A two-pronged PAC - ShePAC - has formed headed by "Teri Christoph, one of the original Tea Party activists; and Suzanne Haik Terrell, former Senate candidate from Louisiana who now runs Project GoPink, a group that encourages Republican women to run for office," Alina Selyukh of Reuters reported yesterday. Tim Crawford, Treasurer, SarahPAC conceived the idea and he is the Treasurer of ShePAC.

Chris Moody, The Ticket reports:

Called "ShePAC," an acronym for "Support, Honor and Elect," the group is forming two political action committees to pour money into congressional and gubernatorial elections in support of Republican women. Organizers filed paperwork with the Federal Election Commission Tuesday to create a traditional PAC that donates to individual campaigns and a super PAC that can spend an unlimited amount on political ads so long as they do not coordinate with the campaigns.

H/T Michelle McCormick for story lead.

Michelle Easton today spoke with LaDonna Hale Curzon, Executive Producer, and Host of Sarah Palin Radio about the Clare Booth Luce Policy Institute's conferral of its 2012 Woman of the Year Award upon Former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin for putting her family first and not running for President in the 2012 election cycle. Gov. Palin is to receive the award on February 11, at noon during the CPAC Saturday session at an award ceremony that is closed to the media. The event is only open to women who are undergraduate students and is accepting participants only on a waiting list. Film director, Stephen K. Bannon interviewed Easton about the award on his February 5 Victory Sessions broadcast.

Curzon also is a co-host on US Tea Party Radio, and is a contributor to Big Hollywood, Big Government, and PJTV.

The Clare Booth Luce Institute is conferring its Woman of the Year Award upon former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin because she chose to put her family ahead of running for the Presidency, Michelle Easton, President of the Institute said during an interview with Stephen K. Bannon on his February 5, Victory Sessions Show.

Easton said,

The Clare Booth Luce Institute exists to prepare and promote women conservative leaders, and each year, we honor one extraordinary woman who like our organization's namesake Clare Booth Luce shows leadership, and grace, and dedication to advancing conservative principles. And this year, we are giving our Woman of the Year Award to Governor Sarah Palin. And it's not just because of what she's done and she's done a tremendous amount - an inspiration to so many. It's also because of what she didn't do. Now doesn't that sound odd, an award for what she didn't do. Now, let me explain: she wanted to run very badly against President Obama's failed leadership - it was so apparent. She really wanted to, but in the end she didn't. She didn't, because she put her special little baby, her children, and her husband first in her life. And this is such a rare, kind of a very visible example of somebody putting their family first in their lives and courageously speaking out about it. And that's why she's the Woman of the Year. Because, she didn't run this year and she wanted to put her little baby, her children and the First Dude first in her life for this time period.

...

Hundreds of young female undergraduate students will be present for the award ceremony. Many of these women got involved in the ... debates when she was nominated for Vice President. They were so inspired by her. And the truth is that in most of the universities in popular culture and on the left, conservative women are marginalized and sometimes savaged.

About Gov. Palin's essay on special needs children which ran in the Daily Beast, Easton said, "It's a beautiful essay about how every parent, moms and dad struggle with commitments about our children, families and work and how sometimes when making decisions about our careers, you have to put the family first. And she's said she's never regretted it."

Easton described the life of Clare Booth Luce and how she became the Institute's namesake, saying,

Well, she was quite a remarkable woman, very much ahead of her time. She died in 1987. She had a brilliant professional career. She had a very strong family life, good marriage, and she had very deep faith, so when I formed this institute 19 years ago, well 'who to name it after?' You know after close study, there was absolutely no contest. There was nobody who done all that she had done. In fact, one of the pictures is my favorite one. It's the 1944 Republican National Convention. 1944. Clare Booth Luce is giving the keynote speech and it was at a time when - let's face it when the women were not at the podium - and she laid into Roosevelt - he lied us into war....but she was conservative. She was anti-Communist, she was free-market-oriented, she was traditional values, she was very religious. She has never taught in women's studies or in women's history.

