For around a year now, the United States has been under the control of President Barack Obama, and feelings are mixed with regards to how well or how poorly he is doing. Sarah Palin, as a regular contributor for Fox News, has been stepping back into the U.S. political stage since running for Vice President, and on Feb. 6 she was the keynote speaker at the National Tea Party Convention. Here, she spoke of issues such as energy, taxes, American spirit, President Obama, and her bid for the White House in 2012.
During the 2008 election process, Sarah Palin was ridiculed heavily for her mannerisms and, in general, knowledge of important issues (or to some a lack thereof) and even now, this ridicule remains. Because of this, some may question how she hopes to secure the bid for the 2012 presidential election; however, she has not been deterred and continues to be the self proclaimed “hockey-mom.” In her speech, she put down the president, saying “…it’s a lot bigger than any charismatic guy with a teleprompter” and “now a year later, I got to ask the supporters of all that, how is that hope-y, change-y stuff working out for ya?” With statements like that, it’s no wonder that the White House fired back, criticizing Palin due to notes that she had written on her hand prior to her speech at the Tea Party Convention, reading “energy, tax, American spirit.”
Following Obama’s visit to a press briefing, Robert Gibbs, the White House press secretary, wrote “eggs” “milk” and “bread” on his hand before crossing “bread” out and writing “hope” and “change,” clearly mocking Palin.
With this stage set up for Palin’s potential push for the 2012 White House bid, many question whether she is actually interested in the bid or if she is simply trying to gain publicity. She stated on Fox News that she is not ahead of any other potential Republican nominee for the presidential bid, but also that it would be “absurd” for her not to consider running. Keeping the mystery to her plans may simply be a way of gaining the attention of the nation, or it may be to slowly make her move into a position to gain the Republican presidential bid.
Does the nation feel that she is qualified to be president? Polls say no, even indicating that Democrats, Independents, and Republicans all doubt her abilities and qualifications. If she was to be nominated, the consensus is that the Republican vote would likely be split, and swing votes may go to the Democratic nominee. While it is still early to tell precisely where Sarah Palin is headed, it is safe to say that she will be firmly planted in her place in the political world with her folksy antics.
