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.
“Friedersdorf”
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Lordy...you’re reading C...O...ONE N...O...R?
Says a lot about you...
I’m waiting for the latest Frum posting in...
5...4...3...
That is exactly why I don't log in here much anymore. I don't need the aggravation. Obama has filled that void...
Smart! I may follow your lead.
What makes you think Bush wanted to defend us from the Saudi-backed “Religion of Peace”? Was it when he refused to enforce visa overstays or was it when he actively encouraged Muslim immigration to the US? Was it when the wife of Bandar “Bush” financially-supported Al Qaeda or when or when he put the FBI in bed with CAIR?
Her children have a wonderful dad. He has always helped with them. As first husband, I am sure he still would. But I doubt Sarah will run for president. She is making a difference now and she is making a lot of money. I watched her with Michelle Bachman on Hannity last night. The two of them together are great. If she does run, maybe Michelle could be her running mate.
“Smart! I may follow your lead.”
Uh, don’t look now, but the allusion to WidwAwakes was directed at YOU.
Don’t forget: Reagan’s number one fan was Nancy. Their two bio kids turned out shall we say...less than perfect. A Mom at home has nothing to do with how kids turn out. Millions of welfare moms can prove it to you.
I never suggested any such thing. I do believe that ethics charges would continue to hound her if she happened to win the Presidency. Not because of any actual ethics violations on her part, of course, but because the left hates her.
I like and respect Sarah Palin. But I hope she stays a private citizen instead of trying to run for President. I simply believe she can do the most good in that role.
I think the problems that caused her to resign as governor will only increase were she to win the Presidency. No one has given me any information that indicates anything has changed in her life since she resigned, so that says to me she isn't up to the Presidency. I'd love to have her as President, but only if the issues that caused her resignation are resolved.
Then, tell me who do you think is “up to the Presidency.”
It's a little early to say. Not many have declared their candidacy at this point. :)
I guess in your view, I’m a feminist as well. I believe in equality in the workplace. Equal pay for equal work and all that. But when I say “equal work”, I mean it. The women have to do the same work and pass the exact same tests as the men. If they can’t, then they can’t have the job.
LOL That's true. But I'm thinking more along the lines of the impact to Sarah and her family. Whatever problems caused her to resign are only going to get bigger if she were to win the Presidency. If something has changed that would prevent those problems from occurring, I'd definitely vote for her.
I understand. But I've heard nothing to would indicate the problems that caused her to resign would not become even larger were she to become President. Instead of being dogged by silly ethics charges as governor of one state, those charges would be multiplied if she were to become President.
Obviously, PDS means Pretty Darned Smart. ;)
Sarah Palin made a strong case in her book for stepping down from the governorship. This is why that issue has been moved off the table. Those who raise that issue will have guaranteed their loss in an election.
I think we should be building the momentum for a presidential candidate right now.
Best analysis ever.
Bookmark worthy.
Thanks, use it in any way you want, improve it, quote it, or cut and paste it, but I do think that the bigger picture should be introduced on a lot of these threads.
Fashion hint: Wear your tuxedo to this year’s Academy of Really Dumb Sara Palin Slurs award show. You’re a sure winner.
Aside from the fact of a modest, partly blue collar family being wiped out financially, and the cost to the state in having it’s Governor in a constant battle of mock scandals while trying to continue battling against the Alaskan left, the national American left was counting on Palin being trapped and finished off for good in those remaining 18 months.
As the leading conservative in America, and the most relentlessly attacked and smeared politician that we have ever seen in the United States, Governor Palin would have been finished if she had merely returned to the Governor’s chair in the distant land of Alaska, and she would have taken the conservative gains of the last 17 months with her.
No one could fight her fight with the Networks, the DNC, the Sunday shows, the Romney/Rockefeller GOP, the New York Times and the Los Angeles Times, and the power centers of DC, New York, LA, and also lead the the conservative comeback and decimate the Democrat ranks as she is doing with her 20 Democrat Congressional take down, while being a Governor in Hawaii, or Alaska.
Excellent post.
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