Easton also detailed Clare Booth Luce's connection to President Reagan.

President Reagan was a strong admirer of Luce. He had given her the highest civilian honor, and he had her as part of his administration in an advisory capacity. "She is someone who young women can look to for inspiration," Easton said noting that the institute works primarily with young women in college. "She did an awful lot and as Gov. Palin says, 'you can do it all, you just can't do it all at once.' "

"Clare Booth Luce's life is an example of somebody who did so many different things at different times in her life, but she was a conservative, a traditionalist, somebody of great faith."

Complete Audio Transcript: Stephen K. Bannon Interviews Michelle Easton about Palin Award

H/T John_Frank, Conservatives4Palin commenter for story lead.

The GOP candidates must focus on defeating Obama, former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin tonight said during a TV interview with Greta Van Susteren from her home in Wasilla, Alaska in response to a question on why Obama is rising in the polls. Van Susteren had questioned Gov. Palin about flat and declining voter turnouts thus far in the primaries. Gov. Palin said voter enthusiasm is not there yet partly because some believe "it is a foregone conclusion that Romney will be the nominee," and partly because of "collateral damage from the nominating process as the candidates beat each other up."

Gov. Palin said that Obama would love to debate Romney and fears Gingrich, because "he is the toughest debater." She said Gingrich "offers solutions, ideas," and has a past record of successes. She said Romney's air of inevitability arises from the $40 million he has spent thus far on attack ads. By contrast, Santorum has raised only $2.8 million. But, "Santorum is rising in the polls and is next to face attacks," she said.

Van Susteren asked Gov. Palin who she thought was the truest conservative of the four candidates. She praised Ron Paul for his fiscal austerity measures; Gingrich for balancing budgets, cutting taxes and shrinking the federal government; Santorum for his consistency in views and his social conservatism rooted in a return to Judeo-Christian values. About Romney, Gov. Palin said, he has raised taxes and flip-flopped on several social conservative issues, though he is now expressing the conservative view on them.

Gov. Palin warned that the attacks on Santorum would come within days and they will be centered around his backing of earmarks. She warned that Santorum will be portrayed as a big spending liberal.

Gov. Palin said all the candidates are far more attuned to the Constitution and the values America holds dear than Obama is.

When Van Susteren asked Gov. Palin what was holding Ron Paul back in the polls, she said his foreign policy positions were the culprit, emphasizing that "we must stand by our ally, Israel" and "Israel is surrounded by enemies."

Gov. Palin said we cannot afford another four years of Obama and he has only increased debts and deficits contravening his own campaign promises.

Governor Palin today posted on Facebook:

America remembers our beloved 40th president today! In honor of President Reagan’s 101st birthday, American’s For Prosperity put together this great video reminding us of the time-tested truths Reagan stood for.

at the Reagan Ranch in Santa Barbara, CA

Last year at this time, I had the honor of speaking at the Young America’s Foundation’s Reagan Centennial dinner at the Reagan Ranch Center in Santa Barbara. You can watch or read the speech here; it was an homage to Reagan’s famous “Time for Choosing” and a discussion of the state of our nation today.

During the Illinois leg of the One Nation Tour, we got to visit Reagan’s hometown of Dixon, as well as his alma mater, Eureka College.  It was a very moving experience, which I wrote about here, here and here.

As I wrote in an op-ed last year on Reagan’s centennial:

I had the privilege of coming of age during the era of Ronald Reagan. I like to think of him as America's lifeguard. As a teenager, Ronald Reagan saved 77 lives as a lifeguard on the Rock River, which ran through his hometown of Dixon, Ill. The day he was inaugurated in 1981, a local radio announcer famously declared, "The Rock River flows for you tonight, Mr. President." 

