Althouse: Sarah Palin is running for President using a visual metaphor strategy.

September 5, 2011

Sarah Palin is running for President using a visual metaphor strategy.

That's my take on the half-marathon in Iowa.

What else can she do — in Iowa and elsewhere — to run/not run for the cameras, in sly, photogenic, creative fashion?

38 comments:

Anonymous said...: Palin is not going anywhere. She cannot -and will not - defeat Perry or Romney for the top of the ticket. Nor, she will be selected as their VP. Thus, she has no choice but to become a king-maker. She can wait for 2016 or run the GOP as the chair.

I got this message from others at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel Bar near the Washington Monument.

Here is the summary from yesterday.

Sally (super K-street consultant): Hey, Ali, what are the anti-POTUS blogs saying? 

Jon (WH operative): They are clueless, right?  

Me: Yeah, they have declared the defeat of Obama. Perry is nominated and has been elected POTUS. They love Palin, but no one gives justifications. It is a bizarro world there. What is real is considered unreal.  

Sally: Just report back every day. That's the reason we invite you to our shindigs. 

Jon: Did you make a bet with anyone? You should. You will be rich. GOP will lose everywhere. A great chance to get your mortgage cleared up.

Jeff (MSM print-reporter): Hey all, Ali, anything new in the GOP-unreal-land? Are they scared of the eventual defeat?  

Sally: Bar-keep give our good man a double-scotch of your best whiskey. Drink up Ali and tell us some more...; 9/5/11, 9:18 AM
Jason (the commenter) said...: But she came in second, which is what everyone is afraid of.; 9/5/11, 9:20 AM
Michael Haz said...: She lives her life the way she chooses, and it makes the media and those who can't stand her absolutely crazy.

Can you imagine the other candidates running a half-marathon? In suits, starched white shirts, red neckties, black wingtips? Hah!; 9/5/11, 9:23 AM
PWS said...: I don't care for Palin; however, 1:46 for a half-marathon for a 47-year old is a decent time; just over 8 minutes a mile.

For example, in the Chicago Half Marathon this past spring, her time would have put her in the top 10% of all runners. Not too shabby.

She's got to be logging some pretty serious training miles. How does she do this w/o being bothered by reporters? Treadmill?; 9/5/11, 9:24 AM
Steve Austin said...: Of course the Palin fans who love their celebrity will eat this up. "Look Ken, she's making a mockery of the media again. This time fooling them by using her maiden name"

I'd prefer she simply enter the race and face the music in these three upcoming debates. I'd like to see her go at it unscripted against Perry, Romney, Huntsman, Bachmann, etc. And if she proves out to be the sharpest tool in the drawer after that, so be it.; 9/5/11, 9:25 AM
Anonymous said...: I wanted to mention that this story about GOP operative sharing the real story about the GOP was discussed at the Sunday night shindig. Am totally amazed at how the super K-street consultant Sally knows everything (see above post).

http://www.truth-out.org/goodbye-all-reflections-gop-operative-who-left-cult/1314907779; 9/5/11, 9:33 AM
J said...: Impressive--Ms Palin's got some fire. Maybe she could be like Governor of Alaska or something--oh that's right, she was, and resigned before the midway point because of a boatload of ethics reports.

Not a chance in Hades.; 9/5/11, 9:35 AM
FedkaTheConvict said...: I'd prefer she simply enter the race and face the music in these three upcoming debates

Today is only Labor Day. Remember when candidates waited until after Labor Day - when the public started to pay attention - before launching their presidential campaigns?; 9/5/11, 9:35 AM
Harsh Pencil said...: 1:46 is indeed a good time for a 47 year old woman.

Among first time marathoners, a common goal is too "beat Oprah", or 4:29:15 in a marathon. That is attainable for a lot of people. Beating 1:46 in a half marathon is a lot tougher in my book. (BTW, Palin ran a 3:59:36 marathon in 2005.) George W. Bush ran the 1993 Houston Marathon (so he was also about 47) in 3:44:52.

Rahm Emanuel just came in 10th in his age group (50-54) for the sprint course at the Chicago triathlon.; 9/5/11, 9:37 AM
Sprezzatura said...: I like that Todd picked up her info packet.

