My mom is having some major health issues...so much so that I'm not going to be able to post here for another couple of days while we get it straightened out.
Note to all my readers: If you have high blood pressure, make damn sure you take your medication or 20 years later you'll have congestive heart failure and wham, bam goes your quality of life.
Sunday, January 29, 2012
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Sarah Palin is no victim of the media
From the Star-Ledger Editorial Page: Sarah Palin is no victim of the media
We’ve come to expect Sarah Palin to be amusing in her public presentation, whether by accident or design. So when she said Gov. Chris Christie got his “panties in a wad” over Mitt Romney’s trouncing by Newt Gingrich Saturday in the South Carolina primary, it was good for a chuckle.
Palin hasn’t endorsed any of the Republican candidates yet, but said she would’ve voted for Gingrich in the South Carolina primary, at least to extend the race. Christie is in Romney’s corner. So perhaps the former Alaska governor and vice presidential candidate was having a little fun, grabbing the spotlight by calling out Christie for “a rookie mistake” after he correctly called Gingrich “an embarrassment” to the Republican Party.
But Palin took it further. The media goad you, she warned Christie. They want you to say things “to boost ratings and make it more of a reality show-type scenario.”
And with those words, Palin tumbles into the land of shameless hypocrisy. Palin has done more than most politicians to blur the line between politics and entertainment.
She walked out of her job as Alaska governor after her failed run for VP and cashed in with speeches and books. She was hired as a contributor on Fox News because “she was hot and got ratings,” according to Fox News president Roger Ailes. And who could forget “Sarah Palin’s Alaska,” her very own “reality” show?
Her bus tour last year, a family vacation viewed as an exploratory step toward a 2012 presidential run, looked more like an effort to polish her brand.
Palin is no more a victim of the media than Gingrich is. And like him, she has been adept at exploiting her political celebrity to fatten her own wallet.
We’ve come to expect Sarah Palin to be amusing in her public presentation, whether by accident or design. So when she said Gov. Chris Christie got his “panties in a wad” over Mitt Romney’s trouncing by Newt Gingrich Saturday in the South Carolina primary, it was good for a chuckle.
Palin hasn’t endorsed any of the Republican candidates yet, but said she would’ve voted for Gingrich in the South Carolina primary, at least to extend the race. Christie is in Romney’s corner. So perhaps the former Alaska governor and vice presidential candidate was having a little fun, grabbing the spotlight by calling out Christie for “a rookie mistake” after he correctly called Gingrich “an embarrassment” to the Republican Party.
But Palin took it further. The media goad you, she warned Christie. They want you to say things “to boost ratings and make it more of a reality show-type scenario.”
And with those words, Palin tumbles into the land of shameless hypocrisy. Palin has done more than most politicians to blur the line between politics and entertainment.
She walked out of her job as Alaska governor after her failed run for VP and cashed in with speeches and books. She was hired as a contributor on Fox News because “she was hot and got ratings,” according to Fox News president Roger Ailes. And who could forget “Sarah Palin’s Alaska,” her very own “reality” show?
Her bus tour last year, a family vacation viewed as an exploratory step toward a 2012 presidential run, looked more like an effort to polish her brand.
Palin is no more a victim of the media than Gingrich is. And like him, she has been adept at exploiting her political celebrity to fatten her own wallet.
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Sarah Palin: Chris Christie’s ‘panties in a wad’
From Politico: Sarah Palin: Chris Christie’s ‘panties in a wad’
Sarah Palin has some advice for Mitt Romney surrogate Chris Christie: Don’t get your “panties in a wad” and say things you’ll regret later.
The New Jersey governor made headlines over the weekend by calling Newt Gingrich an “embarrassment” to the Republican Party, but this rhetoric, according to Palin, was nothing more than a “rookie mistake.”
“Poor Chris. This was a rookie mistake. He played right into the media’s hands,” Palin said on Fox Business Network late Monday. “The host had asked Chris, ‘Does Newt embarrass the party?’ I think he asked him twice, and there, Chris played right into it.”
She added, “You know, sometimes, if your candidate loses in just one step along this path, as was the case when Romney lost to Newt the other night — and, of course, Romney is Chris Christie’s guy — well, you kind of get your panties in a wad, and you may say things that you regret later. And I think that that’s what Chris Christie did.”
Palin charged that answering the question the way he did in response to the host’s question demonstrated a “lack of self-discipline” on Christie’s part — a mistake the former Alaska governor boasted she herself had already learned not to make.
She suggested that eventually the straight-talking governor will learn that the media’s goal is to “goad” people into blurting out sound bites — in this case, one that will make the perfect “ad for the Democrats” if Gingrich becomes the GOP nominee.
“He just produced an ad for the Democrats. If Newt is the nominee, he just handed them free this negative PR ad,” Palin said.
Here’s a portion of the transcript of NBC’s “Meet the Press” host David Gregory and Christie’s back and forth on Sunday:
MR. GREGORY: You’ve been more pointed when you talk about in favor of Gov. Romney. You say he will never embarrass you. Do you think Newt Gingrich will embarrass the party?
GOV. CHRISTIE: I think Newt Gingrich has embarrassed the party over time. Whether he’ll do it again in the future, I don’t know. But Gov. Romney never has.
MR. GREGORY: You say he’s embarrassed the party. How and where do you worry he might do it again that makes him unelectable?
GOV. CHRISTIE: Well, listen, David, we all know the record. I mean, he was run out of the speakership by his own party. He was fined $300,000 for ethics violations. This is a guy who’s had a very difficult political career at times and has been an embarrassment for the party. You remember these times, you were here. So, the fact of the matter is I don’t need to regale the country with that entire list again except to say this. I’m not saying he will do it again in the future, but sometimes past is prologue.
Sarah Palin has some advice for Mitt Romney surrogate Chris Christie: Don’t get your “panties in a wad” and say things you’ll regret later.
The New Jersey governor made headlines over the weekend by calling Newt Gingrich an “embarrassment” to the Republican Party, but this rhetoric, according to Palin, was nothing more than a “rookie mistake.”
“Poor Chris. This was a rookie mistake. He played right into the media’s hands,” Palin said on Fox Business Network late Monday. “The host had asked Chris, ‘Does Newt embarrass the party?’ I think he asked him twice, and there, Chris played right into it.”
She added, “You know, sometimes, if your candidate loses in just one step along this path, as was the case when Romney lost to Newt the other night — and, of course, Romney is Chris Christie’s guy — well, you kind of get your panties in a wad, and you may say things that you regret later. And I think that that’s what Chris Christie did.”
Palin charged that answering the question the way he did in response to the host’s question demonstrated a “lack of self-discipline” on Christie’s part — a mistake the former Alaska governor boasted she herself had already learned not to make.
She suggested that eventually the straight-talking governor will learn that the media’s goal is to “goad” people into blurting out sound bites — in this case, one that will make the perfect “ad for the Democrats” if Gingrich becomes the GOP nominee.
“He just produced an ad for the Democrats. If Newt is the nominee, he just handed them free this negative PR ad,” Palin said.
Here’s a portion of the transcript of NBC’s “Meet the Press” host David Gregory and Christie’s back and forth on Sunday:
MR. GREGORY: You’ve been more pointed when you talk about in favor of Gov. Romney. You say he will never embarrass you. Do you think Newt Gingrich will embarrass the party?
GOV. CHRISTIE: I think Newt Gingrich has embarrassed the party over time. Whether he’ll do it again in the future, I don’t know. But Gov. Romney never has.
MR. GREGORY: You say he’s embarrassed the party. How and where do you worry he might do it again that makes him unelectable?
