Palin blames Bush policies for GOP defeat

[John81]

Palin blames Bush policies for GOP defeat

WASILLA, Alaska ? Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, amid speculation she'll run for president in four years, blamed Bush administration policies for the defeat last week of the GOP ticket and prayed she wouldn't miss "an open door" for her next political opportunity.

"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. "And 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."

In a wide-ranging interview with Fox's Greta Van Susteren, Palin says 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," Palin, who was Sen. John McCain's running mate, 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.

Palin has scheduled a series of national interviews this week with Fox, NBC's "Today" show and CNN. She also plans to attend the Republican Governors Association conference in Florida this week.

Palin has been mentioned as a possible presidential candidate in 2012. She also 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. If Stevens loses his seat, Palin could run for it in a special election.

Palin and McCain's campaign faced a storm of criticism over the tens of thousands of dollars spent at such high-end stores as Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus to dress the nominee. Republican National Committee lawyers are still trying to determine exactly what clothing was bought for Palin, what was returned and what has become of the rest.

Her father, Chuck Heath, said Palin spent part of the weekend going through her clothing to determine what belongs to the Republican Party.

"She was just frantically ... trying to sort stuff out," Heath said. "That's the problem, you know, the kids lose underwear, and everything has to be accounted for. Nothing goes right back to normal,"

Palin's father said his daughter told him the only clothing or accessories she personally had purchased in the past four months was a pair of shoes.

RNC lawyers have been discussing with Palin whether what's left of the clothing and accessories purchased for her on the campaign trail will go to charity, back to stores or be paid for by Palin, a McCain-Palin campaign official said Friday, speaking on condition of anonymity because the campaign hadn't authorized comment.

The McCain-Palin campaign said about a third of the clothing was returned immediately because it was the wrong size, or for other reasons. However, other purchases apparently were made after that, the campaign official said.

In Wasilla, her hometown backers welcomed her, putting aside their disappointment over her unsuccessful bid.

Jessica Steele can't wait to see what Sarah Palin does next ? not with her political career, but with her hair.

"That's something I want to talk to her about: What's our vision for her hair?" says Steele, proprietor of the Beehive Beauty Shop and keeper of the governor's up-do since 2002. "I can't wait to see her and say, 'OK, I've got you alone for three hours. Just relax, and how are you, really?'"

While Palin remains popular, the reality of defeat is evident.

Bags of fan mail, as many as 400 letters a day, partially fill a room at her parent's house. But parents no longer meet Secret Service agents when they pick up their children at Cottonwood Creek Elementary, where Palin's youngest daughter, Piper, is a student. The reporters and camera crews are gone from the Palin home on Lake Lucille, once patrolled by Coast Guard boats. Now a thick sheet of ice covers the lake.

Four state troopers still guard the governor 24 hours a day, Heath said ? something Palin never had before.

And in a bit of familiarity, Heath said he brought a pot of moose chili to Palin's house this past weekend.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081111/ap_on_el_pr/palin

[John81]

Don't forget to watch the Sarah Palin interview on Fox News channel with Greta at 9:00 Central time (10 Eastern).

[John81]

What did y'all think of her interview?

[John81]

Palin puts 'brutal' 2008 behind her, looks to 2012

WASHINGTON ? Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin has put the "brutal" 2008 campaign behind her and has the next presidential race in her sights, with a flurry of national television interviews and a high-profile appearance at the Republican Governors Association meeting this week.

Palin's stepping-out has been a marked departure for a vice presidential candidate who was held to tightly controlled appearances for much of the fall campaign. She's indirectly but unmistakably put her name in play as a potential presidential candidate, saying she'll "plow through that door" if it's God's will and conditions are right.

While Republican presidential nominee John McCain has kept a low profile since last Tuesday's election, Palin has spoken forcefully to deny any responsibility for her ticket's loss. She has blamed the policies of President Bush, the handicap of representing the incumbent party and the nation's financial crisis for the GOP defeat.

"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 said she resents rumors she said were spread about her and her family during the race. "I did not know that it would be as brutal a ride as it turned out to be," she said.

Her comments seemed aimed as much at the McCain operatives who have reportedly said she was ill-prepared on foreign policy and other issues as well as those who were astonished by her expensive campaign wardrobe.

Palin said she neither wanted nor asked for the $150,000-plus wardrobe the Republican Party bankrolled, and has been trying to put to rest the flap over the fancy clothing.

"I did not order up these clothes," she told NBC. "The New York stylists who were already there and already orchestrating what the wardrobe should look like. Just like they have people to figure out what the staging and the lighting and everything else, the wardrobe, I guess, was a part of that."

