The rhyme and reason of Sarah Palin's endorsements

The Washington Post's The Fix ^ | June 4, 2010 | Chris Cillizza

[2ndDivisionVet]

After a stretch in which an endorsement from Sarah Palin was considered a rarity, the former Alaska governor has become something of an endorsement machine as of late. In the past week alone, she has endorsed four candidates, ranging from a tea party contender for Senate in her home state of Alaska to the GOP establishment favorite for Iowa governor.

Palin has backed both clear winners and decided long-shots; she's weighed in on behalf of "mama grizzlies," but an extra X chromosome doesn't necessarily mean an automatic endorsement (see Hutchison, Kay Bailey). Some candidates (such as former Redskins tight end and Washington Senate hopeful Clint Didier) have enjoyed her backing long before their primaries; another, Fox News commentator Angela McGlowan, got the Palin nod via a tweet mere hours before polls closed on primary day.

The recent barrage of endorsements also represents a shift from Palin's strategy in March, when she released a target list of 20 House districts, but did not name favored GOP candidates in those races.

We took a look at Palin's recent endorsements and found that if there's any rhyme or reason to them, it's that they're as idiosyncratic and unpredictable as the former governor herself.

That said, Palin's endorsements do break down into a few rough categories, which we've outlined below:

1. Outsiders/tea party candidates: Palin has always touted herself as a candidate running outside the establishment; it comes as little surprise, then, that a fair number of the candidates she's backed this cycle have tended to be political "outsiders" (or have at least been running under that mantle).

Ophthalmologist Rand Paul (R) in Kentucky is the most prominent example in this category.(continued)

[2ndDivisionVet]

Nobody's endorsements work 100% of the time, Chris.

[Patrick1]

How is Obama’s record on endorsements?

[FlingWingFlyer]

Sarah drives the left crazy. That’s a good thing.

[SoConPubbie]

Waiting for the inevitable posts from PDS sufferers and 100% purists complaining about Sarah Palin’s two bad or questionable endorsements.

Counting down:

4, 3, 2, 1 .....

[Talisker]

We took a look at Palin's recent endorsements and found that if there's any rhyme or reason to them, it's that they're as idiosyncratic and unpredictable as the former governor herself.

LOL, Leftists are so predictable. Twenty thousand years of the same old crap.

Rhyme and reason? Try the original Constitution and beating Hillary.

Like you don't know already ::snort ::

[Sarah Barracuda]

Yep, apparently Sarah needs the approval of people on this site before endorsing anyone otherwise all hell breaks loose

[ak267]

The comments from the Moonbats pretty much sums it up....they’re afraid of this lady.

Typical comments from the moonbats

1. Snarky
2. Calling her a “MILF”
3. “need to ‘take her out’”
4. She’s a dummy
5. She’s just in it for the money

yadda, yadda, yadda.

[2ndDivisionVet]

"How is Obama’s record on endorsements?"

Hahaha! Don't even go there! LOL He's got the reverse Midas touch on endorsements, foreign policy, disasters, legislation and on and on...

[Josh Painter]

Here is an updated list of the endorsments made by Sarah Palin so far:

• Cecile Bledsoe for for U.S. Congress in Arkansas 06/03/10 - (Primary runoff is June 8)
• Terry Branstad for governor of Iowa, 06/03/10 - (Primary election is June 8)
• Joe Miller for U.S. Senate in Alaska, 06/02/10 - (Primary election is Aug. 24)
• Clint Didier for U.S. Senate in Washington State, 05/20/10 - (Primary election is Aug. 17)
• Susana Martinez for governor of New Mexico, 05/15/10 - (Won primary election)
• Nikki Haley for governor of South Carolina, 05/14/10 - (Primary election is June 8)
• Carly Fiorina for U.S. Senate in California, 05/06/10 - (Primary election is June 8)
• Tom Emmer for governor of Minnesota, 04/29/10 - (Primary election is Aug. 10)
• Tim Burns for U.S. Congress in Pennsylvania, 04/26/10 - (Lost special election)
• Vaughn Ward for U.S. Congress in Idaho, 03/29/10 - (Lost primary election)
• Adam Kinzinger for U.S. Congress in Illinois, 03/29/10 - (Leads in general race)
• Allen West for U.S. Congress in Florida, 03/29/10 - (Leads in general race)
• Sean Duffy for U.S. Congress in Wisconsin, 02/17/10 - (Primary election is Sept. 14)
• Rand Paul for U.S. Senate in Kentucky, 02/01/10 - (Won primary election)
• Rick Perry for governor of Texas, 01/20/10 - (Won primary election)
• Michele Bachmann for U.S. Congress in Minnesota, 01/20/10 - (Leads in general race)
• John McCain for U.S. Senate in Arizona, 01/20/10 - (Primary is Aug. 24)
• Chris Christie for governor of New Jersey, 10/27/09 - (Won special election)
• Bob McDonnell for governor of Virginia, 10/27/09 - (Won special election
• Doug Hoffman for U.S. Congress in New York, 10/22/09 - (Lost special election)
• Saxby Chambliss for U.S. Senate in Georgia, 11/25/08 - (Won runoff election)

- JP

[2ndDivisionVet]

Sadly, there are people here that act the same way towards a strong conservative woman. I hope their gruel is wormy and as thin as can be in the BHO reeducation camps.

