TIME Person of the year: Gov. Sarah Palin is the 3rd runner up

Wow! I think it took a lot for TIME's editor to admit that Gov. Sarah Palin is really popular.  But instead of putting her the first runner up ( Sarkozy is the first runner up!!), they put her for 3rd runner up!  

Still congratulations is in order to Gov. Palin, just 6 month ago, she was hardly a national figure. But like it or not she is now.  

But do try to read the article about her in the TIMES and compare it to what they had to read about President elect Obama.  The contrast in the tone, one being so rosy and the other not, is amazing.  But I not surprised any more.

This will be my last post for this blog, thank you for stopping in on daily basis for the last 6 month.  I think we ended the year with a positive note for Gov. Palin. We wish her well and hope she will come back stronger and more dynamic than ever before.  

But if you still want to stay in touch, you can visit me here which is my regular non-political but inspirational blog. 

UPDATE: Sarah Palin the conservative of the year

UPDATE II : Conservative Snobs Are Wrong About Palin. I know Maggie Thatcher. The two women have a lot in common.

Is Palin a kingmaker?

After Chambliss won in Georgia, he credited Gov. Palin for his victory. So, who would Gov. Palin endorse for RNC chair?

Marc Ambinder wonders the same and says:

"Who will Sarah Palin endorse for RNC chair? Who's the Palin candidate? Saxby Chambliss's victory has certified the Palin wing of the party as the center of its gravity -- at least, that's how the GOP seems to be treating things. If Chambliss's words are indicative of GOP thinking, Republican activists and conservatives, then Palin must have a pretty tight grip.
The answer to the question is that Palin hasn't endorsed an RNC candidate, and her political advisers aren't saying whether she will."

 Gov. Sarah Palin, and Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman are seen during a news conference at the bipartisan meeting of the National Governor's Association at Congress Hall, in Philadelphia, today.  There is no picuture of her meeting with Mr. Obama.

Georgia Crowd Came Out For Gov. Palin

Crowds lined the street from the James Brown Arena waiting to get in to see Sarah Palin speak with Sen Saxby Chambliss.

And here is what she had to say: "All of this depends on you tomorrow. Georgia," she told several thousand gathered this morning at the James Brown Areana. "The stakes are so high. America is depending on you."
Mrs. Palin said Republicans need to hold the line in the Senate. She said the party offers checks and balances to stop tax hikes, promote conservative energy polices and see the war on terror end with a successful conclusion.

LINK

Gov. Palin Is A Digital Superstar!

Politico Reports:

Palin was the most popular Lycos search from the week she joined the ticket continuously through last Sunday, some two weeks after the election, when she was dethroned by Paris Hilton, the celebutante whom John McCain famously compared to Barack Obama.

The Alaska governor now ranks fourth, just one spot below Obama, on the weekly Lycos 50 list.

Gov. Palin in Georgia to help Rep. ticket.

Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin is traveling back down to Georgia next Monday to do four last-minute campaign rallies in one day to help incumbent GOP Sen. Saxby Chambliss.

Chambliss is in an apparently close-fought runoff race there with Democrat Jim Martin and the balloting is the next day, Dec. 2. Big-name Democrats have jumped in to help the party reach for its 60-Senate-seat, filibuster-proof majority by knocking off yet another Republican incumbent.

Continue to read.

UPDATE on her trip here.

Pro-Palin ads "thank you" ads hit the airways.

Now everyone is begging Gov. Palin for an interview!

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) -- Oprah wants her, and so do Letterman and Leno. Fresh from her political defeat, Sarah Palin is juggling offers to write books, appear in films and sit on dozens of interview couches at a rate that would be astonishing for most Hollywood stars, let alone a first-term governor.

"Tomorrow, Gov. Palin could do an interview with any news media on the planet," said her spokesman, Bill McAllister. "Tomorrow, she could probably sign any one of a dozen book deals. She could start talking to people about a documentary or a movie on her life. That's the level we are at here."

"Barbara Walters called me. George Stephanopoulos called me," McAllister said. "I've had multiple conversations with producers for Oprah, Letterman, Leno and 'The Daily Show.' "

Continue to read here.

