Senator Sarah Palin?

bobabooey69

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Alaska has another Senate race whose winner is in doubt. At present, Sen. Ted Stevens (R-AK) holds a 4000-vote lead over Anchorage mayor Mark Begich. However, 4% of the precincts haven't reported yet and there are 70,000 absentee ballots yet to be counted. A Stevens victory could have national implications, however, as Democrats will likely try to expel the convicted senator from the Senate if he wins and Republicans would be forced to make a difficult vote on the expulsion motion. If he is expelled, there will be a special election to fill the seat and many people expect Sarah Palin to run and win, giving her four years of national exposure before a possible 2012 run for the White House. Not all Republicans are happy at seeing someone with such high unfavorables and who was repeatedly mocked as a lightweight with expensive taste in designer clothing becoming the de facto party leader. Once you have acquired a bad public image, it is hard to shake it.

Thoughts?
 
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deleted15807

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I wonder if she knows if she becomes a senator she reports to Joe Biden since the VP is in charge of the senate.:biggrin1:
 

stratedude

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Why would she want to go to the Senate? State governors have about equal national "rank" IMO. Plus, governors have a hell of a lot more direct responsibilities and is a better office to prepare for president (both executive branch offices). On top of that, if you look at the past 50 years, you'll see that state governors are more likely to get elected prez than senators. Reagan, Clinton and Dubya were governors. She's just fine where she is. She will be the go-to candidate in 2012. Who else is there that has name recognition, can give a hell of a speech, has executive experience and appeals to the base? Nobody comes close besides Romney at this point.
 

kalipygian

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Alaska has another Senate race whose winner is in doubt. At present, Sen. Ted Stevens (R-AK) holds a 4000-vote lead over Anchorage mayor Mark Begich. However, 4% of the precincts haven't reported yet and there are 70,000 absentee ballots yet to be counted. A Stevens victory could have national implications, however, as Democrats will likely try to expel the convicted senator from the Senate if he wins and Republicans would be forced to make a difficult vote on the expulsion motion. If he is expelled, there will be a special election to fill the seat and many people expect Sarah Palin to run and win, giving her four years of national exposure before a possible 2012 run for the White House. Not all Republicans are happy at seeing someone with such high unfavorables and who was repeatedly mocked as a lightweight with expensive taste in designer clothing becoming the de facto party leader. Once you have acquired a bad public image, it is hard to shake it.

Thoughts?

Don't know where you are getting your figures.

This is something I am very involved in, I am an (almost) full time volunteer for Mark's campaign.

I have on my lap the results from the Ak division of elections I printed out yesterday at 1:24 pm, at that time 99.32% of the precincts had reported in, 435 of 438. Ted had 106,351, or 48.06, Mark 102998, or 46.54. That is a difference of 3,353, or 1.52% There are @60,000 tops early, mail in, and questioned ballots to count. ( they are not all absentee) It is very likely that they will be strongly for Mark, probably two thirds. That would give Mark 142,000 to Ted's126,000. I am confident Mark will win.

If Ted did win, as you say, it is certain he will be expelled, very few R senators will want him, and almost no dems. (Sen Inouye is Ted's closest friend) The Senate minority leader said there was 100% certainty Ted would be expelled.

I don't know if the R central committee here would pick Sarah as their candidate for the Senate. The Governor here, since a ballot initiative in 2004, does not just name someone. There was a primary challenger, a former state senator, who would normally be given first chance. Sarah is not on good terms with the R party chair, she tried to remove him, and failed. That was of course, before running for Veep. So, not impossible, but I doubt it.
 
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Principessa

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My mother called Ted the day before yesterday. She didn't get through, but she left a message. It will be interesting to hear what he says when he calls her back. I'll let you know.
My guess is, "Hello Bitsy, great hearing from you again, but I'm married now I really can't hook up with you anymore.":tongue:

I wonder if she knows if she becomes a senator she reports to Joe Biden since the VP is in charge of the senate.:biggrin1:
:lmao: Now you know she has no clue about any of that. :tongue:
 

uniqueusername

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According to the Constitution, she's right. It's just that VPs traditionally delegate the responsibility of being the President of the Senate to the President Pro Tem, who is the most senior member of the majority party (currently Robert Byrd). Biden is under no obligation to do so, and he could walk in there right after Inauguration Day and take the reins.

I doubt he's ballsy enough to do that.
 
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deleted15807

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According to the Constitution, she's right. It's just that VPs traditionally delegate the responsibility of being the President of the Senate to the President Pro Tem, who is the most senior member of the majority party (currently Robert Byrd). Biden is under no obligation to do so, and he could walk in there right after Inauguration Day and take the reins.