GOV. CHRISTIE: Well, listen, David, we all know the record. I mean, he was run out of the speakership by his own party. He was fined $300,000 for ethics violations. This is a guy who’s had a very difficult political career at times and has been an embarrassment for the party. You remember these times, you were here. So, the fact of the matter is I don’t need to regale the country with that entire list again except to say this. I’m not saying he will do it again in the future, but sometimes past is prologue.
Sarah Palin: 'Teavangelical' shot caller
From Human Events: Sarah Palin: 'Teavangelical' shot caller
South Carolina represents the heart of the conservative movement because its Republican voters are fierce fiscal and social conservatives, which means they fervently support the Tea Party and evangelicals. These voters are now popularly referred to as “Teavangelicals” and, predictably, dominated the Palmetto State’s primary.
According to exit polling from Saturday’s first-in-the-South primary, 64 percent of those who voted in the GOP primary in South Carolina supported the Tea Party and another 27 percent were neutral. Only 8 percent opposed.
In addition, 65 percent of primary voters were “Born-Again or Evangelical Christian.”
What happened in South Carolina is important for two reasons. First, the Republican party is becoming more like South Carolina than New Hampshire. Second, because of the lackluster field of Republican candidates, many on the right have tried to make up for the deficiencies of the candidates by lending them their name and support.
Nowhere was this more intense than in South Carolina. Trying to push establishment favorite Mitt Romney to a quick victory, figures the mainstream media have tagged as part of the next generation of national conservative leaders -- such as New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, and Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell -- went to South Carolina en masse to attempt to deliver a knockout blow.
But something funny happened on the way to Romney’s coronation: Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin stepped in and essentially said, “Not so fast, my friends.” And in doing so, Palin showed that she is the leader whose judgment Teavangelicals may trust the most.
Consider how Romney -- and, by proxy, the establishment -- got bloodied in South Carolina.
First, Palin said, contrary to what was being conventionally said at the time, that the mainstream media and President Barack Obama would want to face Romney in the general election.
When Rick Perry and Gingrich attacked, at times inarticulately, Romney’s record while at the head of Bain, Palin jumped in and cleaned it up. She said free enterprise and capitalism should be fiercely defended, but that if Romney’s basis for his candidacy is that he would be a job creator like the one he supposedly was while at Bain, that Romney should simply prove that Bain had indeed created the 100,000 jobs he said they did. And created them in the United States.
Then, further proving that she was not on the GOP establishment’s plantation, Palin also called on Romney to release his taxes. Soon after, even Romney’s supporters such as Christie followed suit.
By not falling in line with the GOP establishment, Palin guaranteed Romney’s Bain and tax issues were not put to rest. Romney’s bungling and unsteady responses to both issues left him vulnerable for Gingrich to have a chance at cutting into what many thought was Romney’s insurmountable 20+ point lead in South Carolina.
And Gingrich took full advantage of his opportunity when he came out swinging against questioner Juan Williams at the FOX News/Wall Street Journal debate last week, when he defiantly defended conservative principles by telling Williams that saying he wanted to be a pay check president instead of a “food stamp” president was not racist because he was being inclusive of all Americans. Gingrich received a thunderous standing ovation and conservative heavyweights such as Rush Limbaugh praised the former speaker on the airwaves. Two-thirds of those who voted in Saturday’s primary said the debates influenced their decision, and Gingrich’s standoff with Williams convinced many that Gingrich could fiercely articulate conservatism, combat the mainstream media and be inclusive.
At the very moment when Gingrich swung himself back into the game, Palin ensured Gingrich’s momentum would not wane by going on FOX News’ “Hannity” the day after the Fox News/Wall Street Journal debate and saying that, in order for the primary process to continue, and if she were a South Carolinian, she would vote for Gingrich
“There’s no question we saw it help us in fundraising,” Gingrich told Greta Van Susteren on FOX News’ “On The Record” last Thursday, two days after Palin’s comments. “We saw it help us in volunteers. We saw people, all of a sudden, on the phones. She has a significant following in the Republican Party.
“To have her say she’d vote for me in South Carolina... that was a big break and it really helped us a lot.”
In the same interview in which she said she would vote for Gingrich in South Carolina, Palin also said that, in order for the process to keep going, a conservative candidate -- whether it be Rick Perry, Rick Santorum or Newt Gingrich -- would have to “take one for the team” and drop out sometime down the line.
After the conversation intensified about how conservative candidates should get out of the way to not siphon away votes from the anti-Romney alternative (especially after former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman dropped out to not take votes away from Romney), Perry dropped out of the race two days later, which ended up giving Gingrich much more breathing room on an election day full of inclement weather throughout South Carolina.
Gingrich defeated Romney in South Carolina, 40 percent to 28 percent. In addition, though
66 percent of primary voters approved of Nikki Haley’s job performance (if not for Sarah Palin’s endorsement, Haley would not be governor), Gingrich did better among those voters than Romney, 42 percent to 30 percent, according to exit polling, proving that Haley’s endorsement did not amount to much when up against Palin’s. Haley did not even bother to show up at Romney’s election night event.
While stumping for Romney last week, Bob McDonnell often said, “character counts and values matter,” in what was an obvious jab at Gingrich.
But “Teavangelicals” are trusting Palin.
As the race turns to Florida, both Jeb Bush and Marco Rubio, fully aware of what occurred in South Carolina, have decided to stay neutral.
Whether Palin uses her considerable clout to exert any more influence on this election cycle -- her keynote address at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in February seems like a prime venue to do so -- remains to be seen.
South Carolina represents the heart of the conservative movement because its Republican voters are fierce fiscal and social conservatives, which means they fervently support the Tea Party and evangelicals. These voters are now popularly referred to as “Teavangelicals” and, predictably, dominated the Palmetto State’s primary.
According to exit polling from Saturday’s first-in-the-South primary, 64 percent of those who voted in the GOP primary in South Carolina supported the Tea Party and another 27 percent were neutral. Only 8 percent opposed.
In addition, 65 percent of primary voters were “Born-Again or Evangelical Christian.”
What happened in South Carolina is important for two reasons. First, the Republican party is becoming more like South Carolina than New Hampshire. Second, because of the lackluster field of Republican candidates, many on the right have tried to make up for the deficiencies of the candidates by lending them their name and support.
Nowhere was this more intense than in South Carolina. Trying to push establishment favorite Mitt Romney to a quick victory, figures the mainstream media have tagged as part of the next generation of national conservative leaders -- such as New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, and Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell -- went to South Carolina en masse to attempt to deliver a knockout blow.
But something funny happened on the way to Romney’s coronation: Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin stepped in and essentially said, “Not so fast, my friends.” And in doing so, Palin showed that she is the leader whose judgment Teavangelicals may trust the most.
Consider how Romney -- and, by proxy, the establishment -- got bloodied in South Carolina.
First, Palin said, contrary to what was being conventionally said at the time, that the mainstream media and President Barack Obama would want to face Romney in the general election.
When Rick Perry and Gingrich attacked, at times inarticulately, Romney’s record while at the head of Bain, Palin jumped in and cleaned it up. She said free enterprise and capitalism should be fiercely defended, but that if Romney’s basis for his candidacy is that he would be a job creator like the one he supposedly was while at Bain, that Romney should simply prove that Bain had indeed created the 100,000 jobs he said they did. And created them in the United States.
Then, further proving that she was not on the GOP establishment’s plantation, Palin also called on Romney to release his taxes. Soon after, even Romney’s supporters such as Christie followed suit.
By not falling in line with the GOP establishment, Palin guaranteed Romney’s Bain and tax issues were not put to rest. Romney’s bungling and unsteady responses to both issues left him vulnerable for Gingrich to have a chance at cutting into what many thought was Romney’s insurmountable 20+ point lead in South Carolina.
