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:
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.
Ted won’t be the nominee. He will be a formidable Veep on the ticket. Time to stop deluding yourself Cruz purists and let’s win this thing, and not engage in the circular firing squad. Guys like Mark Levin who have gone all academic purist and far right ideologue would rather lose and install a real enemy in the Whitehouse, but be able to quote De Tocqueville and Adam Smith. Very skeptical of radio talk show bloviators who make their living on conflict, drama and division. Levin needs to meditate on “Perfect is the enemy of the righteous”
Well put up your conservative principles so the rest of us can see if we are out of phase with you.
or not
Trump had a job beyond law school and not as a political animal. I like Ted C. I do, but as far as real world business street cred, you are kidding right? Trump has generated 100’s of thousands of jobs, loves this country and aligns more with my own libertarian values. Some here are not Libertarians and that’s fine, but to me it always never jived with our Founding Fathers intent. Not to set up a theocracy of Protestant Moral Puritacalism, where everything from what we see to what we put in our bodies is regulated by well meaning theocrats.
No Track Record. (And don’t say his business. He took his sleazy father’s millions and used eminent domain, bankruptcy laws and bribing politicians to build it.)
No guiding Conservative principles. (supported abortion and partial birth abortion and when asked why said “From New York”. After the Baby Parts Scandal he spoke out in favor of Planned Parenthood until he found out that’s not what Conservatives believe in.)
Will Pander to ANYONE to get what he wants. (Says he’s Evangelical to a group in IA. Does not know what it means clearly. Questions the religion of a lifelong Evangelical.
Comes out to defent McConnell because Cruz was too rough on him??????? Pandering to GOPe!!!)
Replace Obamacare. Single Payer he says. Oh, that’s Conservative.
We’ve spent the last years with a man in the WH who made us a laughing stock and now we want another?
But not on borders, language, and culture. Truth is our country is being over run. The political establishment in DC has done NOTHING to prevent that. Trump promises to
For many that IS the primary issue
The butt-hurt continues.
“Cruz on the other hand needs a wife embedded in Wall Street to get a Loan:-)”
At least he stuck with one woman and his kids instead of whoring around.
And let me get this straight, are you saying Donald never cozied up to Goldman for a loan?????
You are talking about the things the 19 year old LIKES about the pole dancer. I’m talking about the baggage. And when he marries her, it will matter even more than the “obvious assets”, if you get my drift. ;-)
To most Trump supporters I have actually talked to, Trump represents border security and removing illegal alien terrorists, illegal alien terrorist enablers, and illegal alien criminals from our country. They are single issue voters who have misgivings about Trump on many levels but raise this primary issue to an overriding level.
Any analysis of Trump’s support that does not address this primary concern as its focus, and point out a viable alternative to achieve it right now aside from Trump is intellectually vacuous.
Oh that loan from 2004 to build a building in Chi-town. Now that was a business loan whereas populist Cruz hid his loan from the electorate so as not to seem Pro WS big Bank. Hummm.
But it’s OK as I’m still Cruz/Trump Trump/Cruz but I just don’t like the righteous indignation of those let’s lose again ultra-conservatives. Not saying Cruz will lose just saying something wrong with those thinking it’s Cruz or LOSE!
SoreCruzerman?
Quid pro quo anyone?
Apparently she isn’t as conservative as she led the Tea Party to believe.
Shades of Marco Rubio.
But then again, look who her guiding light is,John McCain.
Should we really be that surprised?
Pathetic
Behold the once mighty "Mama Grizzly," who abandoned her cubs and values for the spotlight and a 30 silver fish.
Damn girl, show some dignity.
There’s always been the saying, “Any little boy can grow up
to be President.” - Well, Trump’s was as much “any little
boy” as was Hussein Obama. Trump has prospered pretty much
on his own and isn’t spending a gold mine trying to get
elected. He has taken an intelligent approach to the
“Jihadist migrant” problem while Hitler-y Clinton has taken
the “I’ve got security; so let ‘em in!” approach to it. I
take it as a given that politicians lie; and I have not been
disappointed in the least or surprised that B.O. has lied
when the truth would have been much better. (Trump has a
chance to be elected; not sure Cruz does for a lot of
reasons.)
So even you can’t define what Conservative principles are, nice. And as for abortion it’s legal as is gay marriage now and he can’t do squat about that. And as for single payer, that’s your lie. He talks about the Gov covering the poor as they do now and others being able to get private insurance at better prices and cross border shopping.
If I had a problem with my wife I’d divorce her also but you equate that to whoring around?
And news Flash trump BUILDS things and people who do that, even little folks wanting a house or car get loans.
I don’t think Trump has ever hid any of his loans, not even the loan from a Soros Hedge fund that Real Conservatives bandy about:-)
BINGO
Trump=Elmer Gantry
rinse and repeat
You morality voters are a hoot! Personally I’m a policy voter which is not to say that I wouildn’t vote for a knock out like SP:-)
When supporters of Trump begin to realize that, not only is he not a conservative, but heâs 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.
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