Sarah Palin is Running for President. For Real.
For the past few years, Sarah Palin has been making a movie about herself. Actually, she hasn't been making it, but she initiated the project. From Real Clear Politics:
Shortly after Republicans swept last November to a historic victory in which Sarah Palin was credited with playing a central role, the former Alaska governor pulled aside her close aide, Rebecca Mansour, to discuss a hush-hush assignment: Reach out to conservative filmmaker Stephen K. Bannon with a request. Ask him if he would make a series of videos extolling Palin's governorship and laying to rest lingering questions about her controversial decision to resign from office with a year-and-a-half left in her first term. It was this abdication, Palin knew, that had made her damaged goods in the eyes of some Republicans who once were eager to get behind her potential 2012 presidential campaign.
The response was more positive than Palin could have hoped for. He'd make a feature-length movie, Bannon told Mansour, and he insisted upon taking complete control and financing it himself -- to the tune of $1 million.
To anyone who thinks she's a lightweight, or not-so-bright, think again. This is some gutsy, long-term thinking. With an emphasis on gutsy:
Though she did not have any editorial role in the project, Palin facilitated access for Bannon and his film crew to key Alaskan defenders who were involved with the major achievements of her administration, and the filmmaker spent several weeks in the 49th state gathering archival film and conducting research and interviews for the project. He and his team took extraordinary measures to keep their endeavor secret.
The movie, according to many sources, is done. And it's impressive. It's a large-lens look at Palin's life, time in office, and genuine accomplishments.
It's also a fairly complete look at the controversial governor. Again, from RCP:
To convey Bannon's view of the pathology behind Palin-hatred, the film begins with a fast-paced sequence of clips showing some of the prominent celebrities who have used sexist, derogatory and generally vicious language to describe her.
Rosie O'Donnell, Matt Damon, Bill Maher, David Letterman, and Howard Stern all have brief cameos before comedian Louis C.K. goes off on a particularly ugly anti-Palin riff.
"I hate her more than anybody," C.K. says at the end of his tirade, the rest of which is unfit to print here.
Bannon intends to release two versions of the film. An unrated edition will contain some obscene anti-Palin language and imagery, while the other is targeted to a general audience and will seek a PG-13 rating from the Motion Picture Association of America.
Again, this is a canny move, both from the perspective of the filmmaker -- more controversy = more ticket sales -- and from the point of view of Palin. The unhinged hatred people have for her makes her even more popular with some people. Even people like me, who have reservations about her presidential run.
And she is running for president.
How do I know?
When's the premiere of the movie, you ask? Next month.
Where's the premiere of the movie, you ask? Iowa.
Sarah Palin is running for president. And this film is her opening shot. From all reports, it's a big one. Despite my misgivings, I have to say: I wish her well, and I'm rooting for her. I just haven't figured out exactly what I'm rooting for her to do.
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Comments:
Dec '10
Re: Sarah Palin is Running for President. For Real.
Kenneth
It amuses me how social conservatives, ...
Kenneth, my love, this is where you and I part ways. On the political spectrum ranging from authoritarianism on the left to anarchy on the right, libertarians are to the right of "center-right" conservatives. Conservatives tend toward the left of you because we believe in the rule of law based on Judeo-Christian moral values. You obviously aren't anarchists, but we're to your left because we have a standard which says you must not kill innocent humans pre or post-natally. It's not that we want to tell a woman what to do with her body. It's that we don't believe she should be allowed to do whatever she wants with the other person's body involved in the scenario. You're right in that we want to impose these values. We think they have everything to do with the exceptionalism of this country.
Edited on May 26, 2011 at 2:10amDec '10
Re: Sarah Palin is Running for President. For Real.
BTW, Kenneth, is this really your position?
"No, I won't. There's always a real conservative in the race...on the Libertarian line."
So, rather than possibly voting for Palin, you would effectively waste your vote on a Libertarian candidate?
I anticipate that, far beyond anything we have ever seen before, voter fraud is going to be overwhelming in 2012 and will favor Obama. That means that every non GOP vote will effectively count for just a bit more. I believe that you would be, effectively, voting for Obama, as neither Johnson, nor any other Obama opponent, outside of the GOP candidate, will be taking the oath of office. Are you comfortable with that? Don't quibble; those are the choices; Obama or the GOP nominee.
Oct '10
Re: Sarah Palin is Running for President. For Real.
In the 2008 presidential election, the Libertarian Party garnered a whopping 0.40% of the popular vote. Nowhere to go but up!
Jul '10
Re: Sarah Palin is Running for President. For Real.
Western Chauvinist
Kenneth
It amuses me how social conservatives, ...They're the ones who would use government to impose their values on others. Libertarians - the true conservatives - just want government to leave them - and others - alone. · May 25 at 3:42pm
Edited on May 25 at 03:43 pm
Kenneth, my love, this is where you and I part ways.
