“I thought she had more integrity than to support someone just because they did her a favor.”
How does it demonstrate integrity to give the back of your hand to a man who, eighteen months ago, did you (and, I might add the entire country) a favor by picking Sarah Palin. I do not support McCain and would vote for Hayworth if I lived there. But to accuse her of a lack of integrity is blindness. Ronald Reagan would never have behaved that way, and he wouldn’t care whether anyone approved of it or not. Loyalty and gratitude are great virtues, especially when they cause you to take political hits. If Sarah Palin was a calculating politician(like, for example, Mitt Romney)she would weigh the political pros and cons of endorsing McCain. Or, as you suggest, she would use an issues scorecard, and it would be a mathematical formula. Instead, she takes a decision based on the good old fashioned virtues of loyalty and gratitude, no matter the political consequences, and you say she lacks integrity.
She is exactly the kind of President I want. I would not always agree with her choice. I did not always agree with Reagan, as in the case of the appointment Sandra O’Connor and the selection of Bush 41as VP in 1980, but he was a man of integrity who acted conscientiously. He campaigned for Bush in 1988 and in 1992, even after Bush had purged all the Reaganites and hiked taxes, an anathema to the Gipper. Why? Bush had been loyal to him.
Loyalty and gratitude, without regard to the consequences, is rare in anyone. it is practically nonexistent in politicians. That is why Sarah Palin is special.
I didn't notice much loyalty and gratitude toward Sarah Palin oozing from McCain until he realized the "new political climate" he is facing for his re-election bid this fall. His tune changed quite a bit from what it was before. I think Sarah's loyalty is misplaced with this man. She owes him nothing. She fulfilled her duty as his VP pick and now it is time to move on.
She started out of the gate just fine, but has hit a rough patch now. I think that one of her stated goals was to help real conservative candidates whenever she could. No one could seriously argue that McCain is a "real conservative" candidate - could they?
If, as so many here keep pointing out - her endorsement of McCain is merely because of loyalty and gratitude - then it is truly a hollow endorsement. To me, it cheapens her future endorsements.
I don't think it is particularly 'special' for a politician to scratch another politician's back because of a previous favor - it's done all the time. It's called "politics as usual".