So yesterday, I wrote about this:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/...
Sarah Palin, the one-time darling of the Republican Party whose 'you betcha' mannerisms as a vice presidential candidate in 2008 made her the butt of jokes on Saturday Night Live, said Tuesday on a conservative talk radio program that she is mulling a run for U.S. Senate.
But Washington's chattering classes - at least those who buy digital ink by the barrel - aren't buying what they heard on the Sean Hannity radio show.
Palin told Hannity that she has 'considered' a Senate run 'because people have requested me considering it.' - Daily Mail, 7/9/13
Well Senator Mark Begich (D. AK) decided to respond to this news story and you're going to like his response:
http://www.politico.com/...
The Democratic senator said Palin, who said Tuesday she’s considering challenging him for his seat in 2014, might not even be a resident of Alaska and is someone he won’t take seriously unless she emerges from a competitive Republican primary.
“I don’t know if she’s a resident. She’s been away from Alaska a lot and has probably lost touch with what’s going on. She should go to my webpage,” Begich said. “Most Alaskans I see on a pretty regular basis, but I haven’t seen her for a long time.”
During an interview Wednesday with POLITICO, Begich questioned four times whether Palin is even a resident of the state she once governed and said his campaign won’t go on the offensive against Palin unless she can handle Joe Miller and Lt. Gov. Mead Treadwell in a primary.
“A Republican primary in Alaska? She may not survive,” he said, one of a bundle of choice remarks for the former vice presidential candidate.
Begich, a former mayor of Anchorage, has known Palin for years. He said his sister played basketball with Palin — but there’s no love lost between the two.
“I take every candidate seriously — that is, if she’s still a resident, but you know she quit on Alaska when she was governor,” Begich said. “She’s been somewhat vacant from the state and quit on the state, so I wish her the best on her potential run.” - Politico, 7/10/13
Can you hear that? That's the sound of Begich popping every one of Sarah Palin's Tea Party followers balloons. Doesn't feel good to have your residency questioned now does it, Sarah? Jena McGregor at the Washington Post takes a closer look at why Palin would consider running for U.S. Senate:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/...
Let’s assume for a moment she’s serious about running. Is the lack of alternatives or the requests of others really any reason to seek higher office? On the one hand, leaders need followers, and Palin—even today—still has plenty of them. And there are worse reasons to run (ego, power, fame) than the notion that she’s being called to do so by others.
But the “because people want me to” answer removes Palin from the decision. It offers little insight into her personal motivations for (possibly) seeking the role. What is she willing to risk? What would she give up for a leadership role? This time around, she did tell Hannity that “any American with a heart for service” would need to do something, even if it didn’t “fit in with a conventional plan that they would try to orchestrate for themselves and their family.”
That might give her less of an out this time around. When she bowed out of the 2012 race, Palin pointed to her family as a reason. Still, listing others’ desire for her to run as her first rationale for considering the job helps soften the criticism if she chooses not to do so. If Palin had said she felt uniquely qualified to enact change and wanted the job more than anything, then a decision not to run could give the impression she’s afraid of losing. Pinning her reasons on the hopes of others gives her a better exit strategy if this turns out to be yet another flirtation with national politics. - Washington Post, 7/10/13
Plus USA Today has a few questions Palin should be asking herself:
http://www.usatoday.com/...
Does Palin want to get into a competitive GOP primary? Lt. Gov. Mead Treadwell and 2010 Senate nominee Joe Miller are already in the race. A Harper Polling survey in May showed Palin would lead Treadwell and Miller in a primary. Palin told Fox News host Sean Hannity on his radio show that she's "waiting to see what the lineup will be and hoping that ... there will be some new blood, new energy."
Justin Barasky, a spokesman for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, said the GOP finds itself "with a crowded and potentially divisive primary. While support for Mark Begich grows because of his work to create jobs and fight for Alaska, the situation on the Republican side continues to get more volatile."
Would she split Tea Party activists? Miller defeated Sen. Lisa Murkowski for the GOP nomination in part because he was endorsed by Palin, who helped him become a favorite of the Tea Party movement. At the time, Palin called Miller a "true common-sense constitutional conservative." Murkowski ended up winning the general election after mounting a historic write-in campaign.
Would Palin want to give up her Fox News gig? Palin returned last month as a paid commentator on Fox News. Her previous contract with the network reportedly paid $1 million annually. A Fox News spokeswoman said earlier this year that Geraldo Rivera would have to step aside from his duties on the network if he decided to run for the Senate in New Jersey. (He ultimately said "no" to a race after Frank Lautenberg died.)
Is this a job she wants? The institution dubbed "the world's greatest deliberative body" can be a powerful place, but there's a lot of procedural stuff like cloture, calls for regular order, filibusters and "yes" votes that really mean "no, I don't support this." The Senate also believes strongly in seniority. Former governors, in particular, find the transition to the Senate a challenge because they're used to being in charge -- and not one voice out of 100. The term for a senator is also six years. Palin resigned as Alaska's governor in 2009, 18 months before her four-year term ended. - USA Today, 7/10/13
She may want to think about all of that but then again, thinking really isn't her thing. As humorous as it may sound to have Palin run against Begich, Senator Debbie Stabenow (D. MI) doesn't see it as a laughing matter:
Last night on Sean Hannity’s radio show, Sarah Palin said she was considering running for the U.S. Senate in Alaska next year.
What would it mean for the Senate if she won?
Right now, the Republicans only need six seats to take control of the U.S. Senate. My friend, Mark Begich, is the Democratic Senator from Alaska, and he is going to be a top target as the GOP tries to take control of the Senate.
With Sarah Palin as their candidate, we can be sure that the SuperPACs and right-wing activists will pour millions of dollars into Alaska to finance her campaign.
If Mark Begich is going to stand up to Sarah Palin and the GOP Super PACs, he is going to need our help today.
Please take a moment and contribute $10 or whatever you can afford to Mark’s campaign right now:
https://secure.actblue.com/...
Thank you for your support,
Debbie Stabenow
United States Senator
Whether or not Palin does decide to jump into this race, Republicans will be eager to get rid of Begich and will spend big to do so. Lets make sure Begich has a well fueled campaign that's ready to win in 2014:
https://secure.actblue.com/...