Sarah Palin has this new book out, about protecting the heart of Christmas, so she’s on a bit of a media tour at present. Above is an odd, perhaps-best-defined-as-awkward clip between her and Matt Lauer on The Today Show over the rollout of ObamaCare; you might have also heard her call Levi Johnston ‘a deadbeat dad,’ talk in relative circles about Chris Christie and 2016, liken debt to slavery, be profiled by USA Today, or attend Billy Graham’s 95th birthday party (with Donald Trump!). In short, she’s been back in the news, which is probably a good thing for her, because one of her last notable runs through the media was about her likely ’87 one-night stand with Glen Rice. In this run-through, she mostly talks about Christmas, Ted Cruz, and Mike Lee. (If you click on that ‘talks about Christmas’ link, there are some amazing connections there.) A couple of weeks ago, before this promotional tour commenced, she was all over the place on The Kelly File.
The Tea Party has grown less popular, and Palin — considered a rising star by some even after the 2008 loss — isn’t even in the top 10 when Pew Research asks people, “Who’s the leader of the Republican party?” (This could be because many inside the GOP view Palin’s selection in 2008 as a death knell for McCain; this is another good read on that topic.) Palin likely doesn’t have a ‘second act’ or broader GOP future, but a ‘Palin 2016’ search on Google will yield you 21 million results. In June, one conservative thinker called a Jeb Bush-Palin ticket ‘the GOP’s only chance.’ She is appearing in Iowa and telling people to ‘stiffen their backs,’ but I can’t find any reputable 2016 discussion that has her even within a sniff of it; about a week ago, comedian John Fugelsang called her ‘the GOP’s Jar Jar Binks.’ She’s also now added something about a ‘church of big government’ to her talking points.
There’s a chance she could run for Senate in Alaska in 2014 — referenced here and here — but it’s more likely she’ll continue to get involved in other races, such as Kentucky, New Jersey, Tennessee and Mississippi. In a way, no one really knows what she’s doing. The ‘Sarah Palin’ industry will probably continue to make money, but a political future seems more dubious.
I have absolutely no idea, nor does my opinion matter on this topic and nor do I understand why this is even interesting (way for me to sell this post, eh?). Here’s my uninformed take: I think Sarah Palin is an absolute train wreck, and a good example of how vetting processes can go horribly awry (which HR divisions do every day, but not on a national stage). I do think she’s insanely hot for a 49-year-old, and I do think it’s awkwardly interesting/cool that she probably had sex with Glen Rice when he was at Michigan. Those last two points are me channeling a 15-year-old version of myself. I think watching her on any type of live news program is typically nothing short of amazing, and I think if she emerges as a national candidate again, ’twill not go very far. That said, her connections with Ted Cruz should be intriguing to see play out over the next few years, especially with this new context of Cruz’s own party days back when. I am also kinda interested in this moose chili recipe purportedly in Palin’s new book.
A second act? No. But a first act for the ages? Most assuredly.
