Chambliss on Palin: “I can’t overstate the impact she had down here”
posted at 1:37 pm on December 3, 2008 by Allahpundit
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Eh. She may have been worth a point or two, but as an incumbent in a red state who almost won straight up last month, he was never in trouble. Which, of course, answers Doocy’s question at the beginning about why The One didn’t come down to campaign personally for Martin. Why jump aboard a sinking ship? If anything, staying away and letting black turnout wither only enhances his stature.
Needless to say, for the opposite reason, it was shrewd of the ‘Cuda to make the trip. Here’s Chambliss this morning on Fox & Friends, paying the piper.
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Piper Palin won this race for Saxby ?
William Amos on December 3, 2008 at 1:39 PM
Romney, Huckabee and Guiliani all campaigned for Chambliss last weekend. Polls afterwards showed Chambliss leading by 5 points.
Then Sarah came in Monday, and Chambliss won by 14 points on Tuesday.
Yeah, she was a HUGE benefit to Chambliss, and he is confirming it today.
Sarah is a star.
Norwegian on December 3, 2008 at 1:42 PM
AP, we get it!! You don’t like her.
Unlike our counterparts on the left, WE do not need to be beat over the head to remember something.
Find a new hobby horse.
Jim708 on December 3, 2008 at 1:42 PM
She added 10 points on top of the polls. Your humble pie is served.
lodge on December 3, 2008 at 1:43 PM
I won’t give Sarah all the credit but last Saturday that was a 5 point race.
Firebird on December 3, 2008 at 1:44 PM
Chambliss- “I can’t overstate the impact she had down here.”
Who’s right here? The senator campaigning beside her in GA, or the blogger in NYC?
(AP, psst… your bias is showing.)
cs89 on December 3, 2008 at 1:46 PM
Right, Saxby Chambliss enhances Sarah Palin’s stature. C’mon AP, you gotta get past that river called Denial.
BigD on December 3, 2008 at 1:48 PM
Ehh… I STILL think it was because Acorn wasn’t “active” to
stealsway the votes.But if the legend becomes fact…
Skywise on December 3, 2008 at 1:49 PM
Sarah Palin appeals to voters in one of the reddest states in the nation! OMG! Someone get the vapors….I really can’t handle this. This is SEISMIC y’all.
DeathToMediaHacks on December 3, 2008 at 1:50 PM
The general election put the “the polls are wrong” theory to bed, so we have to assume this 10 point bounce came from somewhere.
lodge on December 3, 2008 at 1:50 PM
Public Health Alert:
After dealing with BDS for 8 years, Mental Health Officials have discovered a new malady that is projected to be far worse than BDS. Officials warn that Palin Derangement Syndrome (PDS), could even infect more people than BDS has infected, in fact, BDS sufferers seem to be the most susceptible to, and almost destined to catch PDS. PDS has even affected some who would actually call themselves conservatives.
abinitioadinfinitum on December 3, 2008 at 1:50 PM
Maybe she can stop in Minnesota on the way home and help the recount effort.
JammieWearingFool on December 3, 2008 at 1:51 PM
Not to get too far ahead of ourselves, but I wonder how much of an impact Obama will have in ‘10, when he campaigns for his Congress-critters in toss-up districts. If the ‘mania hasn’t worn off completely, then he’ll still have something to say in the matter.
The Republican party needs to get its act together post haste, so that the up-and-coming rock stars (Sarah definitely being one of them) can GOTV in a big way. They need to have their strategy in place by the end of ‘09, or they’re screwed.
nukemhill on December 3, 2008 at 1:52 PM
Thou shalt not belittle The Conservative Messiah
brak on December 3, 2008 at 1:52 PM
AP, I know you aren’t the A-hole type of athiest, and for that I respect you, but I still have the feeling that if Palin wasn’t a walk-the-walk christian that she is that you would be singing a different tune.
DethMetalCookieMonst on December 3, 2008 at 1:53 PM
Sarah blew everybody away. People can’t get enough of her. Take that you idiot Huckabee -we wouldn’t walk across to see you. No more RINO’s!!!! Saxby needs to go back to DC and fire his Chief of Staff (a democrat). If he hadn’t joined the Gang of 14 and done other bi-partisan crap that his Chief of Staff urged him to do, he never would have been in a run off. We will NOT elect or re-elect anything that resembles a RINO. Sarah and Mitt in 2012.
suzyk on December 3, 2008 at 1:53 PM
It’s very simple. You can tell how much impact a person has by the way the other side reacts. She has gotten pummeled by the left and the MSM which only helps her more with the base. She’s a fighter!
