Posted on 11/07/2008 6:36:49 PM PST by mathwhizz
“It’s depressing,” said Steve Biegun, a veteran foreign policy hand who tutored and staffed Palin and travelled with her through the fall. “We worked our asses off. It was a tough campaign. Then we have this?”
Biegun emphatically made the case for his much-maligned former boss.
“I think she was fantastic. She just brought a special energy to our ticket. Look, I was there at those rallies.”
Adds another former campaign aide: “You know what she did for us. She certainly solidified a hell of a lot of [previously unenthused Republicans].”
“I’m appalled by it because Sarah Palin was one of nicest people I have ever had the chance to work with,” says Biegun, a former Bush NSC aide. “I’ve worked in Washington for 20 years, on the Hill, in the White House and in the private sector, and she ranks at the highest levels of decency, kindness and graciousness of anybody I’ve ever worked with.”
Biegun said Palin’s generous spirit was on clear display the final weekend of the campaign, after she was subjected to a prank call by a pair of French Canadian radio DJs imitating French President Nicolas Sarkozy.
“I approved the call and was in abject horror of what I had done,” he recounted. “But she said, ‘Look, it’s not about whose fault this is, don’t beat yourself up, let’s just move on.’”
Schmitt said that Palin’s effort on McCain’s behalf was a dogged one – that she was completely devoted to helping the man who made her famous.
“She was tireless on the stump and would have shaken every hand on the rope line if there were time,” Schmitt recalled. “It was evident that this work ethic and enthusiasm was fueled by her sincere commitment to helping Sen. McCain get elected.
Two other McCain aides who were pressed unexpectedly into Palin duty also have only positive things to say about her now
“One of the great developments of this campaign is the addition of Sarah Palin as a powerful and energetic new voice in American public life,” said Taylor Griffin, a McCain press aide who had been focusing on economic issues until he was dispatched to Alaska in late August. “She's smart, insightful, and has an uncanny ability to ask the right questions.”
John Green was McCain’s Capitol Hill liaison for much of the year but was quietly tasked this fall with helping Palin deal with some of her Alaska-related issues, spending significant time there and with her on the campaign trail.
“I thought she was an exceptional political person, but more than that an exceptional person,” Green said. “She’s in line with conservative principles and is an everyday Republican -- what we’re going to have to find more if we’re going to get back to being a majority party.”
There is a reason, Green noted, why Palin had an 80% approval rating in Alaska.
Sometimes, lookin' (no 'g' .. my loving pandering to Gov. Palin) ... lookin' in the mirror reveals more than one wants to see.
It occured to me about two weeks ago ... Sarah Palin is Barak Obama in white skin n' a skirt.
Out of the clear, blue sky comes an articulate, knowledgeable, good lookin' person that enthuses whomever hears her ..... just like Bambi did at the 2004 DNC.
Bambi saw another him and said .. "Uh oh".
Sarah, unfortunately, wasn't tapped for the presidential race ... she would have, (just imagine her as we know her now, at any of the debates against any of the other candidates) blown them all away and the talking heads following every debate would be gushing how she 'hit it out of the park'.
Sarah had to be damaged and hopefully (by the socialists) killed.
To our advantage and tough $h!t to the socialists, she survived and she will be back on the national stage.
OUR job now is to protect her.
All Alaskan FReepers need to keep a close watch for our next president.
There were 3 big winners last Tuesday: Obama, Biden and Palin.
McCain is toast...no wonder his aides and henchmen are acting the way they do.
If she reads “Free To Choose” by Friedman over the next 4 years and does her homework on foreign affairs, she can’t be beat.
If I hear “You betcha, we’re gonna get those greedy oil and tobacco companies and those greedy Wall St folks” from her again in 2012, it’s all over.
It’s that bitch, Nicole Wallace, no doubt.
Deep down I really don’t care that McCain lost. I was concerned that he would drag her down with him. At least she is free from the shackles of his RINOism.
People keep saying this but it is a crazy idea - I don't know if she can "appoint herself" legally but that would wreck her "reformer" credibility forever. It would be portrayed as worse than the nepotism of appointing a family member, appointing yourself, and anyway that was one of the issues that undermine Murkowski when he was AK Governor -- he appointed his daughter Lisa to fill the other US Senate seat.
Anyway, I don't see any merit in her rushing to become one of 100 Senators, even if she were elected to the seat. Far better to serve out her term as Governor and build her record of accomplishment there. She's young, if anything she should be looking past 2012 unless Obama is obviously weakened politically -- she can serve 2 terms as Governor, and be ready for 2016 if 2012 is not in the cards.
This year is unusual in having a US Senator elected POTUSA, but I think that a successful Governor will always have advantages over people in Congress due to the executive experience and leadership.
I hate it when I'm right.
Let's see ONE name and face making these allegations.
(crickets)
Thought so.
RIck Davis as noted was on Hannity & Colmes; Smitt is another top McCain campaign guru (the guy who came on with the ‘Celebrity’ ad and others).
Still, it really is important for Sen. McCain himself to make a forceful statement or risk damage to his own reputation. It is difficult if not impossible to fight nameless, faceless, COWARDLY leaks.
Thank-you for this!
“I am an unconditional Governor Sarah Palin supporter, full stop.”
DITTO, full stop.
“And she’ll have her own team of advisers and a strong support base of conservatives. Palin is the front-runner now.”
Yes. Meanwhile, as for Stevens’ AK Senate seat, Gov. Palin could appoint any one of her friends or neighbors from Wasilla. The quality of the Senate, and its ability to relate to the American public, would be enhanced.
Better yet, appoint her dad. Chuck Heath for US Senate. He’d do fine.
Hey. Asshat McCain. What say you?
That's just what I've been asking. Where is the white haired old dude?
He lets Sarah get bashed to smithereens, but won't call 0 by his full name.
Sorry to say, McLame turned out to be just who we thought he was from the beginning.
“I don’t claim to speak for the Big Guy, but maybe God wasn’t too thrilled about the mother of Bristol’s bastard child ending up in the second-highest office of this country He loves.”
You sure DON’T speak for Him, creep!
How DARE you make such a statement about the Palin family here!! Go slither back to whichever snake pit you came from.
And read my tagline on your way out. All of it!
Sorry...what respect i had for Mccain (his vietnam service) has been swept away by his letting this spectacular woman be treated this way and not saying a word. This woman worked her ass off for that doddering old bastard and this is how shes rewarded? Thank god i dont have to look at his weird creepy expressions anymore while this beautiful woman introduced him at joint rallys. She outdrew that old has been every step of the way....Toward the end, at one place of about 20,000, all i saw were Palin signs and his name wasn”t even mentioned until Sarah and HAD to do it!!!....retire old man, you and kind are hist-or-ee
Juneau Office
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Phone (907) 283-2918
Fax (907) 283-3037
The link is: http://gov.state.ak.us/govmail.php
Please give her your support and recognition.
I hope she comes back into the National "adventure". She's great.
I forgot to add that I can see Alaska from my house!
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