Palin Spokesperson Meg Stapleton

This post by Ed at Hot Air makes no sense at all, unless Ed meant to write, explained, as in his phone call with Ziegler. In the 15 minute interview with Stapleton linked below, Ziegler does nothing to argue the move wasn't about 2012. He doesn't argue anything one way or the other, except to suggest the decision was in the making for some time.

As far as Stapleton is concerned, if anything she leaves the door wide open for anything by going on at one point about Palin doing what, in her view, is best for conservatism and America. Any suggestion that 2012 wasn't a part of the decision-making simply isn't there. I'm not arguing that it is. But Stapleton does quite clearly leave the door open for the future, immediate, or otherwise.

If anything, the interview works to discourage any talk that her resignation was the result of Palin being a quitter, or un-desirous of wanting a national platform in some way. In fact, it suggests she does. Maybe Ziegler shared more with Ed on the phone. But it isn't in the interview as Ed's wording would suggest.

And as Stapleton doesn't seem to include Ziegler as part of a very limited inner circle, I wonder if all Ed meant to do was convey Ziegler's opinion on the phone that isn't actually expressed in the audio. All Stapleton asserts in that regard is that Palin did it because she saw it as best for Alaska and wasn't concerned about the perceptions of it, including as regards 2012.

Near the end, Ziegler does say he doesn't want to expose too much - and also that he does hope the story eventually comes out. So, maybe he alluded something to Ed that didn't make the air. But the interview is pretty undeclarative one way, or another. I will say this, if Palin has some firm plan, no matter what it might be, she'd be best to get it out there sooner, as opposed to later. If Fred in 08 taught us anything, it's that she who hesitates is lost. So, even if a national talk show is next for Palin, I don't think stringing people on for too long is going to play well for anyone. And if it is a political future she envisions, I'm not sure she can afford to wait too long at all without risking a reduction in her popularity.

John has the closest vantage point of anyone in the media, and has spent the most time with Palin.  He explains that the move isn’t about 2012 at all, or really even any future run at elective office.  John argues that Palin is playing long ball.  Click to listen.

John and I had a conversation this afternoon, and he agrees that Palin couldn’t have done this with an eye towards a 2012 presidential run.  Like Mark Tapscott, he sees Palin adapting herself for the foreseeable future to non-electoral politics — as an activist and a movement leader.

Listen to the interview, maybe I missed it. But I was listening for it and believe it just isn't there.

Comments

[Wild Thing]

Thank you so much. I have the same feeling about this as you have stated. I have listened to it
twice now, and I just don't hear anything about 2012 not having any posibilities, nothing about
it being a dead issue. The door is open and Sarah will let us know when she is ready.
In thinking about all of this since she resigend I kind of don't understand why anyone would
think Sarah Palin would all of a sudden be different then we cheered on in the campaign. She
spoke up and went against the grain. No other politican would have brought up Bill Ayers,
or the other things Sarah brought up. That took courage and nerve and also total honesty.
She did not take a poll before she spoke out and McCain was doing just the opposite, telling
people not to say Obama's middle name, not to bring up Ayers and he even told one woman at a
Townhall meeting Obama was a man of honor. That was being a politican what McCain did and
Sarah would not do that, she is different then the others. Not a lawywer but one of our
beloved America's citizens that went into politics because she wanted to change things for
the better where she lived. Just my take on it, but I just wanted to thank you so much for
having this post so I could hear John's interview. Sorry this got so long. haha

[unseen]

If Fred in 08 taught us anything, it's that she who hesitates is lost. So, even if a national talk show is next for Palin, I don't think stringing people on for too long is going to play well for anyone. And if it is a political future she envisions, I'm not sure she can afford to wait too long at all without risking a reduction in her popularity.

She is already committed to an Aug 8th speech in reagan country. she has 2 weels left in her governorship. then 2 weeks for till her speech. and from news reports it appears that she will be in NJ and VA for thier govorner races. This fall. thus it looks like she is planning to have an "appearance" that the news will cover once about every 2 weeks. Her resignation will be covered, her sppech will be covered and at least one vist to VA and NJ will be covered. Seems like a good news flow storyline. Once every 2 weeks or so is long enough that people don't get burned out of her yet short enough to keep her name in the news at a good basis. I would be surprised if by Aug 8th we do not know alot more of her future plans. then the question becomes with the media circus is a month too long?

I don't know maybe/maybe not. I do think she will not say anything about her plans until the transfer of pwoer in AK. So you are looking at 2weeks to one month before more concert plans are known