Rove Says Palin Will Run

[bonnie]

Rove Says Palin Will Run

Rick Moran

He was largely responsible for getting George W. Bush elected twice so you can't just dismiss his speculation as the idle chatter of the political class.

Karl Rove thinks that Sarah Palin is gearing up for a presidential campaign and will announce it over Labor Day weekend in Iowa:

Former Bush advisor Karl Rove says he believes former Alaska governor Sarah Palin will enter the Republican presidential race sometime around Labor Day. Appearing on Fox News Saturday morning, Rove said Palin "has a schedule next week that looks like that of a candidate, not a celebrity." Rove also cited a new campaign-style video Palin has released on her recent visit to the Iowa State Fair as evidence Palin is gearing up for a run.

Palin will be the keynote speaker at the Tea Party of America's "Restoring America" event in Iowa September 3. The event location was recently moved from Waukee, Iowa, to Indianola, Iowa to accommodate a larger crowd.

"This is her last chance," Rove said. "She either gets in or gets out [after the Iowa visit]. I think she gets in."

A late entry into Iowa always raises questions about whether a candidate has the time to raise money, build an organization and meet voters face-to-face. Rove was asked whether a Palin candidacy might operate from "a different playbook" -- that is, one that does not touch the traditional bases in Iowa. "She thinks the normal rules don't apply," Rove said. "If you're Sarah Palin, you just show up and the money comes and the organization comes and the people come."

That sounds like a harsh assessment but essentially, that's what Palin is banking on. There's no doubt that the money will come if she declares. But Iowa is still a cacucus state and no matter how popular a candidate might be, it still takes an awesome organization to compete. A Palin Iowa candidacy will not lack for volunteers. But someone has to channel all that raw energy into productive political activity.

People who know the lay of the land, who can organize down to the precinct level, who can identify Palin supporters, and finally, get them to the caucuses on a cold, January evening - those people are worth their weight in gold. The question I would have is how many competent Iowa political operatives are still unemployed? No doubt there are a few who have hung back, waiting for Palin to declare, but I doubt whether there are enough to flesh out a statewide organization with a chance of competing with the Romney or Bachmann troops.

Will the money come in fast enough? How will Palin do in the rough and tumble of the GOP debates? She did well in her one on one debate with Biden in 2008, but standing on a stage with 5 other candidates is a different milieu. Lastly, if she gets in, does she have enough time to set up organizations in other early primary states like New Hampshire and South Carolina? She is starting from behind everywhere. Can she make up lost ground fast enought to compete?

All these questions may be moot. Palin may be giving herself every opportunity to declare at the Tea Party rally, but opt out of running at the last moment. As strange as it may seem, it doesn't appear that she has made up her mind yet. If she had, it would probably have leaked already.

In this, as in everything else, Palin follows her own counsel and marches to the beat of her own drum.

[John317]

Definitely looks like it's going to be an interesting campaign. Lots of people to watch. I think the Republican candidate will eventually be either Romeny or the Texas governor, but we're a long way before that time comes, and many surprises can still happen.

[bonnie]

Definitely looks like it's going to be an interesting campaign. Lots of people to watch. I think the Republican candidate will eventually be either Romeny or the Texas governor, but we're a long way before that time comes, and many surprises can still happen.

Hope it isn't Romney. With Bachmann in the race I hope Sarah Palin doesn't run.

The mainstream media will try it's best to divide and conquer and it will be bad for both of them

[Dr. Shane]

I don't think Palin has a chance at the nomination because she has been damaged so much by the press. She holds pretty much the same political positions as Rick Perry but Perry has a lot more experience. However Rove is not a Perry fan and would like to see someone else with the nomination. Palin could certainly hurt Perry but Bachmann will be hurt the most. Of course, Bachmann doesn't have a chance as she is running on a record of failure and rhetoric.

[bonnie]

I don't think Palin has a chance at the nomination because she has been damaged so much by the press. She holds pretty much the same political positions as Rick Perry but Perry has a lot more experience. However Rove is not a Perry fan and would like to see someone else with the nomination. Palin could certainly hurt Perry but Bachmann will be hurt the most. Of course, Bachmann doesn't have a chance as she is running on a record of failure and rhetoric.

What was Obama running on again? I think you voted for him and he had absolutely no experience in anything.

Seems he had a great deal of rhetoric. Still does. Still stuck on blaming everyone else for his enormous failures

[Dr. Shane]

Let's remember that Obama was running against I-can't-compromise-enough-with-Democrats McCain. So I really had a choice between a real Democrat and a RINO Democrat.

I favored a single-payer, universal health-care system. I voted for Obama primarily because I believed that with super majorities in both houses of Congress, he could make that happen. I knew a vote for McCain would be a vote to let Pelosi and Reid set the agenda for the White House and I figured Obama would be better than a Pelosi-Reid-McCain Administration. Of course, as things have turned out Obama was such a pathetic leader that he couldn't get the single-payer, universal health-care system even with super majorities in Congress.

[bonnie]

Let's remember that Obama was running against I-can't-compromise-enough-with-Democrats McCain. So I really had a choice between a real Democrat and a RINO Democrat.

I favored a single-payer, universal health-care system. I voted for Obama primarily because I believed that with super majorities in both houses of Congress, he could make that happen. I knew a vote for McCain would be a vote to let Pelosi and Reid set the agenda for the White House and I figured Obama would be better than a Pelosi-Reid-McCain Administration. Of course, as things have turned out Obama was such a pathetic leader that he couldn't get the single-payer, universal health-care system even with super majorities in Congress.

I didn't ask you why you voted for him,I merely said you did.

You seem to be concerned about what you call Bachmanns failures and rhetoric. Obama's whole campaign was cutsey little phrases.

Cheer up,Obama said it might take ten or fifteen years to get to single payer.In the meantime there is Obamacare causing havoc in the lives of many families

[lazarus]

I would live to see Palin get in the race. I will endure the Obama bashing in the debates to see the candidates try to "distinguish" themselves from each other. I also like to hear Ron Paul's voice of reason ring a certain and pure sound above the noise.

[Tom Wetmore]

And glaringly obvious in pretty much all of the reporting of the Iowa straw poll results was mention of Ron Paul, even though he placed second, almost a statistical dead heat with Bachmann.

[bonnie]

I would live to see Palin get in the race. I will endure the Obama bashing in the debates to see the candidates try to "distinguish" themselves from each other. I also like to hear Ron Paul's voice of reason ring a certain and pure sound above the noise.

How Odd.

For someone that has without fail supported Obama as far as I remember,to think Ron Paul is a voice of reason.

Last time I listened to him he didn't seem to support or agree with Obama on any issue. If Ron Paul is a voice of reason what is Obama besides a failure