And Gingrich took full advantage of his opportunity when he came out swinging against questioner Juan Williams at the FOX News/Wall Street Journal debate last week, when he defiantly defended conservative principles by telling Williams that saying he wanted to be a pay check president instead of a “food stamp” president was not racist because he was being inclusive of all Americans. Gingrich received a thunderous standing ovation and conservative heavyweights such as Rush Limbaugh praised the former speaker on the airwaves. Two-thirds of those who voted in Saturday’s primary said the debates influenced their decision, and Gingrich’s standoff with Williams convinced many that Gingrich could fiercely articulate conservatism, combat the mainstream media and be inclusive.
At the very moment when Gingrich swung himself back into the game, Palin ensured Gingrich’s momentum would not wane by going on FOX News’ “Hannity” the day after the Fox News/Wall Street Journal debate and saying that, in order for the primary process to continue, and if she were a South Carolinian, she would vote for Gingrich
“There’s no question we saw it help us in fundraising,” Gingrich told Greta Van Susteren on FOX News’ “On The Record” last Thursday, two days after Palin’s comments. “We saw it help us in volunteers. We saw people, all of a sudden, on the phones. She has a significant following in the Republican Party.
“To have her say she’d vote for me in South Carolina... that was a big break and it really helped us a lot.”
In the same interview in which she said she would vote for Gingrich in South Carolina, Palin also said that, in order for the process to keep going, a conservative candidate -- whether it be Rick Perry, Rick Santorum or Newt Gingrich -- would have to “take one for the team” and drop out sometime down the line.
After the conversation intensified about how conservative candidates should get out of the way to not siphon away votes from the anti-Romney alternative (especially after former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman dropped out to not take votes away from Romney), Perry dropped out of the race two days later, which ended up giving Gingrich much more breathing room on an election day full of inclement weather throughout South Carolina.
Gingrich defeated Romney in South Carolina, 40 percent to 28 percent. In addition, though
66 percent of primary voters approved of Nikki Haley’s job performance (if not for Sarah Palin’s endorsement, Haley would not be governor), Gingrich did better among those voters than Romney, 42 percent to 30 percent, according to exit polling, proving that Haley’s endorsement did not amount to much when up against Palin’s. Haley did not even bother to show up at Romney’s election night event.
While stumping for Romney last week, Bob McDonnell often said, “character counts and values matter,” in what was an obvious jab at Gingrich.
But “Teavangelicals” are trusting Palin.
As the race turns to Florida, both Jeb Bush and Marco Rubio, fully aware of what occurred in South Carolina, have decided to stay neutral.
Whether Palin uses her considerable clout to exert any more influence on this election cycle -- her keynote address at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in February seems like a prime venue to do so -- remains to be seen.
Monday, January 23, 2012
Sarah Palin helped Newt Gingrich win in South Carolina. Is Florida now calling?
From AlaskaDispatch: Sarah Palin helped Newt Gingrich win in South Carolina. Is Florida now calling?
For those of you who thought that former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin’s October announcement that she wasn’t going to run for president signaled her political death-knell, well, the lady doth not die.
That might be one of the many lessons gleaned from Newt Gingrich’s overwhelming victory Saturday in South Carolina’s Republican primary.
The Gingrich-Palin love-fest began when Todd Palin endorsed Gingrich for the Republican presidential nominee early in January. Then Sarah followed. She didn’t go as far as to endorse Gingrich in the race, but she told Fox's Sean Hannity that if she lived in South Carolina, she would vote for Gingrich.
The former House speaker repaid that endorsement by telling CNN, “I would ask her to consider taking a major role in the next administration if I’m president…”
Gingrich also said Palin's endorsement in the state was a “signal to every conservative that the one conservative vote that’s effective is to Newt Gingrich and that’s very helpful.”
Considering the South Carolina turnout of “value” voters Saturday, he might have been on to something.
On Saturday night, Palin told Fox News that she believes Gingrich is now the front-runner in the 2012 GOP presidential race. The question is what role Palin will have in the rest of his run. Florida is coming up, a state that’s been good to Palin.
It’s rumored that former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush will soon announce a Romney endorsement, which might just get Palin to try to flex her competitive muscles. After all, she seemed to beat out the Romney's high-profile South Carolina endorsements of tea party darling Gov. Nikki Haley, and conservative darling New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie.
Not bad for a woman who hasn't had a political job since she left Alaska Governor's Mansion more than two years ago.
Indeed, Palin has the time to go back on the trail. After she stepped down from the governorship in 2009, she delivered some speeches, published a book of quotes from others, starred in a reality TV show, held a few rallies, took a SarahPac-paid vacation to the East Coast, and still appears occasionally on Fox News.
Her schedule seems fairly open. Alaska is experiencing a cold snap. On Saturday night in Wasilla, it was supposed to get down to minus 10 or more.
Is Florida beckoning?
For those of you who thought that former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin’s October announcement that she wasn’t going to run for president signaled her political death-knell, well, the lady doth not die.
That might be one of the many lessons gleaned from Newt Gingrich’s overwhelming victory Saturday in South Carolina’s Republican primary.
The Gingrich-Palin love-fest began when Todd Palin endorsed Gingrich for the Republican presidential nominee early in January. Then Sarah followed. She didn’t go as far as to endorse Gingrich in the race, but she told Fox's Sean Hannity that if she lived in South Carolina, she would vote for Gingrich.
The former House speaker repaid that endorsement by telling CNN, “I would ask her to consider taking a major role in the next administration if I’m president…”
Gingrich also said Palin's endorsement in the state was a “signal to every conservative that the one conservative vote that’s effective is to Newt Gingrich and that’s very helpful.”
Considering the South Carolina turnout of “value” voters Saturday, he might have been on to something.
On Saturday night, Palin told Fox News that she believes Gingrich is now the front-runner in the 2012 GOP presidential race. The question is what role Palin will have in the rest of his run. Florida is coming up, a state that’s been good to Palin.
It’s rumored that former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush will soon announce a Romney endorsement, which might just get Palin to try to flex her competitive muscles. After all, she seemed to beat out the Romney's high-profile South Carolina endorsements of tea party darling Gov. Nikki Haley, and conservative darling New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie.
Not bad for a woman who hasn't had a political job since she left Alaska Governor's Mansion more than two years ago.
Indeed, Palin has the time to go back on the trail. After she stepped down from the governorship in 2009, she delivered some speeches, published a book of quotes from others, starred in a reality TV show, held a few rallies, took a SarahPac-paid vacation to the East Coast, and still appears occasionally on Fox News.
Her schedule seems fairly open. Alaska is experiencing a cold snap. On Saturday night in Wasilla, it was supposed to get down to minus 10 or more.
Is Florida beckoning?
Thursday, January 19, 2012
Sarah Palin Dislikes Newsweek, Kooks
From MediaBistro: Sarah Palin Dislikes Newsweek, Kooks
Sarah Palin has joined the masses of people heaving attacks at Newsweek and its cover piece, “Why Are Obama’s Critics So Dumb?” which was written by Andrew Sullivan. The Cutline reports that Palin tweeted to Newsweek, “Know what’s truly ‘dumb’? Giving a cover story to the Trig Truther conspiracy kook writer who thinks I didn’t give birth to my son.”
Palin was referring to Sullivan doubting that she was truly Trig’s mother. Sullivan responded to Palin that he didn’t know what she was talking about:
I have no idea, as I have said time and time again, whether Sarah Palin gave birth to Trig, and have never written such a thing. All I ever asked for a person who could become president was some basic evidence for her insane story, like medical records that most candidates have no problem providing. She never provided any, and preferred to withdraw from seeking public office rather than do so.
Of course, no response to the substance. She doesn’t do substance. Neither, it seems, does much of the rightwing blogosphere.
