No disappointment

Earlier I expressed disappointment that Palin isn’t going to attend CPAC. This isn’t disappointment in her, rather my disappointment that CPAC will not be as good without her. I believe she’s the future of the Republican Party and I would like anyone in her position and with her ideas, delivering a key-note address at CPAC. I was interested to read her speech and listen to what she had to say. I’m sorry I can’t do that, but I have absolutely no disappointment in her at all.

Palin doesn’t need CPAC. Her turning down the invitation just proves how dedicated, loyal and dependable she is to her constituency. At her heart, Palin serves the people of Alaska. That’s her job and she knows it. She’s not a career politician trying to climb the ladder to national power. She’s someone who really believes that she has a responsibility to Alaska. Even when she attended the Alfalfa Club Dinner, she left after work on Friday and before work on Monday, so she wouldn’t miss one day on the job. She was elected to do this job – so it’s a good thing! This makes her all the more qualified for 2012. Compare her behavior with that of Obama’s over the past two years. She’s turning down invitations to national political events to work hard at being a Governor – while Obama spent the past two years campaigning and voting “present” in the Senate. He also admittedly showed up late to many Senate sessions. Who would you rather have as President? Palin, that’s for sure!

Alaskans also have a lot to do with this decision. Whenever I read comments from the locals on Alaskan news websites (linked on the right) they’re mostly the same: they express disappointment that Palin left the state to go campaigning with John McCain last year. They lament that she was gone for three months, that she had to do long-distance governing and the Lt. Gov had much to do in her absence. Remember she had such a high approval rating in Alaska before the campaign. They loved her – and why not, the American public loved her too, when we got to meet her. Those same qualities we love in her are the same reasons why Alaskans didn’t want to “share” her. They finally had a Governor who was doing some good hard work for Alaska and they wanted her to keep doing it! I feel for them. If Palin were my Governor I wouldn’t want to share, either. I felt the same way when George W. Bush decided to run for President when he was such a great Governor for my state, Texas.

I think this could be a signal that she’ll seek re-election as Governor in 2010, which is what I was hoping she would do. No matter what, she’ll be a great Governor for Alaska. But I think her being a Governor, head of state, a true leader, will help her chances in 2012.