DJ from MA on December 3, 2008 at 1:53 PM
How many turned up to see Huckabigot?
lodge on December 3, 2008 at 1:55 PM
I don’t think Saxby was being disingenuous when he said he “could not overstate” Sarah’s contribution.
Sarah in Georgia is somewhat preacher and choir, and there are tougher tests to come. But Sarah is money, money in the bank.
silverfox on December 3, 2008 at 1:56 PM
AP today:
AP yesterday:
irishspy on December 3, 2008 at 1:56 PM
She’s a “great administrator” rather than a great governor? Don’t know how to parse that.
Paul-Cincy on December 3, 2008 at 1:58 PM
You hit the campaign spots, burnish your image among the hard core party supporters and also give speeches or getting involved in major policy issues in preparation for a possible presidential run.
That’s what Reagan did after 1968, when his bid for the presidency came up short in the GOP primary because he wasn’t considered to have the gravitas required and was considered by most of the mainline Republicans to still be more of an actor than a political figure, even though he had served as governor of California for the past two years. And it still took Reagan another 12 years before he was elected president, when the incompetence of the Carter Administration was finally enough to overcome the media’s image of him as a dumb failed Hollywood star who had no original thoughts of his own.
Palin’s in the same boat now Reagan was 40 years ago. She’s got to go out and make connections with Republicans in other states while at the same time overcoming the image the media is building of a dumb failed mother (pregnant daughter and Downs-syndrome baby — that never happens to female Democratic politicians in the media’s eyes). The negative image of Palin built up far faster than it did on Reagan, because we’re more of an instantaneous information/immediate gratification society, but with the growing number of media alternatives to the usual TV and print sources and the overly-lofty expectations for Obama, those liabilities can be turned around in a relatively short time if Palin handles things right.
She can’t run on her current resume in 2012, but she has four years to improve that resume, and there’s only so much the media can do to tear her down if things are going badly in the country while Obama’s president.
jon1979 on December 3, 2008 at 2:00 PM
Wow. A classic case of denial. Did you work on McCain’s campaign staff too, AP? Sure sounds like it.
Fletch54 on December 3, 2008 at 2:01 PM
Lets keep this in perspective.
Chambliss and Isaakson fell all over themselves to endorse John F’n McCain the Sat before Super Tues primary… if that is any indication about how much we can take Saxby at his word.
gatorboy on December 3, 2008 at 2:03 PM
Tuesday’s weather kept the DEM vote down… Freezing cold outside does not make people rush to the polls.
The GOP scared the living daylights out of the easily swayed conservatives who showed up to support Saxby so that they could feel good about the election.
Sarah was helpful, but to attribute a +10 swing in the results in silly.
gatorboy on December 3, 2008 at 2:06 PM
It shows that if the McCain camp wasn’t so busy making Sarah the scapegoat for the campaign, Palin would have won the race for McCain is used properly.
Palin ‘12… it’s not as farfetched as you think.
stefystef on December 3, 2008 at 2:07 PM
jon1979: exactly she can’t run on her current resume in 2012 and she won’t for two reasons: she won’t have to adhere to McCain’s talking points that diminished her effectiveness and watered down her true conservative-libertarian point of view and secondly like all superstars-give them more time and experience (eg Tiger Woods) they get better and better in their performance and execution; for Sarah over the next 2-3 years she will be able to fine-tune her speeches, become more cogent in enunciating conservative principles, be able to flesh out the policies she wants to run on, and finally be able to tailor her message to attract the votes of independents, Reagan conservatives and suburban types.
technopeasant on December 3, 2008 at 2:08 PM
gatorboy, so the polls were off by 10 points because of the cold?
Phoenician on December 3, 2008 at 2:10 PM
How true, look at the clown to be number 44
abinitioadinfinitum on December 3, 2008 at 2:11 PM
So the polls taken just before the vote was incorrect (unlike any other polls this year). And all the dems stayed home because of cold weather. And the Republicans were scared.
Sorry, that does not fly. Sarah obviously played a significant role in the margin of victory for Chambliss (which was MUCH larger than polls predicted), and he went out of his way to say so in several apperances today.
Norwegian on December 3, 2008 at 2:12 PM
“When she walks in a room, folks just explode.”
When she walks in a room, liberal heads just explode, is a better version.