They didn't send some unknown staff person. Presumably, they don't have a huge entourage.; 9/5/11, 9:37 AM
rcocean said...: Palin has the luxury of waiting almost until November to Declare.

Her name recognition is off the charts & she gets tons of free publicity. Plus everyone knows she's a true conservative. She doesn't need to declare just to fund raise.

No need for her to get on a stage and share the limelight with Ron Paul and Mr. One percent.

People forget Fred Thompson could've won the nomination in 2008 except he had no fire in the belly.; 9/5/11, 9:41 AM
Steve Austin said...: I get a kick out of how Palin avoiding facing tough situations is always considered a "brilliant strategy" by her fan base.

Quit as Alaska Governor? Brilliant Strategy to avoid some political lawsuits.

Only appear on Fox News in pre scripted interviews with friendlies like Greta? Brilliant strategy to avoid the MSM which will unfairly portray her.

Don't enter the race now because you are worried you'd have to debate Rick Perry, Romney and Bachmann? Strategy because the debates aren't worth anyone's time at this point in the process.

She's come up with this schtick that the arena isn't worthy of anyone's time so she will try to bypass it. It seems sort of Obama-esque.; 9/5/11, 9:58 AM
Bayoneteer said...: Palin would end up being a mirror image of Obama. Someone with limited executive experience (none in O's case) who'd try all the standard ideology driven policies and stick with them whether they worked or not. People like Palin because she represents a big upraised middle finger to the Washington/NY/LA elites and which the conservative base ardently admires. Why they like those two dingbats Trump and Perry IMHO. Style.; 9/5/11, 9:59 AM
sakredkow said...: An important quality I'm looking for in POTUS is the ability to act selflessly for the best interests of the country when it's called for. To be the one person at the critical moment to keep their head when all others are losing theirs.

I don't trust Sarah to be able to do that. She strikes me as a little ditzy and IMO that's what holds her back.; 9/5/11, 10:04 AM
Joe said...: (The Crypto Jew)
Quit as Alaska Governor? Brilliant Strategy to avoid some political lawsuits

I’m something of a Palinista so I am little prejudiced, but you don’t get to tell the Big Lie and walk away…

She avoided PERSONAL BANKRUPTCY….not “some political lawsuits.” Oh it’s not “quit” it’s “abdicated” please set your decoder ring to a more recent setting.; 9/5/11, 10:17 AM
Joe said...: (The Crypto Jew)
I don't trust Sarah to be able to do that. She strikes me as a little ditzy and IMO that's what holds her back

I see it PHX like all the crazy stuff she’s done as the Left and Karl Rove have done since 2008 to destroy her…I mean sure Obama had some stalker move in next door and sure the NYT FOIA’d all his official e-mails from the Ill Senate and US Senate…oh wait they didn’t…”ditzy” that’s the best you got…
She strikes me as a little ditzy” good sexist diminution…you strike me as a little stupid…but hey what do I know, you might just be a “ditz.”; 9/5/11, 10:21 AM
edutcher said...: She knows she'd split the Conservative vote with Bachmann and Perry, thus handing the nod to Milton.

Steve Austin said...

I get a kick out of how Palin avoiding facing tough situations is always considered a "brilliant strategy" by her fan base.

Quit as Alaska Governor? Brilliant Strategy to avoid some political lawsuits.

Some? They were being filed about 1 a day.

God, this is getting old.

Maybe the fact that filing all those lawsuits was the Lefties' way of "avoiding a tough situation", facing an opponent who would hand them their heads.; 9/5/11, 10:24 AM
Joe said...: (The Crypto Jew)
I don't trust Sarah to be able to do that. She strikes me as a little ditzy and IMO that's what holds her back

Ditzy you mean like talking about all the “Dead” people in the audience, on Memorial Day, or campaigning in 57 states, or speaking “Austrian” or celebrating “Cinquo de Quatro”, or discussing “Corpse-men” in a speech, or confusing LIVE heroes with dead ones, in Afghanistan…or “Stand up Chuck” or the three letter word “J-O-B-S”? THAT kind of ditzy? ‘Cuz I’m a little puzzled about what you mean by “ditzy” in a comparative way.; 9/5/11, 10:24 AM
Widely Seen said...: I see that a private citizen, riding a bus around the country, wanted to run a half-marathon without the potential influx of thwarted media types.
She registered under her maiden name and, supported logistically by her husband, ran a respectable race time from the back of the pack.
Yet heads are still exploding and re-cycled comments burp out again...; 9/5/11, 10:42 AM
PWS said...: Where's Mead? Widely Seen "wins" the thread!!; 9/5/11, 11:27 AM
Phil 314 said...: Damn, she still has me beat. When does she train?; 9/5/11, 11:48 AM
Joe said...: (The Crypto Jew)
Damn, she still has me beat. When does she train

