Elite’s Way Off on Palin Electability: Part 3B

First, who can be The $750 Million Candidate? Any chance to beat Obama rests heavily on the ability to raise money. John McCain was out-raised and outspent an incredible 2-1 by Barack Obama in 2008. While Obama was running $1 million dollar, prime-time campaign ads on network television just days before the election, McCain was boxed into a corner, penniless, watching from the sidelines.

And the ability to raise funds is heavily dependent on the ability to get the conservative base on your side. McCain did not have that and saw his first real infusion of conservative cash only after he selected Palin as his VP nominee. If the Republican candidate is not conservative, conservatives will not give, and at least certainly not in the numbers they would to a conservative candidate. Just as liberals are the most politically active segment of the Democratic Party, so too are conservatives in the GOP. Moderates and “independents” are typically less involved, are last minute deciders, and often apathetic until voting time. Attempting to ride this as your political base is a mistake often made by “smart” establishment elites. They simply do not give money. And again, the Republican candidate will need a lot of it.

Sarah Palin is clearly the best fundraiser. For two years she has been the hottest ticket at multiple fundraisers across the country on any given subject. I think there is little question that her supporters would be quick to give. Mike Huckabee proved woefully poor at raising cash in 2008, and much of his support comes from a much more politically inactive conservative base. Mitt Romney raised over $100 million in his primary loss in 2008, which is good, but would have a major problem getting donor cash from the Tea Party base. Again, the GOP candidate needs to have the ability to raise $750 Million. And even then they will still be at a disadvantage. And unless someone like a Donald Trump is willing to self-finance, who else could compete?

Second, who can Pack a Stadium? The establishment Republicans say we need a boring thud (like Mitch Daniels/Tim Pawlenty!) to counter Obama’s base enthusiasm. Wait, they want a candidate that no one can get excited about? Being able to bring a crowd to see you is paramount. With Obama in 2008, it became an event to see him. Friends brought friends and their friends brought more friends. If you can’t get someone excited about seeing you, how can you get them excited about voting for you?

Sarah Palin has proven, time and again, that she is the biggest draw in the GOP field. In 2008, it became so embarrassing for McCain that he had to begin holding rallies at the same location as Palin because he was barely filling classrooms and she was having venues changed to accommodate bigger crowds. Enthusiasm goes a long way, and is there any other candidate that could pack the house in a way that Palin could? Arguably, Palin is the Godmother of GOP crowds and, in my opinion, the Tea Party. Until Sarah Palin, the GOP did not gather. They did not show up in large numbers. They did not fill venues. They did not protest. Sarah Palin in 2008 almost single-handedly proved that conservatives could, like their Democrat counterparts, show up in large numbers in support of a candidate (or in opposition to one). For the first time, the silent majority was loud. (And 2009 and 2010 continued that trend first in opposition to Obamacare, then in support of tea Party candidates). Who else can do that?

Finally, who is Most Compelling? The GOP nominee has to be compelling in every way. In debate, are they straightforward and honest? In speeches, are they able to get a point across without putting me to sleep? In campaign commercials, are they able to provide an inspiring vision for America? These are questions that will all be answered in the coming months.

All three of these qualities/abilities are heavily dependent on the conservatism of the candidate. Remember, conservatives are the ones who either donate or do not. They are the ones who attend rallies. (When was the last great moderate rally?) The American people are overwhelmingly conservative, and the GOP base is reliant on the conservative vote. But you need more than conservatism to win. And only one candidate has it all.

“While Obama was running $1 million dollar, prime-time campaign ads on network television just days before the election, McCain was boxed into a corner, penniless, watching from the sidelines.”

BS
mac threw it.
Palin won’t. Therein lies the difference.

The GOP (if it is to exist in 2013) must NEVER FORGET
that Team Romney attacked the GOP candidates and Gov. Palin's baby
DURING the election.

The McCain/Palin ticket was up ++8 pts. days prior to September 18th, 2008.
So the RomneyTeam attacked Gov. Palin and her children to throw Election2008.

David Frum: "I have a lot of regard for Mitt Romney as a man and politician.
Let me say for the record: If Romney emerges as the Republican nominee, I will support him without qualm."

