Posted on 06/11/2011 1:36:32 PM PDT by Brices Crossroads
While I freely concede that both Michele Bachmann and Rick Perry have a right to run for President, it is impossible to overlook the fact that their recent benefactress, Sarah Palin, is rolling out her own Presidential campaign at the same time. This would not generally be extraordinary. In politics, alliances are sometimes (although not regularly) forged and broken. However, in my forty years or so of close political observation, I cannot remember an analogous situation in which the beneficiaries of one politician turn on their benefactor (especially a benefactor as conspicuous as Palin) so shortly after having obtained and used the benefactor's endorsement and appearances to secure both campaign cash and votes. In fact, not since Judas hustled away to the Chief Priests from the Last Supper has there been such a propinquity between the favor and the betrayal. I predict that this disloyalty, spotlighted by the freshness of the favors spent upon these two by Palin, will sour the stomachs of GOP primary voters who tend to place more emphasis on character, which is to say: loyalty. Americans despise disloyalty. Disloyalty and its associated character flaws are a tragedy in a human being, but they are a catastrophe in a President. The association, in the American psyche, of disloyalty and the traitor, Benedict Arnold, bespeaks the level of national revulsion with this particularly poisonous character flaw.
Michele Bachmann, by all accounts, faced a tough reelection fight against State Senator Tarryl Clark, a more attractive and far better financed ($4 million war chest) candidate than she had faced in in 2008, when she narrowly beat lightly regarded and under-financed lobbyist Elwyn Tinkenberg by less than 3% of the vote. At Bachmann's request, Palin rode to her rescue early, appearing on her behalf at a packed rally of over 10,000 in Minneapolis on April 8, 2010, which was nationally televised on Sean Hannity's FOX program. Bachmann parlayed Palin's endorsement and high profile support into a fund raising bonanza of $13.4 million, which she used to swamp Clark. Indeed, the lopsided money advantage freed her to travel around the country campaigning for others and posing as the real TEA party heavyweight. Armed with this Palin-generated largesse, she easily beat Clark by 12%, the largest margin of victory in her career, including her two state Senate Races. Now she is using the balance of these "thirty pieces of silver" to pay odious characters like Ed Rollins to smear Sarah Palin as "not serious" and too lazy to "gain substance" in contrast to Bachmann, who "ha[s] worked hard" and been "a leader of the TEA party". Such treachery, which is both frank and fresh, makes me and every fair-minded person (whether pro- Palin or neutral) sick to our collective stomachs.
Rick Perry similarly faced a very competitive GOP primary against a sitting U.S. Senator, who is more liberal than he, and a solid conservative, Deb Medina, who was very popular with conservatives in Texas and nationally. In essence, he was squeezed from both directions, a challenge on the left and on the right. As she did with Bachmann, Palin went to Perry's aid early and often, endorsing him in the summer of 2009, ahead of the March 2010 primary. The first poll of Perry (by Rasmussen on September 16, 2009), which included both Hutchison and Medina, showed Hutchison pulling ahead of Perry 40-38, with Medina in single digits at 3%.
Perry crowed ad nauseam about Palin's endorsement in order to prevent Medina from gaining real traction and eclipsing him among conservatives. At the time of the endorsement, Perry had this to say about the value of Governor Palin's endorsement and their warm personal friendship:
'Facing a tough Republican primary fight next year in his bid for a third term, Gov. Rick Perry of Texas is brandishing the heavy artillery: Sarah Palin's endorsement of his campaign."If there's a bigger endorsement in the Republican universe, I don't know who it is than Sarah," he declared in a telephone interview over the weekend. He described the Alaska governor and 2008 vice presidential nominee as a "close personal friend" who knows my heart."'
As Matt Lewis observed in the article, "Palin's nod is indeed an asset for Perry, helping him cement his appeal to social conservatives in the Lone Star State." While Perry never again fell behind, even Palin's endorsement could not totally blunt the momentum for Deb Medina, who continued to rise in the polls, reaching a high point of 24% on February 7, 2010, three weeks before the primary, and reducing Perry's showing to 39% (Hutchison had 28%). Enter Palin again. She appeared at a nationally televised rally in Houston that drew over 8000 people on Super Bowl Sunday, February 8, 2010. After the rally, Medina never again broke 20 in a poll.
With Palin's conspicuous and staunch support, Perry barely beat back the challengers in March 2 primary, winning 51% to 30% for Hutchison and 19% for Medina. Even with Palin's support, Medina nearly forced a runoff, so great was conservative revulsion with Perry in Texas. Had Palin backed Medina as strongly as she backed Perry, it is quite possible that Medina and Hutchison would have been in a run off, and Perry would have been odd man out. Had Palin done nothing for Perry, it is a foregone conclusion that he would have faced a tough runoff. In other words, Perry owes Palin his political hide.
