--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The Sarah Palin choice both its timing…" description: "\"The Sarah Palin choice both its timing and the fact that it was her, it was really an audacious strategic move by the McCain campaign to try to change ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b12/rachel-maddow-1240_audacious_the-sarah-palin-choice-both-its-timing-a_2722629.png" --- # The Sarah Palin choice both its timing and the fact that… ![“The Sarah Palin choice both its timing and the fact that it was her, it was really an audacious strategic move by the McCain campaign to try to change the trajectory of the 2008 presidential race and the initial launch was very successful. She didn't withstand the scrutiny very well though and the…” quote by Rachel Maddow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b12/rachel-maddow-1240_audacious_the-sarah-palin-choice-both-its-timing-a_2722629.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b12/rachel-maddow-1240_audacious_the-sarah-palin-choice-both-its-timing-a_2722629.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b12/rachel-maddow-1240_audacious_the-sarah-palin-choice-both-its-timing-a_2722629.png) > “The Sarah Palin choice both its timing and the fact that it was her, it was really an audacious strategic move by the McCain campaign to try to change the trajectory of the 2008 presidential race and the initial launch was very successful. She didn't withstand the scrutiny very well though and the close questioning.” [Rachel Maddow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-maddow/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The campaign used Palin’s candidacy as a bold tactic to shift momentum, but her performance under intense scrutiny weakened its impact. **In simple terms:** Palin was a risky political move that backfired under pressure. Key Takeaway Bold tactics need strong execution. Themes politics strategy media campaigns Mood tense analytical Type political commentary When to use this quote - campaign planning - media training - public speaking - crisis management Key Concepts electoral dynamics public perception media scrutiny Questions to Reflect On - Could a different candidate have achieved the same effect? - How does media scrutiny alter campaign strategies? A Different Perspective The move relied heavily on a single personality, risking backlash if she faltered. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Audacious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/audacious/) [Campaigns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/campaigns/) [Choices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choices/) [Facts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/facts/) [Initials](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/initials/) [Mccain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mccain/) [Mccain Campaign](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mccain-campaign-2627399/) [Moving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moving/) [Palin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/palin/) [Palin Choice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/palin-choice-2893733/) [Presidential](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/presidential/) [Presidential Race](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/presidential-race-2893735/) [Questioning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/questioning/) [Race](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/race/) [Sarah palin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sarah-palin/) [Scrutiny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scrutiny/) [Strategic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strategic/) [Strategic Mccain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strategic-mccain-2893734/) [Successful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/successful/) [Timing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/timing/) [Trajectory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trajectory/) [Trying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trying/) [Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wells/) ## Related quotes > [It is about something personal and specific, because when the John McCain campaign in 2008 decided to elevate Sarah Palin from total obscurity to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-maddow/it-is-about-something-personal-and-specific-because-when-the-john/) [Rachel Maddow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-maddow/) > [I took a lot of heat from Republicans when I stepped out of John McCain's campaign after the 2008 primaries. I still supported McCain,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-mckinnon/i-took-a-lot-of-heat-from-republicans-when-i-stepped-out-of-john/) [Mark McKinnon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-mckinnon/) > [Sarah Palin lacked the preparation or temperament to be one heartbeat away from the presidency, but what she possessed in abundance was the ability…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ebert/sarah-palin-lacked-the-preparation-or-temperament-to-be-one-heartbeat/) [Roger Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ebert/) > [I'm very disappointed with the McCain campaign. In my opinion, it was inept.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-broun/i-m-very-disappointed-with-the-mccain-campaign-in-my-opinion-it-was/) [Paul Broun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-broun/) > [Yesterday, John McCain actually said that if he's president that he'll take on, and I quote, 'the old boys network in Washington.' Now I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/yesterday-john-mccain-actually-said-that-if-he-s-president-that-he-ll/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [How did abortion and birth control impact the congressional race of Dan Maffei and Ann Marie Buerkle or the presidential race between Barack Obama…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-decrow/how-did-abortion-and-birth-control-impact-the-congressional-race-of/) [Karen DeCrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-decrow/) > [Yes, the presidential race is very close, and some public polls show it getting closer as we go into the final hours, but in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mara-liasson/yes-the-presidential-race-is-very-close-and-some-public-polls-show-it/) [Mara