Governor Palin Takes on the "Bitter Clingers"

On the campaign trail in 2008,Governor Palin embraced the idea of being a "bitter clinger"--one who clings "bitterly" to guns and religion--a reference to a remark by then candidate Obama. Now Governor Palin is one who speaks out against bitter clingers. She doesn't speak out against those who embrace both their first and second amendment rights; she speaks out against those who bitterly cling to power and to the ideals and mindset of the Establishment and of entrenched politicians in both parties. This is clearly marked by many of her endorsements, the of events that have followed the primaries, and her own political career.

One of Governor Palin's first endorsements in the 2010 elections was of Texas Governor Rick Perry against challenger Kay Bailey Hutchison. Hutchison has been a member of the Senate for 17 years, and in spite of a promise to her constituents to resign her position to run for Governor, she did not do so. After her loss in the gubernatorial primary, she still sits in the U.S. Senate as one who voted for the bailouts, earmarks, and numerous large spending bills, and she is one who seeks to "moderate" the Republican party at the expense of conservative ideals.

In one of her written endorsements on Facebook, Governor Palin laid out the desire for a businessman to defeat an entrenched bureaucrat when she endorsed Tim Burns in a special election against a Democratic congressional aide:

In a year when Americans are desperate for job growth and frustrated with the reckless spending in Washington, the candidates running in the special election in Pennsylvania’s 12th Congressional District epitomize the problem and the solution. It’s a race between a career Washington bureaucrat and a small business entrepreneur.

This is also seen her Governor Palin's reaction to Senator Murkwski's (sic) write in campaign for Senate, where she has expressed a desire for Senator Murkowski not to launch a write in campaign, but also "welcomed" such a bid, calling such an effort "futile". While Murkowski bitterly clings to power, so does the Republican Establishment when they voted to allow Murkowski to maintain her position of seniority on the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee in spite of her choice to ignore the will of her fellow Alaskan Republicans.

Governor Palin's stance against the bitter clingers also extends to those Democrats who a clinging bitterly to power and titles, such as in her endorsement of Carly Fiorina as the "only conservative in the race who can beat Barbara Boxer". Of course, you remember that Senator Boxer "worked so hard for that title", a point that Fiorina has hit on very effectively:



This attitude is also seen in how Governor Palin has conducted herself throughout her political career. As an Oil and Gas commissioner and as Governor, she sought to break the connections between entrenched politicians and oil companies--people who took joy in their back room dealings and lined their own pocketbooks when casting their votes. For Governor Palin, it has never been about clinging to power, a title, or a self-serving political relationship. This is a point she has hit on time and time--from her first announcement of her resignation to her most recent appearance "On the Record". Governor Palin isn't one who clings bitterly to titles or power, but happily embraces the opportunity to take on the Establishment in both parties. For her it isn't about clinging to a title,but about making a difference.

Crossposted here and here.