Posted on 11/09/2008 4:58:41 PM PST by lewisglad
Politico: McCain staffers starting to rally to Palin’s defense
Nothing yet from Steve Schmidt, but foreign policy guru Steve Biegun and spokesman Tracy Schmitt — among others — are on the case.
That she remains a player and may be the party’s nominee in four years would make it smart politics for Republican staffers to praise her in print. But those who went on the record suggest that they were doing so out of genuine affection for Palin and a sense that the image of her coming out of the election – that of a self-absorbed conniver — was not indicative of the person they knew.
“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.”…
“Gov. Palin was a breath of fresh air, particularly for those of us who’ve been living in the Washington bubble,” said Tracey Schmitt, the vice presidential nominee’s traveling spokeswoman and a veteran of the RNC and both Bush campaigns. “Because she is a working mom, she brought a real sense of perspective to the campaign trail, which was important.”…
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.”
Biegun is the one who approved the prank call from “Sarkozy” and was, apparently, quite graciously absolved for it by the ‘Cuda afterwards.
Here’s more on her diva-ness or lack thereof from Greta’s show last night. Exit question: Romney likes to refer (awkwardly) to conservatism as a three-legged stool of “strong military, strong economy and strong family.” Palin’s cornered the market on the last one, but that’s the least important insofar as Obama’s first term will be defined by how well he handles the first two. If the economy comes back, Afghanistan improves, and he keeps the bomb out of Iran’s hands, no one will beat him in 2012. If, god help us, the economy’s still in the toilet and foreign policy is a shambles, we’ll run on that. Either way, social conservatism won’t matter much except to the extent that it usually does, as a basic litmus test to make sure the base turns out. In which case, what’s the argument for Palin, who’s young enough to wait and run in 2016, 2020, or even, conceivably, in 2032, when she’d still be younger than Maverick was this year? Newt, on the other hand…
Update: More from Biegun via Lowry at the Corner: He says there’s no way she didn’t know Africa was a continent, and whoever is saying she didn’t must be distorting “a fumble of words.” He talked to her about all manner of issues relating to Africa, from failed states to the Sudan. She was aware from the beginning of the conflict in Darfur, which is followed closely in evangelical churches, and was aware of Clinton’s AIDS initiative. That basically makes it impossible that she thought all of Africa was a country.
On not knowing what countries are in NAFTA, Biegun was part of the conversation that led to that accusation and it convinces him “somebody is acting with a high degree of maliciousness.” He was briefing Palin before a Univision interview, and talking to her about trade issues. He rolled through NAFTA, CAFTA, and the Colombia FTA. As he talked, people were coming in and out of the room, handing Palin things, etc. She was distracted from what Biegun was saying, and said, roughly, “Ok, who’s in NAFTA, what the deal with CAFTA, what’s up the FTA?”—her way, Biegun says, of saying “rack them and stack them,” begin again from the start. “Somebody is taking a conversation and twisting it maliciously,” he says.
“Nice how they wait a few days for the filthy lies to sink in.”
Yes, pretty rotten, but I wonder why they did that?
Maybe it’s best that Obama won: for all the talk about experience, McCain’s campaign is looking more and more amateurish by the day. If he couldn’t discipline his campaign staff any better than this, how would he have run the executive branch?
He defended Obama more forcefully than he’s defended his own running mate.
Where is that slimy fish Nicolle Wallace?
five days late. although this is how the entire campaign was run.
They are afraid of her. No one gets the approval ratings Sarah does without some wanting/needing to destroy her. Toss the slime out there, let it sink in, then say oh wait, it’s not true.
By doing that some will believe the lie and never hear the retraction.
I truly believe McCains camp was full of undisciplined amateurs...
I hope Palin surrounds herself with LOYAL professionals...
Hope the same for Jindal....
Avtually, you’re wrong there... Bill Kriatol on FNS tonight said that John McCain had personally CALLED up some of his aides THURSDAY to stop trashing/spreading false rumors about Sarah Palin.
A little late, isn’t it?
Screw John McCain. I have no respect for him anymore.
Nupe. That's really up to us conservatives.