Western, if any one issue defines the line between libertarians and social conservatives, it is, indeed, abortion. (Well, equal rights for gay people may be right up there, too.)
As I've said many times before, the libertarian stance on those issues is informed by the 10th Amendment.
Libertarians are content to leave those issues "...to the states, respectively, or to the people."
Social conservatives seek to impose their choices on a national level.
Jul '10
Re: Sarah Palin is Running for President. For Real.
CJRun: BTW, Kenneth, is this really your position?
"No, I won't. There's always a real conservative in the race...on the Libertarian line."
So, rather than possibly voting for Palin, you would effectively waste your vote on a Libertarian candidate?
Third parties serve a vital purpose: to register a protest vote. It's up to the dominant party to hear that protest.
The Republican Party began as a protest against the Whig's insufficient support for emancipation of slaves. How did that work out for the Whigs?
In 2000, the Green Party vote in Florida cost the Democrats the Presidency.
In the 2002 and 2004 election cycles, the Libertarian vote cost the GOP three Senate seats - in Missouri, Montana and Oregon.
"Hello, hello?" the Greens cried. And the Democrats heard.
"Wake up!" the Libertarians cried. And the GOP snoozed. And, um, loosed.
Dec '10
Re: Sarah Palin is Running for President. For Real.
Western Chauvinist:
Did you see the one where Todd had to pull her whiny carcass up the side of a glacier? Oy! · May 25 at 3:58pm
Did you see the one where she and Bristol worked on a commercial fishing boat and she showed Bristol how to brain the halibut before the fish either bruised its own meat or injured Bristol? In the same episode she and Bristol worked the slime line at the packing plant on shore. No squeamishness, no running to find someone bigger and stronger to help. It was impressive.
Had a chance to check out the links at #49 above yet? I picked them just for you.
Re: Sarah Palin is Running for President. For Real.
Wow. And here I thought this Sarah Palin post wouldn't be so well-trafficked. After all, the movie isn't even out yet.
When it does come out, we need to figure out a way to live-chat it!
Sarah Palin -- love her or hate her -- is probably the most interesting person in American politics right now. Personally, I'd love to see her transform herself into someone I really felt confident about. Part of what I'm responding to, I think, is the need for someone to take the fight wide, to stand up for the Right things -- things that Libertarians like Kenneth and Conservatives like Stuart agree on. And I'm nervous that we don't have that right now. If Ryan or Christie get in, that's another story for me. If Pawlenty moves in that direction, I'll be glad.
But as I said, I'll reevaluate Palin in good faith -- because she is running.
Dec '10
Re: Sarah Palin is Running for President. For Real.
Kenneth
In the 2002 and 2004 election cycles, the Libertarian vote cost the GOP three Senate seats - in Missouri, Montana and Oregon.
You're citing this as a feature of the system and not a bug? Fascinating.
Jul '10
Re: Sarah Palin is Running for President. For Real.
Stuart Creque
Kenneth
In the 2002 and 2004 election cycles, the Libertarian vote cost the GOP three Senate seats - in Missouri, Montana and Oregon.
You're citing this as a feature of the system and not a bug? Fascinating. · May 25 at 4:58pm
Absolutely a feature. For decades, the GOP has gone along with ever-bigger government. Libertarians sent them a wake-up call. Too bad for them that they didn't care to hear it.
But guess what? They finally heard it in 2010; when millions of Americans who didn't even realize they shared libertarian principles stood up and roared.
Dec '10
Re: Sarah Palin is Running for President. For Real.
Rob Long:
Part of what I'm responding to, I think, is the need for someone to take the fight wide, to stand up for the Right things -- things that Libertarians like Kenneth and Conservatives like Stuart agree on.
Coalitions are built on unions of sets, not intersections.
The key is finding someone who stands up for a core set of principles that he or she truly believes. Any given voter won't agree with all of those principles and beliefs, but will agree with some -- and the strength of the candidate's convictions and his or her authenticity will persuade that voter that the candidate will stick by whatever beliefs they hold in common.
You cannot construct a candidate that simultaneously satisfies the spectrum of beliefs in the Republican Party. A candidate strong on national defense and an aggressive foreign policy, strong against taxes and for real spending cuts, and willing to fight for the rights of the unborn would be "perfect" to some Republicans and a monster to others. But if that candidate holds those beliefs firmly and in the context of patriotic pride, I believe he or she will pull the greatest numbers of voters into coalition.
Re: Sarah Palin is Running for President. For Real.
David Williamson
I agree with Gus - well, she is certainly a Conservative, which is enough for me (I think of myself more as a Conservative than a member of the elite, squishy, GOP that favored Mr Daniels)...
So Peter Robinson and Paul Rahe are not conservatives, but rather members of the elite, squishy GOP? Ha. That'll be news to them. And most unwelcome news, to boot.
Jun '10
Re: Sarah Palin is Running for President. For Real.
Sarah is two inches taller than Mitch Daniels, that should count for something
Re: Sarah Palin is Running for President. For Real.
