Palin and Newt, according to Fred Thompson and Rich Galen

Vanity | 07/24/2010 | Brices Crossroads

[Brices Crossroads]

Below is a transcript of a portion of Fred Thompson's interview with Rich Galen on his radio show July 23, 2010 in which Thompson and Galen discuss the relative merits of Gingrich and Palin, as well as the likelihood that either or both will enter the GOP.

Galen is a former press Secretary to Gingrich, and he gives the back of his hand to Sarah Palin in the interview, calling her "a really interesting personalit[y]...but not necessarily ... qualified to be the nominee or be president." Incredibly, and to his discredit, Thompson laughingly agrees:

"THOMPSON: Uh huh...

GALEN: And uh, I don’t think Sarah Palin’s ever going to be the nominee. I don’t think she believes that she can be the nominee and I’m not sure she wants to get into that. I mean, I think she’s, uh...you know...she’s doing what she does and she’s doing what she does better than anybody we’ve seen in a long time.

THOMPSON: You know she may be in the first stages of Newtism, and that is, uh, being...being a real player and going around the country making lots of money. (Laughs)

GALEN: Yeah, and ...

THOMPSON: That’s what Newt’s done for a long time and maybe he’s ready...maybe he’s ready for the next stage and maybe, uh, you’re right. Maybe Sarah’s idea is that she’ll do this for a while and then her second stage will come along a little later."

As someone who supported Fred Thompson in 2007-8 both on this forum and financially, I am bitterly disappointed that, at a minimum, he did not correct Galen's outrageous statement that she is unqualified to be either the nominee or the President. I know Rush Limbaugh or Mark Levin would have defended her because I have heard them both do it. In fact, Galen would never even have made such an outrageous statement in front of them because he would know it would draw a harsh refudiation from either El Rushbo or the Great One. (In fact, I heard Levin take Ann Coulter to task one time because she trashed Thompson).

Instead, he says "uh huh" and proceeds to amplify Galen's canard by citing the lamestream media/GOP Establishment wishful thinking-spin that she is too happy making money to run. Galen is a RINO "gun for hire" and former employee of Gingrich. He is not admirable, but he is doing what he is paid for. Fred Thompson has no such excuse. Shame on him.

The transcript of the entire segment on Newt and Palin is below:

"THOMPSON: Rich Galen, the founder of Mullings.com, the wit and wisdom of Rich Galen uh, if you want to check that out. Rich, you’ve been around here a long time, uh, you worked for Newt Gingrich, you worked for Dan Quayle and, uh, GOPAC and uh...

GALEN: And Fred Thompson..

THOMPSON: Yeah, I thank you much for that. We had a lot of fun on the campaign trail. They’re coming out of the woodwork now. Do you think Newt might be serious this time...?

GALEN: Yeah I do...

THOMPSON: You know Newt pretty well and Newt, this time of the year every four years you know, uh, says, “Well, I’m thinking about it, I’m thinking about it” and then he doesn’t. What do you think?

GALEN: Yeah, I think that, uh, that this time, unless there is some..something pops up between now and next February that says “don’t do it”, he’s...I think he’s disposed to do it. So I think he’s gonna be a candidate.

THOMPSON: Is that right? How do you think he figures...is it as clear as, you know, it seems to be, and that is that Obama is very unpopular and, uh, he can’t come back like Reagan did, uh, in his second two years and be re-elected?

GALEN: And Clinton did...

THOMPSON: And Clinton did...

GALEN: Yeah, you can’t..I don’t think you can project that far out. I think what Newt is...and I’m putting words in his mouth; I haven’t discussed this with him...I have discussed the first part with him, but not this part.

THOMPSON: Uh huh...

GALEN: The, uh, I think what Newt is looking at is A) the Republican competition, first of all. I mean, it doesn’t matter whether the incumbent can be defeated. If you’re not the nominee then it doesn’t make any difference. Um, and uh, I think he looks across the landscape, uh and he sees some really interesting personalities.

THOMPSON: (Loudly laughs) You’ve been in town too long Rich, you’re becoming too diplomatic. (Loudly laughs again)

GALEN: But not necessarily people who are qualified to be the nominee or be president.

THOMPSON: Uh huh...

GALEN: And uh, I don’t think Sarah Palin’s ever going to be the nominee. I don’t think she believes that she can be the nominee and I’m not sure she wants to get into that. I mean, I think she’s, uh...you know...she’s doing what she does and she’s doing what she does better than anybody we’ve seen in a long time.