Late in October, The American Spectator's The Prowler revealed:
"Former Mitt Romney presidential campaign staffers, some of whom are currently working for Sen. John McCain and Gov. Sarah Palin's bid for the White House,
have been involved in spreading anti-Palin spin to reporters, seeking to diminish her standing after the election.
'Sarah Palin is a lightweight, she won't be the first, not even the third, person people will think of when it comes to 2012,'
says one former Romney aide, now working for McCain-Palin.
'The only serious candidate ready to challenge to lead the Republican Party is Mitt Romney.
He's in charge on November 5th.'"
The Prowler added: "Some former Romney aides were behind the recent leaks to media, including CNN, that Governor Sarah Palin was a 'diva' and was going off message intentionally."
The Romney supporters in the McCain campaign had access to internal polling which indicated well in advance of the November 4 election that McCain had no chance to win.
So they began working to position their man Mitt for a run in 2012. Just two days after the election,The Palmetto Scoop reported:
"One of the first stories to hit the national airwaves was the claim of a major internal strife between close McCain aides and the folks handling his running mate Sarah Palin."
"I’m told by very good sources that this was indeed the case and that a rift had developed, but it was between Palin’s people and the staffers brought on from the failed presidential campaign of former Gov. Mitt Romney, not McCain aides."
"The sources said nearly 80 percent of Romney’s former staff was absorbed by McCain and these individuals were responsible for what amounts to a premeditated, last-minute sabotage of Palin."
These aides loyal to Romney inside the McCain campaign, said The Scoop, reportedly saw that Palin would be a serious contender for the Republican nomination in 2012 or 2016, which made her a threat to another presidential quest by Romney.
Erick Erickson, who organized Operation Leper, said:
"Here’s what I think: I think there are some staffers on the McCain campaign who seriously screwed up the roll out of Sarah Palin, to which Governor Palin herself objected.
These staffers are now out trying to finish her off thinking, as typical D.C. types do, that if they don’t do it to her, she’ll do it to them. They just never understood who Palin is or what she is about."
"Likewise, I do think there are some staffers and others who expect Mitt Romney to run again in 2012,
they decided McCain could not win, and decided to undermine Sarah Palin and her chances hoping it would ingratiate themselves with Mitt Romney."

"Who's the Palin Leaker from the McCain Campaign? (Mark Wallace, Romney pimp)
National Review Online The publication of a Vanity Fair profile of Sarah Palin
appears to have opened old wounds in the McCain campaign.
... the source of the “Diva” leak was Nicolle Wallace’s husband."

Who benefits most from Sanford meltdown? Californian (that's right) Mitt Romney

"Peeking Out From the McCain Wreckage: Mitt Romney"

"Someone's got to say it: IS MITT ROMNEY RESPONSIBLE FOR OBAMA'S VICTORY?"

"Vanity: Team Romney Sabotaged Palin and Continuing to Do So?"

"Romney Supporters Trashing Palin"

"Romney advisors sniping at Palin?"

The establishment Republicans say we need a boring thud (like Mitch Daniels/Tim Pawlenty!) to counter Obama’s base enthusiasm. Wait, they want a candidate that no one can get excited about?

Yep, Krauthammer just said so this past weekend at the "in-crowd" Pennsylvania Leadership Conference:

“I want a candidate who is dull as mud,” quipped Krauthammer. “Someone who will not attract attention but will make the arguments.” Among prospective 2012 candidates, he said Pawlenty best fits the bill.

Nowadays whenever I see the word "elite" my blood boils a little.

Gone are the days that I require a grownup to hold my hand and make decisions for me.

My hope:

As the masses become more politically aware our reliance on elites will decrease, until the point when someday we will cast of their oppressive yoke altogether, and truly live as free men and women.

There may be violence, or our liberal masters may simply fold, and go back to mom's basement and their bongs.

If Palin has such unfavorable poll ratings and all, why do people keep buying her books, watching her on TV, and paying big money to hear her speak?

Oh yeah I forgot, that’s just us nutty teabggers....

Call BS on that!

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