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“We can’t spare this woman. She fights.”

The origins of this quote:

“Can’t Spare This Man”

(Excerpt)

One night, about eleven o’clock, Colonel A. K. McClure, whose intimacy with President Lincoln was so great that he could obtain admittance to the Executive Mansion at any and all hours, called at the White House to urge Mr. Lincoln to remove General Grant from command.

After listening patiently for a long time, the President, gathering himself up in his chair, said, with the utmost earnestness:

“I can’t spare this man; he fights!”

In relating the particulars of this interview, Colonel McClure said:

“That was all he said, but I knew that it was enough, and that Grant was safe in Lincoln’s hands against his countless hosts of enemies...”
(from Lincoln’s Yarns and Stories , by Colonel Alexander K. McClure)

http://www.rickwalton.com/lincoln/linc125.htm

The quote has been adapted by Sarah Palin’s supporters to stress how important she is to the center-right grassroots.

It’s earliest application to Palin that I can find was by author David Karki in an op-ed for the North State Writers Group April 22, 2009:

http://www.northstarwriters.com/dkk175.htm

The quote, as modified by karki, has become a battle cry for Palin supporters who are convinced that, more so than any other prominent GOP figure, she is showing leadership in opposition to Barack Obama, the Democrats and all that they represent.

- JP