Our grass roots storm surge of support for our Sarah takes careful note of Mister McCain's tepid and light-year distant help (as well as Sarah's courageous valor under fire).
Ironically, if Mister McCain were to become Sarah's biggest defender and promoter, HE would be elevated WITH her.
That he takes little effort to defend her against the pure slander and demonization (from his own staffers), makes him one of them, and removes John Sidney McCain from consideration from any post election honors from his (alleged) own side.
Thus, John Sidney McCain will deservedly be remembered along with other loser, should-not-have-beens such as Cynthia McKinney, Ross Perot, Bob Barr, Ralph Nader and Alan Keyes.
Nice going John. You are turning defeat into permanent humiliation.
.
John McCain is behind this. His daughter is probably the high level Campaign aide.
He never imagined that she would become so popular with the base. He was going to use her to rally the Clinton Supporters. He chose her because she was a woman. Thinking he could handle her and use her as window dressing. He never even meant to energize the conservatives in the party.
He was going after the Democratic vote. Trouble was he ended up having to move to the right and you could tell he wasn’t comfortable there.
McCain should be happy he didn’t lose by a larger margin. I know I would never have worked for the ticket if he had chosen another liberal.
If MCCain had run against Jimmy Carter in the 70s he would have lost.
If MCCain had run against McGovern in the 80s he would have lost.
If McCain had run against Clinton he would have lost.
IF MCCain had run against Gore instead of Bush he would have lost.
If McCain had run against Kerry he would have lost.
When a liberal runs as a conservative against another liberal they will always lose.
Watched the entire video. Wanted to cry.
This woman is the most level-headed, clear-speaking, truly genuine person I have seen since Ronaldus Magnus.
Still, it is good to hear that people are FINALLY speaking out. Of course, the reporters now own the leakers' arses. That's how the CIA does it.
I sent a letter of appreciation and support to Sarah Palin last week. Then sent letters of reprimand to both the RNC and Senator McCain for their treatment of Governor Palin since Nov.4th. Those RINOS who abuse our dear Sarah, just might find themselves looking for honest work outside of Washington in 4 years. Good to see our Sarah sticking up for herself recently too. That’s my girl!
But you can be sure that if she runs for president in 2012, GOP elites will pull out the stops to take her down. Their chief concern is maintaining the party’s laissez-faire orthodoxy in regard of economics (and they couldn’t care less about social issues, except as a way of corralling those whom they sneer at as “downmarket voters”). They fear and loathe populists, and have a distaste for sincere believers that they conceal only so as not to lose their votes. Sarah Palin will face an onslaught as ferocious as Pat Buchanan did. Better be ready and be wiser than the serpent. If you think that bluebloods like John and Cindy McCain feel anything but contempt for simplehearted small town folks like the Palins and Joe the Plumber, you have a serious case of naivete. I’m quite sure they see them as white trash and use them only as props.
Who is Nicolle Wallace?
First, McCain praised Palin in his concession. Second, Palin is a grown up and doesn't need everyone to run to her defense when some bitchy metrosexual campaign consultant looking for its next job pins whines about her behind her back because it (the metrosexual campaign consultant with degress in communications arts) is worried about its next job having messed up publicly on the last one.
Palin is going to be just fine and we have bigger fish to fry.
Not Sarkozy, an couple of French-Canadian DJs pretending to be Sarkozy. They do this a lot and are apparently very good at it (They've caught Sarkozy himself, Chirac, the Queen of England, Bill Gates, and The Donald)
Despite them saying this was one of the most difficult calls they ever had to set up, and Sarah not saying anything that could not be politenness to an important Frenchman (who might have been drinking), the incident has been used by the Omaba cult to portray Palin and her campaign as some rube operation from moose country.
Too late. Sorry, no sale.
Too Late.
Far as I’m concerned Rush is the leader of conservatism outside of elected ofice, while Sarah Palin is the leader from within. Attack either and you attack me, and I’m not alone in that view.
Whether she wants to run in ‘12 hasn’t been established yet, but what is established is that she has a ground swell of support, loyalty and excitement within the largest base of the Republican party and will not go away no matter who leads these attacks or whether she runs. Whether they be the establisgment, McCain operatives, Romney operatives or elsewhere.
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