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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.
Know what you mean! I am going to start saving money for her campaign in 2012 because I believe all her supporters will call on her to run and hopefully she will!
Have you joined “Team Sarah” web site and Joe the Plumber’s web site? I have and will be ready for supporting only real conservative candidates in 2010 and 2012.
http://www.teamsarah.org/
http://secureourdream.com/
John McCain’s Senior Advisor who was fingered as spreading lies about Palin.
She was fingered in other ways too.
When is the lightweight McCain going to add his 2 cents? My guess, never. What a piece of work he is.
Oh THAT’s gotta go on MY back car window REALLLLLL soon.
I have a hard time seeing how McCain is behind this. His career is nearing it’s end. Why should he trash Sarah when he picked her.
I choose staffers who don’t want Sarah in their way in 2012 - and/or another candidate for 2012 who wants her out of the way.
But McCain? Don’t see it.
SCREW YOU STAFFERS, every one of you. You didn’t have the guts to defend this good, honorable woman, you are pathetic wretches and I for don’t intend to let you forget it once I get some names.
I think you’re going to learn that you messed up big time among true right-thinking Americans and we intend on making you pay dearly, politically speaking of course.
Amen.
About like his campaign.
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McCain’s daughter?? You mean Meghan? That’s just nuts.
I do not believe McCain was behind this at all, other than being a little lame about confrontation (to his own aides) and response.
Too late “My Friends”... too late.
I agree completely. Could even be Barry.
Definitely NOT Biegun-—know him-—he’s liked her a lot from the beginning and has had nothing but praise for her even in private. He’s been out of town/out of touch late last week and didn’t know about the Cameron report until a few days later.
“They do this a lot and are apparently very good at it”
LOL, didn’t know they got the Queen! I wonder how they get through to someone like that. They got Mick Jagger too, I heard.
I actually heard the tape of Palin getting the call, she was very good. Asked them what radio station they were on, etc.
It’s not even that I like her that I’m upset with all this slandering of her. I just can’t believe people are doing this to our own side. Or really, would do this to anyone. But it seems to have become our stock in trade lately.
Funny isn’t it.....how those who praise Palin are happy to use their name in a story, but those wanting to destroy her are always ‘unnamed’.
Imagine that.
If Sarah Palin runs for President in 2012 her “national career” will be over. Palin has already been “Dan Qualed” by the media. Palin is the governor of a state that will generate NO NEWS for the next 4 years that will give Sarah any attention. Alaska is too far away to be politically relevent. It would be sucide to run Palin against Obama once he has 4 years experience. She needs to become a Senator and get to Washington where she can get on TV every week if needed. The media is not going to give Palin any coverage from Alaska. I think John McCain killed her political future by pushing her onto the national stage before she was ready.
Even funnier is the likely hood that they're one and the same.
That was a brutal post, ODDITHER, I wish I disagreed with it.
But I fear McCain every bit as bad as most of us thought he was.
Nothing would surprise me at this point.
Agree with you all. Some or maybe all of the McCain staffers now defending Sarah and disavowing the smears are ALSO among those who know, or should know, exactly who the rat(s) is/are.
They ALL stay on the list UNTIL they publicly throw the rat(s) overboard!
Continue firing! Fire at will! Keep the heat on until they are sufficiently uncomfortable as to identify the guilty!
Nobody, but NOBODY should be allowed to get away with smearing the lady who gave 110% in the effort and is the reason McCain didn’t lose by a much wider margin.
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