Let’s just go ahead and gloss over the irony of Palin — someone who has claimed foreign policy experience because Alaska was close to Russia and fabricated words — calling someone a “kook.” Let’s also just forget about the fact that Sullivan’s piece doesn’t refer to Obama’s opposition as “dumb,” but is more of a look at how the president’s long term strategy will ultimately prove successful.
What we need to note is that with Palin chiming in, Tina Brown has done it again. Her cover selections have been odd, but they have drawn attention to the magazine. Time will tell if that impacts the magazine’s bottom line, but there are certainly worse things than having such a famous figure as Palin refer to the title.
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
Newt Gingrich 2012: Sarah Palin Could Play 'A Major Role'
From HUffington Post: Newt Gingrich 2012: Sarah Palin Could Play 'A Major Role'
Newt Gingrich seems poised to inject some 2008 flavor into his 2012 presidential campaign.
In a CNN interview set to air on Wednesday, the former House speaker is prepared to ask Sarah Palin "to play a major role" in his administration, a producer from "The Situation Room With Wolf Blitzer" tweeted.
Gingrich's interest in Palin comes hours after the former Alaska governor and vice presidential candidate had some supportive words for his campaign. In a Tuesday Fox News interview, Palin said "If I were a South Carolinian, I would vote for Newt" to keep the primary process going.
Despite coming up short in Iowa and New Hampshire, Gingrich is still a presence in the overall 2012 Republican primary picture. A CBS News/New York Times poll released on Wednesday shows Newt in second place at 21 percent. Frontrunner Mitt Romney registered 28 percent of the vote in the poll.
This is not the first time that Gingrich has pegged Palin for a role in Washington. In late December, the GOP presidential hopeful told a tele-town hall that he would consider her as a vice presidential running mate or candidate for a cabinet secretary position.
While Sarah Palin has not fully endorsed Gingrich, her husband is officially in his corner. Todd Palin announced last Monday that he is behind the Georgian for the GOP's 2012 nomination. Once that news entered the public sphere, the former Alaska governor said the "first dude went rogue" -- noting that her husband did not consult with her before making that decision.
After running alongside Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) during the 2008 election, Palin's own 2012 presidential aspirations came to a halt in October. She cited family and faith as primary factors in her decision not to run.
"When we serve, we devote ourselves to God, family and country," she said in a statement. "My decision maintains this order."
UPDATE (5:40 p.m. ET): In the interview with Wolf Blitzer, Gingrich labeled Palin as a person he'd call on for advice, but added that no official step has been taken regarding an administration position.
"I would ask her to consider taking a major role in the next administration if I'm president, but nothing has been discussed of any kind," he said. "And it wouldn’t be appropriate to discuss it at this time."
Newt Gingrich seems poised to inject some 2008 flavor into his 2012 presidential campaign.
In a CNN interview set to air on Wednesday, the former House speaker is prepared to ask Sarah Palin "to play a major role" in his administration, a producer from "The Situation Room With Wolf Blitzer" tweeted.
Gingrich's interest in Palin comes hours after the former Alaska governor and vice presidential candidate had some supportive words for his campaign. In a Tuesday Fox News interview, Palin said "If I were a South Carolinian, I would vote for Newt" to keep the primary process going.
Despite coming up short in Iowa and New Hampshire, Gingrich is still a presence in the overall 2012 Republican primary picture. A CBS News/New York Times poll released on Wednesday shows Newt in second place at 21 percent. Frontrunner Mitt Romney registered 28 percent of the vote in the poll.
This is not the first time that Gingrich has pegged Palin for a role in Washington. In late December, the GOP presidential hopeful told a tele-town hall that he would consider her as a vice presidential running mate or candidate for a cabinet secretary position.
While Sarah Palin has not fully endorsed Gingrich, her husband is officially in his corner. Todd Palin announced last Monday that he is behind the Georgian for the GOP's 2012 nomination. Once that news entered the public sphere, the former Alaska governor said the "first dude went rogue" -- noting that her husband did not consult with her before making that decision.
After running alongside Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) during the 2008 election, Palin's own 2012 presidential aspirations came to a halt in October. She cited family and faith as primary factors in her decision not to run.
"When we serve, we devote ourselves to God, family and country," she said in a statement. "My decision maintains this order."
UPDATE (5:40 p.m. ET): In the interview with Wolf Blitzer, Gingrich labeled Palin as a person he'd call on for advice, but added that no official step has been taken regarding an administration position.
"I would ask her to consider taking a major role in the next administration if I'm president, but nothing has been discussed of any kind," he said. "And it wouldn’t be appropriate to discuss it at this time."
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Sarah Palin: I’d vote for Newt Gingrich in South Carolina
From Washington Post Politics: Sarah Palin: I’d vote for Newt Gingrich in South Carolina
“Contested primaries are so good for America’s political process!” Sarah Palin wrote back in June 2010 when she announced her endorsement of tea-party challenger Joe Miller’s long-shot candidacy in the Alaska Senate GOP primary.
Now, as a pivotal contest in the 2012 GOP presidential race looms just days away, the former Alaska governor is once again weighing in on behalf of an underdog, telling Fox News Channel’s Sean Hannity Tuesday night that she believes Newt Gingrich is the best choice for South Carolina primary voters.
“If I had to vote in South Carolina, in order to keep this thing going, I’d vote for Newt,” Palin told Hannity Tuesday night. “And I would want this to continue — more debates, more vetting of candidates, because we know the mistake made in our country four years ago was having a candidate that was not vetted to the degree that he should have been, so that we know who his associations and his pals represented and what went into his thinking.”
She appeared to be referring to Barack Obama’s candidacy in 2008.
The move by Palin comes a week after her husband, Todd, told ABC News that he was backing Gingrich in part because of Gingrich’s experience in the House during the 1990s.
Sarah Palin has not yet endorsed a candidate in the broader GOP primary. On the same day that her former running mate, Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), announced his endorsement of former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney (R), Palin told Hannity that she was still trying to decide who to back.
But her move Tuesday is in keeping with her role as a “maverick” within the Republican Party.
It also comes as Palin is upping her public appearances, even as she has declined to make a 2012 White House bid.
The Conservative Political Action Conference, an annual confab of national Republican activists, announced earlier this month that Palin will deliver the closing address at its 2012 conference in Washington next month, marking the first time that the former Alaska governor will appear at the event.
Gingrich responded via Twitter to the news of Palin’s move Tuesday night.
“Thanks @sarahpalinusa for throwing your support my way in the South Carolina primary,” he tweeted along with a link to a video of Palin on “Hannity.”
“Contested primaries are so good for America’s political process!” Sarah Palin wrote back in June 2010 when she announced her endorsement of tea-party challenger Joe Miller’s long-shot candidacy in the Alaska Senate GOP primary.
Now, as a pivotal contest in the 2012 GOP presidential race looms just days away, the former Alaska governor is once again weighing in on behalf of an underdog, telling Fox News Channel’s Sean Hannity Tuesday night that she believes Newt Gingrich is the best choice for South Carolina primary voters.
“If I had to vote in South Carolina, in order to keep this thing going, I’d vote for Newt,” Palin told Hannity Tuesday night. “And I would want this to continue — more debates, more vetting of candidates, because we know the mistake made in our country four years ago was having a candidate that was not vetted to the degree that he should have been, so that we know who his associations and his pals represented and what went into his thinking.”
She appeared to be referring to Barack Obama’s candidacy in 2008.
The move by Palin comes a week after her husband, Todd, told ABC News that he was backing Gingrich in part because of Gingrich’s experience in the House during the 1990s.
Sarah Palin has not yet endorsed a candidate in the broader GOP primary. On the same day that her former running mate, Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), announced his endorsement of former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney (R), Palin told Hannity that she was still trying to decide who to back.
But her move Tuesday is in keeping with her role as a “maverick” within the Republican Party.
