Sarah Palin tops the political news and blogospheric buzz again by refusing an invitation to speak at the Conservative Political Action Conference next month, yet accepting the invite to speak before the Southern Republican Leadership Conference in New Orleans.
"I'm looking forward to addressing conservative activists from across the south at the 2010 Southern Republican Leadership Conference," Palin said in a statement. "This is a great opportunity to listen and speak to those who are helping to set the direction of our party."
A Palin confidante said the governor is not being paid to speak at the event.
The Politico:
A source close to the Palin camp says that request led to a decision to stay away from the upcoming CPAC conference, calling it a forum that will place "special interests over core beliefs" and "pocketbook over policy."
"That's not what CPAC should be about and people are tiring," the source said. "Palin is taking a stance against this just as she did in Alaska."
When asked about the move, Palin spokeswoman Meg Stapleton said: "We support those who advance our core beliefs and lead by principle."
Whether you like/love Palin or dislike/hate Palin, the women certainly does stay consistent in her base principles about the "good ole boy network" and refusing to play by their rules.
In a National Journal survey of 109 party leaders, political professionals and pundits, according to HotLine On Call, Palin takes 5th place in the most likely candidate for the GOP in the 2012 elections, to which FiveThirtyEight finds truly "remarkable."
Silver from FiveThirtyEight concludes:
But back to the point I made in November -- there's going to come a time, probably in July 2011 or so, where the knives are really drawn on Palin and Republican pundits, strategists and candidates start saying in public some of the things they've been thinking in private. And that in all likelihood will play very well for her. Although the Establishment's concerns about Palin's viability as a general election candidate are well grounded, mostly they're just terrified of her because she doesn't need them.
He has a point.
By refusing CPAC for the reasons specified, Palin is talking to her core group of supporters and showing them, with actions, not just words, once again, that she is a different type of "politician" and that she doesn't need the Establishment and in fact would rather not get the 2012 nomination if she has to play the games they deem necessary.
This will speak well to her core base of supporters as well as those who are truly sick and tired of how Washington is run on lies, broken promises, back room deals and claiming transparency while at the same time closing the curtain to make sure no one can see what they are doing.
She will also appeal to Hillary Clinton supporters that gave Obama a chance when he took the Democratic nomination from Hillary in 2008 and found themselves thrown under the bus and severely disappointed.
Case in point, Taylor Marsh, who was always known as the hub of everything Hillary, while I have never seen her say she would vote for Palin, shows a healthy dose of respect for her.
Sarah Palin’s presence is what defines the Republican horse race for 2012 for traditional media like Cilizza. She’s got the juice. If her non-traditional event picking continues, can the Tea Party base and conservative voters be far behind?
Or a better question, if Palin isn’t part of the Republican president party will anyone tune in?
While I keep wondering… The GOP establishment took a trip to Crawford to hand pick George W. Bush, who was then tutored and spoon fed Paul Wolfowitz’s and Dick Cheney’s neoconservatism. Why don’t Republicans do that with Sarah Palin, especially since she’s already emotionally connected with a loyal following of voters? She’s certainly no dumber than Bush.
Sarah Palin simply isn’t as pliant.
Marsh understands that Palin knows exactly what she is doing and headlines her piece, just that, "Palin Knows Exactly What She’s Doing."
Yesterday's news that Sarah Palin would be one of the headliners for the Tea Party's first-ever convention, opens up another venue of potential voters.
People are tired of hearing empty promises, they are tired of how Washington works, they are tired of hearing one thing while politicians do another and they are sick and tired of politicians that can be bought off, bribed and vote strictly with party instead of voting on their core principles as well as people that can have those principles bought off by Pelosi or Reid with back room deals. (Yes Ben Nelson, I am talking about you there)
I agree with Silver that Palin is one to watch as 2012 rolls around as long as she continues making decisions as the one to refuse speaking to CPAC and instead choosing the Southern Republican Leadership Conference.
Oh and there is a bonus to Palin that I didn't mention above.... the far far far liberal left hate her so much their heads almost explode every time she makes the news.
Always entertaining to watch.
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