The image of the lifeguard seems to represent what Reagan was to America and to the freedom-loving people of the world. He lifted our country up at a time when we were in the depths of economic, cultural and spiritual malaise. We were told that we must accept that the era of American greatness was over; but with his optimism and common sense, President Reagan held up a mirror to the American soul to remind us of our exceptionalism.

at the Rock River in Dixon, IL

We are all so grateful for his courage and leadership; and like President Reagan, we believe that our best days are yet to come because “there will always be a bright dawn ahead” for America.

- Sarah Palin

 

Retrieved from: http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=10150540360408435.

Former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin will receive the Clare Booth Luce Policy Institute 2012 Woman of the Year Award at a luncheon being held during CPAC where she is to deliver the closing keynote address mere hours later. The luncheon is only open to female undergraduate students and registrations are only be accepted for a waiting list. The Clare Booth Luce Policy Institute is dedicated to "preparing and promoting conservative women leaders."

To register for the waiting list, visit the event site.

To register for the waiting list, visit the event site.

H/T Ian Lazaran, Conservatives4Palin for story lead.

Reprinted in its entirety from the Daily Beast

by former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin

Last week, Rick Santorumand his family offered us a reminder of what really matters. When his 3-year-old daughter, Bella, born with Trisomy 18, was hospitalized with pneumonia, Rick left the campaign trail to be by her bedside. In the middle of this very heated campaign season, many of us prayed through tears for Bella’s health and added prayers of thankfulness for a public example of someone’s sacrifice made with the right priorities.

It’s a sacrifice every parent and caregiver of a child with special needs sympathizes with. Families of children with special needs are bonded by a shared experience of the joys, challenges, fears, and blessings of raising these beautiful children whom we see as perfect in this imperfect world.

During the 2008 presidential campaign, on rope lines at rallies across the country, my husband, Todd, and I met so many of these families and caretakers, and I’ll never forget them. There was an instant connection—a kind of mutual acknowledgment that said, “Yes, these children are precious and loved. Yes, we face extra fears and challenges, but our children are a blessing, and the rest of the world is missing out in not knowing this.”

Every parent struggles with juggling the commitments of work and family. Women, especially, know this well. Over the years, I’ve learned that women can “have it all,” just not all at once. For me, it was a lesson learned through the school of hard knocks, but it was one my own mother made me aware of when she calmly told me that as a working mom in the rough-and-tumble political arena, I would have to make tough choices. We all do. In making decisions about my career, I’ve put my family first, and I’ve never regretted it, although it has meant periodically putting particular pursuits on the back burner.

When I discovered early in my pregnancy that my baby would be born with an extra chromosome, the diagnosis of Down syndrome frightened me so much that I dared not discuss my pregnancy for many months. All I could seem to muster was a calling out to God to prepare my heart for what was ahead. My prayers were answered beyond my shallow understanding of what true joy could be. Yes, raising a child with special needs is a unique challenge, and there’s still fear about my son Trig’s future because of health and social challenges; and certainly some days are much more difficult than if I had a “normal” child.

Sarah Palin with her son, Trig., Jack Kurtz / ZUMA-Corbis

Many everyday activities like doctor’s appointments and social gatherings and travel accommodations and even mealtimes and a solid night of sleep are that much more difficult, but at the end of the day I wouldn’t trade the relative difficulties for any convenience or absence of fear. God knew what he was doing when he blessed us with Trig. We went from fear of the unknown to proudly displaying a bumper sticker sent to us that reads: “My kid has more chromosomes than your kid!” He may not be the next Wayne Gretzky, but our hearts are filled with so much pride watching Trig giggle with his sisters’ puppies, or sway to the rhythm of his Little Angels DVDs, it’s as if he were hoisting the Stanley Cup.Granted, I know I may be more fortunate than others to have loving friends and a big, supportive family I call on to help, including a husband who spends many sleepless nights with this restless little one. (And Todd actually makes Trig’s puréed baby food!) Others aren’t so fortunate, and in our thankfulness I am made more compassionate toward others who have less.I often think now, what would we do without Trig? He’s our “everything that really matters.”Trig is almost 4 years old now, and every morning when he wakes up, he pulls himself up, rubs the sleep out of his eyes, looks around, and then starts applauding! He welcomes each day with thunderous applause and laughter. He looks around at creation and claps as if to say, “OK, world, what do you have for me today?”