It also comes as Palin is upping her public appearances, even as she has declined to make a 2012 White House bid.
The Conservative Political Action Conference, an annual confab of national Republican activists, announced earlier this month that Palin will deliver the closing address at its 2012 conference in Washington next month, marking the first time that the former Alaska governor will appear at the event.
Gingrich responded via Twitter to the news of Palin’s move Tuesday night.
“Thanks @sarahpalinusa for throwing your support my way in the South Carolina primary,” he tweeted along with a link to a video of Palin on “Hannity.”
Monday, January 16, 2012
Sarah’s rogue run?
From Boston Herald.com: Sarah’s rogue run?
In New Hampshire, they’re still holding out hope for Sarah.
Cheerleaders for former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin are eagerly awaiting her keynote speech Feb. 11 at the Conservative Political Action Conference in Washington, D.C., hoping against all odds she’ll shake up the GOP field and announce a run — for president.
“If she’s going to do it, that’s when she’d do it,” said Warren Rasmussen, the volunteer New Hampshire coordinator for Organize4Palin.com. “If she felt there was really no one who could make a proper case for conservatism, I think she might feel compelled to run.”
Sure, it’s a long shot, but Rasmussen said Palin’s backers will not be denied.
“Certainly she has a large devoted core group of followers who have written in her name in Iowa and elsewhere,” Rasmussen said.
Palin seems to be relishing her role as sideline bomb-thrower while the GOP hopefuls duke it out, demanding just this week, for example, that former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney release his tax records and documents from his time at Bain Capital.
So will Palin’s rhetoric hurt Romney?
When Palin visited the Palmetto State in 2010 to endorse Nikki Haley for governor, she shot up from fourth to first place, eventually winning, said Clemson political science professor David Woodard.
“She packs quite a wallop in this state,” Woodard said. “Will they listen to her as they did in 2010? Who knows. Maybe. And if that’s the case, stand by.”
Ballot band
Who had the toughest job during the New Hampshire primary last Tuesday night?
You could easily make a case for the six-member, Bay State-based band Tuxedo Junction, whose mission was to keep Newt Gingrich supporters in an upbeat mood at the campaign’s election-night headquarters in Manchester — in the face of wildly disappointing results that put the former House speaker in fourth place.
The band had readied “Eye of the Tiger” in hopes of a Rocky-esque, David-over-Goliath triumph.
Instead, Gingrich walked on to Joe Esposito’s “You’re the Best.”
The nonpartisan musicians — they played a Mitt Romney fundraiser when he was governor, as well as Mayor Thomas M. Menino’s son’s wedding — had strict orders. The Gingrich campaign told them one song in particular was off-limits: Bon Jovi’s “Livin’ On A Prayer.”
In New Hampshire, they’re still holding out hope for Sarah.
Cheerleaders for former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin are eagerly awaiting her keynote speech Feb. 11 at the Conservative Political Action Conference in Washington, D.C., hoping against all odds she’ll shake up the GOP field and announce a run — for president.
“If she’s going to do it, that’s when she’d do it,” said Warren Rasmussen, the volunteer New Hampshire coordinator for Organize4Palin.com. “If she felt there was really no one who could make a proper case for conservatism, I think she might feel compelled to run.”
Sure, it’s a long shot, but Rasmussen said Palin’s backers will not be denied.
“Certainly she has a large devoted core group of followers who have written in her name in Iowa and elsewhere,” Rasmussen said.
Palin seems to be relishing her role as sideline bomb-thrower while the GOP hopefuls duke it out, demanding just this week, for example, that former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney release his tax records and documents from his time at Bain Capital.
So will Palin’s rhetoric hurt Romney?
When Palin visited the Palmetto State in 2010 to endorse Nikki Haley for governor, she shot up from fourth to first place, eventually winning, said Clemson political science professor David Woodard.
“She packs quite a wallop in this state,” Woodard said. “Will they listen to her as they did in 2010? Who knows. Maybe. And if that’s the case, stand by.”
Ballot band
Who had the toughest job during the New Hampshire primary last Tuesday night?
You could easily make a case for the six-member, Bay State-based band Tuxedo Junction, whose mission was to keep Newt Gingrich supporters in an upbeat mood at the campaign’s election-night headquarters in Manchester — in the face of wildly disappointing results that put the former House speaker in fourth place.
The band had readied “Eye of the Tiger” in hopes of a Rocky-esque, David-over-Goliath triumph.
Instead, Gingrich walked on to Joe Esposito’s “You’re the Best.”
The nonpartisan musicians — they played a Mitt Romney fundraiser when he was governor, as well as Mayor Thomas M. Menino’s son’s wedding — had strict orders. The Gingrich campaign told them one song in particular was off-limits: Bon Jovi’s “Livin’ On A Prayer.”
Sunday, January 15, 2012
HBO says no political agenda behind Palin film
From Wausau Daily Herald: HBO says no political agenda behind Palin film
PASADENA, Calif. (AP) — In a politically polarized country, the people behind HBO's upcoming movie on Sarah Palin's vice presidential campaign are being careful not to take one side or the other.
"There is no agenda here," Danny Strong, writer of the film "Game Change," said at a news conference Friday. Filmmakers said they sought historical accuracy.
The movie debuts March 10. It is based on John Heilemann and Mark Halperin's book about the 2008 presidential campaign, but focuses specifically on Palin. Director Jay Roach said he wrote a long letter to the former Alaska governor seeking an interview with her to help the film, "but I got a very quick email back from her attorney saying, 'I checked, she declined.'"
Roach and Strong were the team behind HBO's Emmy-winning "Recount" about the disputed 2000 presidential election.
"I don't think this movie is going to change people's minds one way or another," Strong said. "People are very polarized. It's not designed to change people's minds."
Actress Julianne Moore looks strikingly like Palin in her depiction. Asked what she thought of Palin after getting so close to the story, Moore said she had "profound respect" for the historical nature of the candidacy.
"There was a tremendous amount of pressure," Moore said. "That was what I was trying to capture, the pressure that she was under."
Actor Ed Harris portrays John McCain. Although the resemblance to his character isn't quite as sharp as Moore's, it's pretty close.
One unusual casting was Woody Harrelson, who plays McCain campaign strategist Steve Schmidt. The film's story is largely seen through Schmidt's eyes. Harrelson, who describes himself politically as "probably more an anarchist," said he met Schmidt and liked him.
"The concept of playing this guy who I think ideologically couldn't be any farther away from me felt like a real challenge," he said.
PASADENA, Calif. (AP) — In a politically polarized country, the people behind HBO's upcoming movie on Sarah Palin's vice presidential campaign are being careful not to take one side or the other.
"There is no agenda here," Danny Strong, writer of the film "Game Change," said at a news conference Friday. Filmmakers said they sought historical accuracy.
The movie debuts March 10. It is based on John Heilemann and Mark Halperin's book about the 2008 presidential campaign, but focuses specifically on Palin. Director Jay Roach said he wrote a long letter to the former Alaska governor seeking an interview with her to help the film, "but I got a very quick email back from her attorney saying, 'I checked, she declined.'"
Roach and Strong were the team behind HBO's Emmy-winning "Recount" about the disputed 2000 presidential election.
"I don't think this movie is going to change people's minds one way or another," Strong said. "People are very polarized. It's not designed to change people's minds."
Actress Julianne Moore looks strikingly like Palin in her depiction. Asked what she thought of Palin after getting so close to the story, Moore said she had "profound respect" for the historical nature of the candidacy.
"There was a tremendous amount of pressure," Moore said. "That was what I was trying to capture, the pressure that she was under."
Actor Ed Harris portrays John McCain. Although the resemblance to his character isn't quite as sharp as Moore's, it's pretty close.