This is just amazing, same people who ridiculed her and played along with all the lies about her, now need Gov.  Palin for their rating and they need HER to make more publicity about their own shows!  

Who was a drag on who?

I still like Palin, say's liberal/feminist Paglia

Camille Paglia, a liberal, pro choice feminist had this to say about Gov. Palin after election in Salon.com article:

"I like Sarah Palin, and I've heartily enjoyed her arrival on the national stage. As a career classroom teacher, I can see how smart she is -- and quite frankly, I think the people who don't see it are the stupid ones, wrapped in the fuzzy mummy-gauze of their own worn-out partisan dogma. So she doesn't speak the King's English -- big whoop! There is a powerful clarity of consciousness in her eyes. She uses language with the jumps, breaks and rippling momentum of a be-bop saxophonist. I stand on what I said (as a staunch pro-choice advocate) in my last two columns -- that Palin as a pro-life wife, mother and ambitious professional represents the next big shift in feminism. Pro-life women will save feminism by expanding it, particularly into the more traditional Third World."

"As for the Democrats who sneered and howled that Palin was unprepared to be a vice-presidential nominee -- what navel-gazing hypocrisy! What protests were raised in the party or mainstream media when John Edwards, with vastly less political experience than Palin, got John Kerry's nod for veep four years ago?"

If you watched Sarah Palin's interview with Greta, go her to vote what you thought.

Gov. Sarah Palin's interviews

In her first network interview since the election, Governor Sarah Palin sat down with NBC's Matt Lauer in an extensive interview:

MATT LAUER:
Well, a lot of people think you'd be best serving them in Washington. There was a recent poll of likely Republican voters. And they talked about 2012. And more than 60 of them said maybe you should be the person to have the nomination in that year. And challenge then President Obama.
SARAH PALIN:
Well, life is very unpredictable. And that's the excitement of life. You never know...
MATT LAUER
Have you thought about it?
SARAH PALIN:
...what is around the next corner. And I do not know what is around the next corner. I don't know what opportunities will be there. But I know that, today, and tomorrow, I will be in the Governor's office in Anchorage and in Juneau serving the people of Alaska.

Here are some more excerpts from her interview with FOX:
About allegedly not knowing Africa was a continent. Not true. Didn't happen. She'd long been familiar with the continent since, among other things, getting Alaskan investments out of Darfur. Same on allegedly not knowing that NAFTA includes Mexico and next-door Canada, which has considerable trade with Alaska.

On the media: Many of its members often seem eager to believe the worst about her without fully checking, taking at face value online assertions such as she was not the birth mother of Trig or that as mayor she tried to censor books that hadn't been published when she was mayor. And how much longer it seemed to take for the truth to catch up to the initial false reports.

On criticism of her: No problem. It comes with the political territory. Her family is used to it, too, from local and state politics. Well, wait, there was one moment in Philadelphia when her 14-year-old daughter Willow asked about protesters wearing T-shirts calling Palin a crude word for female genitalia.

On the clothes for her and her family: She never ordered any. Never asked for any. They were waiting when the family arrived at the Republican National Convention and belong to the Republican National Committee.

Palin said she's never set foot in a Nieman-Marcus or Saks, kept none of the purchases and prefers her own closet of clothes.

Sarah Palin was ready, but not McCain!

 Bill McGurn writes on Palin: “We are asked to believe that Mrs. Palin was not ready for a national campaign. On what evidence from any part of this election are we to conclude that anyone on the McCain campaign team was ready for a national campaign?” 

Ouch.

Who is afraid of Sarah Palin?

Jeffrey Bell on Sarah Palin: “The reason elite opinion makers are set on destroying her is fear. They sense that like Ronald Reagan, and unlike, say, Mitt Romney or Tim Pawlenty, she really, genuinely doesn’t care what they think, and for that reason is willing and able to go over their heads and make a strong, direct appeal to voters.”