She trains by running away and ducking, didn’t you read upthread?; 9/5/11, 11:51 AM
rcocean said...: I think we need someone more level headed than Palin.

Say, someone who supports, opposes, then supports again illegal immigration or Obamacare - each time telling us that's what he *truly* believes.

Or maybe we need a "level headed" someone who wants to get rid of Social security, union with Mexico, and thinks Texas has a right to secede from the Union.

Or maybe a "level headed" Libertarian who wonders out loud whether that 'Civil Rights thing' was such a good idea after all & wants to bring back the Gold standard.; 9/5/11, 12:02 PM
dbp said...: Phil 3:14 said...

"Damn, she still has me beat. When does she train?"

I always figured you for a 1:37 half marathoner.; 9/5/11, 12:13 PM
J said...: Sarah: just another demon, along with the rest of the white trash mafia aka Teabugs.

Even the rightists hate her now, after her pics licking the boots of Kissinger, Bloomsberg etc.; 9/5/11, 12:14 PM
Lauderdale Vet said...: Her stump speeches are all variations on a theme. She has a very focused message, and I think if any of the candidates step up and can believably champion her key points in their platform, she won't run. If they don't, I think she will. I think she'll make that decision after hearing the September debates.

Whether she runs or not, her planks will end up influencing the party platform. Sort of win-win, really.; 9/5/11, 12:26 PM
Lauderdale Vet said...: > Sort of win-win, really.

If it's the deeds that you care about, and not the glory.; 9/5/11, 12:27 PM
David R. Graham said...: The goal is to break the back of the ecclesial/academic/media/bureaucratic monopoly that killed John F. Kennedy and has been sucking power into the federal system ever since. Sarah Palin is the only religious/moral/political personality of national and international prominence who embodies that goal.; 9/5/11, 12:44 PM
Alex said...: Sarah: just another demon, along with the rest of the white trash mafia aka Teabugs.

Once again this is the type of circle-jerk rhetoric that flies on Air America but nowhere else.; 9/5/11, 12:52 PM
Anonymous said...: Palin will make a good Secretary of Energy.; 9/5/11, 12:53 PM
Paul said...: "Palin will make a good Secretary of Energy."

Maybe so, but she'll make a great President.

And then select a good SOE.; 9/5/11, 1:13 PM
J said...: Touched a nerve, eh Alex? Dissent does bother the tea-tards. Sarah Palin's ....the TP's favorite special ed GOP gal. Trash; 9/5/11, 2:57 PM
Alex said...: J - you're garbage. I won't climb into the excrement truck with you. Too bad we don't have an ignore feature on here. You're filth.; 9/5/11, 2:58 PM
J said...: No, you're garbage--Alex, hijo de puta, like yr queer pedo boss Limbaugh. Pure human filth--Gacy's.

Let's reiterate--Sarah Palin--the TP's fave white trash special ed Okie gal; 9/5/11, 3:04 PM
J said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 9/5/11, 3:06 PM
J said...: Like dem apples, Alex, the yid mafia perp? heh Truth hurts.; 9/5/11, 3:08 PM
Phil 314 said...: dbp,
I always figured you for a 1:37 half marathoner.

LOL. In my dreams!; 9/5/11, 3:16 PM
Steve Koch said...: Palin is just living her life with passion and commitment. She is an athlete and running is the current expression of that athleticism. Very, very few 47 year old people can run 13 miles in 106 minutes.

By nature she is independent and likes to attack the establishment. She is naturally inclined to join the Tea Party because it challenges the political establishment and she agrees with it ideologically.

Palin probably does not run for president this election. She is a free spirit. My guess is that being president (or gov) is not appealing to her because it feels like a straight jacket to her.; 9/6/11, 5:21 AM