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.
All depends on what happens the next four years. Jimmy Carter was once the President too but for some reason people didn't want to have an economy with 14% interest rates on housing loans, gas lines and embassy employee's kidnapped and held by rogue governments. People do have a limit.
bttt
Down here in Texas those people are referred to as chickenshit.....one of the lower forms of human debris who, upon their failure, assign blame to others. Frankly, it is something a democrat would be expected to do and be.
The left would gladly believe every slander against Sarah Palin.
Those of us who are patriots know better and didn’t believe a word.
On Fox & friends last week, Bill Kristol was talking about 2 of McCain Staffers, Nichole Wallace and Steve Schmidt, as the source of these leaks!
Has anyone heard anything from these 3 individuals about their refuting these leaks???????
Wallace should have been tossed off Palin's plane at 35,000 feet and left to contemplate her role in the campaign on the way down.
Well, she controls on a ton of natural gas that can lower prices for all Americans. That ought to make some news. And then there is the matter of Anwar. I don’t expect these prices to stay low for any longer than the dictators can help it. When they go up Sarah becomes more important.
Palin is the news. Now to find the filthy lice who gave the information to Carl Cameron. Everyone wants to know. If we do not find out, this same peoople will be around in 2012.
Mark
Ping for later.
Yes, and this was no accident either!
I for one have not been a "conspiracy thinker, but I can't help but believe that everything about this election has been nothing but one.
It seems like we were left in the same predicament many of the Dems were in; supporting a candidate that we didn't want to begin with!
I tell you that I believe the fix was in on both sides, and as conservatives with no other place to go, we felt cornered into voting for the "lesser of the two evils".I frankly wonder if McCain didn't already know he was suppose to lose before the race began, and that the choice of Sara Palin as his VP was only offered to her, because they wanted to make the race a little closer than it other wise would have been.
The very fact that any of this insider Palin smear has been allowed to "soak in" for this length of time only proves to me that she was more successful than they dared dream, and now they have to temper her popularity, lest she manage to attain anything without the powers that be.
Think about this. I now believe this party is as corrupt as the Democrats, and maybe even more so!
That's not good enough. If McCain was as honorable and ethical as he was shopped around to be, he'd have been speaking out within the first hour. I don't care at this point what she may or may not have done. You absolutely and in no uncertain terms do not treat your running mate in such fashion.
If she's guilty, then give her a decent burial, but don't act as if she never existed!
As an aside, I'd beg for another screen name if I were you.
I do too, and damn if there's not some already screaming about taking the GOP back. It's a dead and rotting corpse.
Totally irredeemable.
Sarah should set up a PAC now and start getting contributions. The Republicans need to start getting money for the 2010 Congressional and Senate races. Sarah is a good draw. She could name the PAC “Honest Government for a Change.” to play off Obama’s. Also, with the PAC she could advertise on TV and help deserving candidates. Remember the Governor from Arkansas.
With Energy still a good topic and maybe more important in 2 to 4 yrs being from Alaska has its advantages. Remember, the Republicans in hte primary season got less than 25% of the coverage of BHO and the other runts.
I would support her PAC which would be a forerunner of her campaign committee. Also, she should run for re-election and I will provide some small dollars. If we can get 1 million conservatives to provide $175 per yr (2009 and 2010) for her PAC that would give her $350Million to buy advertising separate from the candidates.
This is what I plan to send to the RNC tomorrow:
To: The Republican National Committee
Almost a week after your horrible 2008 election showing I have some more observations, comments, and recommendations from loyal Republicans that are sick and tired of your wasting our hard work and effort.
This is war and not a game of croquet. This is not nice game and have a good day.
Some rules from war:
A. Don’t let the enemy pick your battles and battlesfields, make the enemy fight on your turf. The enemy in this case is the democratic party, and the main street media (CBS, CNN, ABC, NBC, MSNBC, Washington Post (also known as Washington Compost), New York Times (aka New York Slimes,etc.
B. A good plan forcefully applied is better than the perfect plan never executed. (George Patton). Your plan for 2008 may have been a good plan, but was not forcefully executed.
C. Believing that the MSM is your friend leads to the famous Shakespearean line, “et tu Brutus” uttered by Julius Caesar in Julius Caesar by Shakespeare. The MSM wanted John McCain as our nominee and played him up until he got the nomination. We were doomed from that point on because earlier John McCain answered a question from a MSM news show about what he was weak on (Note: In job interviews, the rule when asked that question is too turn it into a positive and not to acknowledge a weakness) and John McCain said, “The economy.” We were ahead in some polls until he made the famous goof, “Our economy is sound.” Therefore, until the summer of 2012, no Republican of the RNC, Senator, or Representative will go on any of the above networks under any circumstance. Go only on selected Fox News shows – the democrats won’t go on the show.