My family knows that Trig will face struggles that few of us will ever have to endure, including people who can be so cruel to those not deemed “perfect” by society. The cruelty is more than made up for, though, when someone simply smiles at our son. Nothing makes me prouder. As I explained in a Thanksgiving article, I notice it happens often in airports. Travelers passing by will do a double-take when they see him, perhaps curious about the curious look on his face; or perhaps my son momentarily exercises an uncontrollable motion that takes the passerby by surprise. Perhaps, as an innocent and candid child announced when she first met Trig, they think, “He’s awkward.” But when that traveler pauses to look again and smiles, and maybe tells me what a handsome boy I have, I swell with pride. I am so thankful for their good hearts. They represent the best in our country, and their kindness shows the real hope we need today.

My family understands that up ahead, some days will be better than others. We will adapt and juggle things and work through it. But Trig applauds the day. And that’s what he teaches us. That’s our priority, and we’re blessed by it.

H/T, Stacy Drake, Conservatives4Palin for story lead.

The conflict between Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure and Planned Parenthood once again raises the issue of Planned Parenthood’s funding. As has been pointed out many times, Planned Parenthood doesn’t provide mammograms. So, why should a breast cancer charity feel enormous pressure to donate to an abortion provider? It’s frustrating to see Komen feel it had to reverse its decision based on political pressure. Here’s an interesting and very good take away from all of this:

As controversial as this entire situation has become, there is definitely a lesson to be learned here, and I want to highlight it. Planned Parenthood reportedly was the recipient of an outpouring of public support after Susan G. Komen for the Cure first announced its decision not to fund it. It didn’t take long at all for Planned Parenthood supporters to respond, as they made the decision to give from their own personal finances. This is precisely how these things ought to work. Private charities and willing individuals have every right to give to organizations such as Planned Parenthood. The allocation of federal funds, however, is a different matter entirely. For years, many Americans have voiced disapproval of their dollars going to Planned Parenthood via the federal government. This is particularly a bone of contention now when America is broke and needs to rein in spending. Every federal dollar counts, and Planned Parenthood has just shown us that it has the means to raise its own money from individuals who choose to give to them, rather than receiving most of its multimillion dollar funding from the U.S. government. Even New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg has gotten involved in the situation, pledging to donate and accusing Komen of basing the decision—the decision of how to spend its money—on politics. This is further evidence that there’s no lack of willing financial support. So then why should those whose consciences rail against giving to an organization dogged with too many questions—and too many abortions—be forced to give to Planned Parenthood through their tax dollars?

Please click here to read the rest. - Sarah Palin  

Former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin tonight called upon the GOP declared candidates to focus their energy on "who is is best equipped to take on Obama and his failed policies" in a single-segment TV interview with Bill O'Reilly from her home studio in Wasilla, Alaska.

Gov. Palin also urged voters to not listen to the negative ads put out by the super-PACS and the candidates and instead do their own homework, and do their own vetting. "It is imperative that voters do not become lazy," she said. O'Reilly said that while may viewers of his and other Fox shows would do it, he considered most voters to be ill-informed.

Gov. Palin said the candidates need to focus on how best to mount a campaign against Obama. She also said "it is not negative campaigning to call out records, past associations, and what another candidate has said and done in the past." She acknowledged O'Reilly's thesis that negative campaign ads ultimately become free ads for the Democrats to use against us.

"I hope that [the candidates] keep their priorities straight," Gov. Palin said adding that for her faith, family and freedom come first. Gov. Palin said she has a thick skin but is "sympathetic when she sees others going through what I have."

Former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin tonight called upon the GOP candidates to debate solutions and issues and stop the negativity during a TV interview with Bret Baier and Megyn Kelly from her home in Wasilla, Alaska.