Kenneth As I've said many times before, the libertarian stance on those issues is informed by the 10th Amendment.
Libertarians are content to leave those issues "...to the states, respectively, or to the people."
Social conservatives seek to impose their choices on a national level. · May 25 at 4:42pm
Kenneth, I am pro-life and a supporter of the 10th amendment--these are not mutually exclusive positions--and it is my recollection that abortion policy was nationalized by the left, not by social conservatives.
I think most on the right would be perfectly happy to live in a world where by choosing your state you agree to abide by the local mores with respect to abortion, school prayer, gay marriage, marijuana use--you name it. Unfortunately, the left has moved all of this and more to the federal level, mainly via the courts, ruling out state-by-state action and horribly polarizing the national electorate, including the social cons.
How can we reinvigorate the 10th amendment without first checking the Supreme Court's intrusion into seemingly everything?
Jul '10
Re: Sarah Palin is Running for President. For Real.
Diane Ellis, Ed.
David Williamson
I agree with Gus - well, she is certainly a Conservative, which is enough for me (I think of myself more as a Conservative than a member of the elite, squishy, GOP that favored Mr Daniels)...
So Peter Robinson and Paul Rahe are not conservatives, but rather members of the elite, squishy GOP? Ha. That'll be news to them. And most unwelcome news, to boot. · May 25 at 5:15pm
Yeah, that "Daniels was the choice of squishes" meme is absurd. Yes, he did enjoy support within the GOP establishment, but so what? He also enjoys 70% approval among the "elites" of Indiana.
Re: Sarah Palin is Running for President. For Real.
Diane Ellis, Ed. So Peter Robinson and Paul Rahe are not conservatives, but rather members of the elite, squishy GOP? Ha. That'll be news to them. And most unwelcome news, to boot. · May 25 at 5:15pm
Mitch was too squishy for my tastes, although I hesitated to mention it to my good friend, the very much solid-as-a-rock Peter Robinson while Mitch was still weighing his options. But I would have voted for Indiana governor on height alone--I think we are the same size and the US certainly needs more diversity in this area, don't you think?
Jul '10
Re: Sarah Palin is Running for President. For Real.
George Savage
Kenneth As I've said many times before, the libertarian stance on those issues is informed by the 10th Amendment.
Libertarians are content to leave those issues "...to the states, respectively, or to the people."
Social conservatives seek to impose their choices on a national level. · May 25 at 4:42pmien
Kenneth, I am pro-life and a supporter of the 10th amendment--these are not mutually exclusive positions--and it is my recollection that abortion policy was nationalized by the left, not by social conservatives.
Point taken, but let's be candid, most avid pro-lifers will not be satisfied until abortion is banned nationwide.
You know, most people forget that the central issue in Roe v. Wade wasn't whether Roe could procure an abortion - it was that it was an unconstitutional inconvenience for her to have to travel to another state for the procedure.
I'm all for a return to things as they stood prior to Roe. That's how the 10th Amendment works.
Mar '11
Re: Sarah Palin is Running for President. For Real.
Diane Ellis, Ed.
So Peter Robinson and Paul Rahe are not conservatives, but rather members of the elite, squishy GOP? Ha. That'll be news to them. And most unwelcome news, to boot.
Hey, at least I didn't call them Rinos. Actually, I didn't mention them at all.
Re: Sarah Palin is Running for President. For Real.
Amen. Libertarians and conservatives living together in peace and harmony.
Dec '10
Re: Sarah Palin is Running for President. For Real.
Kenneth
Western, if any one issue defines the line between libertarians and social conservatives, it is, indeed, abortion. (Well, equal rights for gay people may be right up there, too.)
As I've said many times before, the libertarian stance on those issues is informed by the 10th Amendment.
Libertarians are content to leave those issues "...to the states, respectively, or to the people."
Social conservatives seek to impose their choices on a national level. · May 25 at 4:42pm
What George Savage said. And the "right to abortion" already existed in many states when Roe imposed unlimited access to this fictional right on all the states, even those in which a large majority find the practice repugnant. I too would be happy to leave it to the will of the people. Along with gay marriage, which the courts are forcing on the states as well. Does that make me a libertarian?
One thing we on the right seem to share is a trust in the people to set their own standards. The disdain the Left has for "the little people" is something Republicans should use more in their campaigns.
Jun '10
Re: Sarah Palin is Running for President. For Real.
George Savage
How can we reinvigorate the 10th amendment without first checking the Supreme Court's intrusion into seemingly everything? · May 25 at 5:20pm
Abortion is different than the others mentioned. Since the fetus is a human person, he/she is privy to the same rights as other human citizens, rights ensured by federal and state governments. Are we prepared to have Texas claiming that the fetus is a person and Vermont acting as if he/she were not?
... If only we had a historical example where one section of the country defined persons as persons and another section defined persons as not. How did the tall, top hat wearing Republican of the day deal with that conundrum?...