Posted on 01/26/2010 5:57:02 PM PST by PawtucketPatriot71
There has been much discussion and talk about Sarah Palin's endorsement of John McCain's 2010 reelection campaign on Free Republic. To me it appears most people here at Free Republic seem to accept that descison as a move of loyalty to McCain for picking her as his 2008 running mate and would still like to see Sarah move on be the Republican party's nominee for President in 2012.
Up until last week I was hoping Sarah Palin would be able to rise above the series of bad press, negative attacks, lies and smears to be our next President. I found her to be the nearly perfect Conservative to lead the party. But now I have taken a step back and have taken a more of lets wait and see who she really is attitude. The McCain endorsement changed everything including my perception of Sarah Palin's commiment to the conservative cause.
Now I'm not about to trash her. I still believe her to an upstanding, decent person and a patriotic American. I still admire her greatly for walking the walk on the pro life issue. I still love her way of speaking in terms all of us can understand. But now I question her, if not her commitment to conservatism, I question her judgement.
The move endorse McCain, possibly the US Senates biggest RINO, over a much more conservative J.D. Hayworth leaves me puzzeled. Loyalty or not, the move of someone who is a true conservative to support a man who has spent the last 20 years attacking and smacking conservatives in the face while reaching accross the aisle and embracing the ideas of his more liberal Democrat friends is wrong. If, for whatever reason, she feels some sort of loyalty to McCain, she doesn't necessarily have to endorse him. She could simply say something like "I respect Senator McCain and like him. He is a friend. But we are on opposite pages on the issues that matter most and to endorse him over someone who is more in step with me on the issues makes no sense." Simple as that.
But then I also question her loyalty to McCain. Since the defeat of the McCain-Palin ticket many of McCains surrogats including Steve Schmidt and Nicolle Wallace have appeared on various news shows and have attacked Sarah. While his surrogats attack her, John McCain has not come out and rebuked them or stood up for Sarah. McCain himself went on Letterman and was asked who he felt potential candidates for President in 2012. He intentionally left Sarahs name off his list. He won't defend Sarah Palin, but her wil defend is opponent Barack Obama by telling a skeptical audience Obama is a "good and decent man". Oh, I know he just defended her a day or so before her important endorsement, but that was only because he needed her. I think Sarah is once again allowing herself to be used by McCain and I question why she would allow herself to be treated like that.
We also have to look at the bigger picture. We all know John McCain is an open borders, pro amnesty for illegals guy along with his RINO buddies Lindsey Graham and Charlie Crist. We all know he is anti free speech as his and Russ Fiengolds beloved Campaign Finance Reform bill proves. His a Global Warmin theorist and has voice support for Cap and Trade legislation. Sarah needs to realize when you endrorse a candidate, you endorse their policies. You can't have it both ways.
This brings me to Charlie Crist. We have a Republican primary battle between RINO Crist and a bright, intelligent, attractive and conservative candidate Marco Rubio for the Florida Republican Senatorial nomination. Sarah has not endorsed Rubio. At least not yet. But will she before he either defeats Crist or Crist drops out? Is this part of her loyalty to McCain to not endorse his buddies opponent?
If Sarah were to endorse Rubio, I believe it would be the death stake in Charlie Crists heart. Rubio would win the primary in a walk. But she hasn't done it. I have to wonder if it's because Crist is McCains personal friend.
I'm not saying we should turn our backs on Sarah Palin, but we have to be true to our standards and question her. The last three months has seen the conservative movement gain the kind of traction it hasn't had since Ronald Reagan in 1980. In fact I believe we are witnessing a stronger conservative rise than in 1980. We can't sit by and let one of our own set us back but supporting a RINO over a true conservative.
Free Repubics founder Jim Robinson has stated many times on this site Free Republic is a conservaitve site and does not support RINO's. Sarah Palin, as a conservtive, shouldn't either. We who have stood by her now need to hold her to that.
Let’s put it this way, I would rather have one Palin on my side, even with a questionable decision like this, than 100 ankle biters.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010 at 6:00am
SARAH PALIN: "I want to again thank the good people of Massachusetts for propelling a commonsense, independent agenda forward! May the working man and woman feel empowered now more than ever to get involved in their government, and let's put this great country on the right track.
"The past year continues to offer the promise of commonsense government in so many areas. There are steps we can all take to get there, one of which is to support candidates who promise to fight for the people and against politics as usual. I'm excited to get out and help elect candidates who will bring those principles to our nation's towns, state houses, and directly to Washington D.C. We are already making plans to support the candidates our nation needs to make a difference and speak for everyday Americans.
