Posted on 06/02/2011 2:47:07 AM PDT by Cincinatus' Wife
GOP megastar Sarah Palin’s bus tour rumbled toward the Hub last night, driving into a Republican Party furor as her headline-grabbing East Coast trip threatened to overshadow today’s presidential announcement by party front-runner Mitt Romney.
“She will certainly be in New Hampshire to rain on Mitt’s parade,” wrote Massachusetts GOP spokesman Tim Buckley in an e-mail obtained by the Herald. Bay State GOP officials confirmed yesterday that Buckley wrote the e-mail, but said it was a private exchange and not an official communication.
“I guess she blew in with the storm,” sniffed state House minority leader Bradley H. Jones (R-North Reading) yesterday, a longtime Romney supporter. “She may generate a lot of attention, but given the choice between seeing Sarah Palin and Mitt Romney, I’d much rather see Romney.”
[snip]
“It is becoming more and more clear to people that this is about Sarah and her brand and not a presidential campaign,” said one Romney consultant, who added, “She’s not making any friends within the political communities. If you cared about things like delegates and primaries, I think you’d be a little more attentive.”
Still, the rogue road trip put Palin back in the national spotlight, said Steve Duprey, a national Republican committeeman in New Hampshire whose wife volunteers for Romney but who said he is neutral in the race.
“Simply by putting her family in a bus and touring around the country she’s generating more media attention than most candidates,” Duprey said. “All the discussions before were about other candidates. She’s changed the conversation just by getting on a bus.”
Meanwhile, Romney kept a relatively low profile yesterday, quietly tweeting last night: “Big day tomorrow. Join my @livestream event as I announce my candidacy for President in New Hampshire.”
(Excerpt) Read more at bostonherald.com ...
Is Sarah Palin's Rolling Thunder just a passing storm? "....But Palin kick-started her Harley just in time to muffle Rep. Michele Bachmann’s expected announcement of her candidacy later this week. Bachmann said she doesn’t consider Palin “a competitor.” Palin may feel otherwise.
While Bachmann is striving for attention, Palin will be generating buzz by inviting another presidential candidate onto her bus – Herman Cain, an African American pizza magnate who presents no threat to her.
Unlike Bachmann, Mitt Romney, the unloved front-runner, could actually be helped by Palin. He doesn’t mind the media chasing after a shinier object while he continues his quest to get right with the Republican base on health care.
If Palin enters the fray, the Republican establishment will turn its lonely eyes to Romney to stop her.
Even if she only flirts with a run, Palin can still be toxic to the hopes of others. Conservatives in Iowa are just beginning to warm to Tim Pawlenty, who has been morphing from a mild-mannered former governor of bluish Minnesota to Dirty Harry...."
Palin's trip steals spotlight from legitimate candidates "WASHINGTON -- My advice to Sarah Palin, not that she would take it, is that she'd better be careful. If she keeps pretending to run for the presidential nomination, people might take her seriously.
The former half-term Alaska governor's "One Nation" bus tour has made the Republican establishment nervous. If her aim is just to get back in the news, reinflate the Palin brand and boost her speaking fees, then party leaders have every reason to be pleased. In the unlikely event that she's actually running, they have every reason to order another Scotch.
What the GOP should worry about is the intoxication that adoring crowds often induce in politicians. Palin might board the bus intending to pull a Trump and disembark convinced that now, more than ever, the nation requires her service. The hosannas ringing in her ears might deafen her to voices of reason.
Odds are it won't happen. But the fact that Palin's ego trip so easily stole the spotlight from the actual Republican candidates shows what a challenge the party faces in trying to deny President Obama a second term...."
“She’s not making any friends within the political communities.”
Oh Goodness me! She thinks the little people are more important than the establishment! That will NEVER do! /
Yeah! I loved that quote. So telling!
“She’s not making any friends within the political communities....”
She doesn’t give a rat’s behind about the political communities - and that’s what is so refreshing about her. (among other things of course).
Palin is light years ahead of all the others.
Sarah 2012 !
Free publicity from the MSM ! Weeeeee !
Palin has timing and good political instincts.
For now, the rest of the GOP field appears timid, waiting for their talking points and the GOP starting gun.
Isn’t it awesome. I loved this quote too. ““All the discussions before were about other candidates. She’s changed the conversation just by getting on a bus.”
And that seems not to mean anything special to them.
Typical, “Boxers or briefs Mr Clinton?” Lefty distraction.
Interesting! No?
REALLY? The Republican Party ACTUALLY considers Rommney the front runner?
That would be conceding the election to Obama!
Mitt is a Republican extra lite...........
If the GOP does not back a true conservative they will lose to the worse President this Nation has ever had. And what would that say about them?
Sarah Palin, center, her daughter Piper Palin, front, and her parents, Sally and Chuck Heath, pause as a band plays "The Star-Spangled Banner" while they visit Liberty Island Wednesday, June 1, 2011. (credit: Seth Wenig/AP)
CW...
When she quit the Gov's office, something hit me. and I told a couple of friends who think I see things others don't and they agreed. I said she is building something I think she will start her own party. She is trying to pull the GOP in her direction, but if the GOP still wants to play these pallor games screw-um, I can see her building a team from the ground up and going Independent. Who needs a convention and delegates when your structure doesn't need one.
I know 3rd party will mean Obama wins, It can't be done, bla bla bla...
Tell that to Glenn on 9/12, 8/28, the Tea Party Victories last year and now this Bus Tour.
This little Romney tea and crumpet party boy better watch it, he don't get we can do anything we put our minds too...
mark
If she is Ticking people in the Party off that is A MAJOR plus for me,they have been infuriating me for years with the Losers they have been putting forward,GO SARAH you will have my vote and money if you run,Romney wont
In view of his refusal to disavow "Romneycare" that is going to be a loooong hard quest.
Maybe he should try for something easier. Run for Pope instead of President.
Great picture.
I wish Piper would carry a camera and snap some pictures of the msm.
If Sarah doesn't run, I get the feeling she's out there to take Romney out, and open the door for a conservative.
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