Republicans Dare Sarah Palin To Run

In the background of the very public "Republicans Hint Sarah Palin Shouldn't Run" show, something interesting is happening.

Grover "Drown the goverment in a bathtub" Norquist co-wrote an opinion piece which appeared in Politico, yesterday. He argued that Sarah Palin has a right to run. Imagine that!

Reading that, I was reminded of Sarah Palin's view of her right to speak. In a nutshell: she shouldn't be criticised, because to do so infringes her First Amendment rights. Sarah Palin may feel inhibited about putting her foot in her mouth speaking again after she's been criticised, but that's her problem. No one is infringing her rights; the proof is that she's free to repeat whatever she said. Sarah Palin's view of the First Amendment is common among commonsense conservatives. Perhaps, if they didn't trip all over themselves trying to sell bad policy, they'd feel better about speaking in public and wouldn't be vulnerable to being embarrassed by what they say. But I am digressing.

Norquist didn't endorse Palin.

Today, another article appeared in Politico. That article quotes Karl Rove: “Governor Palin ought to be confident.” “She’s got a right to run. All she’s gotta do is pay the filing fee and form a committee.” “It’s just unseemly for them [Palin and Huckabee] to say ‘They’re trying to keep me out.’ ”

Of course, Sarah Palin has a right to run. Why was it necessary for Norquist and Rove to say so?

Aren't Norquist and Rove, Rove more bluntly than Norquist, trying to tell Sarah Palin to stop whining?

As Sarah's fond of saying, "Buck up, or stay in the truck," which might be better said, "Buck up, or get out of the truck." Imagine hearing that along a lonely Alaskan highway in sub-zero weather. Seriously running for President is a journey, not an arrival.