Gov. Palin don't give any interviews! please

FOX NEW reports:
ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- Gov. Sarah Palin hadn't been back home in Alaska for a full day and her staff had begun fielding requests Thursday for postelection interviews, including from Barbara Walters, Oprah Winfrey, Larry King and others.
Palin had been expected at her office in Anchorage but later notified her staff that she wouldn't show up after all. She remained at her home in Wasilla, located 40 miles to the north, but was expected in her office on Friday, spokesman Bill McAllister said.
"The intensity of all the interest is amazing. Everyone wants to talk to her," he said.
Palin is coming off a whirlwind nine weeks of almost nonstop travel and campaigning since becoming Republican John McCain's vice presidential running mate in late August. McCain and Palin lost Tuesday's election to Democrats Barack Obama and Joe Biden.

These people are still trying to bring Gov. Palin down. I hope she will not give any interviews. Please call her office and urge her not to give interviews to Oprah and Barbara. They just want to use her for their ratings. Here is the contact information:

Juneau Office, Phone (907) 465-3500, Fax (907) 465-3532

Anchorage Office, Phone (907) 269-7450, Fax (907) 269-7461

The real Sarah Palin

What about this sign?  

I found it in Glenn Beck's website.  He also has an article on Sarah Palin.

Click here.

Goodby Sarah! for now...

Congratulations to Obama for being our first black president. America is truly a great country and no one can tell us that this is a racist country. Not anymore!

However, I will miss seeing Sarah. She lost the election but she inspired many women to be more active and get involved. Because of her, the base got energized and excited. Thank you John McCain for introducing us to Gov. Palin. My wish is that Gov. Palin will be involved on the national stage. She is a talented politician and connects with average people and that's what we need more than ever. We don't need Washington elitist to tell us how to run our country. Let's take it back from them, let's get more involved.

UPDATE: Have a look at the video Ron has put together!  But we need to keep our chin up high..good times will be waiting for us!

Keep your hopes high!

We may win this race! Gov. Sarah Palin speaks to 18,000 fired up crowd during a rally at the Missouri statehouse in Jefferson City today.  The Missouri vote has been the vote of the nation in the last 25 out of 26 presidential elections. McCain/Palin ticket is very close there. If you live in Missouri make sure to vote.

The Audacity Of Hope For Palin Fans!!!

It's our turn now, and it looks like we can dare to hope to see a woman VP in the White House. It's getting closer. The new TIPP/Investor's Business Daily Poll is out. And it's got the race tightening:

Obama 46.7% McCain/Palin 44.6% Undecided 8.7%

From the poll:

The race tightened again Sunday as independents who'd been leaning to Obama shifted to McCain to leave that key group a toss-up. McCain also pulled even in the Midwest, moved back into the lead with men, padded his gains among Protestants and Catholics, and is favored for the first time by high school graduates.

Keep your positive energies up and get out to vote, specially if you are in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Florida, Nevada and Missori. Make sure to volunteer!

'I Haven't Always Just Toed the Line'

An excellent Palin interview in WSJ, here is some excerpt, but you need to read the whole article:

All of this, says Mrs. Palin, undermines suggestions by conservative critics that she represents an us-versus-them streak in the party. She bluntly suggests they are missing the point. "I think those who would criticize what I believe I represent -- and that is, everyday, hardworking American families who desire and deserve reform of government -- I think they are out of touch with what the rest of the nation is talking about today. It's a reflection of some elitism that assumes that the best and the brightest of this country are all assembled in Washington, D.C., and I beg to differ. You can walk out in the rally that we are going to attend in a minute, and you talk to anyone there, and I believe you will hear the same thing. Enough of that arrogance. Enough of that assumption that unless you are a part of that Washington elite that you aren't worthy of serving this great country."

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She also explains that what distinguishes a new generation of reformers in the party -- people like her, or Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal -- is a willingness to learn from Republican failures or successes of the past, and apply them to current concerns, say health care. "We have the luxury of looking back with 20-20 hindsight." She mentions Ronald Reagan, his ability "to win the Cold War without firing a shot" and his focus on pro-growth policies, as examples of those successes. But she also notes that today's global economy and global threats have combined to demand more from leaders.

Continue to read

Team Sarah

If you have not joined Team Sarah activities yet. You should, 41,000 people have joined within the last 2 weeks. Here the website.

Please also visit Hillbuzz blog.  This blog belongs to Hillary supporter that are voting for McCain/Palin ticket.  

