Sarah Palin can see China from Hong Kong

Ex-Gov. Sarah Palin made a decorous debut on the international stage Wednesday with a long speech to investors in Hong Kong.

As politicians like ex-President George W. Bush prefer when they leave public office, the event was closed to the evil, distorting media that's probably too cheap to buy a ticket anyway. And as with teenage dating, there's nothing the pursuer wants more than something he can't have.

So, of course, some details always leak out. Palin was reportedly well-received and folksy at times, but gone was any hard-edged partisanship so familiar from the campaign a year ago. She did not mention what's-his-name in the White House who clobbered her Republican presidential ticket last November.

''I'm going to call it like I see it," she said, according to the Associated Press, "and I will share with you candidly a view right from Main Street, Main Street U.S.A.''

She made an argument for a private industry solution to U.S. healthcare problems, for lower taxes and reduced government. She suggested that China play a more responsible role in international affairs, especially concerning North Korea and Afghanistan.

Her first post-resignation trip abroad will be seen by many as the start of her campaign for the 2012 Republican nomination. It is, of course, way too early for that decision to be made. She'll be testing the waters here and there, gaining experience and being seen in new positive locales, not so much because she's decided to run but in case she decides to run.

Meanwhile, what's often forgotten is that the old-fashioned lecture circuit -- especially internationally where curiosity and interest in American public figures are strong -- is a lucrative gig for former American politicians.

Palin signed with the Washington Speakers Bureau, the same prestigious agency that booked Bush into a closed business forum in Calgary last winter and a discussion with ex-President Bill Clinton in Toronto in spring. Despite his personal scandals as an Oval Office incumbent, Clinton became a multi-multi-millionaire from whopping speaking fees around the world.

Palin's reportedly received more than 1,000 invitations.

Put 2012 aside a moment and recall that in addition to her book advance, Palin needs to make some big money to pay off lingering legal debts from partisan investigations that she blamed for her premature gubernatorial resignation in July. And without ongoing publicity, the shelf life of an out-of-office politician can be short -- and the appearance price tag small.

For the opposite, think of someone named Newt Gingrich, who resigned as GOP House speaker after a bad election outcome 11 years ago. And yet he lives -- and talks -- on. And on. And on.

-- Andrew Malcolm

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Photo: Sarah Palin with CLSA CEO Jonathan Slone. Credit: CLSA Asia-Pacific Markets

Comments

[frank burns]

She reads a speech written for her by some experts, and thereby shows she "understands" foreign affairs? C'mon.

[John Hardman]

Why is Sarah Palins view of "Main Street" so much more clearly focused and defined than that of our present crop of tricky self serving unwholesome lot of elected officials??

[RonniNY]

She may not have referenced POTUS by name but she certainly did by inference, and there was no question as to who she was talking about. She said his ideas for change were "pipe dreams". She then went on to bash Republicans. Not really good form on your first foray out in to the big world to bash your country's sitting president as well as the political party on whose ticket your ran . Yikes!

Rupert Murdoch will likely tire of playing Henry Higgins to this Alaskan version of Eliza Doolittle and we might finally then be rid of her. It can't come too soon.

[Terry Saulsbury]

Are you so ignorant of geography that you don't realize Russia and Alaska are less than 2.5 miles apart? Suggestion......try looking at a map of the Bering Sea. Obviously you are government school educated.

[Sharon Sloan]

Ms. Palin should stay out of politics. She does not have the credentials for public office and I can't see that being on stage will improve that. If she does run for office, she should keep it at the local level........say, dog catcher?

[someguy]

"Sarah Palin can see China from Hong Kong"

Man, you're so clever to have come up with that headline. We're all so very impressed.

[Mike]

Palin in 2012. "Lions and tigers and bears. Oh my!" The woman lives in a fantasy land. I really just don't understand it. For example her husband is bright and hard working, yet he doesn't run for office; his dumb wife does. Go figure.

[Hymie]

FAIL, you moron. HONG KONG IS CHINA.

(So she can see it very easily then.)

[Johnathan]

Andrew, your dim-witted referral to Palins remark about being able to see Russia from Alaska is well, dim-witted. Are you so thick that you don't realize that you CAN actually see the lights of Russia from the Seward Peninsula of Alaska?
I wholeheartedly understand why this woman scares liberals like you into a pants-wetting panic. Your fear is justified.

[sharon]

Oh my, will the nasty headlines ever quit? "Palin can see China from Hong Kong." So cute!!!! When will the drive by media quit acting like spoiled 2 yr. olds? Get a life. Also Obama did NOT win by a landslide. Check out the percentages of who voted for him and who did NOT. You are so lame.

