Palin, Perry, and Paranoia

The American Spectator ^ | September 1, 2011 | Robert Stacy McCain

[2ndDivisionVet]

After Wednesday's all-day drama surrounding Saturday's Tea Party rally in Indianola, Iowa -- with headliner Sarah Palin​ reportedly ready to cancel her scheduled appearance -- Palin's fans were understandably perplexed.

It appeared that the event's organizers, a new group called Tea Party of America founded by Ken Crow, had provoked an unnecessary controversy by a last-minute decision to add former Delaware Senate candidate Christine O'Donnell to the rally schedule. Tuesday, O'Donnell was disinvited and then re-invited, and by Wednesday morning, Palin's participation in the event was reported to be "on hold." Then O'Donnell was finally disinvited and, at last word, Palin had agreed to go on with Saturday's show.

The very public controversy seemed almost perfectly calculated to promote the media's stereotype of Palin as difficult and demanding. NBC News reported:

Tea Party of America President Ken Crow told NBC News, "I had to cancel Ms. O'Donnell" after a conversation with Sarah Palin aides - and is now hopeful Palin will attend the Saturday rally in Indianola.

He was told by Palin's team that he'd have a final answer shortly.

This comes after failed Delaware Senate candidate Christine O'Donnell was in, then out, then back in, and now indefinitely out. And Palin was in, then "on hold."

Daily Caller reported:

An organizer of the much-publicized tea party rally in Iowa this weekend says Sarah Palin would not be doing herself any favors if she drops out of the event.

"I hope that isn't so...It would hurt her more than hurt us," event organizer Ken Crow, the co-founder and president of the Tea Party of America, told TheDC...

[2ndDivisionVet]

Sounds like something Romney and his Mittbots would pull.

[RitaOK]

O.M.G., 2D, you have posted a Palin/Perry thread. This should be good given the banning, zotting, trolling threats that get thrown around here by the one side without a candidate. Just kidding, but getting popcorn now.

[ConservativeDude]

I hope nobody is thinking that this is the sort of drama you get when you have too many women invited to speak....

[basil]

I liked the TEA Party better when it was a grassroots movement that was not organized. It was in this form that more than a million people gathered in DC and marched.

To now have elected “leaders” of the movement IMHO takes away the grassroots of the movement It then becomes just another political party with all the infighting, etc that that entails.

I, for one don’t need that. The TEA Party that I knew didn’t need to be “organized. We know how to vote and who the people are that best match our beliefs.

But that’s just me.....

[Rational Thought]

From what I've read, it sound like this has less to do with O'Donnell and more to do with the event organizer.

From the article;

Stacy Drake of Conservatives for Palin writes: "I do know that Ken Crow is a Rick Perry supporter who has managed to make a mess out of a highly publicized event that Governor Palin will be headlining on Saturday. I also know that he has been trashing Governor Palin to the press.",

[2ndDivisionVet]

Won’t he brit a schick if she announces at his event?

[Diogenesis]

This was a PerryBOT dirty trick eagerly picked up by the MSM.

"Iowa Ruckus Exclusive:Palin Will Not Run for President(?)(Perry supporter Ken Crow)"

[dforest]

I stand with you on that. This is supposedly a newly formed Tea Party. huh?

The Tea Party has lost it’s clout because it has now become a vehicle for politicians to promote themselves rather than citizens stepping up and uniting to hold all politicians feet to the fire.

This is how a good thing gets ruined.

[Virginia Ridgerunner]

(((((PING)))))

Crow’s stupidity and big mouth, as well as CO’s desire to take advantage of Sarah Palin, caused this ruckus, but yet the MSM and PDS’ers are again blaming the governor for what other people did.

[RitaOK]

>>> “ From what I’ve read, it sound like this has less to do with O’Donnell and more to do with the event organizer. “ <<<<

The truth of the matter is that reportedly Crow was a Palin supporter until he was told she wasn’t running. He believed it and inquired about meeting Perry to maybe support him. The rift is likely being stoked, from a myriad of other individuals and the media, who stand to gain from setting the pants on fire of both Palin and Perry supporters against one another. Perry and Palin are neither one significantly interested in the other right now given one is busy with an actual campaign, endorsements and fund raising and the other wrestling with her scheduling snafus. It happens to all of us. I’m sure there will be some snafus for our side also.

[ichabod1]

Don’t worry. Many will try to grab the tea party mantel, but the whole point of the movement is that we are nameless, faceless, and we don’t give a FIG about politicians spouting the same old rhetoric that only makes things worse.

[ichabod1]

I don’t think Perry is going to like that. Sarah campaigned hard for him for governor, and I’m pretty sure he knows he owes here. I also think she will not run if she thinks Perry is doing well. She has said all along that she would not run if there was a viable alternative.

[redhead]

"I liked the TEA Party better when it was a grassroots movement that was not organized."

the REAL TEA "party" is still out there like it was in the beginning. I think there are groups out there who like organizing, or who believe that they have to organize in the name of the TEA party in order to draw membership. Just don't join any group that claims to be TEA party but has organizational structure. Here in Wasilla, a group organized, but does not call itself by a "TEA party" name. It is simply called "Conservative Patriots Group," and is entirely "independent," but its membership is entirely composed of people who support the TEA "party" movement.

[luvie]

The REAL tea party is still grassroots. These guys can claim what they want to, but it’s “we the people” who are part of the movement...not an organized bunch of wannabes!

RUN, SARAH...R U N!!!

[CajunConservative]

Perry and Palin are neither one significantly interested in the other right now given one is busy with an actual campaign, endorsements and fund raising and the other wrestling with her scheduling snafus.

Don't leave out the biggest difference, one is still on the job as the governor. ;)

[NavyCanDo]

“I liked the TEA Party better when it was a grassroots movement that was not organized. It was in this form that more than a million people gathered in DC and marched.”

I have to agree with you. I was involved in early Tea Party rallies. Now when I hear Ron Paul called the founder of the TEA Party, I find it repulsive and the natural thing is to distance myself from them. And I know I shouldn't because I still share the limited government, balance budget, strong military, American exceptionalism, principles of most TEA Party activist.

[RitaOK]

” Don’t leave out the biggest difference, one is still on the job as the governor. “ <<<<<

Well, yes of course, one is still governor. That too. :)
And dragging TEXAS around as EXHIBIT A pretty much dwarfs the opposition, competition and certainly the exhibition. :)

[dforest]

Rasmussen had a poll the other day that more people are frowning on the Tea Party now.

I thought it was bunk at first, but it is most likely a reflection of a reaction to politicians glomming onto it.

We now have 2 things to take back. The Tea Party and the country.

[carjic]

Yes that’s true that they are both busy...one is trying to get elected and one is working on solving our Problems! This Texan is for Sarah 2012. Perry is not in top 3.

[onyx]

From this article;

"Is this paranoia? Or are Palin's supporters belatedly learning why I described Perry's campaign as "The Phantom Menace" of Iowa?"

By Robert Stacy McCain on 8.10.11 @ 6:08AM