Palin And Trump Rule Out Independent Runs

Sarah Palin and Donald Trump, who were both at one time rumored to be considering bids for the GOP nomination, have ruled out running for President in 2012 on an independent platform.

In an interview with conservative radio host Mark Levin Wednesday, Palin said that hosting a third party run “would just guarantee Obama’s election.”

“The consideration is not there for a third party,” Palin added.

Donald Trump was asked during an interview on Fox News Wednesday if he would fulfill his promise to get into the race if he was dissatisfied with the GOP field.

“I think the field is starting to look pretty interesting and pretty good,” Trump responded. “And, look, the key is that Obama be beaten.”

Although not running, Palin and Trump will likely be viewed as kingmakers as Republican candidates struggle for the nomination. Trump has been meeting with several of the candidates in New York and Palin has leveled criticism on Texas Governor Rick Perry for being a “crony” capitalist.

Journalists Size Up Possible 2012 Presidential Candidates

By Kyle LaFleur - Talk Radio News Service

Two years may seem like a long period of time but, in the political world, it is just around the corner, especially when it involves an election as critical as the 2012 race is gearing up to be. Though no candidates have officially thrown in their hats, a panel of journalists recently weighed in on prospective challengers to President Barack Obama in 2012.

On the Democratic ticket, Senior Political Analyst at The Washington Examiner Michael Barone found it unlikely that President Barack Obama would be challenged in the primary. Barone said it would be surprising to see someone challenge the first African American President in his own party because the average Democratic primary electorate consists of nearly 20 percent African Americans voters.   

“It does seem to me it is possible that there may be basis for a challenge from the anti-war left,” Barone said, including Howard Dean and Wisconsin Senator Russ Feingold as possible candidates. 

Executive Editor at The Weekly Standard Fred Barnes said that a Florida Governor Jeb Bush and New Jersey Governor Chris Christie ticket would be an “absolutely winning ticket,” but acknowledged that neither have shown interest in running.

As for former Alaskan Governor Sarah Palin and former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney, who have been receiving media buzz as potential candidates, the panelists found that neither would hold much water. Chief Political Correspondent for The Washington Examiner Byron York said he felt that Romeny would not get enough people to “love him” and would not connect with a certain part of the Republican electorate as in past Presidental runs. As for Palin, York felt she was a “divisive figure amongst Republicans.”

“I do get a sense of this extreme hunger for somebody new to come in and save them,” York said about the Republican Party. 

Progressive Women Take On Palin

A leading progressive women’s group is challenging former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin’s “Mama Grizzlies” campaign to put conservative females in office.

Entitled “Sarah Doesn’t Speak For Me,” the new campaign from the PAC Emily’s List is attempting to energize Democrats and moderate Republicans fed up with Palin. The campaign’s website allows visitors to share their opinions on the Republican Vice Presidential candidate and offers a guide to the position’s Palin’s candidates have taken.

“We understand the power of the rising tide of women voters,” EMILY’s List President Stephanie Schriock said Tuesday during a press conference to kick-off the campaign. “We know that the rising tide of women voters this year want more opportunity … in direct contrast to the candidates Sarah Palin has endorsed.”

Schriock would not give a dollar figure for the campaign.

Palin Rallies Pro-Lifers, Slams Media For Being Anti-Tea Party

Speaking at a fundraiser in Downtown Washington, D.C. this morning, former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin (R) praised the conservative Tea Party movement, and fired jabs at members of the “mainstream” news media.

Palin, who waived her speaking fee to address a sold-out audience at the ticket-only breakfast, held by the Susan B. Anthony List, a 280,000-member organization devoted to helping elect pro-life candidates to office, said she is inspired by the fact that, according to polls, women represent the majority of Tea Partiers nationwide.

The 2008 Republican Vice Presidential candidate was met with applause when she said, “these policies coming out of DC right now, this fundamental transformation of America that we were warned about in the [2008 presidential] campaign? Well, a lotta women...are saying, ‘we don’t like this.’”

“It seems like it’s kind of a ‘mom awakening’ in the last year and a half,” she added. “Women are rising up and saying, ‘no, we’ve had enough already, we’re gonna...get our country back on the right track.’”

Moments later, Palin expressed sympathy for Tea Partiers, who, she said, have been negatively mischaracterized by the news media as being supportive of violence and bigotry.

“People there in the media [are] trying to portray Tea Party Americans as racist and violent and all those things that they are not,” said Palin. “[The media has] tried, but I think they’ve failed because Americans are smart enough to start holding the media accountable.”

"They just kinda crack me up," she jested.

Palin Endorses Candidate Who Views Arizona Law As A “Wonderful First Step”

On Thursday, former Republican Vice Presidential Candidate Sarah Palin endorsed State Representative Tom Emmer in the Republican primary for Minnesota’s Gubernatorial race. Taking to her Facebook page, Palin described the candidate as a “patriotic fiscally conservative ‘hockey dad.’” He also happens to be an individual who believes Arizona’s controversial new immigration law is a “wonderful first step.”

Emmer’s description of the law, which grants Arizona police officers the authority to ask those suspected of being in the country illegally for proof of citizenship, was made during a debate Wednesday with another Republican hopeful on the Minnesota Public Radio program Midday with Gary Eichten.

“What Arizona did was a wonderful first step. I'm disappointed at the federal government that's taking issue with the state of Arizona,” said Emmer.

Emmer also noted “I don't know that it's targeting illegal immigrants. It's enforcing the law.”

Palin herself has been vocal on the Arizona law. On Tuesday’s episode of Hannity on Fox News, the one-time Alaska Governor brushed away fears that the law could lead to racial profiling.

"I think it's shameful too that the Obama administration has allowed this to become more of a racial issue by perpetuating this myth that racial profiling is a part of this law."

The Arizona law has received bipartisan criticism. President Barack Obama has argued that the law threatens the trust between police and communities. George W. Bush’s advisor Karl Rove said the law may have “constitutional problems.” Former Florida Governor Jeb Bush has expressed reservations with the law as well.