I doubt he's ballsy enough to do that.

That is not in the context of how she spoke. 'In charge' of the Senate is what she said. She cleary implies the VP's role is to 'get in there' and work with the senators developing policy. Not true.
The vice president's main duty is to replace the president if the president dies, resigns, is removed from office or can no longer carry out his or her duties for other reasons. The Constitution names the vice president as the president of the Senate but allows the vice president to cast a vote only to break a tie.

The vice president, as a member of the executive branch of the government, has no official role in developing legislation or determining how it is presented to or debated by the Senate, which is part of the legislative branch.
 

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That is not in the context of how she spoke. 'In charge' of the Senate. She cleary implies the VP's role is to 'get in there' and work with the senators developing policy. Not true.
The vice president's main duty is to replace the president if the president dies, resigns, is removed from office or can no longer carry out his or her duties for other reasons. The Constitution names the vice president as the president of the Senate but allows the vice president to cast a vote only to break a tie.

The vice president, as a member of the executive branch of the government, has no official role in developing legislation or determining how it is presented to or debated by the Senate, which is part of the legislative branch. In all meaningful ways, the leader of the majority party runs the Senate.

"The Vice President of the United States shall be President of the Senate, but shall have no Vote, unless they be equally divided."

President of the Senate. That certainly implies a leadership role. Like I said, this role is normally delegated to the President Pro Tem, who then normally deputizes a freshman Senator to perform the role so as to acquaint them with Senate procedures.

This function is equivalent to the Speaker of the House, and if they so desired, Vice Presidents Cheney or Biden would have every Constitutional authority to carry out this charge. Were she to have been elected, Palin could have too. For whatever reason, they don't.
 
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deleted15807

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"The Vice President of the United States shall be President of the Senate, but shall have no Vote, unless they be equally divided."

President of the Senate. That certainly implies a leadership role. Like I said, this role is normally delegated to the President Pro Tem, who then normally deputizes a freshman Senator to perform the role so as to acquaint them with Senate procedures.

This function is equivalent to the Speaker of the House, and if they so desired, Vice Presidents Cheney or Biden would have every Constitutional authority to carry out this charge. Were she to have been elected, Palin could have too. For whatever reason, they don't.

And you believe that's what she meant? Fine. :wink:

Maybe you missed her Katie Couric interview? It's clear she knows the intricacies of the US Constitution.
 
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kalipygian

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"The Vice President of the United States shall be President of the Senate, but shall have no Vote, unless they be equally divided."

President of the Senate. That certainly implies a leadership role. Like I said, this role is normally delegated to the President Pro Tem, who then normally deputizes a freshman Senator to perform the role so as to acquaint them with Senate procedures.

This function is equivalent to the Speaker of the House, and if they so desired, Vice Presidents Cheney or Biden would have every Constitutional authority to carry out this charge. Were she to have been elected, Palin could have too. For whatever reason, they don't.

The veep using their ceremonial role as president of the Senate to actually involve themself in the Senate's business is about as unlikely as the equally ceremonial Governor General of Canada doing so with Parliament.

It is like the ceremonial role of the Treasurer of the United States, whose only duty is to have their signature printed on the currency.
 

curious n str8

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Don't know where you are getting your figures.

This is something I am very involved in, I am an (almost) full time volunteer for Mark's campaign.

I have on my lap the results from the Ak division of elections I printed out yesterday at 1:24 pm, at that time 99.32% of the precincts had reported in, 435 of 438. Ted had 106,351, or 48.06, Mark 102998, or 46.54. That is a difference of 3,353, or 1.52% There are @60,000 tops early, mail in, and questioned ballots to count. ( they are not all absentee) It is very likely that they will be strongly for Mark, probably two thirds. That would give Mark 142,000 to Ted's126,000. I am confident Mark will win.

If Ted did win, as you say, it is certain he will be expelled, very few R senators will want him, and almost no dems. (Sen Inouye is Ted's closest friend) The Senate minority leader said there was 100% certainty Ted would be expelled.