Palin was relatively unknown outside Alaska before McCain picked her to be his running mate in late August. She energized crowds on the campaign trail, particularly conservative voters, but drew criticism from some in the party for lacking the experience needed for the Oval Office.

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

She is scheduled to speak about the GOP's future at Thursday's meeting in Miami, but starts her day with an informal news conference with reporters. She'll take questions for about 20 minutes before discussing the transition of the party with other leaders, organizers said.

Introducing her will be the chairman of the association, Texas Gov. Rick Perry.

She also has two separate interviews airing on CNN on Wednesday ? one with late-night host Larry King.

Palin has been fielding questions about her political future since the campaign ended, most recently in an interview with Fox News on Monday.

"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," she said. "And 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."

Palin likely will have competition from other GOP governors and former governors for a 2012 White House bid. Among the potential candidates are former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, who failed in his candidacy this year; Florida Gov. Charlie Crist and Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour.

Several other Republicans are stopping later this month in Iowa, which holds the leadoff caucus in the presidential primaries.

Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, a one-time presidential candidate popular with conservatives, is scheduled to visit Cedar Rapids and Des Moines while on a book tour. Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal also plans to tour flood damage in Cedar Rapids and attend an Iowa Family Policy Council dinner in Des Moines.

If 2012 isn't the answer for Palin, the governor has several other options.

She could seek a second term as governor or challenge Republican incumbent Lisa Murkowski for a Senate seat in 2010. Still uncertain is the fate of Sen. Ted Stevens, who is leading in the continuing count from the election 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. If Stevens loses his seat, Palin could run for it in a special election.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081111/ap_on_el_pr/palin

[JerryNumbers]

I don't like the blame game, no matter who uses it.

[John81]

I don't like the blame game' date=' no matter who uses it.[/quote']

I wouldn't call this a "blame game". Whether one wins or loses it's important and necessary to look at the situation and determine just why they won or lost.

Bush has a 25% approval rating. That means 75% think poorly of him and the way he's handled the country. McCain was running basically as another Bush. That doesn't even make good sense but that's what happened.

Whether one likes Bush or not, whether one agrees with what he's done in office or not, the fact is that most of the country was seeing Bush in a poor light on election day. Whenever a president is looked upon poorly (no matter who they are) their Party tends to suffer the consequences.

Reagan was very popular when he left office and that helped get Bush the First elected even though many didn't really care for him (yet they hoped being with Reagan for eight years had changed him...it hadn't :sad ).

Bush was very unpopular and the election showed that as Repubs suffered across the board.

That's not "blaming", that's just looking at the facts.

[Will]

And Bush did have some very flawed and failed policies that did result in public backlash. I'm a member of the Republican Liberty Caucus, and many of us have been talking about that fact.

[JerryNumbers]

Point is, everyone needs to take responsibly for their self, not blame someone else. Palin made several mistakes, she would be better concentrating on them and improving than pointing blame at someone else. In the end most people have more affection and respect for the one who takes responsibility their self than the one who blames someone else.

You know that is one thing that keeps many from being saved, they blame someone else.

[John81]

I don't think Palin was making excuses for herself, just pointing out why the Republicans did so badly in this election.

From what I've heard her say, I think she definetly learned a lot from this experience and knows she has to make some changes if she wishes to pursue national politics in the future.

If the Republicans don't learn from the mistakes of Bush and this election, they will be doomed to failure.

[manofconviction]

I've taken very unpopular positions, it didn't make me popular but people did know where I stood. Real leaders don't look for "popular" positions before doing what needs to be done. Many take the finger in the wind type of decisions, bnot REAL leaders....

[Will]

Point is, everyone needs to take responsibly for their self, not blame someone else. Palin made several mistakes, she would be better concentrating on them and improving than pointing blame at someone else. In the end most people have more affection and respect for the one who takes responsibility their self than the one who blames someone else.

You know that is one thing that keeps many from being saved, they blame someone else.

Yeah, the mistake of being libeled by folks who suggested her baby wasn't hers, she tried to ban books, she bought expensive clothes for herself and her family.

The mistake of her interviewers editing out her reasonable answers and instead putting her comments in the worst possible light, of being asked gotcha questions by a media who asked no such questions of Obama/Biden.

The mistake of being the only true conservative in the race. The mistake of being the most popular politician with her constituents? The mistake of being the only one in the race with executive experience.

The fact is that explaining the answers to the criticisms is not blaming others. And the fact is the sour economy and unpopular war is the reason no Republican ticket had a chance this year.