Posted on 04/07/2010 1:32:58 PM PDT by rabscuttle385
Conflicting loyalties seem to have resulted in some surprising political decisions by Sarah Palin.
On Monday here at NewsReal Blog I argued that Govenor Sarah Palin’s active support of John McCain’s Senate reelection campaign makes no sense. Palin, after all, doesn’t owe McCain anything. Whatever debt she might have owed McCain she paid off during the 2008 presidential campaign.
In fact, if anything, it seems to me that McCain is indebted to Palin. This because his ‘08 campaign really did her a disservice, and also because McCain staffers have since betrayed the former Alaska governor with malicious and disparaging leaks to the media.
Many of the commenters to my post don’t disagree. However, they write, there is one laudable reason why Palin is actively supporting McCain: loyalty.
Fair enough. Loyalty is important. But it seems to me that Palin has competing loyalty obligations; and that she chose to be loyal to McCain when she just as easily could have chosen to be loyal to other people and other principles instead.
For example, Palin knows that some of her most steadfast supporters in the conservative and Tea Party movements have very profound and important differences with McCain.
These Palin supporters believe that on too many critical issues — including free speech (aka “campaign finance reform”), military modernization, and illegal immigration – McCain is a liberal wolf in a conservative sheep’s clothing.
What about loyalty to these people? What about loyalty to their issues and concerns? Why does loyalty to one man, one politician, outweigh loyalty to millions of dedicated conservative and Tea Party activists?
And why does personal loyalty to a man (McCain) outweigh loyalty to a set of conservative political principles?
No one’s saying that Palin had to actively oppose McCain. That might, indeed, have been awkward and ill-advised given that she was his vice presidential running mate.
But why did Palin have to go out of her way to actively support and campaign for McCain? Why couldn’t she have praised both McCain and his challenger, Rep. J.D. Hayworth, while remaining neutral in the Arizona Senate race?
I can think of two possible explanations offered up, respectively, by journalists Conor Friedersdorf and Matthew Continetti.
Friedersdorf says that Palin simply may not be the conservative her steadfast supporters think she is. She may, in fact, be a John McCain Republican. This would mean that she is liberal on some issues, moderate on others, and conservative about a few things.
Continetti notes that since being thrust into the national limelight, Palin has “become incredibly rich.” It may be — and this is me speaking, not Continetti — that because of her newfound riches, Palin feels an understandable debt, literally and figuratively, to Sen. McCain.
If true, that’s fine. Making money to support one’s family is honorable. But that’s a different type of loyalty, I think, than many of the governor’s defenders have in mind.
John R. Guardiano is a writer and analyst in Arlington, Virginia. You can follow him on Twitter: @Guardian0.
How strict is your religion when it comes to women, does your wife sit next to you in services?
Maybe McCain made a mistake in supporting TARP. But Pres Obama misrepresented how TARP would benefit the Country. A lot of republicans voted for it because a lot of us thought it would great for the Country.
Can’t blame it on McCain; its time to rid Pres. Obama for mishandling it.
Yep...but if you're not sane yourself, you won't see it :^D
They surely did, and for all we can tell, much more than Obama.
Anyhow, when a family like Sarah’s and Todd’s gets to move into the White House (Todd would be First Laddie if Sarah were president) that’s where they live. With the kids. Servants are no problem. Baby sitters are no problem. Food shopping is not a problem. There would be lots of time for both parents with the children, understanding that Sarah might be called off for an emergency at any time. The kids can all go on Air Force One when Sarah travels; it’s big enough. I just don’t see the presidency as a serious risk to her family.
GOOD point! ;*)
Because of the support of the Tea Party, she is despised by the RINO’s almost as much as by the left.
Just talked to folks who went to Searchlight to see Palin. They said:
1. Lots and lots and lots of young people, 30 and younger.
2. Lots of people -- more than 10,000.
3. People of all colors and political stripes, from self-proclaimed liberals to self-proclaimed independents and beyond. It's a new Rebel's Brew.
4. Visit to the site next day found ZERO evidence that thousands had been there the day before.
5. She's an excellent speaker.
I hadn’t heard that about her boasting about being back at work so soon. Too bad. Sure hope Dad stays home.
The kids are fragile and needy. They crave the love of a parent rather than a 17 year old hired hand, and don’t care one whit whether Mom is a Congresswoman.
“Question: Do you consider Michele Bachmann a RINO?”
NO
“Considering she supported McCain for President in 2008”
McCain was running against a life long Communist.
Excellent post.
Right. A tax that isn't on profits and isn't on windfalls, but you call it a "windfall profits tax" anyway. The tactic is faintly along the lines of calling reduced rates of increase "cuts."
Man. If you're going to challenge Palin, do it with honest material.
What do you have against the indians? Are you some kind of bigot? You live in Arizona and yet you resent the indians getting any of the tax money back that this state sends to Washington? How about the fact that McCain thinks we should send money to Washington but should never get a dime of it back. That's what a politician is supposed to do, get OUR share back. Taxes shouldn't be a one way street.
Todd Palin is a stay at home dad through this period, he left his oil company job.
You could save yourself having to pass out so many holier than thou insults against Palin if you would look into it a little before making your snooty posts.
Really? How about a know it all windbag who tells a woman who's husband was MIA in Viet Nam "Your husband's dead, get over it". Do you appreciate that kind of politician? Obviously you do since you support McCain. That woman was a friend of mine.
Did you even read my post at all?
I just saw that you are a bachelor so you really don’t have a dog in this hunt, it is only theory to you.
Just how strict is your religion against women?
Yes, I did.
Sarah Palin and Bachmann on Hannity now
Palin has refused her servants in the past, she did not desire their services.
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