Here is what she said today in a rally Erie, Pennsylvania:

"Rousing speeches can fill a stadium, but they cannot keep this country safe. For a season, a man can inspire with his words. But for a lifetime, John McCain has inspired with his deeds."

Gov. Palin In The White House

Click here and keep clicking on different items and watch the animation. This will drive the Palin haters nuts!

Gov. Palin & Energy Security Policy Speech

The Alaska Governor will speak about energy security during a morning adress in Toledo, Ohio. This comes after her first policy speech last week on children with special needs in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Palin's A Brainiac

Well, you for sure will not see this headline anywhere in the mainstream media, but I am glad that I will be able to post for you to read:

The former editor in chief of Ms. magazine (and a Democrat) on what she learned on a campaign plane with the would-be VP.  I'm a Democrat, but I've worked as a consultant with the McCain campaign since shortly after Palin's nomination. Last week, there was the thought that as a former editor-in-chief of Ms. magazine as well as a feminist activist in my pre-journalism days, I might be helpful in contributing to a speech that Palin had long wanted to give on women's rights.

Now by “smart,” I don't refer to a person who is wily or calculating or nimble in the way of certain talented athletes who we admire but suspect don't really have serious brains in their skulls. I mean, instead, a mind that is thoughtful, curious, with a discernable pattern of associative thinking and insight. Palin asks questions, and probes linkages and logic that bring to mind a quirky law professor I once had. Palin is more than a “quick study”; I'd heard rumors around the campaign of her photographic memory and, frankly, I watched it in action. She sees. She processes. She questions, and only then, she acts. What is often called her “confidence” is actually a rarity in national politics: I saw a woman who knows exactly who she is.

Continue to read here

To Know Her Is To Respect Her

Here is the latest article by Fred Barns on Gov. Palin.  Here are just a quick excerpts:

Palin's record is another critical test of her personal skill as a leader. What has she done? A lot more than Kaine or Pawlenty or most governors. She ousted an incumbent governor of her own party, successfully fought corruption in the party, and tore up a deal with oil companies, forcing them to accept a less lucrative agreement on a new natural gas pipeline.

In judging Palin, it comes down to who is more credible. Is it those who've worked with her, or know her, or have at least met and talked with her? Or those who haven't? The answer is a no-brainer. Okay, I may be biased on the subject of Palin, having been impressed after spending nearly two hours with her on one occasion and an hour on another.

My advice is ignore the critics who know far less about Palin than she does about foreign policy. A good example is Ken Adelman, who headed the arms control agency in the Reagan administration. Adelman recently endorsed Obama and said he "would not have hired [Palin] for even a mid-level post in the arms control agency." Well, I know both Palin and Adelman. And Ken, I'm sorry to tell you, but I think there are an awful lot of jobs in Washington that Palin would get before you.

Not So Fast Mr. Obama

Today, Gov. Sarah Palin was at a rally at the Silver Spurs Arena, in Kissimmee and here is what she had to say:

"Barack Obama and I both have spent quite some time on the basketball court," Palin told a raucous crowd of more than 5,000 at the convention center. "But where I come from, you have to win the game before you start cutting down the net."

If you like this photo of Gov. Palin, you can vote for it here.

Gov. Palin, A New Kind Of Feminist

Ideology Aside, This Has Been the Year of the Woman

Palin's candidacy has sent a jolt through traditional liberal women's organizations as she tries to redefine feminism, suggesting that the old movement has become detached from the hockey moms Palin champions. The mother of five and former beauty queen is the antithesis of the bra-burning militant libbers of the '60s, and she is adamantly antiabortion. Yet Palin has grabbed the feminist label vigorously and has been hailed as one by the thousands of supportive women who wave their lipstick tubes at her rallies.

"She is a direct counterpoint to the liberal feminist agenda for America," John McCain declared last weekend.

Read the whole article in Washington Post.

Read People magazine article on Gov. Palin.

Sarah Palin: My Wedding Hope for Bristol

Redneck Palin

Palin was in Ohio today:Palin was exuberant before the crowd, demanding an autograph from warm-up singer Gretchen Wilson, famed for her song, "Redneck Woman." Palin joked: "Someone called me a `redneck woman' once. You know what I said back? `Thank-you very much.'"

Sarah, We Love You Too!