THOMPSON: You know she may be in the first stages of Newtism, and that is, uh, being...being a real player and going around the country making lots of money. (Laughs)

GALEN: Yeah, and ...

THOMPSON: That’s what Newt’s done for a long time and maybe he’s ready...maybe he’s ready for the next stage and maybe, uh, you’re right. Maybe Sarah’s idea is that she’ll do this for a while and then her second stage will come along a little later.

GALEN: There’s no, uh, I mean there’s no advantage for somebody like Sarah Palin to absolutely do, uh, you know, do a, uh, what’s the statement that we always talk about?

THOMPSON: Sherman-like...

GALEN: A Sherman statement, you know, if nominated I will not run. If elected, I will not serve. I mean, it doesn’t do any good to take herself out of the running. It makes good sense for her to be among the mentioned and, uh, you know why get in the way of that? Next Spring, sometime, she’ll decide what she wants to do and everybody will react to it then. But uh,...

THOMPSON: Uh huh...

GALEN: Yeah, I think the threshold question is I think Newt is serious about it.

[rob777]

"I think there are other examples too."


I agree, but that is the biggest one in my mind and is a dis-qualifier all by itself. Even McCain backed off his previous support for L.O.S.T. during the campaign. She never has as far as I can tell. In fact, she has stood strong on that support when asked even after the campaign:

In May of 2009, she appeared on a radio call-in show in Fairbanks and took a call on this question. From the Michael Dukes Show -- KFAR 660 AM, Fairbanks, Alaska on 5/28/2009 (prior to her resignation):

Caller: Hello Michael Dukes: Yes
,br> Caller: Yeah, Governor, we're sure glad to have you here and we love ya. Are you aware that the, uh, unelected international bureaucrats, internationalist bureaucrats, from the State Department, Department of State, are currently secretly conspiring with representatives of the Russian government to give away certain strategically and economically important islands of Alaska? There's eight of 'em, I won't name 'em but they potentially hold tons of valuable minerals and the sea...the 200 area around 'em is vital to our production fot oil. Are you aware of that and if so, what have you done about it?

Governor Palin: Here is what I am aware of: The Russian government did flag undersea land as their own. They're staking claim to what potentially could be the greatest oil and gas reserves on the globe. The United States of America is kind of missing the boat on this because we haven't signed on to the Law Of The Sea Treaty yet and there's been a lot of conservatives, people like-minded in my own party who have said, "Nope, we don't want to give more power to the U.N. so we cannot sign on to this treaty" but I believe that we have to. Lisa Murkowski also believes that we must do this at this time so that we can start staking claim to what is rightfully the Arctic land of Alaska which belongs to the United States of America. If we don't, Russia and other countries are going to exert more and more power, authority, rights to undersea lands that are so rich in resources and they're going to start taking over. So that's something that we're doing about it, is working with our delegation in support of the Law Of The Sea Treaty and having to do some educating there in conservative circles as to why it is no, we don't want to continue to give more power to the U.N., certainly not, but we have got to be a player in this. Otherwise, we're going to be left out in the cold.

[Melas]

Lol, well it was one of those moments when I had to chuckle when I realized he had nothing bigger than asking me to go to hell in response. Sad thing is, I’ll bet he thought it was profound or witty.

[Forty-Niner]

Your documentation of Mitt’s 2008 campaign tactics echo those now being used by his protege, and friend Meg Whitman, in her bid to become California’s next Governor.

While there is no viable other choice than Whitman at this point, the alternative being Jerry Brown, I will hold my nose, close my eyes, and cease breathing momentarily as I mark my ballot next to her name......God help us all! Pray for us sinners! (and I am un-religious)

[se_ohio_young_conservative]

Because the people that say she is not smart enough to be President are foolish enough and pathetic enough to buy into the MSM talking points.

they should be rallied behind her and reject the media attacks.

Have you ever stopped and wondered “What in the heck am I am doing, I sound like Rachael Maddow on MSNBC”. If you have not yet, maybe you should.

[Melas]

Good grief, how simple can you be?

I'll bet that Browning could have counted the ways.

[se_ohio_young_conservative]

The kind of people I hate the most are usually liberals. But within the margins, there are a few elitist Republicans who are just as bad.

[Captain Kirk]

Are you serious? Newt is a big government politiican squared. He supported TARP, No Schools Left Behind, the Prescription Drugs boondogle. The list goes on and on. He’s damaged goods.