On Romney's win - which as of this writing stands at 47% with Gingrich trailing 15 points at 32% with 79% of the precincts reporting - Gov. Palin said, "those are pretty large numbers for Governor Romney. $17 million bought lots of darts and arrows which were flown in one direction, and others were thrown back." Gov. Palin said that with this $17 million in ads all spent in Florida, the other candidates found it difficult to counter Romney. "Once a bell is rung, it's difficult to un-ring it."

On Romney's closing statement pertaining to leading the party, Gov. Palin said that is every candidate's mission. She called upon all the candidates to debate the issues, like why are we facing a huge deficit, and debate solutions to problems such as the rumor that U.S. currency will no longer be used for oil trades, which increases our dependence on foreign energy. She said the candidates should debate the war on religion, which is a "war on our first freedom." She said candidates should focus on normal every-day things, not nitpicking.

Baier asked Gov. Palin if she would carry her call to vote for Gingrich to Nevada in light of her having done it in South Carolina and Florida. Gov. Palin said, she would call on people to vote for whichever candidate would allow the competition and vetting to continue. Since Romney and Gingrich are the two front-runners, Gov. Palin said Gingrich is currently the candidate she would call upon Nevadans to vote for. "An even playing field allows the vetting to continue."

Video retrieved from SarahNET

A friend emailed me this notice from her local Alaskan school today. As the school notice makes clear: anything above -55 degrees below zero is warm enough for our Alaskan young’uns! Global warming? What global warming? I just had to share this with all those who are enjoying the balmy 65 degree (above zero) weather in the Beltway today and the 70+ degree weather our Florida voters are enjoying! And here’s a photo of my nephew doing his chores in -20 degrees. Last Frontier indeed. - Sarah Palin “Chop your own wood, and it will warm you twice.” - Henry Ford

 

Back in May 2009, during the controversy over Notre Dame’s decision to have President Obama as their commencement speaker and honorary degree recipient, I gave a short statement to the Boston Herald: “My favorite grandpa, Clem James Sheeran, was Catholic. Irish to the core, his favorite place (other than church) was Notre Dame. I can’t imagine what he would think as the university recognizes someone who contradicts the core values of the Catholic faith by promoting an anti-life agenda.” In his latest Washington Post column, Michael Gerson writes about the Obama administration’s war on Catholic institutions with President Obama's decision to strip conscience protections from Catholic universities, hospitals and charities. As Gershon points out, the timing of Obama's most recent slap won't go unnoticed by the faithful: "In politics, the timing is often the message. On Jan. 20 — three days before the annual March for Life — the Obama administration announced its final decision that Catholic universities, hospitals and charities will be compelled to pay for health insurance that covers sterilization, contraceptives and abortifacients. Preparing for the march, Catholic students gathered for Mass at Verizon Center. The faithful held vigil at the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. Knights of Columbus and bishops arrived to trudge in the cold along the Mall. All came to Washington in time for their mocking.” And in this we see how the faithful at Notre Dame got snookered and how Obama has shamefully repaid their faith in him:

Both radicalism and maliciousness are at work in Obama’s decision — an edict delivered with a sneer... The implications of Obama’s choice will take years to sort through. The immediate impact can be measured on three men: Consider Catholicism’s most prominent academic leader, the Rev. John Jenkins, president of Notre Dame. Jenkins took a serious risk in sponsoring Obama’s 2009 honorary degree and commencement address — which promised a “sensible” approach to the conscience clause. Jenkins now complains, “This is not the kind of ‘sensible’ approach the president had in mind when he spoke here.” Obama has made Jenkins — and other progressive Catholic allies — look easily duped.

- Sarah Palin

"Keep the process going. Only three states have had the chance to chime in....Who is best to beat Obama? Who as been sharpened and shaped? The more candidate information that is revealed the fairer it is for voters. Competition reveals and shapes character," Former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin tonight said in a two-segment TV interview with Sean Hannity from her home studio in Wasilla, Alaska.

