The GOP establishment may not like her, but she doesn’t seem to care. Sarah Palin knows that whatever shot she’s got at the big job won’t come through traditional means. She’s mapped out another strategy, which Politico’s Andy Barr explains today:
Palin is declining an invitation to address the Conservative Political Action Conference next month because, a source said, she does not want to be affiliated with the longtime organizer of the traditional movement confab.
At issue is the role of David Keene, head of the American Conservative Union which organizes CPAC. In September, POLITICO reported that Keene asked FedEx for between $2 million and $3 million to get the group’s support in a bitter legislative battle with rival UPS.
CPAC was one of the first events I attended after arriving in DC last spring. Back then Rush Limbaugh was sporting 90 more pounds and bouncing like a bobble head on stage, clearly nervous, caffeined up to give a speech way too long and uninteresting even for someone of his stature. Rush’s darling, Sarah Palin, want’s none of it.
Chris Cilizza writes something else revealing today, which is just going to make the Republican hierarchy even more annoyed.
Former Alaska governor Sarah Palin’s decision to attend — and speak at — the Southern Republican Leadership Conference in New Orleans in April transforms that event into the first legitimate cattle-call of the 2012 Republican presidential sweepstakes. …
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.
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