[InABunkerUnderSF]

It's not about logic. It's about emotion. Some conservatives feel the same way about Sarah Palin as leftists do about Barack Obama. And make no mistake, it's about emotion and feeling not about thinking. When conservatives let their emotions control their judgment they are behaving like leftists

Sarah Palin is a good person who has lead a good and worthy life but is America best served by a president whose highest political experience is half a term as governor?

[FreeReign]

I think that what she did was avoid an Alinski trap, and free herself to become a serious 2012 candidate for POTUS by writting editorials and books; supporting successful candidates across the nation, and thereby building a national support network; showing the real Sarah,...

I not sure about an Alinski trap but it does appear that she resigned to prepare for a possible presidential run.

[se_ohio_young_conservative]

I really wanted to say something involving an F and a U

but you are not worth getting banned over.

[editor-surveyor]

“Cnoc Fiodh na gCaor”

Good choice!
.

[cajungirl]

I haven’t turned on a television in ages. I don’t listen to MSM at all.

But telling me I am not a conservative is what palin supporters do when anyone doesn’t agree with them.

It doesn’t work. BUt if it continues, I swear, we will have O for another four years and by then it won’t matter because we will all be so deep in the soup it will take a hundred years to get free of it.

Palin is not a religious figure. Her “suffering” doesn’t bring support only disgust that she can’t deal with things. Her resigning is weakness. ANd she with the Letterman fiasco did not acquit herself well,,she came across as a whining victim and was histrionic in her reaction.

Now you may begin the obligatory “you are jealous” attack and then accuse me of being for abortion and such. That is what you do. That is what Palin people do.

[Forty-Niner]

“I don’t hate Sarah Palin. I just don’t think she’s the best the Party could do in ‘12.”

Who in your opinion is? Seriously, I’d like to know.

[Gurn]

As I said, I've spent time there. It's nice, for being just above the Mason-Dixon.

You are the kind of person I hate the most because you think you are so much smarter than everybody else.

Not everybody. Just you. And you've brought this ridicule on yourself. You accuse anyone who doesn't agree with you about Palin of being a liberal, a tool of the MSM, etc. And you've failed in an epic manner to back up your own position. That's just the way it is, boy.

[FreeReign]

Electric? She does have charisma. Yes. But so does Obama. And that got us the big gov’t liberalism you warn about. Have I made my point.

Not really.

[se_ohio_young_conservative]

I honestly believe she is the best candidate on the national stage right now within the Republican Party.

and that is a good thing. because she is a regular person. and we need regular people to save this country, not the Harvard Alumni.

[excopconservative]

FRiend, I say this with all due respect. I don’t think Sarah is some kind of hidden mental giant.

---

You’ve hit on a great idea. All of the people running are of an age where they have taken IQ tests when they were in their school years. Rather than releasing grades (which Obama didn’t) and which can be manipulated, let’s release their IQ test results. Not that it means much, but I would guess that Sarah’s would be quite good. Of course, opponents would then say, it’s not that she’s stupid, she’s just ignorant.

The election of 2012 will determine the destiny of our country. I’m not as concerned about how well a candidate speaks about conservative issues as I am about whether they are a member of the ruling class trying to retain their control over us. Guys like Newt and Thompson and Galen are rulers wanting their time to hold the reins on the rest of us. Every time a decision needs to be made to support our values, these guys have to consider if it’s worth giving up their ruling class membership. Gov. Palin understands what freedom is and wants to throw off those reins and allow each of us a chance to roam free. She will never be accepted by the ruling class,nor will she apply.

[se_ohio_young_conservative]

Do you know why ?

Because the arguments you make against Palin are the same arguments that they use over at Democratic Underground, the Daily Kos and at MSNBC.

YOU need to look into the mirror, sir.

[cajungirl]

I haven’t seen evidence of her brilliance. She is a media person, gorgeous, snappy and speaks simply. She is a great political attacker and will go far doing that.

I have not seen one iota evidence that she has any idea of the complexity of the modern world, of this country.

Likening me to Rachal Maddow is what palin people do, cheap shots. Now compare me to Gloria Steinem, or why don’t you call me a lesbian or a wiccan or something. Why don’t you say I hate God.

[stevestras]

Palin is an outsider. She has the guts, stamina and connections to actually fix the cesspool called DC.

Until another outsider with the same qualifications comes along, Palin has my vote.