One unusual casting was Woody Harrelson, who plays McCain campaign strategist Steve Schmidt. The film's story is largely seen through Schmidt's eyes. Harrelson, who describes himself politically as "probably more an anarchist," said he met Schmidt and liked him.
"The concept of playing this guy who I think ideologically couldn't be any farther away from me felt like a real challenge," he said.
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Todd Palin endorses Newt Gingrich. Is Sarah next?
From Christian Science Monitor: Todd Palin endorses Newt Gingrich. Is Sarah next?
Todd Palin has endorsed Newt Gingrich, if you haven’t heard. ABC News broke this story earlier today. The former Alaska First Dude said everybody in the GOP race was fine, but that he admired the way Mr. Gingrich had soldiered forward following the resignation of his staff last summer.
Gingrich’s campaign has “burst out of the political arena and touched many Americans,” Mr. Palin told ABC.
Of course, Palin père had not actually talked to the Gingrich team before giving them the nod, which is, um, unusual in endorsement politics. But the ex-speaker quickly said that he’s proud to have the endorsement of the world-class snowmobiler who happens to be Sarah Palin’s husband.
How much do you know about Sarah Palin? Take our quiz.
“Honored to be endorsed by Todd Palin. President Obama has failed. We need a Bold Reagan Conservative in the White House,” tweeted Newt.
Does this matter? Twitter was aflame with humor about this move on Monday, with many jokes running along the lines of, “Bet this wraps up the South Carolina snow machine vote,” or “Todd Palin endorses Newt: Hopes to be Secretary of Duct Tape.”
Ha ha. We’re here to say it matters more than you think. OK, maybe it’s not a huge deal, but it has some significance. Otherwise Gingrich, who is a pretty shrewd guy, would just have let the accolade drop unanswered.
The point to be made here is in fact relatively obvious: Gingrich hopes to equate Todd’s nod with Sarah. A Palin endorsement would be a big help for someone whose campaign could be ended by a poor showing in South Carolina. It would give Gingrich more tea party bona fides in his competition with Rick Santorum for the non-Mitt Romney primary slot.
Sarah Palin herself has been coy about an endorsement. Recently she even warned the GOP against alienating Ron Paul’s voters, lest the Texas libertarian bolt and mount a third-party bid. It’s possible she won’t endorse anyone, or is holding off until she sees whether social conservatives rally around a single candidate in their effort to deny Mr. Romney the nomination.
Endorsements matter, after all. As New York Times polling analyst Nate Silver points out, they are important measures of party and institutional support. They may not win votes per se, but they communicate a candidate’s relative strength to the media and political insiders.
And in Mr. Silver’s rough listing of how important endorsements are, the nod of former national candidates ranks as high as any. (No, we know she didn’t run this year – she was a VP candidate in 2008. Remember?)
According to Washington Post political blogger Chris Cillizza, the most important kind of an endorsement is a symbolic one, such as Ted Kennedy endorsing Barack Obama in 2008. Mr. Obama touted Mr. Kennedy’s backing as evidence that he was the candidate of the old guard, true Democrats. A Palin endorsement might have something of the same cachet on the GOP side.
Are we getting ahead of ourselves here? Todd may have been freelancing. Right now, he may be getting in trouble with his wife. But it’s hard to not see him as a stand-in for Sarah, providing Gingrich with a sort of semi-Palin endorsement that allows the former Alaska governor to still stand somewhat outside the current Republican contest.
Todd Palin has endorsed Newt Gingrich, if you haven’t heard. ABC News broke this story earlier today. The former Alaska First Dude said everybody in the GOP race was fine, but that he admired the way Mr. Gingrich had soldiered forward following the resignation of his staff last summer.
Gingrich’s campaign has “burst out of the political arena and touched many Americans,” Mr. Palin told ABC.
Of course, Palin père had not actually talked to the Gingrich team before giving them the nod, which is, um, unusual in endorsement politics. But the ex-speaker quickly said that he’s proud to have the endorsement of the world-class snowmobiler who happens to be Sarah Palin’s husband.
How much do you know about Sarah Palin? Take our quiz.
“Honored to be endorsed by Todd Palin. President Obama has failed. We need a Bold Reagan Conservative in the White House,” tweeted Newt.
Does this matter? Twitter was aflame with humor about this move on Monday, with many jokes running along the lines of, “Bet this wraps up the South Carolina snow machine vote,” or “Todd Palin endorses Newt: Hopes to be Secretary of Duct Tape.”
Ha ha. We’re here to say it matters more than you think. OK, maybe it’s not a huge deal, but it has some significance. Otherwise Gingrich, who is a pretty shrewd guy, would just have let the accolade drop unanswered.
The point to be made here is in fact relatively obvious: Gingrich hopes to equate Todd’s nod with Sarah. A Palin endorsement would be a big help for someone whose campaign could be ended by a poor showing in South Carolina. It would give Gingrich more tea party bona fides in his competition with Rick Santorum for the non-Mitt Romney primary slot.
Sarah Palin herself has been coy about an endorsement. Recently she even warned the GOP against alienating Ron Paul’s voters, lest the Texas libertarian bolt and mount a third-party bid. It’s possible she won’t endorse anyone, or is holding off until she sees whether social conservatives rally around a single candidate in their effort to deny Mr. Romney the nomination.
Endorsements matter, after all. As New York Times polling analyst Nate Silver points out, they are important measures of party and institutional support. They may not win votes per se, but they communicate a candidate’s relative strength to the media and political insiders.
And in Mr. Silver’s rough listing of how important endorsements are, the nod of former national candidates ranks as high as any. (No, we know she didn’t run this year – she was a VP candidate in 2008. Remember?)
According to Washington Post political blogger Chris Cillizza, the most important kind of an endorsement is a symbolic one, such as Ted Kennedy endorsing Barack Obama in 2008. Mr. Obama touted Mr. Kennedy’s backing as evidence that he was the candidate of the old guard, true Democrats. A Palin endorsement might have something of the same cachet on the GOP side.
Are we getting ahead of ourselves here? Todd may have been freelancing. Right now, he may be getting in trouble with his wife. But it’s hard to not see him as a stand-in for Sarah, providing Gingrich with a sort of semi-Palin endorsement that allows the former Alaska governor to still stand somewhat outside the current Republican contest.
Did Sarah Palin really say Mitt Romney is our weakest candidate?Fro
Follow the link to view video.
From Hot Air: Did Sarah Palin really say Mitt Romney is our weakest candidate?
On “Hannity” last night, Newt Gingrich responded to the news that Todd Palin had endorsed him for president — and made a point to mention that Sarah Palin has said recently that “Mitt Romney is our weakest candidate.” But did Sarah Palin really say that?
Not exactly. On the Fox News show “Justice with Judge Jeanine” Saturday, Palin said she thinks the mainstream media wants Mitt Romney to be the nominee so as to enhance Barack Obama’s chances at reelection.
Palin said the mainstream media would take a hands-off approach to Romney “in order to bolster Romney’s chances” to “finally face Obama.”
According to Palin, the mainstream media and Obama would then portray Romney as someone who is out of touch with regular Americans in the general election.
“They are already gearing up to portray him, accurately or inaccurately … as being out of touch with the working class,” Palin said, noting that Romney’s wealth and perfect family may make it easy to paint him as someone “being a bit out of touch from working and middle class Americans and from the challenges we all face.”
