Lori Calabrese
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| Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin smiles as she is introduced during a public appearance at a Long Island Association (LIA) meeting and luncheon in Woodbury, N.Y., Thursday, Feb. 17, 2011. (AP Photo/Craig Ruttle) |
The Long Island Association hosted Governor Sarah Palin at the Crest Hollow Country Club on Thursday in Woodbury, New York for their annual luncheon, giving Long Island and myself the opportunity to get personal with Palin.
This event was particularly significant for Palin as it was unlike many others she’s participated in. The former governor did not deliver a speech standing behind a podium. She didn’t appear in her home studio for a FOX News appearance. But instead, the former Governor participated in an informal Q & A with the president of the Long Island Association, Kevin Law. Two chairs were front and center on stage and the casual sit-down felt like an everyday lunch where the topics on everyone’s minds were tossed around the table—including the budget, debt ceiling vote, a government shut-down, gun control, and, of course, 2012.
Palin didn’t have a star-studded arrival. In fact, it was very low-key. She arrived with her entourage, none other than her daughter, Bristol. In fact, if you blinked, you might have missed Palin walk onto the stage with the board members of the LIA. She held her head high as the National Anthem was sung and cheered on the Color Guard as they displayed the flag.
But when Palin took the stage, you couldn’t help but notice some of the 1,000 businessmen and women in attendance creep to the edge of their seats, so they wouldn’t miss a word straight from the mouth of one of the possible contenders for the 2012 presidency.
The hour long discussion began with the hot topic of our national budget. Palin stated how we are on a road to ruin and something must be done to rein in the spending. She also stressed that certainly with Medicaid and Social Security, something has to change. “We are on the wrong road, but it’s not too late to get on the right road,” Palin said, who had enlisted Bristol with the job of gathering some hard facts. Those facts, read by Sarah Palin, were the skyrocketing prices of groceries and gas, etc…
“It’s no wonder Michelle Obama is telling everybody you better breast-feed your baby – yeah, you better – because the price of milk is so high right now!” Palin joked. As the crowd laughed, Palin replied, “And may that not be the takeaway, please, of this speech.”
Palin knows the media well, as you know the headlines will read, Palin takes dig on Michelle Obama, but there was much more to takeaway from her discussion. She stood firm on her stance on gun control, called for the full repeal of Obamacare, reminded everyone of her belief in less government, and told us she hasn’t given up on drill, baby, drill!
When asked about Egypt, Palin reiterated the words she wrote on Facebook. "We now need to trust but verify that the Egyptian protestors want democracy,” and she stressed how the U.S. needs to be wary of the Muslim Brotherhood and protect our interests.
Never one to back down from adversity or criticism, Palin didn’t blink an eye when asked about her approval ratings in one of the latest Gallup polls that shows that more than 50% have a negative opinion of her. Palin joked, “In a lot of those polls, yeah, I get my butt kicked." Palin pointed out that the poll Law was talking about took place right after Tucson in which the media was quick to look for somebody to blame for the shootings. Palin said, “I’m not blaming that for my poor poll numbers. They are what they are. I think though, how else does the public know you though besides through the press? And when the press reports things that have really, really misrepresented my record as council member, mayor, governor, commissioner…and when the press is misreporting what you stand for, what your family is, certainly the perception out there is that this person is less than qualified.” However Palin said she will get out there and let people know who she is, what she stands for and what her record is. “You can’t rely on the liberal-leaning press to do that for you.”
And what would a Palin interview be these days without the interviewer hoping to get Palin to declare her run for the presidency? Yes, Law made the attempt to get Palin to spill the beans on 2012, but the former Governor remained mum, stating she was still thinking about it. Palin noted how voters are craving an unconventional candidate and that’s just what going rogue is all about. She believed this will be an unconventional political cycle and although candidates are late this go around announcing, she still believes time on the ground is very important. “I know when I ran for VP I had exactly four days to prepare… [for] being on a national stage. Four days isn’t a whole lot of time to prepare. It’s not even enough time to pack a bag."
Law seemed to be impressed with Palin’s use of social media, and when asked if she would be the first Twitter president, she laughed in a self-mocking tone and replied, “What a slogan: I tweet more than you tweet.”
Although she wouldn’t announce her potential run, I did find it fascinating that she also wouldn’t name a candidate she would support if she was not in the running. In fact, when Law asked her if there was a candidate she would support, Palin said she didn’t have a name, but she did list the qualities she would seek in a candidate. "No one is more qualified, really, to multitasking and the things you need to do as president than a woman, a mom," said Palin. She said executive experience would help - "like being a mayor, a governor. an oil and gas commissioner." Hmm, wonder who possesses all of those qualities?
Andrew Coffin stated in an article after her appearance for the Young America’s Foundation, celebrating Reagan’s birth that “Governor Palin has a remarkable effect on people.” And that was clearly evident at LIA. Palin stood out and garnered the attention of a largely democratic room. Her love of service was apparent and attendees were still discussing Palin’s popularity as media had long broken down.
Law said himself that this was the largest turnout LIA had ever had for one of their luncheons. And that says a lot as Palin followed the likes of George W. Bush, George H. W. Bush, and Bill Clinton. Poll numbers or not, it was certain that Palin’s casual tone had a resonating effect on the attendees. Hopefully that’s something the public will see more of as the race for 2012 heats up.
