Posted on 01/20/2016 8:11:20 AM PST by Isara
Last night, Sarah Palin, Donald Trump’s “very special guest,” endorsed him at Iowa State University. Of course, a lot of people are shocked that she would endorse him over Ted Cruz. She’s the Tea Party darling after all, standing for conservative values from supporting gun rights to defunding Obamacare.
Cruz communications director Rick Tyler said earlier Tuesday that the campaign would be very disappointed if Palin supported Trump because she:
...has been a champion of the conservative cause and if she was going to endorse Donald Trump, sadly she would be endorsing someone who's held progressive views all their life on the sanctity of life, on marriage, on partial-birth abortion, he supported [the] TARP bailout — it goes on and on and on.
Palin responded with a tweet linking to an article written by her daughter in which Bristol Palin blasts the Cruz campaign for “slamming” her mom.
Cruz responded with a tweet of his own—this one much more conciliatory:
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I love @SarahPalinUSA Without her support, I wouldn't be in the Senate. Regardless of what she does in 2016, I will always be a big fan. — Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) January 19, 2016 |
But should Cruz and others be surprised that Palin would jump on the Trump train? Not if you’ve paid attention to what she’s been saying ever since Trump got into the race.
In August, the former Alaskan governor interviewed Trump on One America News Network, showing her enthusiasm and support for the firebrand candidate:
I’ve said since the day he made the sacrifice to hit the campaign trail, voters crave the anti-status-quo politicians,” she said. “They want results. They need a fighter. They need someone to fire all those political correct police.
'On Point' with Gov. Sarah Palin & Donald Trump (Video)
In another interview in August, this one on Fox News, Palin shows her support of Trump, saying his “common sense plans” are a “real shot in the arm to Constitutionalists and conservatives who want America to be put first by our leaders.”
Palin's take: The Trump phenomenon (Video)
Lastly, and more significantly in light of her endorsement of Trump last night, is an interview on CBN last month where she says of Trump (about 2:00 in): “I meet with him quite a bit. I’m so thankful that he’s running ... He calls it like he sees it, and to me that’s refreshing. He’s a fighter, he’s a competitor. We need a fighter for America, someone who will put our nation first.”
Bizarre New Sarah Palin Interview on Guns, Christianity, & Donald Trump (Video)
Palin’s enthusiasm for Trump mirrors many of his supporters from the Tea Party ranks. That zeal would be understandable if Trump were the only anti-establishment candidate in the race. But he’s not. There’s Cruz. He’s the true constitutional conservative, and it would make sense that Palin, who has always stood for conservative values, would support him.
That’s not the case. Palin’s endorsement for Trump over Cruz reveals her populist-over-principles roots. Trump represents authoritarian, nationalistic, Jacksonian populism that is not rooted in constitutional principles. It’s about the fight, taking power away from the establishment and defeating the real enemy—the politically correct Left that is hell-bent on fundamentally changing America—at all costs. Palin is choosing power over principles.
Why? It might be as simple as she has a personal relationship with Trump. She said in her December interview that she meets with him “quite a bit.” There isn’t any indication that she meets with Cruz very often if at all. If anything, Palin is loyal to whom she builds personal connections.
Her support of Trump might also be good old-fashioned horse trading. The king of “making the deal” might have offered something to the former Alaskan governor to garner her support—a vice presidential spot (don’t rule it out!) or a cabinet position? We don’t know, but it’s not implausible in the self-interested world of politics.
Ultimately, will Palin’s endorsement mean anything? Obviously, Cruz has gotten under Trump’s skin by edging closer in the polls. As Trump’s liberal record comes out and becomes public knowledge, conservative supporters are taking a second look at him. It makes sense that Trump would fight back with a ringing endorsement from a conservative. But will Palin’s populist-motivated endorsement work when strong conservative voices like Mark Levin and Rush Limbaugh are doing more to expose Trump’s record than to throw their conservative creds behind him? It’s unlikely. Conservatives questioning their support of Trump in light of his record will be more likely to listen to conservative radio than Palin, especially since they have a choice with Cruz.
She will also do little to help Trump if Cruz’s push to prove that Trump really isn’t an anti-establishment populist is effective. A case can be made that populists don’t care if Trump is a conservative. Palin is proof of that. But what if he’s not even a populist? His recent language about making deals with the other side and everyone getting along in D.C. certainly reeks of establishment squishiness and not the unflinching determination to fight for America many populists are craving.
When supporters of Trump begin to realize that, not only is he not a conservative, but he’s not even a populist, they will jump ship. Conservatives will flock to Cruz. The populists will scatter, licking their wounds, either holding on to the Trump ideal to the bitter end or finally realizing Cruz is the fighter they wanted all along. Either way, their insurgency will be broken, and the conservative resurgency will truly begin.
Donald Trump on establishment types contacting his campaign (Video)
Donald Trump on Ted Cruz temperament (calling McConnell a liar) (Video)
Sour grapes. Nothing more.
Real Women LOVE Strong and Successful real Men! Cruz on the other hand needs a wife embedded in Wall Street to get a Loan:-)
Speaking of getting along: Republican donors are quietly coming around to the idea that Donald Trump could be their party’s nominee for president.
While many major Republican donors still cannot abide the idea of Trump as their party’s 2016 standard-bearer — and some remain flat-out in denial about the strength of his candidacy — interviews with GOP business owners and CEOs in six states suggest shifting attitudes toward the controversial billionaire.
That’s my main problem with trump. I’ve asked many of his supporters to imagine that they are 180 degrees from him on an important issue. How would they feel about that?
And the thing is, at the end of the day, if you are a conservative you ARE 180 degrees from him on important issues.
Aye.
LOL....wait, youre serious, let me laugh harder..lololololololololololololololololololololol.
I’m coming around to believe that as well.
A bully who claims to be something he’s not is not a “real man”
He’s a real salesman.
I have found reality TV show stars tend to stick together.
Fact is, if you ignore trump’s attitude and just look at his record, it is quite problematic for true conservatives.
I’ve used this example many times: conservatives, regarding trump, are like a 19 year old that sneaks into a “gentlemen’s club” and falls for a pole dancer - and wants to marry her.
It will not end well.
He’s promised her something and she sold out.
Just like many here, her Conservative principles were thin.
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Why is it assumed Cruz is qualified to be president? Being an ivy league lawyer? We have been through these types before.
Just because someone is on the right side of an issue does not mean he is qualified to sit in the executive office.
Someone like Cruz is best as a supreme court judge or as a legislator where laws get written and passed.
Oh like halting unabated illegal immigration, having a strong Military, bringing J O B S back to America, making folks Proud to be AmeriCANs again, smoothing out the Tax system, getting rid of common core, by replacing obummercare, being pro 2nd amendment? What do you see policy wise as his negatives?
Excellent. Well said. Spot on.
They’ve been seduced. Much like R politicians who go to DC and are seduced. Wonder if after this they will have the nerve to criticize those guys.
And she gets what she wants......a little more adoration by her fans.
Get a life! Cruz “borrowed” from his own investments which, surprise, were with an investment bank his wife works for. Hang him, I say! How dare he borrow from his own investments! /sarc/
I’m sure Trump has NEVER used personal connections to land investments for ANY of his projects... but then, I wonder how he managed to get $160 million from George Soros...
A Bully? My how you’ve learned Liberal speak!
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