Gov. Sarah Palin, with her daughter Willow holding her son Trig, campaigns at a rally in Henderson, Nev., Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2008. Palin is giving the American Sign Language (ASL) hand sign for 'I Love You'.

You can click here to vote for this photo, or for this one. Hey what about this one:

Tina The Comedian vs. Sarah The Governor

From Reuters News:

Actress Tina Fey says she glues her ears down for her popular television impressions of Sarah Palin, but it took her a while to accept she was almost a perfect double for the Republican vice presidential candidate.

"When I first saw her, I didn't think we looked alike at all," Fey told TV Guide in an interview released on Tuesday.

"Then during the (Republican Party) convention, I started to think, 'OK, maybe a little.' ... We glue my ears down. That's one of the tricks," Fey said.

Tina, I am sorry, but you are a comedian and she is the Governor.  It will take more than gluing your ears to really looking like her.  She is the real deal, never be confused!

Whatever Gov. Palin Touches Turns Gold!

There are a lot of people, apparently, who really, really dislike Sarah Palin. Fine. They are entitled to their opinion. But their visceral distaste obscures the fact that the public remains fascinated with the governor of Alaska. Consider:

1) Palin's speech at the Republican convention was the highest rated convention speech in history.

2) Palin's debate with Joe Biden was the most-watched of this year's presidential debates, the highest-rated veep debate in history, and drew more viewers than the 1992 three-way presidential debate between Bush 41, Clinton, and Perot.

3) Palin's appearance on Saturday Night Live this weekend gave the show its highest ratings in 14 years.

Shouldn't pundits be spending less time dismissing Palin, and more time investigating the strong pull she exerts on the public?

Source: Weekly Standard Blog

Gov. Palin notices "Ed the Dairyman" and says this is not the time to experiment with socialism.

Sarah Palin spoke to a crowd of about 10,000 supporters Sunday in a Roswell airplane hangar, not only making a reference to Joe the Plumber, but alluding several times to "Ed the Dairyman" after seeing someone in the crowd holding a sign identifying himself that way.

Here is what she said today: 

Barack Obama calls it spreading the wealth,” she said. “Joe Biden calls higher taxes patriotic. But Joe the plumber and Ed the dairy man, I believe that they think that it sounds more like socialism. Friends, now is no time to experiment with socialism.”

First Dude hard At Work

Todd Palin, husband of Republican vice-presidential candidate, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, tours the garage area prior the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Tums QuikPak 500 auto race at Martinsville Speedway in Martinsville, Va., Sunday, Oct. 19, 2008.

Palin rallies before 20,000 fans in Indiana

After watching Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin from afar for months, nearly 20,000 Hoosiers got their first glimpse of the stylish and feisty vice presidential nominee at the Verizon Wireless Music Center on a perfect fall Friday night. And she didn't disappoint. Continue to read here

Guess how many came to see Peggy Noonan's book signing? click here

UPDATE: GOP's new star rocks Verizon, VP hopeful hits hard at Obama in Indiana

Sarah's Shoes Again!

What's up with AP photographer and his/her fascination with Palin's shoes?  Here are the two from this morning's rally in Main.

I had blogged about this several weeks ago. Here are some more shoes! (here and here ) what's the point?

UPDATE: Here is another one from AP/yahoo photo:

Can we see Obama's legs and Biden shoes too?

Gov. Palin in Maine

Alaska Governor Sarah Palin made a campaign stump in Bangor, Maine this morning. Watch here and see how she mentioned "Joe the plumber" who has done great job differentiating between Obama's socialist policy and McCain market based policies.  

"You know, we want to cut taxes because we think like Joe or Jane the plumberthinks, OK?," she said. "Our opponents want to raise taxes because they think like that other Joe, that six-term senator from Delaware whom I'm running against."

Watch here.

30,000 Came To See Gov. Palin In Richmond, VA

Gov. Sarah Palin greets supporters during a rally at the Richmond International Raceway Monday, Oct. 13, 2008, in Richmond, Va.

As I said before, even if McCain loses, Palin will win.  People love her and identify with her.  But it's hard to see these crowds and not think that McCain/Palin ticket has a big chance to WIN.

Palin and Piper at Pumpkin Patch in Pennsylvania

Bicycle or Motorbike?