"I look forward to helping Governors like Rick Perry in Texas, Representatives like Michele Bachmann in Minnesota, and heroes and statesmen like Senator, John McCain. We will support these candidates and others so that they can continue to fight for our American values.
"The special election yesterday in Massachusetts was truly amazing. It is a clear indication of things to come and a demonstration of the momentum we all share in the fight for the values and policies that will get our country back to work. The commonsense conservative principles of liberty and fiscal responsibility are on the rise, and that's why I'm going out and campaigning as hard as I can to make a difference. I can't wait to join all of you in supporting these great candidates and many more over the coming months.
"In the meantime, visit the websites of Rick Perry, Michele Bachmann, and John McCain. And join us as we embark on America's journey to November!"However, I think there was another one.
ex animo
davidfarrar
Assuming that you're not, I'd ask you this - which of Palin's policies leads you so suspect she's a Republican In Name Only? Political alliances are meaningless - a practical politician makes them where he or she can for that filthiest of words to a purist - expediency. And so we judge by the individual's actions, not her or his posturing.
Do Palin's stated energy policies displease you? Her stance with respect to Right to Life? Her actions regarding cleaning house on Alaska's Republicans? Her actions to defeat Alaska's Democrats? All of these are indicators of what she might or might not do in office. Her endorsement of her former running mate isn't, but it is an indication of the sort of thing she may have to do to get there. And that may displease a lot of people, including some of her current followers. They'd best be prepared for that.
Welcome to FR.
Nam Vet
So I was off on my predictions in MA. What can I say. I terribly underestimated the people in Massachusets.
But this post isn’t abou MA. It’s about conservatism and making we sure always back the conservative candidate. We don’t want another debacle like 2008 where we get a RINO candidate. Sarah was the best thing in that dismal campaign and McCain only got 46% because of her. Without her he’d of been lucky to get 43%.
Yet after the campaign his people trashed Sarah and McCain never backed her up. Plus we know McCain is a liberal (sorry, I mean progressive”) We can’t have the conservative movement derailed because one of our own supprts a progressive for office.
I probably misstated the above regarding IDs. The poster still has a working page when looking at the old ID. I didn’t mean they both were legit posting IDs. I assumed when you changed IDs the first one disappeared but apparently not. Learn something new every once in a while.
She endorse McCain before JD jumped in.....although she already said last year that she was going to support McCain ( BTW to no one suprise but to a few FR) her facebook announced support for McCain clearly before JD said anything about gearing up to run....
Yes it is...
One was from my Bush time now I’m in my Palin time.
Need to keep up with our presidents past and future!!
Palins past policies do not displease me. She has a good Conservative record.
Plains support of the conservative movements worst enemy John McCain does displease.
All I was saying is if we are going embrace Sarah as a conservative leader, then we must hold her to a standard. we must demand she only support conservatives, not “moderate” or “progressive” Republicans.
It.s not just did.
You consistently did whatever you could to dampen enthusiasm for Scott Brown voters by consistently insisting that he was going to lose anyway.
In addition, since you joined up, every single post you have made on any Palin thread has been full of anti-Palin vitriol.
You are astroturfing alright. More than that, you are a troll. You joined up in November with a a particular agenda in mind. You are so transparent
Not your best effort Pawtucket...at least I hope it’s not.
It is about two notches above semi-literate.
You can't make this stuff up.
“BTW Mr Robinson might not like you calling it Free Repubics
Uh....not good. I thought I had caught everything.....No offense meant Mr. Robinson.
Do you think Reagan won and governed his whole life by only appealing to them? Before she can govern she has to win.
For the record ‘Tucky, what’s your opinion of Ron Paul and his stated positions?
You might be right but i am old fashioned, shoot first ask questions later..
All attempts to fragment conservative support for Sarah will fail. She has been constant in her statements, actions and relationships. The left wants to break us into factions so that we are as damaged as they are going into November. It’s a coordinated attack that will be repeated on all the conservative websites. I’ll put my blinders on and not read any more Palin/McCain threads.
In politics one makes alliances, one makes compromises, one forms a coalition of unlike persons in pursuit of a common objective. And Palin is showing considerably more loyalty and consideration to McCain than certain of his ex-staffmembers have shown her. She's kept her word. That I do demand in a politican.
I will tell you and everyone who is fogging the glass with the heavy breathing over this - if this bothers you, you'd better retire from politics and take up a less stressful hobby. There will be a lot more of this sort of thing to come.
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