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Behind Obama's Palin Strategy
Time ^ | Friday, Sep. 05, 2008 | Jay Newton-Small

Posted on 09/05/2008 2:33:30 PM PDT by nickcarraway

Nobody was more surprised by John McCain's choice of Sarah Palin as his running mate than the people who run Barack Obama's campaign. "I can honestly say that we weren't prepared for that," says David Axelrod, Obama's top strategist. "I mean, her name wasn't on anybody's list. It was a surprise to a lot of Republicans as well."

Their shock was evident in their initial, clumsy reaction, a hard-hitting two-sentence statement from Obama spokesman Bill Burton that included this zinger: "Today, John McCain put the former mayor of a town of 9,000 with zero foreign policy experience a heartbeat away from the presidency." Eighty-six minutes later, the campaign corrected course, issuing a second statement from both Obama and his running mate, Delaware Senator Joe Biden: "While we obviously have differences over how best to lead this country forward, Governor Palin is an admirable person and will add a compelling new voice to this campaign."

Later that afternoon, Obama, almost apologetically, explained the discrepancy: "You know campaigns start getting these hair triggers, and the statement that Joe and I put out reflects our sentiments." The do-si-do by the campaign reflects its initial uncertainty on how to deal with Palin, a rare moment of unsure footing for the usually flawlessly managed 19-month-old operation.

The dilemma the campaign has about the sudden emergence of this political superstar comes down to this: it can't possibly ignore her, but going after her directly could easily backfire. If anything, the past week has shown that Palin wears a similar coat of Teflon as Obama. Just as many of Obama's opponents suddenly found themselves accused of playing the race card, many of Palin's supporters have been quick to accuse Dems of outrageous sexism in the frontal assault on Palin's record and family.

(Excerpt) Read more at time.com ...


TOPICS: Front Page News; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: 2008; 2008rncconvention; democrats; electionpresident; elections; mccainpalin; obama; obamabiden; palin
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To: nickcarraway
Nobody was more surprised by John McCain's choice of Sarah Palin as his running mate than the people who run Barack Obama's campaign. "I can honestly say that we weren't prepared for that," says David Axelrod, Obama's top strategist. "I mean, her name wasn't on anybody's list. It was a surprise to a lot of Republicans as well."

Another illustration of what the Obama administration would be like. Palin's name has been mentioned for months as a possible VP, albeit as an extremely dark horse. So how come the Obama team didn't have SOME type of file on her? "Her name wasn't on anybody's list?" It's been on FreeRepublic lists for months. Doesn't the vaunted Obama campaign have any kind of intelligence capability at all?

The DOD plans scenarios for all kinds of unlikely things. This guy wants to be Commander-in-Chief. How is it that nobody thought to do any research on Palin and develop at least the guts of a counter strategy, just in case?

This from the same guy who has at last been forced to acknowledge how utterly and arrogantly wrong he was about the Iraq War in general and the surge in particular.

Obama daily displays his managerial and decision-making incompetence. Too bad more people don't seem to notice.

21 posted on 09/05/2008 2:50:07 PM PDT by Maceman (If you're not getting a tax cut, you're getting a pay cut.)
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To: expatpat
Yeah, the Time article sounds like the W. Post discussing its home town Redskins, or the Boston Globe discussing the Red Sox.

Another vacuous report by a two-name person.
22 posted on 09/05/2008 2:50:56 PM PDT by TheLawyerFormerlyKnownAsAl
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To: nickcarraway
"I can honestly say that we weren't prepared for that," says David Axelrod, Obama's top strategist. "I mean, her name wasn't on anybody's list.

Geeez, even I had Sarah Palin on the list! (Admittedly I thought McCain would take "Troopergate" as seriously as the MSM. Thumbs up for McCain about that!)

If Axelrod is that obtuse, we really have an excellent chance in November!

23 posted on 09/05/2008 2:52:37 PM PDT by Sooth2222 ("Suppose you were an idiot. And suppose you were a member of congress. But I repeat myself." M.Twain)
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To: Bobalu

Clever. Very clever!!


24 posted on 09/05/2008 2:54:02 PM PDT by vortigern (Watch this: http://youtube.com/watch?v=ZxBX8sz3tO8)
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To: Carling

Exactly my (unstated) points - he’s a whiny misogynist baby - or as El Rushbo calls him - whiny Man-Child.


25 posted on 09/05/2008 2:54:39 PM PDT by time4good
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To: Maceman

Just goes to show that McCain is an outside the box thinker by picking Palin, while Obama and his team are not.


26 posted on 09/05/2008 2:55:50 PM PDT by Norman Bates (Freepmail me to be part of the McCain List!)
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To: RightField
Anybody that haunted Free Republic with any frequency knew that she was a real possibility. Most of us thought she was just too smart to take the job, especially as a nursing mother.

We're all proud that she put country first and even I, who loathes how McCain has let Washington transform him, will work our utmost to elect this ticket for this nation's and Sarah's sake.

I knew of her and knew her record, but had no idea about how well spoken she was until Wednesday night.

27 posted on 09/05/2008 2:56:28 PM PDT by Vigilanteman (Are there any men left in Washington? Or, are there only cowards? Ahmad Shah Massoud)
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To: longtermmemmory
I gues the elite media is not laughing any more...

There are 80 fewer workers laughing at the Dallas Morning News today...

28 posted on 09/05/2008 2:57:18 PM PDT by Night Hides Not (John McCain is Lucy, McCainiacs are Charlie Brown, and the football is a secure border.)
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To: Norman Bates
Just goes to show that McCain is an outside the box thinker by picking Palin, while Obama and his team are not.

Nothing like a military man to apply the element of surprise.