[2ndDivisionVet]

Take a look at the keywords ... someone’s not a happy camper.

[USFRIENDINVICTORIA]

That’s a big pile of chits for Sarah.

[SoConPubbie]

Take a look at the keywords ... someone’s not a happy camper.

Ha!

Probably a bitter, miserable Paulbot or even a Mythbot who sees their candidate fading into irrelevance.

[SoCalPol]

keywords

The children and cult members are having their free time
before being tucked into bed.

[tophat9000]

Personally I have not agree with all her endorsements..BUT..I do think I see what she doing and if so she far more political savvy than people know ... she building a broad base of political alliances, a wide range of people in her political debt

It the flip side of becoming a big tent moderate...

You do not have to a be a big tent moderate to win..

You just got to get big tent moderates to be in your political debt and collect when you make your move....

She been studying Reagan...

[SoCalPol]

>sees their candidate fading into irrelevance.>

ain’t that the truth.

The big laugh are the ones who think their candidate with 5% or 15% with a few days to go will win.
they are in the land of the unicorns

[Clyde5445]

So far Sarah is 6 wins to 3 loses according to JP’s list.

[SoConPubbie]

Personally I have not agree with all her endorsements..BUT..I do think I see what she doing and if so she far more political savvy than people know ... she building a broad base of political alliances, a wide range of people in her political debt

I think it is even more simple than that.

With the exception of McCain who she endorsed BEFORE J.D. got into the race, she is simply, for the most part, supporting the most conservative candidate in each race that she honestly believes can win.

A few of her endorsements were more of a long-shot, but mostly, I believe, she is endorsing those who are most conservative and most probable for winning.

[SoCalPol]

Vaughn Ward for U.S. Congress in Idaho would have won
if it wasn’t for the fringe bunch that went into a smear campaign. It is the only way the fringe can win.

[budwiesest]

Try the original Constitution and beating Hillary.

Do you think Obama was the wrecking-ball to weaken conservative defenses (as if; what a pussy) by 'hitting the ground, running', thereby opening the door for the Hildabeast's return (deal made with the 'Devil and Cigar Hider', Inc.)?

Boy, it makes sense to me. Mr. Inexperience pushes his thick head through the (first black) ceiling so that Mrs. Incorrigable passes through with fat cankles, rehabilitated hubby, and fugly daughter? He was likely told: "Go left as far as you can, whatever you can get will be great, but when Hillary pops up, she'll look like George Washington compared to you and America will be ready for a 'conservative' like Hillary- she wins handsdown. "You screw things up best you can now, hear, boy?"

What about Mr. "We're dying down here" Carville taking Sarah's political threat seriously with "Drill, baby, drill"(he ain't stupid) as a challenge (who but HE, should ever use "baby" in any damn sentence, damnit!) by coordinating an oil blow-out that would be used to nullify her contention for office but good, but, not realizing how much enviornmental damage would occur, is now trying to look like a victim instead of perpetrator? Why the SWAT teams decending on the Gulf, you ask? Cover the tracks, baby, cover the tracks.(Think I hate the Snake, you think right)
Grapes of Oil Wrath

Obama (as he heads back from the field with the sun beating down upon him): "This bag of cotton is getting pretty heavy, wish I hadn't listened to them at all." "Some'll think I let my people down, but I really wanted to change things to help the little people and I believed them, but now realize it was only a quest for power that they lusted after."

"Two more years of shucking bales and it'll all be over like planned, but man, I'm already tired and thirsty as hell." "What's that I see- at the end of the row?" "Isn't that the woman made fun of by so many a late-night comedian? "Is that a ladle of water in her hand?" "What gives grandma, another mirage?"

"Barry, drink slowly, there's more and you're very thirsty." "I've come to replace you, but not in the fields. My mission is to tear down the plantation and free all who live here by tearing down that which binds so many- those who have become accustomed to handouts which are not of their own effort, but that of others who can no longer afford the luxury. Machines can pick cotton, people can build machines. We all can build a future of untold greatness together if "the owners" do not stand in the way."

Barry: "You make a lot of sense, Sarah. Hey, would you like to know who took out the oil well?"
Sarah: "Not right now, we can look into that later, right now, you need some rest and maybe something to eat."
Barry: "Mind if I throw the black vote your way in '012?"
Sarah: "That would be nice, but only if you're not running. I mean, how silly would that look?"
Barry: "You bet."
Sarah: "You betcha!"