Kathleen Parker: America is neither left nor right but centrist

The Washington Post ^ | March 21 2010 | Kathleen Parker

[EveningStar]

...Independents -- neither right nor left but smack dab in the broad middle -- today constitute 42 percent of the electorate, according to a recent CBS/New York Times poll...

[EveningStar]

Different polls can show different results. Or in the words of the wildly overused saying, "Your milage may vary."

[brytlea]

If you put one foot in scalding water and one foot in freezing water, on average you are comfortable.

[ConservativeMind]

Parker is an idiot. After all, she had a thing for 0bama, didn’t she?

[EveningStar]

She also says, “We’re a vast middle, slightly right-of-center nation.”

[muawiyah]

There's no middle, and I doubt there ever was. There is only the single-member district and the mathematical laws that drive folks to one pole or the other ~ or leave them in the lurch as "a fringe".

Today's "fringe" might well be larger than usual ~ Ms. Parker is not part of it though. Her inclinations are actually with the Democrats.

[SmokingJoe]

Independents — neither right nor left but smack dab in the broad middle — today constitute 42 percent of the electorate, according to a recent CBS/New York Times poll

Only thing is, Kathleen dear, independents have voted for the Republican candidates by over a 2:1 margin, in the recent state wide polls in NJ, VA and MA, all states that 0bozo won by huge majorities just a year ago.

[Retired Greyhound]

What is wrong with this broad?

[Slyfox]

I heard her speak one time and was quite puzzled as to why conservatives would bother reading any of her columns.

I have got a suspicion that Kathleen, who emerged on the conservative scene before Palin did, is quite miffed at the fact that she is no longer the media darling she started out to be. Therefore, she has to put down her rival.

Sarah is more true to real conservative beliefs. Kathleen Parker likes the spotlight.

[dirtboy]

...Independents -- neither right nor left but smack dab in the broad middle -- today constitute 42 percent of the electorate, according to a recent CBS/New York Times poll...

Conservatives make up 40 percent of the electorate - a lot of conservatives no longer self-identify with the GOP - Parker would know that if she didn't have her own RINO agenda.

[marron]

And what exactly does a “centrist” believe in?

These are the Oprah-watchers. They don’t know what they believe in.

And frankly, I don’t care what you believe in, if you believe in the constitution. And if you don’t, then I really don’t care. You’re the problem.

[kabar]

Why do we keep posting this woman’s stories? She is a RINO who sold her soul supporting Obama and criticizing Palin. Nothing she writes is worth reading or commenting upon.

[astyanax]

Kathleen Parker, CBS and NYT.
Enough said.

[kevkrom]

Kathleen, you ignorant slut (I remember your adoration of Obama during the 2008 election). When party labels are removed and people are quizzed on their beliefs on policy issues, the majority are conservative. It is only when you start applying party labels and the social stigmas attached to them that you see people identifying themselves as being more “moderate” and “independent”.

[freedom_forge]

Since there is no objective standard about what is left, right or center, of course people are in the center. That statement is a statistical tautology. The average Arab is in the center of Arab opinion and the average Christian is in the center of Christian opinion and the average felon is in the center of felon opinion.

But still, to the extent we can figure any of this out, the majority of people seem to be fiscally conservative and mildly liberal on social issues when compared to the conventional sense of what is liberal and conservative at this moment in history.

[freedom_forge]

And frankly, I don’t care what you believe in, if you believe in the constitution. And if you don’t, then I really don’t care. You’re the problem.

Agreed!

[EveningStar]

she had a thing for 0bama, didn’t she?

IIRC, she (along with several other Beltway type conservaives) did seem quite enamored of Obama.

[Mamzelle]

Why are you so fond of posting and linking to Katty Parker? She’s neither important nor influential.

[Mamzelle]

re: Why do we keep posting this woman’s stories?)))

Maybe her publicist has an account on FR?

[EveningStar]

I have got a suspicion that Kathleen, who emerged on the conservative scene before Palin did, is quite miffed at the fact that she is no longer the media darling she started out to be. Therefore, she has to put down her rival.

She's definitely not a fan, that's for sure. And it goes back to when Palin was picked for VP.

[Diogenesis]

From the hyperbiased and hyperpartisan article:

Ms. Parker: ”Centrists -- who may be broadly defined as fiscally
conservative, socially libertarian-ish -- have been relatively quiet as "patriots" have made
threats, building armies of "hunters" to bring down RINOs (Republicans in Name Only)
and DINOs (Democrats in Name Only) or creating online "leper colonies" to post the
names of those who, for example, dared speak out against Sarah Palin. The latter was the
creation of Erick Erickson, founder of RedState.com, recently hired as a CNN
commentator and famous for calling retiring Supreme Court Justice David Souter a
"goat-[expletive] child molester," among other similarly trenchant observations.”

Benedict Willard Romney:
”What starts twisted, ends twisted.”

---

Late in October, The American Spectator's The Prowler revealed:
"Former Mitt Romney presidential campaign staffers…
have been involved in spreading anti-Palin spin to reporters, seeking to diminish her standing after the election.
'Sarah Palin is a lightweight, she won't be the first, not even the third, person people will think of when it comes to 2012,'
says one former Romney aide…
'The only serious candidate ready to challenge to lead the Republican Party is Mitt Romney.
"Some former Romney aides were behind the recent leaks to media, including CNN, that Governor Sarah Palin was a 'diva' and was going off message intentionally."

---

The Palmetto Scoop reported: "One of the first stories to hit the national airwaves was
the claim of a major internal strife between close McCain aides and the folks handling his running mate Sarah Palin."
"I'm told by very good sources that this was indeed the case and that a rift had developed, but it was between Palin's people and the staffers brought on from the failed presidential campaign of former Gov. Mitt Romney, not McCain aides."
"The sources said nearly 80 percent of Romney's former staff was absorbed by McCain and these individuals were responsible for what amounts to a premeditated, last-minute sabotage of Palin."
… aides loyal to Romney inside the McCain campaign, said The Scoop, reportedly saw
that Palin would be a serious contender for the Republican nomination in 2012 or 2016, which made her a threat to another presidential quest by Romney.
"These staffers are now out trying to finish her off ….hoping it would ingratiate themselves with Mitt Romney."

---

Kathleen Parker: "[I]t is increasingly clear that Palin is a problem." "Parker ... says something publicly that many of us have thought privately
but lacked the courage to say out loud - Palin should step down:"

"Kathleen Parker: After Interviews, Palin Should Bow Out"

Kathleen Parker: "Romney would bring more than squeaky clean qualifications
and youthful good looks to the ticket.
Romney would seem a logical choice."

---

"Peeking Out From the McCain Wreckage: Mitt Romney"

"Someone's got to say it: IS MITT ROMNEY RESPONSIBLE FOR OBAMA'S VICTORY?"

"Vanity: Team Romney Sabotaged Palin and Continuing to Do So?"

"Romney Supporters Trashing Palin"

"Romney advisors sniping at Palin?"