Entelechy on December 3, 2008 at 2:12 PM
Plus, rightie elitists’ heads explode too – see Noonan/Parker, for ex.
Entelechy on December 3, 2008 at 2:13 PM
:-)
INC on December 3, 2008 at 2:14 PM
Without Sarah being McCain’s VP, McCain would never have reach the crowd that Sarah got.
I am a little Bias towards her because I went to University of Idaho, where Sarah also went to school. I want her to be President in 2012.
BroncosRock on December 3, 2008 at 2:16 PM
Video please?
:-)
hillbillyjim on December 3, 2008 at 2:17 PM
“Palin Power”.
+1.
It’s a good post with links to a couple of other takes on the win from John Hawkins and Erick Erickson.
meltenn on December 3, 2008 at 2:20 PM
I absolutely can not wait to see Palin on a debate stage with President Obama. I can’t wait to see Palin doing town hall meetings without a script. I can not WAIT to see Palin have to do interviews not on Fox news. Oh it will be a gloriously sweet thing to behold. I also can not wait for Palin’s total spanking in 2012 to be the final nail in the coffin for hard right ideologues who finally *get it* that the country has moved on. Please, please, PLEASE nominate Palin GOP. It’s going to be sweet and delicious.
DeathToMediaHacks on December 3, 2008 at 2:23 PM
Evidence points to Chambliss’s assertion.
Spirit of 1776 on December 3, 2008 at 2:24 PM
stefystef: Palin 12 is now a movement and a phenomenon. Check out Team Sarah and the various web sites devoted to nominating Sarah in 2012. After a confirmation yesterday of the power of Sarah to move voters, I believe there is now a burgeoning leap of faith among many conservative voters to the viability of Sarah’s candidacy that will only grow exponentially over the next 1-2 years. I have said it on many threads-superstars like Sarah don’t come along very often in any endeavor; when you find one you have to latch on-they have the potential to take you to the promised land. If you are a fan of Tiger Woods, could you conceive of anybody else on the planet making that 12 foot putt on the 18th hole to force a playoff in the 2008 US Open? From a person who has followed superstars over the last 50 years in sports and politics, Sarah Palin is a full-fledged GOP superstar; she must be treasured and supported in any way you see fit. If you believe what she believes and espouses you must be prepared to rally around her and be prepared to defend her to the death from the media onslaught coming that will spew million times more venom, vitriol, and ridicule at her than was seen in 2008 that aims to take her down permanently. Friends, we must not allow this to happen.
technopeasant on December 3, 2008 at 2:26 PM
AP is just stirring up a little business. Post election blogging is tough, and he knows where the gold is buried within the HA ranks. I anticipate another Huck vs Sarah thread soon if this one doesn’t work out.
a capella on December 3, 2008 at 2:27 PM
Beta-male gets pants-ed in the locker room.
silverfox on December 3, 2008 at 2:27 PM
You would think AP would be embarrassed…but he isn’t, he is like some of the troll posters. As long as he gets attention, he doesn’t care how foolish his analysis gets.
You did a good job…
right2bright on December 3, 2008 at 2:28 PM
Me neither. She’s sure to have some prime material after 3 3/4 years of Obamanation.
hillbillyjim on December 3, 2008 at 2:29 PM
Does “Saxby” make anyone else think of Mushmouth from Fat Albert?
“Saxby wins-buh bye a landslide-buh”.
connertown on December 3, 2008 at 2:30 PM
allah showing once again who is the MSM bi8ch. He bashed Gov Palin all thru the general now bashing her again. a 1 to 2 pt bounce? She exploded the margins.
unseen on December 3, 2008 at 2:31 PM
hillbillyjim on December 3, 2008 at 2:34 PM
After the Civil War, black men received the right to vote while women had to wait another fifty years to get that right.
It’s amusing that still today, women come behind blacks, but women just don’t seem to care. Generally, it seems that women won’t unite behind another woman; and, if you tie that in with beta-men who actually fear women, Sarah doesn’t seem to have much of a chance.
Poor, Sarah. But, I still voted for her (and not her running mate).
Special Forces Grunt on December 3, 2008 at 2:34 PM
That’s ridiculous.
silverfox on December 3, 2008 at 2:35 PM
AP: the RCP had Saxby’s lead at 5.3% on November 30; on Dec 2 he won by about 15 points. Sarah visited Georgia on December 1; sir your math just doesn’t add up.
technopeasant on December 3, 2008 at 2:36 PM
No, this turns him into another Jessie Jackson: a spoiler is not a leader.
