Palin Leaves Door Open For 2012 Campaign

Alaska Governor Says 2008 Was A "Brutal" Ride, But She May Run For High Office Again

(AP)  Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin said Wednesday that a woman would be good for the Republican ticket in 2012, but was coy about whether that woman might be her.

"It would be good for the ticket. It would be good for the party. I would be happy to get to do whatever is asked of me to help progress this nation," Palin told reporters at the Republican Governors Association meeting.

In a series of interviews in the wake of last Tuesday's elections, Palin said she had no problem with Republican presidential nominee John McCain, but that she resents rumors she said were spread about her and her family by the Arizona Republican's aides. She emphatically denied that she was a drag on the GOP ticket.

"I think the economic collapse had a heckuva lot more to do with the campaign's collapse than me personally," the governor said in an interview broadcast Tuesday on NBC's "Today" show.

Palin also said "There were a lot of times I wanted to shout out, 'Hey, wait a minute, it's not true.' It's pretty brutal."

Nevertheless, the relatively obscure governor of Alaska, whose selection for the ticket by McCain last August brought excitement - and controversy - to the 2008 campaign, said she would be eager to do it all again under the right circumstances.

"I'm like, OK, God, if there is an open door for me somewhere, this is what I always pray, I'm like, don't let me miss the open door," Palin said in an interview with Fox News on Monday. Palin is indirectly but unmistakably putting her name in play as a potential presidential candidate, saying "if there is an open door in '12 or four years later, and if it is something that is going to be good for my family, for my state, for my nation, an opportunity for me, then I'll plow through that door."

Her running-mate Sen. John McCain on Tuesday dismissed anonymous criticism of Palin.

"I'm so proud of her and I'm very grateful she agreed to run with me. She inspired people, she still does," McCain told Jay Leno Tuesday on the "Tonight Show" - his first interview since conceding the election. "I couldn't be happier with Sarah Palin."

McCain never directly addressed the controversy over Palin's expensive campaign wardrobe purchased by the Republican National Committee, or the statements by unidentified aides who reportedly said she was not prepared on foreign policy or other issues.

In the wide-ranging interview, Palin said she neither wanted nor asked for the $150,000-plus wardrobe the Republican Party bankrolled, and thought the issue was an odd one at the end of the campaign, considering "what is going on in the world today."

"I did not order the clothes. Did not ask for the clothes," Palin said. "I would have been happy to have worn my own clothes from Day One. But that is kind of an odd issue, an odd campaign issue as things were wrapping up there as to who ordered what and who demanded what."

"It's amazing that we did as well as we did," the governor said of the election in a separate interview with the Anchorage Daily News.

"I think the Republican ticket represented too much of the status quo, too much of what had gone on in these last eight years, that Americans were kind of shaking their heads like going, wait a minute, how did we run up a $10 trillion debt in a Republican administration? How have there been blunders with war strategy under a Republican administration? If we're talking change, we want to get far away from what it was that the present administration represented and that is to a great degree what the Republican Party at the time had been representing," Palin said in a story published Sunday.

In an interview broadcast on NBC's "Today" show Wednesday, Palin said she would feel comfortable with President-elect Barack Obama as commander in chief if his advisers understood threats against the United States.

"I'm comfortable with Barack Obama as our commander in chief, assuming that he has those around him who recognize .... that terrorists have not changed their minds," she said.

Palin could seek re-election in 2010 or challenge Sen. Lisa Murkowski. Still uncertain is the fate of Sen. Ted Stevens, who is leading in his bid for another term but could be ousted by the Senate for his conviction on seven felony counts of failing to report more than $250,000 in gifts, mostly renovations on his home.

Palin told CNN she could run for Alaska Senator Ted Stevens' seat if a special election is held, even though as governor she could appoint herself to the post if a Senate seat becomes vacant.

"Now if something shifted dramatically and if it were, if it were acknowledged up there that I could be put to better use for my state in the U.S. Senate, I would certainly consider that but that would take a special election and everything else. I am not one to appoint myself or a member of my family to take the place of any vacancy," she said.

Palin's role at the Republican Governors Association conference highlights her newfound popularity.

She was scheduled to speak about the party's future at Thursday's meeting in Miami, where she will be introduced by the association's chairman, Texas Gov. Rick Perry.

She was asked Wednesday about speculation that she is the party's future

"I don't think it's me personally, I think it's what I represent," Palin told reporters. "Everyday hardworking American families - a woman on the ticket perhaps represents that. It would be good for the ticket. It would be good for the party. I would be happy to get to do whatever is asked of me to help progress this nation."

In the short run, she said, she would focus on being the governor of Alaska.

If Palin were to run for the 2012 Republican presidential nomination she will likely face tough competition from former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, who failed in his candidacy this year; Florida Gov. Charlie Crist, and Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour, among others.

[daffy64]

Quayle/Palin 2012!!!!!!

Lol.

