July 9, 2009 4:51 PM

Palin Invited to Iowa GOP Dinner

By
Prerana Swami
Topics
Republicans
(CBS)
Despite announcing her resignation as Alaskan governor with 18 months to spare, Sarah Palin is still a sought-after asset in the Republican Party.

The Des Moines Register is reporting that Iowan Republicans have extended a hand to Palin to headline the annual Reagan Day Dinner, set for this fall.

Iowa GOP Executive Director Jeff Boeyink told the Register that the party had been pursuing Palin since January and that her resignation has increased the effort to secure her at the fundraising event.

Boeyink's confirmation came after Senator Chuck Grassley told the The Des Moines Register Wednesday that he believes Palin would be a good fundraiser for Iowa.

"I think she has quite a following in Iowa, and maybe I'm impressed because, at three events I spent with her in Iowa during the last campaign, she had bigger turnouts than McCain had," Grassley said.

Additionally, Palin has been tapped to campaign for Texas Governor Rick Perry's reelection next year.

Not all Republicans running for reelection are actively seeking support from Palin, however. Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell said that there had been contact between his and Palin's camps, and he called her a "great spokesman." But did not go on to say that he wanted her support.

New Jersey GOP Chairmen Jay Webber, meanwhile, said that he has had no contact with Palin concerning the possibility of campaigning for GOP gubernatorial candidate Chris Christie.

"We don't have any plans on having her in," Webber told the Associated Press.

Republican National Chairmen Michael Steele told the AP that he, at least, believes Palin's participation in both the New Jersey and Virginia races would benefit Republican candidates.

"She is an important and galvanizing voice in the Republican Party. I believe she will be very helpful to the party this year as we wage critical campaigns in Virginia and New Jersey," Steele said.

Add a Comment See all 16 Comments
by larrylinn1 July 10, 2009 10:04 PM EDT
Palin is upet with Letterman for making a bad joke about her daughter having sex with an adult male. However, she has no problem hanging out and accepting money from Ted Nugent, an admitted pedophile?
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by mattcat25 July 10, 2009 9:38 AM EDT
From point guard to cheerleader?
Reply to this comment
by BrandonCurtis July 9, 2009 11:39 PM EDT
In order for Palin to be a viable candidate, she would have to make the changes I suggested; begin to build relationships with foreign policy and national security experts (Carlucci, Kissinger, General Anthony Zinni), economic experts such as Nicholas Brady and Paul O'Neill; along with Clinton era advisors Roger Altman and Gene Sperling.

She would have to hit the road and collect IOUs from fellow Republicans. Her strongest areas of support will be naturally the
South/Texas and the rural heartland. She would need to expand into
cities and explain her "Real America" and "Pro-American" remarks
as heated campaign hyperbole, part of her role as McCain's enforcer.

Lastly, 2012 would have to look like 1932, 1968, 1980 and 2008
rolled into one: Stalemate in Afghanistan; high unemployment and
inflation and still no progress towards energy independence.

But, if she elects to continue feuding with the "media" and "coastal elites" and cannot articulate conservative policies in a clear and beneficial manner, she will be relegated to One Speech Wonder.
Reply to this comment
by daffy64 July 9, 2009 9:20 PM EDT
Palin may still have a chance. But, she has to stay away from the soap operas and demonstrate an interest in issues that do not always lend themselves to simple platitudes and be willing to reach out to urbanites, college educated, affluent and tech savvy voters; expand beyond her base of conservative evangelical voters in rural and small town areas.

--

Come on. She's just not smart enough and most people know it. She's 45 years old, has never traveled, knows nothing of international politics, and is ignorant about Supreme Court history.

Once her much touted looks wear off in a couple of years (that's a pretty thick layer of pancake makeup) I doubt she could get a job at a Tasty Freeze.

Plus she's demonstrated that she doesn't take the oath of political office very seriously and can't even claim she was Governor of Alaska for one term.

15 minutes are over.
Reply to this comment
by stn_sage July 9, 2009 9:36 PM EDT
To daffy64:

I think Mr. Curtis was being positive and giving her the benefit of the doubt! That, IF she could make all these changes, THEN it might be possible for her to be a valid contender! NOTE- he used qualifiers, 'may', 'has to', 'do not always' among others.

