Sarah Palin has disappeared from the 2016 presidential campaign. She continues to tease about running, just as she has almost since the day she was defeated as the 2008 Republican vice presidential nominee.
But since she spoke at two early presidential showcases this winter, including one where her rambling monologue was blasted by conservative activists and analysts, she’s essentially been missing in action.
Since late February, she’s stayed away from the eight other forums, events held almost weekly. And she’s not on the roster for the next meeting, Florida Gov. Rick Scott’s candidate summit Tuesday in Orlando.
Organizers of these events usually want her, but Palin routinely turns them down and sometimes doesn’t even respond. In some cases, sponsors have stopped asking her.
In political battleground South Carolina, for example, she was not asked to either the party’s Silver Elephant Dinner May 1 or the state Republican convention the next day.
“I’m aware of no one in the Republican Party’s leadership who communicates with Gov. Palin or her team,” said South Carolina Republican Chairman Matt Moore.
The article goes on to point out that though Palin often teases about running, and offers up tweets and Facebook posts, that she is essentially completely uninvolved in any real politics.
Which has led one Republican strategist to make this remark:
“My guess is, looking at her recent history, that her suggested ambitions to run for office are all just publicity stunts to keep her name alive nationally,” said Marc Hellenthal, a Republican strategist and pollster in Alaska.
Gee ya think?
At the end of the article they listed all of the prominent GOP and conservative political events that Palin should be attending if she wants to maintain any credibility. Here it is:
Jan. 24. Iowa Freedom Summit. Attended.
Feb. 26-28. CPAC. Attended.
March 7. Iowa Ag Summit. Did not attend.
April 17-18. New Hampshire “First in the Nation” Leadership Summit. Did not attend.
April 25. Iowa Faith and Freedom Coalition Summit. Did not attend.
May 1. South Carolina Silver Elephant Dinner. Did not attend.
May 2. South Carolina Republican Convention. Did not attend.
May 9. South Carolina Freedom Summit. Did not attend.
May 16. Iowa Lincoln Day Dinner. Did not attend.
May 21-23. Southern Republican Leadership Conference. Did not attend.
June 2. Gov. Rick Scott's Florida Economic Growth Summit. Not expected to attend.
(Oops, they missed one. There was also the NRA convention in Nashville on April 10.)
Gee, nothing since February. How odd.
Okay so NOW will the media stop acting as if Sarah Palin is a viable future candidate?
After all didn't they get the memo that all she is now is a national punchline.
I know John Stewart did.