How did that become Sarah Palin saying Mitt Romney is the weakest candidate? Simple: Rush Limbaugh referenced SP’s comments in connection with remarks from NBC/MSNBC’s Donna Brazile, who did say Democrats think Romney is the GOP’s “weakest candidate.” Here’s the transcript:
RUSH: There is a story on the Drudge Report today from Sarah Palin in which Sarah Palin says that the White House wants Mitt Romney to be the Republican nominee. Now, not only did I tell you that the Broncos were gonna beat the Steelers, for months I have been telling you that the Democrats want Romney — and you all know it. You’ve been listening here and you’ve heard people call me and tell me I don’t know what I’m talking about, that I’m full of it, that they’re scared of Romney. “Romney is the only guy who can win.” And I have said, “No,” and I’ve stood tough, and I’ve said, “They can’t wait for him. What’s Occupy Wall Street all about but running against Romney? He’s the Wall Street guy on our roster — and then Romneycare,” and I’ve laid it all out. So here comes Palin, she says it, and makes news — and Donna Brazile has said it. This is post-debate coverage on ABC Saturday night. George Stephanopoulos, Democrat Party hack disguised as the debate moderator on ABC, had this discussion with Jon Karl and Donna Brazile.
BRAZILE: Mitt Romney won tonight because no one touched him — and for Democrats, you know what? It was good news for us.
KARL: Why is that?
BRAZILE: Because we believe that the weakest candidate is the candidate that the Republicans are not attackin’, and that’s Mitt Romney.
So, it was Rush who connected the dots for Newt. Rush assumes Democrats would want Republicans to nominate their weakest candidate. Sarah Palin has said she thinks Democrats want the GOP to nominate Romney (and, lo and behold, per Brazile, they actually do!). Thus, Sarah Palin must think Romney is the GOP’s weakest candidates.
But that’s not actually airtight logic. Perhaps Sarah doesn’t think Democrats would want Republicans to nominate their weakest candidate. Maybe she just thinks Democrats think Mitt is the weakest, but she herself thinks she’s strong.
So, Newt technically said Sarah said something she didn’t exactly say. At this point, though, he’ll say whatever to weaken Romney. Still, Newt’s comment didn’t come out of nowhere; Palin has given the impression she thinks Romney is a weak enough candidate to be effectively discredited as a presidential potential by the MSM.
All of that aside, the bigger issue is: Are Sarah and Rush right? Was Donna Brazile speaking truth? Do Democrats want Romney because they’re confident Obama would destroy him in the general? And, if so, would any of the other candidates stand a better chance?
From Hot Air: Did Sarah Palin really say Mitt Romney is our weakest candidate?
On “Hannity” last night, Newt Gingrich responded to the news that Todd Palin had endorsed him for president — and made a point to mention that Sarah Palin has said recently that “Mitt Romney is our weakest candidate.” But did Sarah Palin really say that?
Not exactly. On the Fox News show “Justice with Judge Jeanine” Saturday, Palin said she thinks the mainstream media wants Mitt Romney to be the nominee so as to enhance Barack Obama’s chances at reelection.
Palin said the mainstream media would take a hands-off approach to Romney “in order to bolster Romney’s chances” to “finally face Obama.”
According to Palin, the mainstream media and Obama would then portray Romney as someone who is out of touch with regular Americans in the general election.
“They are already gearing up to portray him, accurately or inaccurately … as being out of touch with the working class,” Palin said, noting that Romney’s wealth and perfect family may make it easy to paint him as someone “being a bit out of touch from working and middle class Americans and from the challenges we all face.”
How did that become Sarah Palin saying Mitt Romney is the weakest candidate? Simple: Rush Limbaugh referenced SP’s comments in connection with remarks from NBC/MSNBC’s Donna Brazile, who did say Democrats think Romney is the GOP’s “weakest candidate.” Here’s the transcript:
RUSH: There is a story on the Drudge Report today from Sarah Palin in which Sarah Palin says that the White House wants Mitt Romney to be the Republican nominee. Now, not only did I tell you that the Broncos were gonna beat the Steelers, for months I have been telling you that the Democrats want Romney — and you all know it. You’ve been listening here and you’ve heard people call me and tell me I don’t know what I’m talking about, that I’m full of it, that they’re scared of Romney. “Romney is the only guy who can win.” And I have said, “No,” and I’ve stood tough, and I’ve said, “They can’t wait for him. What’s Occupy Wall Street all about but running against Romney? He’s the Wall Street guy on our roster — and then Romneycare,” and I’ve laid it all out. So here comes Palin, she says it, and makes news — and Donna Brazile has said it. This is post-debate coverage on ABC Saturday night. George Stephanopoulos, Democrat Party hack disguised as the debate moderator on ABC, had this discussion with Jon Karl and Donna Brazile.
BRAZILE: Mitt Romney won tonight because no one touched him — and for Democrats, you know what? It was good news for us.
KARL: Why is that?
BRAZILE: Because we believe that the weakest candidate is the candidate that the Republicans are not attackin’, and that’s Mitt Romney.
So, it was Rush who connected the dots for Newt. Rush assumes Democrats would want Republicans to nominate their weakest candidate. Sarah Palin has said she thinks Democrats want the GOP to nominate Romney (and, lo and behold, per Brazile, they actually do!). Thus, Sarah Palin must think Romney is the GOP’s weakest candidates.
But that’s not actually airtight logic. Perhaps Sarah doesn’t think Democrats would want Republicans to nominate their weakest candidate. Maybe she just thinks Democrats think Mitt is the weakest, but she herself thinks she’s strong.
So, Newt technically said Sarah said something she didn’t exactly say. At this point, though, he’ll say whatever to weaken Romney. Still, Newt’s comment didn’t come out of nowhere; Palin has given the impression she thinks Romney is a weak enough candidate to be effectively discredited as a presidential potential by the MSM.
All of that aside, the bigger issue is: Are Sarah and Rush right? Was Donna Brazile speaking truth? Do Democrats want Romney because they’re confident Obama would destroy him in the general? And, if so, would any of the other candidates stand a better chance?
Sunday, January 8, 2012
Sarah Palin to Make Keynote Speech at CPAC
From ABC News: Sarah Palin to Make Keynote Speech at CPAC
Sarah Palin will be the keynote speaker at the annual Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) on Feb. 11, after four years of consistently rejecting the top spot at the high-profile conservative conference in Washington, D.C.
“Few national conservative leaders in America today energize and inspire our grassroots activists like Governor Sarah Palin. Her strong record of leadership, championing of our shared principles and magnetic personality have made Sarah Palin a hero to millions of conservatives across the country,” American Conservative Union Chairman Al Cardenas said in a statement. “As we ready for the critical 2012 election, I’m honored to welcome Governor Palin to the Conservative Political Action Conference for the first-time ever.”
The former Alaska governor has a rocky history with the group.
She declined to keynote the event in 2011, citing a scheduling conflict. But her refusal to participate fueled speculation that she wasn’t going because of GOProud, a gay Republican group, that planned to attend. She denied that was the case. Her political action committee, SarahPAC, did sponsor a reception at the convention.
In 2010, Palin cited ACU’s business dealings, particularly those of its then-chairman David Keene, as the reason for dodging CPAC.
In 2009, she initially accepted an invitation to kick off the convention, but then dropped out, saying that she had to attend to the “duties of governing.” She sent a taped message instead.
And in 2008, Palin cancelled her speech just two weeks before the event. By then, she had not been named Sen. John McCain’s vice presidential candidate, but in 2007, the man who would eventually become her running mate was booed by the crowd.
Palin’s standing in the CPAC straw poll has tumbled over the years. She came in ninth in last year’s poll, after a third place finish in 2010 and 2009, behind Ron Paul and Mitt Romney.
GOP candidates Newt Gingrich, Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum will attend this year’s convention, as will Ann Coulter, Sens. Jim DeMint and Marco Rubio, among others.
Sarah Palin will be the keynote speaker at the annual Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) on Feb. 11, after four years of consistently rejecting the top spot at the high-profile conservative conference in Washington, D.C.