I think he's very much aware it's a REAL LONG-SHOT! He, more or less, is insinuating that very point!

Much of your assessment of Palin IS pretty accurate, though; if not personally somewhat unkind! But, you're entitled to your opinion!
by BrandonCurtis July 9, 2009 9:15 PM EDT
In interest of disclosure, I am an independent who voted for Obama. That said, I think Sarah Palin was thrust into the national spotlight too high, too fast.

The Palin pick was spawned from the contentious Democratic primaries. Following the controversial Michigan and Florida delegate decisions, followed by the superdelegates switching to Obama, many of Hillary Clinton's supporters openly avowed that they would work to get McCain elected; calling themselves PUMAS (Party Unity My A--).

McCain and his aides opted to tap into this discontent.

Furthermore, going into the RNC Convention, McCain needed to "sex it up" a notch. Rather than selecting a veteran like Kay Bailey Hutchinson or Susan Collins, he went for a woman who was telegenic and could also excite the base, which had been long weary of him.

McCain should have picked Ridge, Lieberman or Hutchinson; giving Palin the keynote speech, introducing her to the nation but not exposing her to a spotlight that is at times unforgiving.

Once the election ended, Palin, rather than going back to work quietly and effectively, elected to remain in spotlight. Some of her actions were positive: The Alfalfa Dinner; the Evansville Speech and the GOP Dinner she ended up attending; campaigning for Saxby Chambliss. Other actions did not
portray presidential material: Feuding with Levi Johnston, David Letterman and John Kerry and feuding with bloggers like Linda Kellen Biegel. She should have taken a cue from Hillary Clinton, who dropped the talk about Vast Right Wing Conspiracy and built relationships with Republicans like Lindsay Graham; working together on vets' health care; relationships with military men like Wes Clark and Joe Sestak; foreign leaders like Benazir Bhutto and Ariel Sharon.

Palin may still have a chance. But, she has to stay away from the soap operas and demonstrate an interest in issues that do not always lend themselves to simple platitudes and be willing to reach out to urbanites, college educated, affluent and tech savvy voters; expand beyond her base of conservative evangelical voters in rural and small town areas.

If she does not show a seriousness for policy and issues, we will one day see her on VH-1's WHERE ARE THEY NOW?
Reply to this comment
by daffy64 July 9, 2009 9:14 PM EDT
Iowa GOP Executive Director Jeff Boeyink told the Register that the party had been pursuing Palin since January and that her resignation has increased the effort to secure her at the fundraising event.

---

"You mean she walked out on the job she promised to do? Great! Get her on the phone quick! This quitter can do some fundraising for us!"

Brilliant.
Reply to this comment
by daffy64 July 9, 2009 9:09 PM EDT
Despite announcing her resignation as Alaskan governor with 18 months to spare, Sarah Palin is still a sought-after (ass)et in the Republican Party.

--

Ha. I bet.
Reply to this comment
by stn_sage July 9, 2009 9:41 PM EDT
Very clever of you to spot this pun! You'll greatly irritate the hard-core members of the N.O.W.!
by stn_sage July 9, 2009 9:00 PM EDT
She may serve the GOP very well as a guest speaker or fund-raiser, but I'd be VERY CAREFUL about inviting her to make campaign visits and/or speeches, because she very well COULD sink Republican candidates in districts were they don't hold a vast majority of registered voters and supporters!
Reply to this comment
by oftencensord July 9, 2009 7:04 PM EDT
CBS can't you find another picture to use? How many times have i seen this one !
I liked the pic a few days ago wearing fishing waders. I can see why she is emerging as the first PO MO politician, she has a lot of disdain for the status-quo career ego/power elitists that are in control of the country--- "the men in power".
Reply to this comment
by daffy64 July 9, 2009 9:11 PM EDT
I like the picture of her with a confused stare when Charles Gibson asked her if she agreed with the Bush Doctrine.

That was a good one.
by gravyboat4000 July 9, 2009 6:34 PM EDT
So, here's the question. Does the,"maverick", take them up on their invitation, or does she continue to,"think out of the box"?

Bored people are on the edge of their bar stools with anticipation!
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