[Rhodes22-list] POLITICAL-Palin Begins 2012 Campaign

[Ben Cittadino]

November 25, 2008, 3:11 pm NYTimes Online
 
"Southern Exposure
By Tobin Harshaw
Well, for those of you who thought Sarah Palin would quietly go North to the
Future, it appears that instead she’s going Deep South: “Republican vice
presidential nominee Sarah Palin will make multiple campaign appearances on
behalf of Sen. Saxby Chambliss next week in Georgia, serving as the
political closer for the GOP senator who is battling to win a second term,”
reports CNN.

“This is Palin’s first campaign appearance on behalf of another Republican
candidate since losing her bid to become the nation’s first woman to serve
as vice president. Palin will attend a fundraiser on Sunday night, then
appear at multiple campaign stops on Monday in an effort to rally the GOP
base to turn out to vote for Chambliss. The incumbent Republican is facing a
strong challenge from Democrat Jim Martin. A runoff is scheduled for next
Tuesday, after neither candidate received the 50 percent plus one vote
needed to win on Election Day.”

Doug Mataconis at Donklephant considers the strategy: “The biggest challenge
that both Chambliss and Martin face in the run-off election is getting their
voters to turn out to the polls, since it’s unlikely that voter turnout will
be anywhere near the level it reached on November 4th. To the extent that
she’s able to motivate the base to get out and vote, Palin could prove
useful to Chambliss.”

Dr. Steven Taylor at Poliblog thinks this may be more about Palin than
Chambliss. “First, the move is further evidence of Palin’s likely long-term
ambitions,” he writes. “Second, the move means that Chambliss thinks that
Palin plays well with the GOP base in a red state like Georgia … Certainly
if Chambliss wins, the trip will be perceived as evidence that Palin is a
serious actor within the GOP going forward, at least within GOP circles.”

Palin or no Palin, Ed Morrissey at Hot Air is cautiously optimistic about
the G.O.P. chances: 

Voter enthusiasm for Martin has declined since the general election. Martin
got his momentum from the massive numbers of Obama voters, most of whom
appear less interested in the remaining down-ticket race. Chambliss may not
have that problem, since John McCain didn’t generate an enthusiastic
response from the Republican base, meaning that Chambliss’ voters will be
motivated more by Chambliss himself. Republicans have the secondary
motivation to deny Obama a filibuster-proof Senate by ensuring Chambliss’
re-election.
Either way, it looks like it will go down to the wire. Republicans around
the country who want to keep at least one potential check on the excesses of
single-party government had better start actively supporting the Chambliss
effort."

 We can't make this stuff up. 

Happy Thanksgiving;

Ben C.
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