And what’s all this crap about Obama “defending his political capital” anyway? Shrewd or not, how is that a good thing?
What is he “proving” by doing this? That he doesn’t care about getting Democrats elected; that he’s afraid of a fight where the outcome isn’t guaranteed; that he thinks ‘The Messiah’ can’t help overcome a 4% deficit? All I see is that Obama – who just WON an election – currently has less capital than Sarah Palin, who just LOST an election.
I think the other posters have it right: All Obama’s hiding does is prove that he’s afraid to have his “draw power” directly compared to that of Sarah Palin — No one does.
logis on December 3, 2008 at 2:36 PM
Who really cares? I think Sarah is great but one politician log-rolling for another is nothing new.
grdred944 on December 3, 2008 at 2:39 PM
Surely you mean for Obama to show without a teleprompter.
Entelechy on December 3, 2008 at 2:40 PM
I can’t wait to see Palin doing town hall meetings without a script.
DeathToMediaHacks on December 3, 2008 at 2:23 PM
I can’t wait to see Obama do Townhall Meetings without a script or teleprompter.
Barry: “Uhhhhhhh…Ummmmmmmm…Uhhhhh”
kingsjester on December 3, 2008 at 2:42 PM
You’re absolutely right. He uses her for hit counts and enjoys making snotty asides to everyone riled up. He’s quite an effective agitator, and like most agitators I’m sure he’s a jerk. But I do enjoy his website. ;)
ramrocks on December 3, 2008 at 2:43 PM
Ouch, not that I want to rub it in, but that’s gotta hurt.
On the other hand, did Chambliss LEARN anything from the Republican voters?
Is he still going the occasional RINO route?
Sir Napsalot on December 3, 2008 at 2:44 PM
Gotta Luv That Lady…..
DL13 on December 3, 2008 at 2:45 PM
If AP can work up a piece combining Palin, homosexuality, and illegal immigration, you’re talking a 1000 post thread, minimum!
Paul-Cincy on December 3, 2008 at 2:47 PM
This one’s too obvious. I give it 200-250 max.
cs89 on December 3, 2008 at 2:52 PM
We got there the other day in the Zogby 2012 thread. Of course, it was designed to be, and was, a Palin vs Romney smackdown. Ah, the primaries are going to be fun.
meltenn on December 3, 2008 at 2:55 PM
Paul-Cincy, you forgot creationism. Add that, and you hit 5k.
thirtypundit on December 3, 2008 at 3:02 PM
AP is right about Palin not really helping Chambliss win. As I stated on another thread here, if there had been another Republican besides Chambliss, Chambliss would not have been in this election. Chambliss only won because Jim Martin is more of an idiot.
You just have to live here to understand…
moonsbreath on December 3, 2008 at 3:04 PM
Sarah Palin did a 2hr townhall with McCain in Michigan earlier in the campaign. I guess you were distracted by the VP powerhouse that was Joe Biden, what with all that excitement around him and all.
I saw the whole thing on my magic PC box, and Sarah was very good. Those people there loved her. That townhall crowd was more excited and energetic than any of the others McCain did by himself. That was the only joint Townhall they did, further evidence that McCain’s staff could not understand the goldmine in their backyard until it was too late. She owned that crowd, and they loved being owned. McCain himself at the concession speech said she’s one of the best campaigners he’s ever seen, and he’s been doing this a long time.
You are blinded to Sarah’s talents by your own arrogance. In front of a big crowd, Sarah Palin is something special, and I’ve never seen a better campaigner. Six rallies in three states in one day, and she never showed any signs of fatigue or weakness. I think her voice cracked once on the last day of the campaign. That was it. She’s incredible with people. Does she have some work to do? Sure she does. She has plenty of time to refine the overall package. Still, anybody who denies that Sarah Palin is packed with potential doesn’t know what they are talking about.
Brian1972 on December 3, 2008 at 3:11 PM
lmao..I’m such an infadel.
Palin is TNT. Tried ‘N True!
Elektra on December 3, 2008 at 3:12 PM
Funny how the southern voices are being drowned out by all the more ‘knowledgeable’ people around the country.
Lol..