I don't know if the R central committee here would pick Sarah as their candidate for the Senate. The Governor here, since a ballot initiative in 2004, does not just name someone. There was a primary challenger, a former state senator, who would normally be given first chance. Sarah is not on good terms with the R party chair, she tried to remove him, and failed. That was of course, before running for Veep. So, not impossible, but I doubt it.
I just don't see Stevens loosing. He's done way better than I ever hoped and you have to give him credit for that. Plus I don't see the Republican party ousting him. He's just too powerful as a Senator. I do think this should be his last term though. As for Don Young what can I say... he pulled a rabbit out of the hat. I didn't think he would win at all. As for Sara Palin she needs to become more fiscally conservative,honest etc... Plus she burned to many bridges In the Republican party. She's just not the person I thought she was. Can I ask you Kalipyigan what you hope Mark Begich will accomplish for Alaska etc...
 

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The veep using their ceremonial role as president of the Senate to actually involve themself in the Senate's business is about as unlikely as the equally ceremonial Governor General of Canada doing so with Parliament.

It is like the ceremonial role of the Treasurer of the United States, whose only duty is to have their signature printed on the currency.

Try telling that to Hank Paulson, who was given authority over the $700 billion bailout, or Bob Rubin, who was the mastermind behind Clinton and Gingrich's plan to reduce the government deficit.

(Interestingly, both are former chairmen of Goldman Sachs).

The fact is, tradition is not law, and the Vice President can buck tradition anytime and use the authority he is given. Frankly, I think the only reason they don't is that Senate proceedings are dreadfully boring. Have you ever watched C-SPAN?
 

whatireallywant

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I can't believe Stevens got the majority of the votes after being indicted! Of course if a Democrat did that he or she would be raked over the coals!

And for the record, although I normally vote Democrat, there was one local election back in Indiana where the Democrat was indicted of similar things, and I didn't live in that district but I had said that if I did live in that district I would've voted for the Libertarian candidate because I didn't want to vote for the religious-right Republican or the criminal Democratic candidates.
 

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Alaska has another Senate race whose winner is in doubt. At present, Sen. Ted Stevens (R-AK) holds a 4000-vote lead over Anchorage mayor Mark Begich. However, 4% of the precincts haven't reported yet and there are 70,000 absentee ballots yet to be counted. A Stevens victory could have national implications, however, as Democrats will likely try to expel the convicted senator from the Senate if he wins and Republicans would be forced to make a difficult vote on the expulsion motion. If he is expelled, there will be a special election to fill the seat and many people expect Sarah Palin to run and win, giving her four years of national exposure before a possible 2012 run for the White House. Not all Republicans are happy at seeing someone with such high unfavorables and who was repeatedly mocked as a lightweight with expensive taste in designer clothing becoming the de facto party leader. Once you have acquired a bad public image, it is hard to shake it.

Thoughts?
The desire to see Stevens expelled from the Senate goes beyond partisanship, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell is already on record as asking Stevens to resign.
 

kalipygian

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I just don't see Stevens loosing. He's done way better than I ever hoped and you have to give him credit for that. Plus I don't see the Republican party ousting him. He's just too powerful as a Senator. I do think this should be his last term though. As for Don Young what can I say... he pulled a rabbit out of the hat. I didn't think he would win at all. As for Sara Palin she needs to become more fiscally conservative,honest etc... Plus she burned to many bridges In the Republican party. She's just not the person I thought she was. Can I ask you Kalipyigan what you hope Mark Begich will accomplish for Alaska etc...

Because you 'don't see it' is not going to have an effect on whether Ted wins or Mark does. He has also alienated Senators of both parties with his arrogance. He did not have their respect before, with things like his explanation of the internet as a 'series of tubes', it was obvious then that his brain was no longer working very well. He is no longer powerful, that is over. If he did have another term, he would be 91 by the end of it. He should not have run the last two times. Ted is pork, pork pork, he has bought people's vote with their own tax money. Mark is more fiscally responsible. Ted voted for the bailout, to benefit his rich friends with our money. Mark is against it, at least how it was done. The R national senatorial campaign committee did not run any TV ads here, that means they have written him off, IMHO.

You in an earlier thread accused Mark of raising your property taxes. I now know this was a Stevens campaign talking point, having had his rowdy sign wavers shout it (and a lot of other things) at me Tuesday afternoon, and yesterday discover that his campaign had printed 8 1/2 x 17 signs in pink letters, saying just that, I found one attached to a 4' x 8' sign on Old Glenn Hwy in Eagle River. I called the staffer who is co-ordinating signs, she said that there were a lot of them. This is very embarrassing behavior, for a 40 year incumbent. I wish I had discovered it sooner, and I could have returned the Senator's property to him at election central, in front of the cameras.

Again: Your mill rate can only be increased by a popular vote, the Mayor can't do it, the Assembly can't do it. Your (and mine, and Mark's) taxes have gone up because of inflation in real estate values over the last few years, it is nationwide.
 
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