Palin's Way to Win Friends and Influence People
The saying goes: ordinary leaders move to the center - great leaders move the center to them. Sarah Palin endorses neither concept. At least if this transcript from her 11/24 interview with Greta van Susteren is reflective, she adheres to what might be called the Go F--- Yourself school of leadership.
VAN SUSTEREN: How -- I mean, you haven't said you're going to run. And I'm not going to (INAUDIBLE) but I mean, in the back of your mind, you must think, How can I reach the people who don't agree with me?
PALIN: Yes.
VAN SUSTEREN: OK? I mean, it's easy to reach the people that agree with you. How do you reach the people who are a little farther to the left and way far to the left from you?
PALIN: I think that those people are going to start seeing that the direction of our country right now has got to change. And whether they agree with me personally on my values or the -- some of the issues that I really grabbed hold of and tried to progress with -- whether they agree with that or not, I think what they're going to agree with is that we have to build a stronger nation economically and in terms of national security.
And the things that I'm standing for, they're such common sense measures that have to be undertaken in order to get there for America with national security, with the economy. I think they're going to be agreeing with that. But I'm never going to please everyone. There's no -- there's no need to even try to please everyone. Some people will -- if it comes from me, they'll automatically not like what the idea is or what the position is.
VAN SUSTEREN: So how do you win over the people that don't -- I mean, who may have that sort of kneejerk reaction, if you want to -- if you want to talk to them, if you want to reach them, at least have them consider what you have to say?
PALIN: Well, for instance, the book is a good tool to get -- hey, read the book, and if you still don't like the positions that I take or if you don't like who I am after reading the book, unfiltered through the media, then so be it. You know, I'm never going to win you over. But at least give me a shot there in trying to figure out who I am, what my record is, what my accomplishments are and what I represent.
And then, Greta, if I can't please them, I can't please them. I'm not going to try. I'm not going to change who I am or compromise my positions, my values, in order to placate or to try to get some demographic or some group of people on board with me if they just don't get it.