29 posted on 09/05/2008 2:58:54 PM PDT by Night Hides Not (John McCain is Lucy, McCainiacs are Charlie Brown, and the football is a secure border.)
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To: nickcarraway

Political jujitsu that may actually work. Congrat’s Mac.


30 posted on 09/05/2008 2:59:49 PM PDT by Oldeconomybuyer (The democRATS are near the tipping point.)
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To: nickcarraway

On September 28th the Democrat party, placed into nomination for President of the United States of America, a self-promoting, community organizer, who embraced the Chicago political machine, and manipulated radical associations to advance his political career.
He managed to attach his name to a few pieces of legislation, without contributing much effort to the actual writing of the bills.
The impression is that being a minority socialist is a sufficient credential to receive the support and adoration of the left wing media, to be promoted to the office of President of the United States.


31 posted on 09/05/2008 3:05:45 PM PDT by G Larry (Our VP has more executive experience than B.O.)
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To: quintr
“...her name wasn’t on anybody’s list...”

Yeah, Laura Ingraham and Newt Gingrich were on the radio telling us all to keep it under our hats. What a dope.

32 posted on 09/05/2008 3:05:54 PM PDT by gundog (John McCain is the kindest, bravest, warmest, most wonderful human being I've ever known in my life.)
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To: nickcarraway

Good community organizers should be able to deliver good press releases. ;O)


33 posted on 09/05/2008 3:05:56 PM PDT by HarleyD
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To: nickcarraway

Obama is finished thanks to Sarah...for now.

But one must remember the far-left extremists are dangerous,ruthless,powerfull and mendacious.Obama is,perhaps,their last ticket to national socialism this generation.So I believe that they will contrive an October Surprise on the last day of that month.Friday,Oct.31 at 3:00 PM,to be exact,the biggest lie in American history will flood the MSM outlets.

Borrowing from the experience of keeping secret until most effective to reveal,as in the Bush DUI story in 2000,and the technical skills to fabricate “documented” lies,as in Rathergate of 2004,a bogus bombshell will drop on Gov.Palin that Fall afternoon.It will be so bad and so soon before election day that McCain will dump Gov.Palin over the weekend and then Obama wins the following Tuesday.
Of course the truth will out and maybe even criminal prosecutions of the fraud will begin—until President Obama,on January 21,pardons everyone in the interest of healing and unity.There will then be calls for impeachment by the GOP minority-—”calls” the Dem majority will pooh pooh as partisan sourgrapes and with the “Fairness Doctrine” already imposed on all media nobody is even aware of the construction of the concentration camps.

What will the Oct,31 big lie be?
I think we will “find out” that Sarah Palin had a secret abortion when she was fourteen because her father would beat her even worse than ever if he found out.
Planned Parenthood will supply the “documents” and Katie Couric will “break” the story.


34 posted on 09/05/2008 3:13:24 PM PDT by Happy Rain ("Yeltsin was the comedy relief between two evil bastards.")
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To: nickcarraway
"George H. W. Bush didn't do an especially good job in the one vice-presidential debate where he appeared condescending and patronizing at points toward Ferraro, which infuriated her and her supporters," says Larry Sabato, head of the University of Virginia's Center for Politics. "And Barbara Bush didn't help with the 'rhymes with witch' comment."

I was a teenager at the time, but I recall vividly that Bush absolutely cleaned her clock. She was a true lightweight, and even today admits that she was picked SOLELY because she was a woman. Ferraro was the "Hail Mary" pick if there ever was one. Of course, the press TRIED to pass it off that Bush was mean since he so thoroughly embarrassed her. What else were they going to say?

I also recall a day or 2 after the debate, Bush was caught on an open mic saying "we kicked a little ass, didn't we?" or something very close to those lines. He was obviously talking about the debate. Of course the press's reaction was "OOOH, what a meanie!"

Yeah, Bush's treatment REALLY backfired. Maybe if he hadn't been so mean, Reagan would have carried Minnesota for a CLEAN SWEEP. LOL
35 posted on 09/05/2008 3:13:35 PM PDT by GLDNGUN
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To: nickcarraway

You know, the people that want royalty should move to countries that have royalty.

We Americans like our way.


36 posted on 09/05/2008 3:15:20 PM PDT by freekitty (Give me back my conservative vote.)
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To: nickcarraway
I guess they thought McCain was going to make as bad a choice as they did.

It's amazing how well the McCain/Palin ticket contrasts to Obama/Biden. They put the rookie in charge. He talks about change but creates a bloated campaign staff of "experts" and picks an old party hack to bolster the ticket with someone who gives the appearance of experience. While McCain wisely chooses an outsider who can demonstrate a record of real reform and connects with mainstream America in a way that the Democrats can only dream of doing.

Is it any wonder why they can't get their message straight? They need to create a new game plan from the bottom up because McCain stole all their best stuff and he's making it work better than they could.

37 posted on 09/05/2008 3:21:44 PM PDT by eggman (Read it on Free Republic tonight, see it on the network news when the DNC sends them the copy.)
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To: nickcarraway


38 posted on 09/05/2008 3:25:06 PM PDT by Chode (American Hedonist - McCain/Palin'08 = http://www.johnmccain.com/)
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To: nickcarraway

“I mean, her name wasn’t on anybody’s list..”


Now that is a panicked statement caused by overconfidence if I have ever heard one.


39 posted on 09/05/2008 3:26:26 PM PDT by crazyhorse691 (McCain will screw the conservatives, but, Obama will screw the whole country.)
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To: nickcarraway
"I can honestly say that we weren't prepared for that," says David Axelrod, Obama's top strategist.

McCain you old warrior fox! Isn't the element of surprise one of the most basic cornerstones of war strategy?

40 posted on 09/05/2008 3:29:05 PM PDT by AmericaUnited
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