"We need somebody passionate about not embracing the status quo. That's the beauty of competition," Gov. Palin said adding that Hannity's son would not do well in tennis if he knew he was going to win every time and never be challenged. But, Gov. Palin said the campaigning has gotten vicious. "I'm not whining about it, but I will call out when lies are being told, whether by a PAC or by the candidate. We feel disconnected and disenfranchised. [The candidates should] debate relevant ideas and solutions, not petty stuff.

Gov. Palin felt compelled to write her Facebook Note about the GOP establishment using the tactics of the left when she saw the "re-written history about Newt Gingrich and the Reagan Revolution." Gingrich had balanced budgets and was at least partially responsible for welfare reform. "I'm going to continue saying good things about all the GOP candidates, because any one is better than Obama. The establishment has never balanced a budget since Gingrich and Clinton did." Gov. Palin said that the establishment appeared content to instead engage in insider trading that is illegal for everyone else.

In the second segment, Gov. Palin was asked to discuss the strengths and weaknesses of each candidate. She chose only to discuss the positive, as the candidates were doing a fine enough job bringing out the weaknesses. Hannity agreed.

About Gingrich, Gov. Palin said "his experience in Washington is a strength, because he was one of the few to work on a balanced budget and is passionate about shaking things up."

Gov. Palin said if Romney is surrounded by hard-core conservatives he will be directed more toward the center-right values that the majority of our nation holds. But, Gov. Palin said Romney has a solid family lineage of success, and is a good family man. "I respect that."

"I'm a great admirer of Rick Santorum. He is a great warrior on the field." He is a social conservative and great on Judeo-Christian values, she said. Gov. Palin added that she would like to see Santorum expand his discussion to fiscal matters and foreign policy.

Gov. Palin said she has "great respect for Ron Paul's fiscal sanity, and his austerity ideas are right on. Keep on being bold."

Gov. Palin did not endorse any candidate tonight.

Video retrieved from SarahNET.

"What I'm trying to do is find out who has that ideal, and also who can win the GOP nomination - not that it would be a wasted vote for Ron Paul, but Gingrich and Romney are the two front runners. I'm trying to be practical, not naively idealistic," former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin tonight said in a TV interview with Judge Napolitano of Freedom Watch from her home studio in Wasilla, Alaska. "It is the multi-billion dollar question, 'who best to go against Obama? That's why I want the vetting to continue," she said.

Gov. Palin reinforced her "rage against the machine" message, saying, "rage against the status quo - the status quot that got us into that pickle. I want voters to rise up and allow the vetting process to continue." Gov. Palin said if the GOP establishment gets the expedited conclusion it seeks, the electorate will be cut off - disenfranchised.

On Gingrich, Gov. Palin said he "has a record of raging against the machine in so many respects. He's balanced budgets. He was part of the Reagan Revolution, and he was responsible for welfare reform."

During the interview, Gov. Palin said the race was largely between Gingrich and Romney now, because Santorum and Paul are trailing very distant third and fourth respectively.

video retrieved from SarahNET.

US for Palin has maintained a policy of not endorsing any POTUS candidates until former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin does. Our policy has not changed, and we remain neutral toward all the candidates, except as Gov. Palin directs. It is all rooted in this promise. Tonight, it is time to execute one more aspect of that promise....

Gov. Palin has issued the call to Florida voters to "rage against the machine" and vote for Newt Gingrich so that the vetting process can continue. This is not a matter of "Romney vs. Newt" and not a matter of any candidate's relative merits or lack thereof. There has been too much bickering amongst Palinistas over that and too many friendships destroyed. Our support and fan activities for Gov. Palin did not end on October 5 with her announcement that she is not seeking the 2012 GOP nomination. Yes, we are both fans and supporters and proud to be both!