D. Not attacking democrats – No one mentioned throughout the campaign and President Bush is his one nationwide explanation of the housing debacle never once mentioned the CRA, the HUD Secretary’s under Clinton demanding the Fannie and Freddie buy the loans being made to people that were never going to be able to pay them off. No mention of the new Chief of Staff getting director’s fees from one of them during this period. (The White House Chief of Staff position does not require Senate approval, but I haven’t seen any Republican demand that he repay the money.)
E. Have a force full position and get the message out (Use Negative to drive the opponent down like the democrats have done for the last 4 yrs very well but overall they have done this for the last 8 yrs)
Comments on Strategy of John McCain:
A. I am a veteran and wear a combat patch on my right sleeve and I appreciate John McCain’s efforts. However, if he mentions this one more time, he should be horse whipped out of town. He spoke with a lot of emotion during his acceptance speech and by the way, the MSM commented on the lack of substance but the MSM praised the democratic nominees lack of specifics. Again, the MSM is not our friend.
B. Keeping Sarah Palin with him for almost the first month instead of sending her forth.
C. Debate preparation – The team for Sarah did not do even a half-way decent job. Everyone knew Joe Biden would bring up Kosovo as a successful intervention and not like Iraq. However, a proper riposte do this is “If it was so successful, Joe, why are we still there over 10 years later with armed forces? And the democratic party likes tyrants and does not like challenging them even though through the democrats like of leadership, over 100,000,000 people have died from the communist in power in Russia, China, Cambodia, Viet Nam, Cuba and other communist regimes. Yet, you say that we cannot challenge them.
D. If John McCain did not want to challenge, BHO why have any debates?
E. Failure to aggressively respond to attacks on Sarah Palin, especially hr clothes. Did any one check on how Michelle Obama is handing all of her clothes?
Recommendations:
A. Fire all employees of the RNC
B. Select Newt as the next Chairman and John Sununu as deputy
C. Keep hounding the democrats on taxes, the economy – it’s the worst economy since 1930, etc. Inflation is going up. On Oct 3 I obtained a 3 mo CD from my Credit Union at 2.13 AYP. On Nov 3, I obtained another 3 Mo CD from the same credit union for 2.83 AYP. The CDs were the same denomination. A 70 basis point increase in interest which translates into higher inflation.
D. Remember for Herbert Hoover, the market crashed in Oct 29 and by 1932 Congress passed trade protection and increased taxes and the democrats took over. By 1936 it was not much better but they still retained power. Since this only started in late Sep 08 and if the democrats in Jan rescind President Bushes tax cuts like they have tried for several years, and he wants to install protectionism in the name of labor and environmental concerns, in 4 ys it will be worse or no better. Hammer the democrats every chance.
E. McCain should not do one thing to help the democrats especially after what Senators Schumer and Reid said about John McCain. When they ask him to help get an ultraliberal court nominee out of the Senate, he should tell them to have the President personally call him. Then when the President calls him and reminds him of what he said in the concession speech about helping the new President in the future. McCain should say, “I said that with the same sincerity that you said that you would take public financing, and don’t bother calling or sending a staffer to ever see me. Then hang up the phone and tell the secretary’s don’t put any calls from democrats or the White House through. If John McCain wants to be remembered as having class, he must finally stand up and earn it. Again, if he mentions Viet Nam one more time, I will never vote Republican again.
F. Have Sarah help raise money for both the RNC and her own PAC to help her in campaigning in 2009 and 2010 for good candidates. Her PAC should be called “Honest Government.” I have enclosed a letter to her but I don’t have her non-governmental email account. The State of Alaska home page states that only official Alaska business can be performed using their email and mail systems. I will gladly contribute to her PAC at $175 per yr. If she went on Sean Hanity, Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck and other conservative talk shows, she can probably rake in tens of millions for her PAC.
G. Support her in her re-election if she runs for re-election because the democrats will do everything to defeat her.
H. I am boycotting ABC, CBS, CNN, NBC, MSNBC, and CNBC. I am also boycotting a firm in San Antonio – Longhorn Café. On Wednesday, I was going to eat my normal hamburger at the restaurant near my office (one of 4) and just before I reached the order counter, I saw a big sign in the food preparation area about the Obama win and I walked out. If an employee had asked me why I was laving I was going to tell him that I was redistributing my money and they were now out of my weekly business. The RNC may not be able to recommend boycotting, but pass this along. I am boycotting the MSM because they were all in the tank for Obama so they don’t need my buying power for their advertisers.
Thursday was too late, but better late than never.
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