Posted on 11/05/2010 11:07:03 PM PDT by Chet 99
South Carolina Gov.-elect Nikki Haley had warm words this morning for Sarah Palin, whose backing was crucial in netting her the Republican primary nomination. But there's one word Haley wouldn't utter about the possible presidential contender: "endorse."
Asked on NBC's Today show this morning whether she would back Palin in a potential 2012 presidential bid, Haley demurred.
"You know, I think the responsibility to the citizens of South Carolina is that I look at the environment, I look at the slate of candidates that are running, and I make the choice that is best for the people of this state," she said. "It's definitely too early to make that sort of decision."
The lukewarm answer immediately followed Haley's response to the question of whether she thought she could have won without Palin's endorsement.
Haley didn't exactly address the query, but did say she was "very grateful" for Palin's support.
"She has gotten the country to realize the power of their voice, and she certainly did that in South Carolina," Haley said of Palin. "We were grateful, we spread our message, and she helped us do that."
It's not the first time one of Palin's chosen candidates has declined to reciprocate support. In September, Alaska Senate candidate and Palin endorsee Joe Miller was asked whether Palin was qualified to be president. His response: that it was not his "role to comment."
Such tepid support illustrates some Republicans' concern that a Palin candidacy could prove disastrous for the party's prospects in 2012. Such reports, it happens, are also sparking anger in the Palin family. Miller's comment drew the ire of Todd Palin, who fired off an e-mail to Miller that was later leaked.
Sarah Palin herself responded harshly to a recent Politico article -- titled "Next for GOP Leaders: Stopping Sarah Palin" -- that quoted anonymous Republican operatives voicing concern about how Palin would fare with voters in a general election.
In an interview on Fox News this weekend, she called the story "crap" and heavily criticized its use of anonymous sources.
"Politico, Mike Allen and Jim VandeHei, they're jokes," she said, referring to the two authors of the piece. "This is a joke to have unnamed sources tearing somebody apart limb by limb."
The Evil Empire (DC) is just warming up. They snapped to the severity of the Palin/TPM threat late but they're wide awake now.
In 1980, Reagan was the most a masculine of the candidates (measured against the preppy, wimpy Bush and the other dwarfs). In 2012, the most masculine candidate is also the only feminine candidate.
LOL, there's a tagline in there somewhere.
“President Carter so dominates the American political scene now that his margin over Ronald Reagan in a post-Iowa trial heat has risen to an overwhelming 65-31 percent.”
I’d be interested in knowing how this poll was conducted. Everyone who lived through the carter years realizes what a disaster he was at the time this propaganda piece was written.
Have you noticed how obsessed the media is with Palin? Every single person in the GOP they interview is asked about Palin! I wonder why that is?
Agitprop to deflect from the extreme failure of the current administration. I don’t see any serious endorsements or declarations coming before Spring 2012.
ABC News - Harris poll: FORD LEADS BOTH CARTER AND REAGAN, ALTHOUGH STILL UNDECLARED CANDIDATE
"Former President Gerald Ford is the first choice of Republican and independent voters to head the GOP ticket, even though he has not yet declared himself a candidate for the Republican nomination.
Ford also leads President Carter among the general electorate."
As much as I love Sarah, Haley is right, it’s way too early. And anyone asking this question is only looking to make both Palin and the responder look stupid. Good for Haley.
“do we want her as the leader of a revived conservative movement?”
That question has been answered by conservatives. The answer is a resounding yes. (Were you paying attention Tuesday night or were you reading Politico spin?) No one is really waiting with bated breath for your answer, because everyone knows your position.
“I think that we can do better.”
Okay. Bring it on. Name your candidate.
“The Evil Empire (DC) is just warming up. They snapped to the severity of the Palin/TPM threat late but they’re wide awake now.”
