Steve Bannon, the filmmaker behind the pro-Sarah Palin documentary “The Undefeated,” says the former Alaska Governor’s decision to not seek the presidency in 2012 does not diminish her standing in conservative politics.
“I’m a big advocate of Gov. Palin and I always have been,” Bannon, whose film was released to DVD the day before her announcement, told The Daily Caller. “I will say this: It will certainly make the Republican primaries a lot less interesting and I think that there will be less of the voice that represents the working men and women in this country and the tea party.” (RELATED: ‘Goodbye, cruel world’: Supporters react to Palin’s decision)
Bannon says he wanted 2012 to look like 1976 — the year Ronald Reagan challenged then-President Gerald Ford in a Republican presidential primary. For Bannon, 1976 was a year “when you a had a real debate between the establishment and the conservative movement.” With Palin out of the running, Bannon says it’s now an “open question” whether such a debate will take place in 2012.
Still, Bannon says that he respects Palin’s decision and believes others do as well. “I don’t think it diminishes her standing,” he said. “I think people understand … As Gov. Christie just pointed out … [running for president] is a life-changing decision not to be taken lightly.”
“Take her at face value,” he concluded. “She’s going to be making decisions through family and through prayer. She’s not someone who goes out and poll tests. She doesn’t do polls. She says it’s her family and prayer and she’s been saying that consistently since I’ve known her, since before this topic even came up, she’s been incredibly consistent.”
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