The GOP establishment and many pundits would like to have us believe that Mitt Romney's nomination is "inevitable," that it's all over after Florida and we should just be good little boys and girls and accept it. The problem is not Mitt Romney so much as those who want to make his nomination a fait accompli as fast as possible. All these candidates need to be vetted and asked the tough questions. Whoever becomes the nominee, should do so because there was a thorough vetting and as a result, that candidate was truly found to be the best of the four to go against Obama in the general election. That cannot happen if those who want to "expedite the proceedings" have their way and secure a Romney win in Florida.

Gov. Palin's call to Floridians to vote for Newt Gingrich mirrors her call to residents of South Carolina. Though has undeniably spoken in highly favorable terms about Gingrich - favorable enough that many have construed her words as a de facto endorsement - the fact is Gov. Palin has not endorsed any candidate. SarahPAC has not provided any financial support to the POTUS candidates and Gov. Palin has not gone on the stump for any of them - actions that would rise above mere endorsement.

Why Gingrich?

"The math is the math," and that is what Gov. Palin's decision boils down to with the objective of seeing to it that proper candidate vetting occurs and this is not decided after four states. She has so much as said so. Romney and Gingrich are in a statistical dead heat in Florida. Santorum is trailing distant third behind them. Ron Paul is an even more distant fourth. Ergo, calling upon Floridians to vote for Santorum or Paul would make absolutely no sense as neither of them have the chance to pull off a win with little more than 36 hours remaining till Tuesday. Her call to Foridians is not about who is the most pure, or who has the best character. It's about vetting candidates and ensuring as many voters as possible have their say.

In Her Professional Opinion

Gov. Palin has nearly 20 years in this business. She's had more than her share of flowers and stones hurled at her. She's been through heated contested primaries. Her statements on the candidates are her professional opinion derived from her experience, and the knowledge she attains in in the course of analyzing this race.

Denial - It's Not a River in Egypt

About the only thing I disagree with Gov. Palin on is her statement that we are seeking the perfect candidate. It's not so much that we are seeking the perfect candidate. We found her three years ago. Our perfect candidate chose not to run, but she never led us down a primrose path to believe that she was running. We advanced the idea and summoned her to run. While nearly all Palinistas prefer Gov. Palin to any of the four declared candidates, she is not running. Part of support means accepting, not denying reality, understanding that our narratives belong to us, and should not be projected on Gov. Palin. As she said on the Tom Sullivan Show, "logistically speaking, I'm up here in Alaska, raising a family, and running businesses. I don't have the organization that could propel me to a position of being a viable candidate." How far is Gov. Palin from New York and Washington D.C.? From either city, take a flight to Warsaw, Poland, then take a train or rent a car and drive another 200 miles. That's right, you have to cross the entire Atlantic Ocean and more than half of Europe to equal the distance from New York and Washington to Wasilla, Alaska.

Gov. Palin does not live in a romantic world of talking trees, singing animals and pixie dust to steal from the FedEx commercial. She lives in a world of reality. Though Gov. Palin has her core values and convictions, she is a realist who sees the big picture. She has endorsed candidates who were "less than ideal" before, such as John McCain and Carly Fiorina, because other factors aside from conservative purism came into play. just like then, we need to watch Gov. Palin and listen to her words and execute them.

Test of Loyalty and Leap of Faith

I know Palinistas who absolutely hate, detest and loathe Gingrich for various reasons. The fact is, all four candidates have things in their records and aspects of their character that are Achilles Heels. They also have their strengths. We are not going to find a perfect candidate among the four - as Gov. Palin has said. They all need to be thoroughly vetted.

Gov. Palin has given a directive. If we are her supporters, if we have accepted her as our leader, we must execute her orders. Support is not always fun or easy. Sometimes, we have to do things we would rather not do. Whatever we think about Gingrich now - we need to support Gingrich in Florida - not on his merits, but as Gov. Palin said - to ensure that all four candidates are properly vetted and that as many of our 50 states as possible have their say in the primaries.

Now, therefore, everyone who lives in Florida, please vote for Gingrich on Tuesday, even if you are among those who hate him. Please put your hate aside. Don't do it for Gingrich. Do it for Gov. Palin - Sarah.