“Few national conservative leaders in America today energize and inspire our grassroots activists like Governor Sarah Palin. Her strong record of leadership, championing of our shared principles and magnetic personality have made Sarah Palin a hero to millions of conservatives across the country,” American Conservative Union Chairman Al Cardenas said in a statement. “As we ready for the critical 2012 election, I’m honored to welcome Governor Palin to the Conservative Political Action Conference for the first-time ever.”
The former Alaska governor has a rocky history with the group.
She declined to keynote the event in 2011, citing a scheduling conflict. But her refusal to participate fueled speculation that she wasn’t going because of GOProud, a gay Republican group, that planned to attend. She denied that was the case. Her political action committee, SarahPAC, did sponsor a reception at the convention.
In 2010, Palin cited ACU’s business dealings, particularly those of its then-chairman David Keene, as the reason for dodging CPAC.
In 2009, she initially accepted an invitation to kick off the convention, but then dropped out, saying that she had to attend to the “duties of governing.” She sent a taped message instead.
And in 2008, Palin cancelled her speech just two weeks before the event. By then, she had not been named Sen. John McCain’s vice presidential candidate, but in 2007, the man who would eventually become her running mate was booed by the crowd.
Palin’s standing in the CPAC straw poll has tumbled over the years. She came in ninth in last year’s poll, after a third place finish in 2010 and 2009, behind Ron Paul and Mitt Romney.
GOP candidates Newt Gingrich, Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum will attend this year’s convention, as will Ann Coulter, Sens. Jim DeMint and Marco Rubio, among others.
Sarah Palin: “I’m all in favor of girls with guns who know their purpose.”
From the Washington Post, She the People "The World as Women See It": Sarah Palin: “I’m all in favor of girls with guns who know their purpose.”
By Suzi Parker
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Sarah Palin likes girls with guns.
In an email to National Review Online, Palin said, “I’m all in favor of girls with guns who know their purpose.” The comment referred to Sarah McKinley, the 18-year-old who shot 24-year-old Justin Shane Martin on New Year’s Eve as he tried to break into her Oklahoma home.
Palin said she loved “that young woman.”
“She fulfilled a purpose of the Second Amendment. I’d advise my own daughters to do the same. This mom protected an innocent life. Kudos to the 911 dispatcher, too.”
That dispatcher told McKinley she could do whatever it took to protect her child if her doors were locked. She did. She shot a man dead.
There’s something a bit frightening about teenaged girls running around packing heat. Where I live, it is very common for girls to go hunting with their fathers as a rite of passage. As my colleague Lori Stahl wrote earlier this week, it’s not even uncommon in the South for
suburban moms to carry a gun.
Perhaps McKinley is a very stable 18-year-old who can shoot better than most deer hunters. After all, she killed the intruder with a 12-gauge shotgun. “They made a decision to break into my house, and I made a decision that was right for me,” McKinley told reporters.
But I know more than a few teenagers of both genders, and they should never be near a gun. In Teen Land, everything is traumatic. You try to dye your hair blue, it turns green: “I’ll never leave the house again!” the teenager screams.
Imagine one of these drama kings or queens post-break-up, grabbing his or her rifle.
Or this scenario: Home alone at night, asleep in front of the television, the teen hears something outside the door, grabs a gun and shoots. Except it’s a sibling or parent coming home instead of an intruder.
McKinley, a single mom whose husband had died only a week earlier with lung cancer, had two guns in her hands. The intruder had a 12-inch hunting knife. McKinley won’t face charges for killing Martin.
In Oklahoma, McKinley has become a hero. A fund has been created to help out the “pistol-packing mama” as she’s been dubbed. Some women’s groups are heralding McKinley as a woman who refused to become a victim in her own home.
I understand where they’re coming from, but not everyone is as cool and collected as Sarah McKinley. It’s natural to celebrate the successful defense of hearth and home. But for every gun-brandishing hero or heroine who blows away the intruder, there are many more that get shot with their own guns during a struggle.
Hopefully, McKinley won’t inspire thousands of young mothers, fathers, or any teenagers who want guns – to buy firearms for their homes without, as Palin said accurately, knowing their purpose.
Suzi Parker is an Arkansas-based political and cultural journalist and author of “Sex in the South: Unbuckling the Bible Belt.” Follow her on Twitter at @SuziParker
Sunday, January 1, 2012
Palin allies run TV ads in Iowa
From NewsObserver.com: Palin allies run TV ads in Iowa
The underground movement to draft Sarah Palin into the Republican presidential race has surfaced on television - a group, Sarah Palin's Iowa Earthquake, is running advertisements across the state just days before Tuesday's caucuses.
The commercial is decidedly low-tech and has run on some of Iowa's smaller stations, a sign that there is not much money behind the campaign.
But what the ad lacks in sophistication, it makes up for in audacity.
"Crony capitalism and corruption in government is eating this country alive," says the on-screen message, displayed in a simple white typeface as photographs flash by of Palin, the former governor of Alaska. "This disease must be addressed by our next president or the crooks will still be running your candy store."
The ad ends with Palin's voice, taken from a rally, saying, "God bless you, Iowa!" and it implores viewers, "Please, caucus for Sarah Palin."
The Palin group has been calling local television stations to inquire about ad rates in recent days, explaining that it supports Palin through Facebook. A Facebook page, "Sarah Palin's Earthquake Movement," urges supporters to donate money through a PayPal account.
"The cost of one 10 pm news show slot is $500.00 just to give you an idea of how fast the funds can go," the page says. So far, the page has nearly 1,300 "Likes.
The underground movement to draft Sarah Palin into the Republican presidential race has surfaced on television - a group, Sarah Palin's Iowa Earthquake, is running advertisements across the state just days before Tuesday's caucuses.
The commercial is decidedly low-tech and has run on some of Iowa's smaller stations, a sign that there is not much money behind the campaign.
But what the ad lacks in sophistication, it makes up for in audacity.
"Crony capitalism and corruption in government is eating this country alive," says the on-screen message, displayed in a simple white typeface as photographs flash by of Palin, the former governor of Alaska. "This disease must be addressed by our next president or the crooks will still be running your candy store."
The ad ends with Palin's voice, taken from a rally, saying, "God bless you, Iowa!" and it implores viewers, "Please, caucus for Sarah Palin."
The Palin group has been calling local television stations to inquire about ad rates in recent days, explaining that it supports Palin through Facebook. A Facebook page, "Sarah Palin's Earthquake Movement," urges supporters to donate money through a PayPal account.
"The cost of one 10 pm news show slot is $500.00 just to give you an idea of how fast the funds can go," the page says. So far, the page has nearly 1,300 "Likes.
Sarah Palin: If I were campaigning for president...
From Washington Post Opinions: Sarah Palin: If I were campaigning for president...
Given the concerns I have for some of the Republican field’s focus thus far, I must implore the candidates to do something that sounds self-promoting, but whatever. Candidates, please turn to Chapter Three of “Going Rogue” and read what it takes for our country to step toward energy independence. Note the lesson I share in the same chapter about taking on the “elite,” the crony capitalists and the permanent political establishment to get a job done.
Do you really realize what is at stake? What is at stake is our republic. The gravity of today’s situation is real. We count on you to lead our nation on the right path. Please let us know you realize this. Understand how the left’s terrifyingly naive assault on American industry exposes us to the mercy of foreign regimes whose prime objective is, at worst, our permanent demise and, at best, is stripping away our freedom. God has blessed America with ingenuity, natural resources and the strength of our workforce. Let’s use them. Tell voters that you understand this. Talk about this on the campaign trail. And quit gripin’ and moaning about “inside baseball” partisan machinations and maneuvering. We have other things to worry about. Stay strong. Focus on defending our republic and how we’ll re-industrialize our most exceptional nation in order to defeat the incumbent and win for America.
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