwear in a debate. There were (and are) still enough idiots like my brother up there who would have voted for her (and even still would), based solely on the basis of her looks. The fact that she was on any presidential contenders lists means nothing. Any serious opponent in either party would quickly make her look like the willfully ignorant and aggressively stupid person that she is. ---
**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:** [July 2, 2013, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sarah-palin-may-leave-republican-party/662291/76 "2013-07-02T23:48:32Z")
Yeah, but nobody cared about her popularity at home. It’s not like political strategists lie awake at night figuring out how to win Alaska’s 4/15ths of an electoral vote. ---
**Author:** ![Truman\_Burbank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecc23a/32.png) [@Truman\_Burbank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Truman_Burbank)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2013, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sarah-palin-may-leave-republican-party/662291/77 "2013-07-03T00:00:03Z")
> [@pkbites](#): > > Yes, I am from America. Like I said earlier of all the insults flung at her I hadn’t heard one as benign as “witch”. Seems kind of mild considering how much some of you hate and fear her. You really, _really_, believe that Democrats **fear** her? Really? ---
**Author:** ![not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/not_what_you_d_expect/32/3246_2.png) [@not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/not_what_you_d_expect)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2013, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sarah-palin-may-leave-republican-party/662291/78 "2013-07-03T00:00:35Z")
How in the world did she ever get elected in the first place? Was she the only candidate for governor that year? Geez ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2013, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sarah-palin-may-leave-republican-party/662291/79 "2013-07-03T02:06:36Z")
> [@not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](#): > > How in the world did she ever get elected in the first place? Was she the only candidate for governor that year? Geez Apparently [she had powerful supporters](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Governorship_of_Sarah_Palin). > [@](#): > > In 2006, Sarah Palin was elected governor of Alaska. Running on a clean-government platform, Palin defeated incumbent Governor Frank Murkowski in the Republican gubernatorial primary election in August.[1] She then went on to win the general election in November, defeating former Governor Tony Knowles 48.3% to 40.9%.[2] Her running mate was State Senator Sean Parnell. > > During the Republican gubernatorial primary campaign, Palin was endorsed by former Alaska Governor Walter Hickel,[3] and groups such as the Alaska Correctional Officers Association and Alaska Right to Life.[4] Later, in the general election for governor, she was supported by Governor Frank Murkowski.[5] Republican U.S. Senator Ted Stevens made a last-moment endorsement, filming a television commercial with Palin for the gubernatorial campaign.[6] > > During her campaign for governor, Palin declared that education, public safety, and transportation would be the three cornerstones of her administration.[7] She won the race despite spending less than her Democratic opponent.[2] > > Palin became Alaska’s first female governor and, at 42, the youngest in state history. She is the first Alaskan governor born after Alaska achieved U.S. statehood and the first governor not inaugurated in Juneau; she chose to have the ceremony in Fairbanks instead. She took office on December 4, 2006, and maintained a high approval rating throughout her term;.[8] ---
**Author:** ![a35362](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3da27b/32.png) [@a35362](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/a35362)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2013, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sarah-palin-may-leave-republican-party/662291/80 "2013-07-03T03:58:45Z")
I think most people really didn’t know anything about her except what she and her campaign told them: young, pretty, wife and mother, Alaska politicians are corrupt and she’s a breath of fresh air, she’s a woman taking on the good old boy network, she’s tough and no-nonsense, down-to-earth, yadda yadda. Some supporter of hers whom she later threw under the bus wrote a book that basically said “we didn’t know how dysfunctional and corrupt she was” and “she got a lot worse when she became governor.” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sarah-palin-may-leave-republican-party/662291.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sarah-palin-may-leave-republican-party/662291.md?page=5)