As I said at the outset of this article, both Perry and Bachmann are free to run for President or any other office for which they are constitutionally qualified. The First Amendment however also grants observers the right to express themselves on both the timing and the circumstances of their putative candidacies as well as their previous interaction with "close personal friends" who come to their aid. In assessing both Perry and Bachmann, conservative voters should ask themselves the following question: "In light of how these two have conducted themselves toward Sarah Palin in the last year or so, do you trust either of them---should they be elected--not to double cross you?"
I believe that question answers itself.
Put the crack pipe down. You overthink things. Bachmann and Perry are not aligned. Palin and Perry may be.
Ah, another sarah is Jesus betrayed rant. Do you really not realize the blasphemous foolishness of your adoration?
You are absolutely right about that...she has to much integrity to play games in this regard. She is being coy only because it is a good time to do so. That, and she gets millions in free publicity by not declaring at this time
It is a freaking crazy vanity, not an article. It could be an article as it is as delusional as the MSM.
Let the best person win.
Only Sarah can do something about it.
This is not an article...it is a non~rational palin is Jesus betrayed vanity rant.
Nothing, but this guy wants to make sure no person is standing but Palin. YUCK. Enjoy Obama for 4 more years.
Thanks for the compliment. :)
There’s alot I like about a Palin/Perry ticket. The idea of an Alaska/Texas domestic energy production dynamic duo is a winning combination that can’t be matched by and other candidates. None would even come close, IMO.
You're the confused one, *moose,matson*.
A quitter wouldn't be the biggest force in politics today moose-matson!
You are confusing audacity with courage. True courage never quits.
98 posted on Saturday, June 11, 2011 8:54:24 PM by moose-matson
Ah, another sarah is Jesus betrayed rant. Do you really not realize the blasphemous foolishness of your adoration?
///
first, you imply Palin is a coward for quitting, when the unfounded ethics complaints (that cost NOTHING to file, but lots to defend against) were bankrupting her.
...YOU would have remained, until you bankrupted your own family? and then what, when yet ANOTHER one was filed???
then, after YOU repeat the liberal lie, that “Sarah is a quitter”, you attack a good FReepers, not with facts or solid argument, but with RIDICULOUS statement about “blasphemy” and Jesus?!?!?
Yes, i am sure your posts will turn a lot of people against Sarah and that evil blasphemer...
It has been entertaining watching the potential candidates' campaigns go face-first into the mud after they or their staff have publicly attacked Palin.
Bachmann's Facebook responses (on both her Facebook pages) have been 90% chastising her and demanding she fire Rollins since Tuesday night. She has had someone constantly deleting responses, trying to cover up the disaster.
I predict Rick Perry will do the same in less than a week.
It is “flippin” repulsive. gack
“She’s shown the most courage of anyone in politcs today.”
Please elucidate on this courage. She and McLame lost. She quit as a governor. Perry might not meet the “pure” conservative test. Contrast her skills and electability to Perry, please.
Has anyone asked Bachmann about Rollins’ boneheaded remarks?
Did he make these remarks on more than one occasion, after she had a chance to scold him in private?
The Rollins thing is an issue, but not (yet) worth condemning one of the few potential Conservative candidates.
Do your own homework. Nobody has spoken out more against Obama and nobody campaigned more on the behalf of others during election 2010 than Sarah Palin. She is the face of the TEA PARTY, whether you want to believe it or not.
Michele Bachmann
Government Official
196,176 people like this
“Texas Gov. Rick Perry signed a bill today that asks voters to amend the state constitution by limiting government’s ability to take private property using eminent domain authority.
In a ceremony in front of the Alamo, Perry said land ownership has long been essential to the state’s way of life. He noted that many fighters of the famed 1836 battle thought they’d be rewarded with land for their service to the Republic of Texas.
If approved in November, the constitutional amendment would prohibit government officials from taking property and giving it to a private developer to boost the tax base.
The current proposal would prevent local governments from using eminent domain to hand the property over to a developer for tax base growth, but it would still allow them to take blighted properties.”
Homework done. This answers those that claim the Tollway was a land grab.
What has Palin done in the last two years?
She boldly promotes the Conservative cause despite unprecedented personal attacks--an order of magnitude worse than Geo W. Bush ever endured. Few people could handle those attacks, and fewer would volunteer to face them. She is the unshaken face of Courage.
Thanks very much, Elendur for your kind words regarding my Post #51.
As a co-holder of Sarah Palin’s Ping List, I must state that, I, like Govenor Palin herself, fear no competition and in fact, I welcome it!
Election 2012 is one that we have to win and I think Sarah Palin will win the nomination and go onto win the White House, despite the news media polls that say otherwise.
She is the all American, girl-next-door, who’s always been underestimated. Just like Rush continues to repeat, the enemy and the media always tell us who they fear most and the on going attempts to destroy her couldn’t be more clear.
She trusts in God completely and after this email snooping has backfired, I have to believe that God has surely blessed his servant, Sarah Palin, -— we know He works in mysterious ways -— granted, she didn’t fight the release of the emails.
GO SARAH! YOUR SUPPORTERS HAVE YOUR BACK!
ALL THE WAY TO 1600 PENNSYLVANIA AVE. WASHINGTON, D.C.!
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