Palin to Drop Puck to Start Philadelphia Flyers Season

Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin, who calls herself a ``hockey mom,'' will drop the ceremonial opening puck at tonights Philadelphia Flyers season-opener at home against the New York Rangers.

The National Hockey League team said the Alaska governor's appearance at the Wachovia Center is tied to the Flyers' promotion to find the ``Ultimate Hockey Mom.'' During Palin's acceptance speech to be John McCain's running mate last month, she joked that the difference between a hockey mom and a pitbull was lipstick.
Source

Sarah Palin Did Not Break Any Law

The so-called “Troopergate” inquiry was launched in July after Gov. Palin — now on the Republican presidential ticket — removed her public safety commissioner, and he later said he had been pressured by the governor, her husband and her staff to fire the trooper, Mike Wooten.

Democratic state Senator Hollis French, the lead investigator in the smear campaign against Governor Palin, promised his party that the results of the Troopergate probe would be an "October surprise." He wasn't lying. The final report showed that she DID NOT BREAK ANY LAW.

Continue to read here

Gov. Palin An Amazon Warrior!

Camille Paglia is pro-Obama feminist who gives credit where is due. It appears she is the only sane Democrat out there and here is her defense of Gov. Palin. Make sure to read the whole article:

"The mountain of rubbish poured out about Palin over the past month would rival Everest. What a disgrace for our jabbering army of liberal journalists and commentators, too many of whom behaved like snippy jackasses. The bourgeois conventionalism and rank snobbery of these alleged humanitarians stank up the place. As for Palin's brutally edited interviews with Charlie Gibson and that viper, Katie Couric, don't we all know that the best bits ended up on the cutting-room floor? Something has gone seriously wrong with Democratic ideology, which seems to have become a candied set of holier-than-thou bromides attached like tutti-frutti to a quivering green Jell-O mold of adolescent sentimentality. "

"And where is all that lurid sexual fantasy coming from? When I watch Sarah Palin, I don't think sex -- I think Amazon warrior! I admire her competitive spirit and her exuberant vitality, which borders on the supernormal. The question that keeps popping up for me is whether Palin, who was born in Idaho, could possibly be part Native American (as we know her husband is), which sometimes seems suggested by her strong facial contours. I have felt that same extraordinary energy and hyper-alertness billowing out from other women with Native American ancestry -- including two overpowering celebrity icons with whom I have worked. " Continue here

After a boring debate between Obama and McCain a blogger had this to say:

Let's Face It, the Only Candidate This Year Who Has What It Takes to be President Is..Who is young enough and idealistic enough and man enough for the job. Click here to find out who?

Support for Palin Increased Following the Debate

Forbes.com reports:

In combing through the results of our Palin/Biden vice-presidential debate poll, I came across an interesting trend: readers who completed our poll the morning after the debate favored Sarah Palin much more than readers who took the survey immediately after the debate. Continue to read here

More Than 13,000 Californians Came To See Gov. Palin!

I just came back from the rally.  It was an awesome event.  I was seated right behind the podium and I had an opportunity to talk to her. She gave a great speech, attacked Obama for his connection to domestic terrorist Bill Ayers, and talked about her record of reform in Alaska and she was extremely down to earth speaker. She also said, "Of course we want change,we want change we can live with. Change we can afford".    Also, what you will not hear in the media is that LA's National Organization for Women, Shelly Mandel endorsed Gov. Palin saying, "America, this is what feminist looks like". You can listen to the endorsement here.

Well, here are a couple more  photos from AP:

After witnessing this event and the energy among Palin's fans, I won't be surprised if McCain wins California!

More links from today's rally:

LATimes

National Review

Press Telegram

Commentary

UPDATE:  Welcome "Corner" readers...here is another picture for NRO readers:

And at the end she signed my copy!

Palin Won The Debate

She won the debate with her authenticity, bluntness, and smarts.  She was up against a 36 years veteran of the Senate and she hold her own. Even if McCain loses, a political star was born tonight.  But the media had to take a picture of her shoes ( click her to see more Palin shoes). What was Biden wearing?! Anything interesting?

Well, I am going to see her this Saturday. I will have lots of pictures!