Palin says woman on ticket would be good for GOP

Posted by Alaska_Politics

Posted: November 12, 2008 - 1:44 pm

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Here's a new story about Gov. Sarah Palin's talking with national media in Miami, where the Republican Governors Association meeting is occurring:

By BRENDAN FARRINGTON
Associated Press Writer

MIAMI — Gov. Sarah Palin, who clearly is looking ahead to her political prospects in 2012, said Wednesday that a woman would be good for the Republican presidential ticket in four years.

This year’s GOP vice presidential nominee has been on a whirlwind series of postelection television interviews — she did two on CNN on Wednesday. She traveled to Florida for the three-day Republican Governors Association meeting and is scheduled to participate in a panel discussion Thursday titled, “Looking Towards the Future: The GOP in Transition.”

She was asked Wednesday about speculation that she is the party’s future

“I don’t think it’s me personally, I think it’s what I represent,” Palin told reporters. “Everyday hardworking American families — a woman on the ticket perhaps represents that. It would be good for the ticket. It would be good for the party. I would be happy to get to do whatever is asked of me to help progress this nation.”

Question on whether that was her priority, Palin said: “A priority for me is serving the constituents of the state of Alaska ... They hired me and I have an obligation, or a responsibility to serve Alaska as their governor.”

A week after Election Day, Republicans are doing some soul-searching after losing the White House and seeing their numbers decrease in the Senate and House. Many in the GOP are looking to their governors for a fresh direction for the party and the best prospects for winning the presidency in 2012.

The telegenic Palin was a hit with Republican social conservatives. She has been fielding questions about her political future since the campaign ended.

In an interview on CNN’s “The Situation Room,” Palin did not rule out running for president in 2012 or seeking a seat in the Senate, depending on the fate of Republican incumbent Ted Stevens.

Asked about a presidential bid, Palin said she was “not ruling that out but there again, that is based on my philosophy that it’s crazy to close a door before you know what’s even open in front of you.”

In the near term, she could run for Stevens’ seat in a special election. While the senator is leading in the continuing count from the election, he could be ousted by the Senate for his conviction on seven felony counts of failing to report more than $250,000 in gifts, mostly renovations on his home.

“I’m going to serve Alaskans to the best of my ability. At this point it is as governor,” she said. “Now if something shifted dramatically and if it were, if it were acknowledged up there that I could be put to better use for my state in the U.S. Senate, I would certainly consider that but that would take a special election and everything else. I am not one to appoint myself or a member of my family to take the place of any vacancy.”

While she was still on the GOP ticket, she put aside talk about the Senate.

In a separate interview, Palin told CNN’s Larry King that she didn’t think she cost John McCain the election, but if she did she was sorry.

“I personally don’t think that I, Sarah Palin from Alaska, the VP pick, I don’t believe that I caused the outcome to be what it was,” she said, adding: “If I caused even one person to shy away from electing an American hero, John McCain, to the presidency, than I apologize.”

The latest CNN/Opinion Research poll showed 43 percent of Americans had an unfavorable opinion of Palin.

If she runs in 2012, Palin faces possible competition from a number of other governors, including Charlie Crist of Florida, Tim Pawlenty of Minnesota, Haley Barbour of Mississippi and Bobby Jindal of Louisiana.

The GOP race isn’t waiting for President-elect Barack Obama to be sworn in Jan. 20.

Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, a one-time presidential candidate popular with conservatives, is scheduled to visit Cedar Rapids and Des Moines while on a book tour later this month. Jindal plans to tour flood damage in Cedar Rapids and attend an Iowa Family Policy Council dinner in Des Moines. Iowa holds the leadoff caucuses.

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