Palin: Asia speech re-casts her as Libertarian and slams Obama on China

Sarah Palin the populist has become Sarah Palin the free trader. In a wide-ranging and well-received speech in Hong Kong, Palin supported a more Libertarian free-market approach, slamming the recent imposition of tariffs on Chinese tires by the Obama Administration.

Palin spoke at a closed-door investor forum organized by CLSA in which no media representatives were allowed. While attendees were reportedly impressed with her preparation and command of the facts, Palin only took pre-approved questions.

The New York Times reported:

“The speech was wide-ranging, very balanced, and she beat all expectations,” said Doug A. Coulter, head of private equity in the Asia-Pacific region for LGT Capital Partners.

“She didn’t sound at all like a far-right-wing conservative. She seemed to be positioning herself as a libertarian or a small-c conservative,” he said, adding that she mentioned both Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher. “She brought up both those names.”…

Melvin Goodé, a regional marketing consultant, thought Mrs. Palin chose Hong Kong because, he said, it was “a place where things happen and where freedom can be expanded upon.”…

Mr. Goodé, an African-American who said he did some campaign polling for President Obama, said Mrs. Palin mentioned President Obama three times on Wednesday.

“And there was nothing derogatory in it, no sleight of hand, and believe me, I was listening for that,” he said, adding that Mrs. Palin referred to Mr. Obama as “our president,” with the emphasis on “our.”

Mr. Goodé, a New Yorker who said he would never vote for Mrs. Palin, said she acquitted herself well.

“They really prepared her well,” he said. “She was articulate and she held her own. I give her credit. They’ve tried to categorize her as not being bright. She’s bright.”

Edward here. Notice how the NY Times story mentions only one attendee’s race. What does Goodé’s being Black have to do with this story? The writer, Mark McDonald, should be condemned for inserting this language as he is obviously trying to spin the story, suggesting that even a black pro-Obama supporter thought well of Palin’s performance. If he’s going to spin it that way, then just say it directly. The way he words it is cringe-worthy.

This speech and others to come should be seen not only as a way for her to earn shed loads of cash, but as a way to position herself to lead the Republican party ahead of the 2012 Presidential election.  It seems that she is re-casting herself as a libertarian to do so. She has already come out against healthcare, positioning her opposition to Obama’s plan as libertarian. Attendees of the CLSA speech report that she spoke about this subject in Hong Kong as well.  However, she also took on the tire tariffs issue, rejecting an inviting populist take on the issue in favor of more free-market rhetoric (for more on the issue see my post “Murder-Suicide in Chimerica”).

Not everyone was impressed.

“She started the speech with the Alaskan fishing industry, which I think is a safe topic for her,” said Suyeon An of RCM Asia Pacific Ltd, who left before Palin stopped talking. “She was avoiding the important economic issues. She tried to talk some about Hong Kong in general, but it was nothing specific. It was a very safe speech, boring I have to say.”

4 Comments
  1. Max says

    Sarah Palin will be the next President of the United States. Get used to the idea now.

  2. Vangel says

    Palin may be much more of a libertarian or small c conservative than the big government Conservatives on the right, who see her as one of their own.

  3. j says

    Biggest retard around. Picture her, and Warren from “Something about Mary” – you know ‘where’s my baseball’

    If you think she KNOWS what she is talking about, then let me be your next surgeon. I have no medical training.

    If you think she can’t be controlled by the same interests that she rails against, then you think ‘Forrest Gump’ is not just a character in a movie, but a smart individual

    Palin would be the death of america. No iffs, and’s, or butt’s.

    Yeah let’s put another ‘know nothing’ into office. That’s worked out so well before.

    Besides if you worry about the federal reserve, which I do, 2012 will be too late to do anything about it anyway.

    If she was in office
    She wouldn’t know the forest from the trees
    She wouldn’t know who was screwing her over
    She wouldn’t know the policy effects
    Be controlled like a 9 volt rc car by the oligarch

    If you honestly think Palin is the answer, you should seek medical help right away for delusional thinking. Otherwise I want a guy in a wheelchair as starting QB of my NFL team. Otherwise I want a deaf a guy judging new music releases, and a blind guy elaborating on the complexities of an artist’s new popular painting.

    If you want Palin, that is what you want in reality, even if in ‘your head’ you think she is the best. You’re wrong, she is the witless retard everyone KNOWS she is. Wake up, or get what you deserve, which is austerity.

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