Liasson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mara-liasson/) > [That is enough to win a three-way presidential race. If young people understand they have the numbers and they have the power to come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/that-is-enough-to-win-a-three-way-presidential-race-if-young-people/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [I say I'm the only serious comedian in the presidential race. And I'd like to take this opportunity to ask both Romney and Obama…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roseanne-barr/i-say-i-m-the-only-serious-comedian-in-the-presidential-race-and-i-d/) [Roseanne Barr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roseanne-barr/) > [The presidential race should not be a battle of personalities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kayleigh-mcenany/the-presidential-race-should-not-be-a-battle-of-personalities/) [Kayleigh McEnany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kayleigh-mcenany/) > [No candidate can win a presidential race advocating gay marriage and opposing the military action in Iraq.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-morris/no-candidate-can-win-a-presidential-race-advocating-gay-marriage-and/) [Dick Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-morris/) > [John Kerry's victory over Howard Dean has completely changed the presidential race around. Now instead of the rich white guy from Yale who lives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/john-kerry-s-victory-over-howard-dean-has-completely-changed-the/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [I look forward to growing old and wise and audacious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenda-jackson/i-look-forward-to-growing-old-and-wise-and-audacious/) [Glenda Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenda-jackson/) > [I am, what you call, an audacious man. I could walk into the room of Warren Buffet, and he may not give me the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anubhav-sinha/i-am-what-you-call-an-audacious-man-i-could-walk-into-the-room-of/) [Anubhav Sinha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anubhav-sinha/) > [The most radical, audacious thing to think is that there might be some point to working hard and thinking hard and reading hard and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-most-radical-audacious-thing-to-think-is-that-there-might-be-some/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Rachel Maddow > [ Ben Carson also denounced \[Donald\] Trump's ban all Muslims proposal saying we do not and would not advocate being selective on one's religion. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-maddow/ben-carson-also-denounced-donald-trump-s-ban-all-muslims-proposal/) [Rachel Maddow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-maddow/) > [The CIA has concluded in a secret assessment that Russia intervened in the 2016 election to help Donald Trump win the presidency rather than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-maddow/the-cia-has-concluded-in-a-secret-assessment-that-russia-intervened/) [Rachel Maddow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-maddow/) > [ Senator \[Tom\] Cotton has campaigned on wanting to kill Obamacare. He voted to repeal the Affordable Care Act back in January, but he now… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-maddow/senator-tom-cotton-has-campaigned-on-wanting-to-kill-obamacare-he/) [Rachel Maddow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-maddow/) > [ \[Tom Cotton\] has been an absolute champion of the idea of getting rid of Obamacare, scrapping the Affordable Care Act. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-maddow/tom-cotton-has-been-an-absolute-champion-of-the-idea-of-getting-rid/) [Rachel Maddow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-maddow/) > [If you're working on better conditions for prisoners, if you make that a popular issue and you invite mainstream media to weigh in on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-maddow/if-you-re-working-on-better-conditions-for-prisoners-if-you-make-that/) [Rachel Maddow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-maddow/) > [Liberals say that we are secular country with a majority of Christians, absolutely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-maddow/liberals-say-that-we-are-secular-country-with-a-majority-of/) [Rachel Maddow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-maddow/) > [What's insulting to the American people, the Senate, to this whole process is that the Republicans, with all other nominees, have said Democrats are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-maddow/what-s-insulting-to-the-american-people-the-senate-to-this-whole/) [Rachel Maddow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-maddow/) > [Oswald Mosley's movement, it was a big movement. It was obviously anti-immigrant, anti-Semitic, it was populist. Mosley wanted to replace the parliamentary system of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-maddow/oswald-mosley-s-movement-it-was-a-big-movement-it-was-obviously-anti/) [Rachel Maddow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-maddow/) > [Pentagon dollars are essentially seen as a different kind of funding that doesn't have to stand for itself and make an argument for itself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-maddow/pentagon-dollars-are-essentially-seen-as-a-different-kind-of-funding/) [Rachel Maddow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-maddow/) > [Military preparedness is absolutely a form of strength.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-maddow/military-preparedness-is-absolutely-a-form-of-strength/) [Rachel Maddow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-maddow/) > [When Conservatives crusade against government while they are trying to be appointed to head the government, I think that's weird!