I was also going to add a third and fourth factor to post 49:
Third, Florida, Ohio, New Mexico, Iowa and Wisconsin are not Delaware or California. The 2012 election will be decided in the upper Midwest and in Florida, where Palin’s candidates held high carnival at the left’s expense. (She was 5 for 5 in Florida, including four tea party candidates). If she carried all the Bush states from 2004 she could win the election even without Ohio. If she wins Ohio (which seems likely in light of how badly Obama is doing there), she could afford to lose several of the 2004 states including Nevada. I found this intereactive map which shows her victories were national in scope. She is a national candidate. In fact she is the GOP’s only national candidate.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/special/politics/palin_tracker/
Fourth is the seriousness factor. By that, I observe that Palin’s gubernatorial endorsements did much better than her Senatorial ones. (7 for 8, pending the recount in Minn; she may be 8 for 8) States like WV and Nevada which have tilted toward the GOP in most Presidential years voted for Democrats for the Senate. While there were surely other factors at play, one of the dynamics at work in this result is the degree to which a Senator can directly affect people in a state. A senator is one of 100 in Washington and the Senate itself is honeycombed with rules that prevent a single senator or even a group from doing anything. AGovernor is one out of one A governor is different in that the Governor’s decisions can have a major impact on citizens UNILATERALLY. A President, a fortiori so. WV would elect Manchin to be the Senator but would never vote for Obama for President. Although Nevada would return Reid to the Senate, because they believe that on balance he helps them, they would not perceive Obama in the same light and will likely blame him for the 15% unemployment rate which they could not honestly lay at Reid’s feet (He is after all 1 out of 100). A different dynamic is at work when it is an Executive on the ballot and that dynamic will hurts Obama and help Palin in 2012. The 2010 gubernatorial races, and her success in endorsing winning candidates are indicative of this.
(I do note that NY and California voted for Democrat governors, which is attributable to a combination of mass insanity there, exacerbated by very weak candidates) IMHO)
I seriously doubt Nikki Haley will be running for president since she was just elected governor.
Cindie
That’s what I get for not reading past the title. I assumed they were speaking about Haley Barbour. My bad.
I didn’t mention the size of Alaska, because the reality is there are little more than half a million people in the state; as states go it is probably not one of the more critical ones in terms of who is in the governor’s office (though she should get credit for winning and serving in that office). Mayors of large cities are responsible for more people than the governor of Alaska, and I don’t think serving as NYC mayor qualifies Michael Bloomberg to be president any more than Sarah Palin is.
“Image overhaul” has nothing to do with appearance; I’m not that shallow. She can’t win the election by having 5,000 FReepers vote for her (even they are divided as to her fitness for the office); she has to convince many people to vote for her, and I don’t think she has convinced nearly enough at this point.
The hostile press are responsible for her reputation as a bubble-head with unenlightened Americans; they will re-double their efforts, and she needs many of the target audience to vote for her.
“1) Michael Bloomberg
2) Mike Pence (running for Governor of Indiana)
3) Jeb Bush
4) Mitch Daniels
5) Scott Brown
6) Chris Christie on many occasions
7) Jim Demint
8) Bobby Jindal
9) General Petraeus
10)Paul Ryan”
I said along time ago that it will be between Palin and Romney...not a tough choice if you are a conservative. Some other conservatives may enter but none with the combo of credibility, charisma, appeal to be seriously considered.
...and how is Huckabee getting over 5%, that is baffling.
Conservatives have to unite or we will get Romney. The Establishment will come out fast and hard for him along with massive elected office holders.
The time to get behind Palin is now...or we will be divided again and lost to the RINOs.
“Palin is not Christine ODonnell. While quintessentially feminine, she has a kind of pioneer toughness that, frankly, makes the male GOP candidates look like sissies. Feminine to be sure, but measured against the rest of the male field, she makes them look effeminate (Romney and a few others) or stodgy and overweight (Barbour).”
Nailhead.
You are 100% right. We all need to get together and believe. If we all believe she will win in a landslide. But if only one of us doubt it, it can break the circle of belief. That's why the disenters must be taken care of right now before they can break another chain.
Believe, Believe, Sa-rah, Sar-rah.
BTW : When is Sarah announcing? I hope she is not her worst disenter or it could turn ugly.
No, we won’t get Romney and the “establishment” doesn’t have the manpower or grit it would take to force him on us. They can play all their usual games, but they won’t get Romney or anyone like him through the convention. Steal the primaries, narrowly? Maybe, but they’ll never get through the convention they’re going to have to face for the first time in a hundred years.
They’re going to have to realize, this ain’t going to remain your Daddy’s Republican Party. We’re taking it and we’re taking it where no national party has gone before, straight back to the Constitution without so much as a nod to anything else (well, maybe the Declaration of Independence).
Slimy headline by a scumbag headline writer...
Exactly...and bogus posts from the PDS Posse and the Concern Trolls.
Save your arguments for rational people. You’re wasting your time here.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.