Palin Wades Into Republican Midterm Primaries

New York Times ^ | 7/17/2010 | Jeff Zeleny

[Brices Crossroads]

LAWRENCEVILLE, GA---The latest candidate to win the most coveted Republican prize of the election year stood on the steps of a gazebo here and reminded voters of a new reason to support her in the crowded race for Georgia governor.

“Sarah Palin has come on board,” the candidate, Karen Handel, told a group of supporters who gathered Friday on the grounds of the Gwinnett Historic Courthouse. As they broke into applause, she added: “It means one thing. We’re winning.”

[Brices Crossroads]

Indeed she is. A la Nicki Haley, Karen Handel has vaulted into the lead a week after Sarah Palin endorsed her, surging from 8 points behind to seven points ahead in a Mason Dixon poll released on Saturday.

The NYT writer is forced to acknowledge Palin's undeniable appeal. He just can't resist trying to spin it against her, though, with the following piece of tortured logic:

"Indeed, the endorsements provide little evidence that she is moving closer to a presidential run. A willingness to inject herself into so many primary fights and frustrate the supporters of the candidates she overlooks is a risky way of building establishment support."

In other words, campaigning for candidates for public office and helping them to succeed (which is what every potential candidate, Republican or Democrat, has always done as a way to "collect chits" for the next election, is not evidence that Palin is planning a Presidential run. In fact, when Palin does it, it reflects a "willingness to inject herself into so many primary fights and to frustrate the supporters of candidates she overlooks" is a "risky way to build establishment support". In other words, it is a dumb political move for Palin!

First, injecting herself into elections where her endorsee wins is a good way of building support, both with the new Governor or Senator and with their supporters who are the majority. This strategy has served past future Presidents quite well and she has taken it to a level not yet attained by anyone.

Second, she is not interested in building "establishment" support. (Does this poor little reporter know anything?) Even if she was, there is no better way to gain such support than by endorsing and lifting almost singlehandedly, the candidacies of the Nicki Haleys, the Susanna Martinezes, the Karen Handels, who will soon occupy some of the most important Governor's mansions in the United States, and who will remember the most important political force that propelled them there--Sarah Palin.

[Brices Crossroads]

Ping!

[fkabuckeyesrule]

Yes I heard Handel is up by 7 or 8 points but there will probabky be a runoff.

[Brices Crossroads]

“It means one thing. We’re winning.”

Whenever I read of one of Sarah Palin’s many successes of late, that is exactly what I think, too.

[Democrat_media]

I hope Sarah Palin endorses herself for President for 2012. The U.S.A. needs her and we need to get rid of the Marxist/democrat Obama and the rest of the marxists/democrats in Congress.

[Brices Crossroads]

“I hope Sarah Palin endorses herself for President for 2012.”

Contrary to what this NYT mouthpiece writes (and what he is no doubt fervently hoping), I think the indications are very clear that Sarah Palin is going to run.

Some in the MSM prefer to remain in denial. The thought terrifies them more than a crucifix terrifies a vampire.

[GBA]

Please, Sarah, cut McCain loose. You’ve paid him back and your “thank yous” have been said, now it’s time to do what’s right for the people of Arizon and for the rest of U.S.! Let him go.

[FreeReign]

Never on FreeRepublic has there so much attention paid to Republican congressional primaries.

That's a good thing.

And part of the reason for it is Palin with her string of endorsements.

[FreeReign]

Please, Sarah, cut McCain loose. You’ve paid him back and your “thank yous” have been said, now it’s time to do what’s right for the people of Arizon and for the rest of U.S.! Let him go.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't believe Sarah has made any appearances or recorded any new commercials for McCain since March.

[Brices Crossroads]

“Never on FreeRepublic has there so much attention paid to Republican congressional primaries.

That’s a good thing.”

It sure is. It makes it harder for the Establishment to give us the choice they want us to have. The Murkowskis and their RINO ilk are just one example of Palin “taking out the trash”. There will be more.

[Brices Crossroads]

I notice Gingrich’s endorsee in Georgia, Nathan Deal, is currently in third place. If she whips old Newtie in Georgia, what does that say about his viability against her? I wonder if the MSM will trumpet this as the defeat it will clearly be.

[richardtavor]

I don’t like newt ever since he got on a couch with pelosi. People who lie down with dogs, get fleas..

[alice_in_bubbaland]

Paul Ryan/Sarah Palin 2012!

[alice_in_bubbaland]

I haven’t looked up to Newt since he served his wife divorce papers while she was hospitalized.

I admire his brain but not Newt as a person. A cabinet post would be more fitting.

[Polybius]

Well, we have firmly established that Republicans, who make up only 27% of all American voters, love Sarah Palin.

They absolutely love her.

Now all we have to do is pass a law that only allows Republicans to vote in the Presidential elections.

You cannot be elected President of the United States when 47% of ALL voters already have decided that they have an "Unfavorable" opinion of you.

To the majority of American voters, Sarah Palin is in the same boat as Nancy Pelosi. Nancy Pelosi is worshipped and adored by her base in San Francisco but Nancy Pelosi does not have a snowball's chance in Hell of winning a general Presidential election.

[onyx]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't believe Sarah has made any appearances or recorded any new commercials for McCain since March.

You are correct and for all the name-dropping McCain does, he didn't mention Sarah Palin's name once during the two LIVE, TELEVISED DEBATES HE JUST HAD IN ARIZONA WHEREIN JD HAYWORTH SMACKED THE BEJESUS OUT OF HIM!, so I have to wonder just how valuable her endorsement truly is to him in Arizona?

Mountains out of mole hills come to mind.... People in AZ see her endorsement for what it is: former runningmate endorsing old fossil that brought her to the national stage, just like Rush Limbaugh articulated for his 20 million listeners way back when the topic was actually reasonably newsworthy.

[Liberty Valance]

"Palin Wades Into Republican Midterm Primaries"

Sarah Palin doesn't wade. She leads.

[Borax Queen]

People in AZ see her endorsement for what it is: former runningmate endorsing old fossil that brought her to the national stage, just like Rush Limbaugh articulated for his 20 million listeners way back when the topic was actually reasonably newsworthy.

I'm praying you're right! I still have some of her photos on my home office corkboard, I don't want to take them down :0) I'm not really a stalker, I just liked some of the ones with her holding big guns, they were in the paper last year.

I'm hoping that after talking to Gov Brewer and helping her out, SP really saw what was going on here, not just the crap McC fed her/made her say.

[Borax Queen]

Paul Ryan/Sarah Palin 2012!

I love it -- wouldn't that be refreshing!?!?!?!!

[Prokopton]

People in AZ see her endorsement for what it is: former runningmate endorsing old fossil that brought her to the national stage

Wow! Not only can you read Sarah Palin's mind and tell us why she "really" endorsed McCain, although she herself has never stated anything like you suggest, but you even know how the whole thing is understood by the "people" of AZ. Even though Palin's endorsement is hugely sought after, including by McCain, you, in your wisdom, understand that the endorsement really isn't that valuable.

Quite impressive!