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-maddow/when-conservatives-crusade-against-government-while-they-are-trying/) [Rachel Maddow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-maddow/) > [One of the manifestations of depression for me is that I lose my will. And I thereby lose my ability to focus. I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-maddow/one-of-the-manifestations-of-depression-for-me-is-that-i-lose-my-will/) [Rachel Maddow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-maddow/) > [There had been a proposed plank for the platform that said the Republican Party believed the United States should support Ukraine in any way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-maddow/there-had-been-a-proposed-plank-for-the-platform-that-said-the/) [Rachel Maddow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-maddow/) > [John McCain has refused to ever criticize Sarah Palin, to ever admit there was anything wrong about her choice. He has been capital "L"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-maddow/john-mccain-has-refused-to-ever-criticize-sarah-palin-to-ever-admit/) [Rachel Maddow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-maddow/) > [ The more you push back on Donald \[Trump\], whether you're in the media or whether you are in the GOP establishment, the stronger his… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-maddow/the-more-you-push-back-on-donald-trump-whether-you-re-in-the-media-or/) [Rachel Maddow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-maddow/) [Explore all 268 Rachel Maddow quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-maddow/) ## More Audacious quotes > [The most radical, audacious thing to think is that there might be some point to working hard and thinking hard and reading hard and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-most-radical-audacious-thing-to-think-is-that-there-might-be-some/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I am, what you call, an audacious man. I could walk into the room of Warren Buffet, and he may not give me the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anubhav-sinha/i-am-what-you-call-an-audacious-man-i-could-walk-into-the-room-of/) [Anubhav Sinha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anubhav-sinha/) > [I look forward to growing old and wise and audacious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenda-jackson/i-look-forward-to-growing-old-and-wise-and-audacious/) [Glenda Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenda-jackson/) > [I respect the astute and rigorously unsentimental David Horowitz as one of America's most original and courageous political analysts. He has the true 1960s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-paglia/i-respect-the-astute-and-rigorously-unsentimental-david-horowitz-as/) [Camille Paglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-paglia/) > [You can call it what you like, categorize it, vivisect it, qualify, quantify, or dismiss it, and none of it will make grace anything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cathleen-falsani/you-can-call-it-what-you-like-categorize-it-vivisect-it-qualify/) [Cathleen Falsani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cathleen-falsani/) > [We must move forward in the days ahead with audacious faith. The moral arc of the universe is long but it bends toward justice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/we-must-move-forward-in-the-days-ahead-with-audacious-faith-the-moral/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [Holiness is a disposition of the heart that makes us humble and little in the arms of God, aware of our weakness, and confident…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/therese-of-lisieux/holiness-is-a-disposition-of-the-heart-that-makes-us-humble-and/) [Therese of Lisieux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/therese-of-lisieux/) > [Think about how audacious it is to really believe in yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debbie-ford/think-about-how-audacious-it-is-to-really-believe-in-yourself/) [Debbie Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debbie-ford/) > [There's something to be said for going right into people's living rooms. I think actors have always loved that medium - you're right in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sigourney-weaver/there-s-something-to-be-said-for-going-right-into-people-s-living/) [Sigourney Weaver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sigourney-weaver/) > [Live. Love. Smile. Hug. Laugh. Dream. Do. Create. Have fun. Be intense. Be audacious. Be unreasonable. Act impeccably. Breathe. Be you. Be different.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-johnson/live-love-smile-hug-laugh-dream-do-create-have-fun-be-intense-be/) [Brian Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-johnson/) > [Audacious faith is the raw material that authentic Christianity is made of. It's the stuff that triggers ordinarily level-headed people like you and me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-furtick/audacious-faith-is-the-raw-material-that-authentic-christianity-is/) [Steven Furtick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-furtick/) > [I like Diaspora because it's audacious, it's driven by passion, and it's very, very hard to do. After all, who in their right mind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-battelle/i-like-diaspora-because-it-s-audacious-it-s-driven-by-passion-and-it/) [John Battelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-battelle/) > [It's an audacious thing to build a model of the cosmos. It's exciting how little we know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shea-hembrey/it-s-an-audacious-thing-to-build-a-model-of-the-cosmos-it-s-exciting/) [Shea Hembrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shea-hembrey/) > [People need BHAGs - big hairy audacious goals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-c-collins/people-need-bhags-big-hairy-audacious-goals/) [James C. Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-c-collins/) > [I think it is conceded that I generally do pretty big things as a manager, am audacious in my outlays and risks, give much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-t-barnum/i-think-it-is-conceded-that-i-generally-do-pretty-big-things-as-a/) [P. T. Barnum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-t-barnum/) [Browse all 113 Audacious quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/audacious/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The Sarah Palin choice both its timing and the fact that it was her, it was really an audacious strategic move by the McCain campaign to try to change the trajectory of the 2008 presidential race and the initial launch was very successful. 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