[Marco]

So I presume it’s a-ok in your book for Bill Clinton (out of office for 9 years) to have made multi-multi-millions by running his mouth ad infinitum. While, on the other hand, there is something rather unseemly about Newt Gingrich doing so 11 years out of office? Last I checked, as private citizens, former politicians can take on jobs (i.e. speaking appointments) that someone is willing to pay them for, as long as they don't violate any laws. So instead of truly focusing on what Mrs. Palin said (beyond a one-paragraph abridged snippet of a 75 min speech) you decided to auger some kind of critique on the event itself. Starting with a hackneyed play on Tina Fey's distorted comedy routine. My, so bold you are!

Is it any wonder why “the event was closed to the evil, distorting media”? Or are you just that dense?

BTW, your partisan hackery is showing!

[foxygeorge]

I don't believe Sarah Palin is possessed by an evil spirit, or is as stupid as many seem to believe. She may be a strong woman looking to exercise her right to compete in national politics as many before her have. Diane Feinstein, Senator from California, isn't any more personable or likeable than is Sarah. Does that make her any more palatable than Mrs. Palin?

[Brent]

Kind of like Gore, who talks on and on and on. So whats your point?

[Sarah Mckenna]

WOOHOO!!!!! ((((((((((((PALIN2012)))))))))))))))

[Amanda Masurpian]

Kudos to Palin for going on the lecture circuit. She will speak the truth and make big, big money and aggravate and irritate the liberals ad infinitum. Her trip to Hong Kong was just a preview of attractions yet to come. I can harldy wait. And for heavens sakes, let Gingrich continue to speak his mind - he has a very keen mind and insight into the corruption in the American government.

[James Chan]

You can see China from Hong Kong. But can you see through China?

[kilroy W. Hear]

WEll I think she can see China from HK depending on the position of the hotel suite,something I suspect Malcom will rarely if ever get to check out.
I do believe you can see russia from AK,interestingly, for those from Rio Linda.

[tony]

and she can see the oval office from my window. Tony (VA)

[DD]

the hatred of Palin is obvious by this wonderful periodical. So a private citizen speaking at a private gathering needs to let the MSM haters access? People forget that speaking is lucrative? Perhaps the stupid people that hang out with the author of this vacuous piece do but nobody I knows forgets how lucrative it is to give speeches.

Obama "clobbered" the horrid McCain ? How's he doing at that President thing? How's the world's smartest imbecile who can't say a thing that makes any sense doing?

[Lee Cole]

Go Sara, prove the fools wrong

[Zach]

Sarah Palin is dumb. There's no doubting that. But the writer of this blog is pretty dumb, too.

She was - for a very short time - a prominent figure in the world and will continue to be making appearances and speeches to bank on that prominence. Are you going to write a blog ripping her every time she speaks?

The Media is going to turn many people FOR Sarah Palin simply by giving these tongue-in-cheek, "Ha Ha she's so dumb" columns over and over. Find something original to say besides "look at Sarah, I can't believe she said this and that people came to listen blah blah."

And the following sentence, "As politicians like ex-President George W. Bush prefer when they leave public office, the event was closed to the evil, distorting media," is obnoxious as well. Look, I voted Obama, but come on. GWB is not the only politician to hold a private speech. All of them do. I feel like being a journalist should make you a little more mature and a little less petty.

[Khalil7]

I find it absolutely facinating that people have such a firm dislike of Palin ... when they get their news from people who dislike Palin.

It's proof that brainwashing works best when the brainwashed think their acting on their own.

Next time, just say you don't like her because you were told not to like her. It sounds better and it's honest.

[are you jealous?]

Sarah Palin is a private citizen so why blather on & on about her? Do you see her as a threat to the President?

[Billh]

You liberals talk about Sarah Palin...OMG. Obama is so stupid he actually believes what he is saying...and don't forget he must have his teleprompters or he is totally lost!

[George Soros]

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Ms. Palin should stay out of politics. She does not have the credentials for public office and I can't see that being on stage will improve that. If she does run for office, she should keep it at the local level........say, dog catcher?

Posted by: Sharon Sloan
Ok moderator here is the clean version

And yet sharon the d*&^%bag,she had more credentials then the lying racist scumbag you voted for.Imagine that!!!! And yet you bow down to him everyday singing songs of Praise! Sharon not ony are you a d%^&*bag but you are a hypocritcal b##ch too.