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.
“This is why I think her Discovery Channel show isn’t doing so well, people see she is a fruad.”
Reviewing the show before it has been filmed, edited and broadcast.....Hmmmmm....That’s a first.....
Palin would have looked cheap and shallow to the general public for turning on the man that 59,000,000 of them voted for,
***
Absolutely, that’s how the DBM would have spun it. Does anyone think the MSM was going to put a positive spin on it if she supported JD or even remained neutral? “She turned on her running mate- she’ll turn on anyone”.
nor would her “image” have survived if she remained gov of Alaska, what with the non-stop frivolous ethics complaints being lodged against her that SHE would have to pay to defend.
I understand her decisions, and note that whatever she decided, there would be some down side.
I made that statement based on my (very possibly erroneous) conclusion that Palin wants the same amnestycrap that McCain wanted.
I am open to reason. As long as the reasoning says “Shut the borders, deport illegals, and make it very hard to get in here legally”. And also, execute any illegals in prison who are in for capital crimes and are only not slated for execution because their home countries protest about it.
LOL, stockpirate doesn’t sweat the facts thing.
[We need to find a real conservative in 2012...and Palin is not a real conservative. ]
Oh, good luck with that one. Like searching for the Holy Grail.
For me, I’m looking for the best we can get with the biggest cojones. At the moment, that still seems to be Sarah. Not perfect, but compared to what? Mittboy? mumbles Jindal? Newt the fruit? Hucklebuckle? nutty Paul? I’m not deserting the ship just yet.
“Is there a link to those ads where one could listen to them? If so could you post it? Thanks.”
I’m looking. In the meantime, listen for yourself. Both stations stream their content on the net.
Your list could take up the length of a page, but the point is superbly made. Members do not have to support Sarah Palin, but there’s no useful purpose served by trashing her either. She doesn’t deserve it, and she remains the clarion voice for conservatives across the nation. Sarah commands crowds and media attention where ever she goes.
You should have heard her campaigning with Michele Bachmann in MN today, in front of a jammed packed audience of largely women in MN!
Today she talked about the democrats’ addiction to O. P. M. = other people’s money -— and brought the house down.
-—”If you’re going to call your fellow FReepers deranged, please at least have the courtesy to ping them to your remarks.”-—
Well.....Who has the “Ron Paul For President (or God) in 2008, 2012, 2016, 2020, 2024, 2028, 2032, 2036, 2040, 2044, 2048, 2052, 2056, 2060, 2064, 2068, 2072, 2076, 2080, 2082, 2088, 2092, 2096, 2100” ping list? I’ll just copy/paste and that’ll get the bulk of ‘em.
“1. It isn’t a threat.
2. I come to FR to share conservative ideals not anti war, 9-11 truther ideals.”
These articles are posted, not written by freepers. They have absolutely nothing or make any mention of ‘anti war, 9-11 truther ideals’. Take your disagreement up with the author and stop assigning motives that only exist in YOUR head.
There is NOTHING conservative about coddling 20 million illegal aliens with a ‘path to citizenship’ and refusal to enforce the law because the law isn’t ‘humane’ . That is what Palin has advocated and you all know it by now or can’t read or hear her own words. Now, if you agree, man up and say so, but stop with this silly, leftist tactic of KILL THE MESSENGER.
“No kidding. It’s not about information, it’s just school kids pushing their anti war hero....Ron Paul. “
Ron Paul is NEVER even mentioned until some of you Palin blind spot people bring it up. It’s a STRAWMAN!
If Sarah can’t stand the heat, she needs to shut up. And that includes some healthy competition and criticism when whe deserves it. We got Obama through the mechanism of kill the messenger and now it’s the GOP doing it. Doesn’t make it any better.
“Governor Palin is a feminist, not a straight social conservative. That is my original point and utterly undeniable.”
Total, high octane B.S. Women have had to work, thanks to high taxes. That’s the reality of modern America. By your definition, only the rich can be truly conservative. Sorry, doesn’t fly. That might have been somewhat true prior to high taxes, back when a man could take home all the bacon. I realize our nation is a mess as a result, but don’t blame working moms for it, OK? It’s NOT ... THEIR ... FAULT. They work their frigging tails off and deserve respect!
“I have every right to judge her view of responsibility and deferred gratification.”
You think she’s after gratification? If eating excrement sandwiches is gratifying, you might have a point.
Sounds pretty strong to me, and certainly doesn't just included staying home with the kids.
Frankly I don’t think the GOP image would have survived a highly visible, year long, post election split of the 2008 Republican ticket either.
The GOP brand would not be looking so good right now and it may have cost us, even in Massachusetts and Virginia and New Jersey, but it definitely would weaken us in our opposition to the Obama agenda, and in the 2010 election.
The Neo Leftist PaulBots trash Conservative Sarah Palin.
It is a laugh when the Neo Leftists say Sarah is not conservative, this is typical Alinsky speak.
How many people showed up for Mitt's new book intro? Thought so.
I realize borders are serious, and I realize that McStain must go. But I’m with you — loyalty is a simple enough concept to understand.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.