Hold your friends close but your enemies closer.
The only good I can see coming out of this is if she delivers some barnstormin’ speeches defending solid conservative values, and leaves Mitt, McLame and any of the others looking like the squishy, spineless saps they are.
If you hold a rotten fish too closely, you begin to stink as well. I hope she doesn’t get too chummy with the walking dead.
Bingo!
Besides, she is her own candidate, with her own vision and her own ethics that will contrast nicely with the spiderwebs & dust bunnies siting to her left;
"Well, John, I'm afraid I'm going to have to disagree with you just one more time tonight; remember, you tried blending in with the furniture before, and wouldn't even get in the boat much less rock it. You had all the self righteous anger of a museum doorman at your opponent's palpable disdain for this great country, and even praised his ethics. To be honest, anytime you met him, I wasn't sure if you were going to shake his hand or pull out a stool and shine his shoe!"
“your friends close but your enemies closer.”
In what respects does she differ from them? I didn’t see any indication before or when she joined McCain’s ticket (everyone made the excuse that she couldn’t differ at the time), or since (in spite of how he’s treated her), that she denounces any position he takes. Excuses were made when she took the bailout. Now she’s participating in a group that is CLEARLY the wrong people going in the wrong direction. Do we make that ‘ok’ too? She’s already stated RHINO talking points about not being able to “round up” millions of illegal aliens and deport them. No one is suggesting that, but it has been used by RHINO’s as an excuse for passing Comprehensive Immigration Reform (AMNESTY). When asked to be clear on if she supports a “path to citizenship” for undocumented immigrants, she said “I do”. I just don’t see how she differs very much from the rest of them. Don’t get me wrong, I wish I did, but I don’t.
I don’t know why we don’t think conservatism can influence or dominate the pack of RINOs that exist in the party. Sarah Palin is a dynamite communicator on the whole. I just wish she had more time as a governor under her belt.
By “we” I don’t necessarily mean you, Jim, or me...but “herd” mentality that happens when a group’s back is against the wall.
I know we don’t always agree on every issue; the question of course is should we be pragmatic and accomplish what is “possible” or should we be purists and never get anything done.
I don’t believe anyone would assert even Reagan was a purist. At the same time, I don’t think anyone ever doubted his dedication to the conservative ideals. Same with Buckley (though he wasn’t an office holder).
We at the grass roots have to be convinced to support a group or a cause. Certainly if the power brokers are stupid enough to try and uphold John McCain again they’ll lose. In fact, I wonder why he is even in that group. His conservative credentials are incredibly weak.
OTOH, we see some very strong conservatives: Jindal, Pence, and now Palin. I’ll leave out Jeb and Mitt since those two cause such strife; their conservative ideals are under fire from the grass roots.
Newt is another tough nut to crack. He was fine for a season, but now seems afraid to “take on” liberals like Rush Limbaugh does. Or is it just a different tact? Is this group a direct challenge to Newt’s “American Solutions”?
I guess I’m thinking we should give this group a chance, even if we don’t agree with all conclusions, etc.
Hussein has done an incredibly awful job in just 105 days or so...I shudder to think what’ll happen if we have him for 8 years. I’m not advocating the sacrifice of our prinicples, but the adoption of a practical Reaganism...
Frankly, I think Sarah Palin is among the best communicator of that optimistic, encouraging message. If she can do that while still effectively governing her state, I think she’ll be a formidable force in the coming years.
And I think she can be a positive influence in this group of GOP leaders.
IMHO,
RD
Wise words Jim!