[benissimo-2009]

I hope she does run, it would be an easy Democrat victory.

[neonink]

How many of you have become a Governor?

Just curious?

[sickofpalin]

the woman see''s herself as joan of arc

joan of arc was an accomplished reader of history and theology; a women of dedicated leadership

palin is a reptilian, political kneewacker

putting herself as God generated is so pathetic

[sickofpalin]

the idiot needs to see a crack in the door

she is so pathetic

and so old school

and SO OUTDATED!!!!

[sickofpalin]

post

[ioweign]

The more she talks, the more irrelevant she becomes...

[pr_boxer]

Palin will be merely a laughable memory by 2012. You''ll hear "hey did you hear the latest about Caribou Sarah and the Witch Doctor? LOL

[voter_08]

I am really sick and tired of Palin and her run-on sentences. She thinks she can get ahead with her charm and looks only. She is so superficial and lacks education and knowledge. The more I hear her talk, the more my opinion of her inability increases. She is so cynical and incredibly selfish. She even took her children out of school during her campaign. It is all about Sarah Palin. She is a divider not a uniter, even in her own party. She is a selfish, ignorant woman! It will all backfire on her.

[treknutz]

To me the most sad thing about this is that Tim Russert isn''t here to put Palin on the skewer like he has so many of the dumb belle''s before her. He would have crusified her!

Rest in peace Tim. We miss you terribly.

[worstever2]

Unfortunately in our SOUND BITE world, requiring little more than a BIG MOUTH, she would do well.

She really seemed to shine when mouthing off at the microphone. Wonder how she would so in a college level international studies class?

But, for anyone with an IQ above my terrier''s IQ from either party, we would all cringe is she does not go gently into the night.

HEY pathetic news media, please let her just go away. I hate to see the Reps sink so low, but she can be a hottie at times.

[hatesthecolt]

80% of republicans want her to run in ; 100% of Democrats want her to run!

She is in major denial; she completely believes her own press: that she''s some kind of savior of the Republican party. We are so lucky that she and her followers are such a bunch of idiots; this almost guarantees that the Republican party doesn''t mend fences and get their act together in tiem for the 2010 midterms and probabably not even bey 2012.

[craigh9]

Music to democratic ears

[tigerrram9]

Hey Sarah
Electoral Vote count
Obama 364
McCain 163
Why is there such a big gap. Oh yeah because you were on the ticket. I think America saw through you and said no to you. Think of 2012, the same people are still going to be around and if you continue with your crying they are going to remember. They are going to remember that you are blaming everyone except yourself. Your are thinking of yourself again and not your country. America does not want Sarah Palin as Vice President or especially not President.
America has spoken, take a hint girl. If you keep crying people are not going to forget.

[tigerrram9]

Sarah is a sore loser. that is why she is going around the talk circuit shows. She can''t accept that is was part her fault that John McCain lost. She said it was because of Bush and now she is saying that it''s because she is woman. She said the media was unfair with her and that there are double standards for women candidates. I don''t think so, if you would have been more experienced,less clueless, and more considerate of how you attacked President Elect Obama, you might have had a chance, not. Stop crying over spill milk, go back to Alaska and pay the travel money you owe the state of Alaska. What happened to your future son in law, did he back out now that your are not going to be a VP? I thought so, it was all political and not Country First. The McCain-Palin ticket never put Country First. See what happens to liars, they fall back in it..Stop crying, like John said America doesn''t want to see a sore loser..stop being one.

[tigerrram9]

Who ever made the comment that Sarah Palin is smarter than Obama,OMG. It took her six years to finish her college education in journalism. Obama is graduate of Harvard Law School and he is the President elect. How can you say Sarah Palin is more successful than President Elect Obama? Sarah needs to stop crying. Just like McCain said you can''t blame everybody for your lost. America doesn''t want to see a sore loser. That is what Palin is doing trying to get ready for another lost in 2012. Let her try see what happens. I think 4 years are not enough to forget the clueless Sarah Palin interviews and hate filled rallies. It tool her six years to finish a 4 year college, that is why she didn''t know Africa was a continent. America has spoken loud and clear they don''t want you as vice president or president, wink..wink..

[spinner49]

I can''t help but think that toward the end some of her speechwriters were having fun and seeing if Palin would catch on. Like that speech where she promised to fully fund programs for Autism by cutting funding to the very fruitfly research program that gave us important insights into the genetic makeup of Autism.

That just couldn''t have been a coincidence. I think someone slipped than one in there to see if she''d know what she was talking about.

Obviously she didn''t!

[daisyjingles]

Sarah who?

[byeneocons]

At least she isn''t subjecting that poor baby to loud crowds anymore. I''m sure she''ll go pick him up again when it''s time to campaign in 2012.

[byeneocons]

I hope that Sarah Palin is the future of the Republican party. Just the thought of Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity and Ann Coulter all having multiples at the same time is thrilling.