Last updated on August 10th, 2014 at 11:56 pm
Sarah Palin took her first official step towards what looks to be a run at the presidency in 2012 with the formation of her own political action committee which is creatively named SarahPAC. SarahPAC believes that the GOP is on the verge of a renaissance, which one assumes would be led by Palin.
The front page of SarahPAC makes no mention of her 2008 vice presidential candidacy. In fact, the page echoes most of the themes of her campaign, “SarahPAC believes America’s best days are ahead. Our country, founded on conservative principles and the fight for freedom, must confront the challenges of the 21st century with integrity, innovation, and determination. SarahPAC believes energy independence is a cornerstone of the economic security and progress that every American family wants and deserves.”
Not surprisingly the money raised by SarahPAC won’t be used to help fellow Republicans. It will be used to help Palin. The site tells potential donors in the FAQ’s, “Your support of SarahPac will make it possible for Gov. Palin to continue to be a strong voice for energy independence and reform. By supporting SarahPac, you will allow Gov. Palin to help find and create solutions for America’s most pressing problems; priority number one is building a strong and prosperous economy that recognizes hard work, innovation and integrity by rewarding small businesses and hard working American families. SarahPac will support local and national candidates who share Gov. Palin’s ideas and goals for our country.”
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It looks the point of the PAC is not to help rebuild the Republican Party, but to position Palin for 2012. The cult of Sarah is based on the notions that the Republican Party needs a savior, and that Palin is the only one who can defeat Obama. Palin is also the chairman of the PAC, which isn’t a surprise because she served in the same capacity for former Sen. Ted Stevens. It does make sense to start fundraising early, but she is not going to be able to raise enough cash to compete with Obama.
The likely plan is to raise enough cash to scare off any serious challengers for the Republican nomination. Both Hillary Clinton and John McCain tried this last fall, and George W. Bush did the same thing in 2000. Unless someone comes out of right field, the race for the GOP nomination should feature a battle between Palin and Mitt Romney. If Palin wants to destroy her political future, she should run against Obama in 2012. Palin should sit 2012 out, and let someone like Romney take the drubbing.
I don’t see how Palin could ever be a credible nominee until she gains some real policy knowledge, and is able to give a serious interview where it sounds like she knows what she is talking about. My hunch is that she is going to try to charm her way to the presidency. Until she starts behaving more like a serious politician, and less like a celebrity, Sarah Palin will not be a credible threat to President Obama.
Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.
Awards and Professional Memberships
Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association
