Monday, January 11, 2010

The Cuda Gives Me Another Heart Attack

Seriously, Sarah. Couldn't you telegraph your punches a little bit so I don't have to freak out all the time? Just kidding.

First off, some Sarah pics to calm my nerves:


Find more photos like this on Team Sarah


Okay, into the fray I go.

First I want to address a rumor on Palingates that the Palins have some tabloid stuff coming out (like in People or something). They say it's for Bristol and Tripp, I don't know. They're using it as moral equivalency ammunition for Levi's publicity.

All I can say is, "Hey, Levi wanted it public, he's gonna get it public." (grin)

Now, on to this newest curveball - Sarah is going to be a contributor on Fox News.

My first reaction - "Please, oh, please, oh, please don't become just another talking head."

I must always work through these things. Let's see, Pro's:

1. Exposure.

2. Opportunity to get familiar with national media like she did with Alaska media.

3. It's Reaganesque.

4. She will be seen by those who do not access the new media and have an opportunity to familiarize herself with those who cannot bring themselves to think unconventionally.

5. As she becomes a more familiar face, a lot of the junk about irrelevant things like Bristol and Levi might fade away.

6. This could be a great step for the 2010 races.

7. She will be surrounded by national topics and issues and will be able to flesh out her positions on those issues.


Okay, now for the Cons:

1. Danger of becoming just another talking head.

2. Possibility of losing the advantage of being different. Unlikely, but possible.

3. Might lose a watt of radioactivity. A temporary setback that could turn into a major asset down the road.


Musts:

1. She must, and most likely will, maintain her star power. This means avoiding overexposure by remaining only a contributor and not a journalist or a show host.

2. Must not drown in the white noise of the media.

3. Must continue to be bold and not turn sappy like Huck. Must be a Reagan with the media - not a Huckabee.

4. Must not relinquish role as LEADER. This is her most important role. She must continue to lead.

I'm sure by the end of the day (or the week) I will wonder why I ever had second thoughts.

Sarah has spent the last year shoring up her base. She has reintroduced herself and told her story with her book - now it's time to show the nation and the world that she's not a psycho looney bent on killing wolves for the fun of it. It's time to capture the Lower 48 the way she captured Alaska. Time to spread outward, and just in time for the 2010 elections.

I guess I always knew that Sarah would have to move into the mainstream eventually. I just didn't know it would be so soon. She always was mainstream until the 2008 election made an ultra-conservative wingnut out of her. Time to take step two in repairing her image and proving herself. Not to mention the connections she can make over there.

Reagan took this path. Hopefully Sarah follows his lead.

Question: Does this mean she's gearing up for 2012, or has she decided to wait until 2016? It's a multi-year deal, but that could mean a two-year deal, and who knows the stipulations involved.

Most likely she's keeping all doors open at this point. This will also enable her to take the "box office poison" out of her Katharine Hepburn. Maybe.

Maybe I'm feeling what Alaskans must have felt when they found out that their favorite Governor was going to run for Vice President. Excited, but sad to lose her.

For the last year and a half, she has belonged to us exclusively. Facebook, Twitter, and the new media have been her primary outlets. Now she moves to capture the rest of America. She has secured her base - now she charges a new field.

It's like watching a kid go off to college. You knew that it was inevitable, and you even know that it's a good thing. But you will miss the previous chapter. Oh, well. One chapter closes, another begins. And each chapter gets better than the last one:)

2 comments:

Bill589 said...

You’re a good friend to Sarah. I’m glad you have concerns. That means you think she’s fallible. And she is. She’s human. As far as I’ve read, even great generals that win wars, don’t win every battle. So she may or may not need our extra support in the near future. But we’ll win the war.

For me, the truth is the best pep talk.
I’ve second guessed Sarah, as did many political ‘experts’, way too many times. Even her first big speech as a citizen was not going to be to a receptive, known, crowd. No. That would be too easy. It would have to be to a crowd of world class businessmen. . . in China! What is she thinking? Doesn’t she know I worry about her?

But including then, through “ . . . night sticks!”, she hits it out of the park.

Still - Do you favor Pepto Bismal, or Alka Seltzer?

Kelsey said...

LOL! Give me the pink stuff:)

Love that girl, but good gravy, she worries me sometimes.

But I always remember what a friend of hers said who helped her with her race for Governor. He said that she would often do things or say things that would leave him shaking his head and going, "Oh, Sarah, why did you have to say that!" And he kept expecting it to be the end of her. But to his amazement, she always somehow managed to come out on top and stronger than before.

I don't know what's going to happen. And I'm waiting until I actually see her do a segment to make my final evaluations, but I do have faith in one thing - her faith. This is a woman who truly believes that God's hand is on her life and is guiding her. So do I.

I'm sure she will make mistakes, but no matter what happens, I'm very, very thankful to have been allowed to just come this far.
Even if Sarah ends up crashing and burning someday, I wouldn't trade this last year and a half for anything in the world.