Palin helped, but not +10 points worth. Martin was a joke of a candidate. Obama knew it and didn’t want to use any political capital. GOP scared the daylights out of GOP voters by making Martin out as the boogie-man who would be Reid’s henchmen in the Senate (which he would be). Not to mention that the GOP didn’t do much besides railing against liberals – not much about why someone should vote FOR Saxby. Add the cold weather on top of this and you have the perfect storm brew for a GOP win. The ‘filibuster-proof’ argument was too complicated for DEMs to grasp fully, so they stayed inside where it was nice and warm.
Again, all the back-slapping about what an impact Palin had on the vote does not reconcile with the facts on the ground in GA.
gatorboy on December 3, 2008 at 3:16 PM
Allah, get over it. People love Sarah Palin despite your obvious dislike. Get used to it.
Charles Martel on December 3, 2008 at 3:21 PM
I don’t think he dislikes her, per se. I just think that, to him, she’s no Christopher Hitchens with a bottle of scotch and come-hither eyes.
Allah, we tease because we love. :)
Pasalubong on December 3, 2008 at 3:26 PM
I don’t think that Sarah Palin got Saxby ALL of those points. She does generate excitement like no other Republican has in a long time. If she was insignificant, why did the candidate with his future on the line start calling her and publicly inviting her almost immediately? There is something to this. She did help him out, and it was significant. Not the whole margin, but significant.
People who like her deep down in their hearts(as I do) are really sensitive right now. She’s been unfairly smeared and slimed for months, and her supporters are hyper-touchy about any diminishing of this lady. It’s understandable, in my view. An overreaction to giving her credit when it is due should be expected when it’s been denied her soooo much of the last couple of months.
It’s your state, so you have a point. But it’s Saxby’s political ass on the line and he went right for the Cuda in his corner, so he has a point, too. Give her a good share of the credit, but all of it is unrealistic.
You must be in a part of Georgia near to Gainsville, Florida with that name, Gatorboy. UGA might bite you if you get too close to him :)
Brian1972 on December 3, 2008 at 3:30 PM
I guess AP stands for Anti-Palin.
Go SARAH!
GrayLoess on December 3, 2008 at 3:33 PM
Whistling past the graveyard.
Come to think of, did Obama ever do an unscripted town hall meeting? He ducked the 10 town-hall meeting debates that McCain offered.
tom on December 3, 2008 at 3:33 PM
She does get us fired up.. GO SARAH
reshas1 on December 3, 2008 at 3:35 PM
Add to that an unfounded rumor about McCain that’s impossible to prove or deny such as him bashing conservatism or the belief in Christ – or christian conservatives! and it would be 2000 comment page no problem!
wise_man on December 3, 2008 at 3:42 PM
FIFY
Lehosh on December 3, 2008 at 3:44 PM
She’s electric. There is no denying her star power. Like or not like her, she is the real deal.
She fires us up. No one has done that in a long time.
I’ll work my a** for her if she runs in 2012
Rightwingsparkle on December 3, 2008 at 3:49 PM
Special Forces Grunt on December 3, 2008 at 2:34 PM
you are forgetting about queen elizabeth. and Margret thatcher etc. It is not our problem if the parties have never put up a respectable presidental canidate until Palin and clinton. Time will come. Men have no problem having a female boss. In fact feel the love.
unseen on December 3, 2008 at 3:51 PM
Obama did townhall meetings with voters and without a prompter from 2007 til the second Presidential debate. All the footage is available on youtube.
Yeah but talent for what? To run for a Republican senate seat? Yes, she’d be unstoppable in almost any safe red state. She probably would be able to win enough Republican primaries to get the nomination too. But Sarah Palin can not be Sarah Palin that you love and win the election. Women will not vote for such a stridently pro-life. She polled particularly bad among non-white people of both genders. She is a star for conservatism. But the country ISN’T conservative anymore.
DeathToMediaHacks on December 3, 2008 at 3:53 PM
Sarah can boss me around anytime she wants to. Give me the Teacher’s Pet T-shirt :)
Brian1972 on December 3, 2008 at 3:55 PM
Brian1972 on December 3, 2008 at 3:30 PM
Brian, such a thoughtful and true to life post.
+1
gippergal1984 on December 3, 2008 at 3:56 PM
You prove my point for me. Thanks, deathdude.
%60 of Americans refer to themselves as somewhat or very conservative.
Brian1972 on December 3, 2008 at 3:57 PM
too funny
I guess that is why the democratic candidate ran on tax cuts and going “line by line” in the federal budget to remove waste huh?
The country was not conservative anymore in 1976 either right?
joey24007 on December 3, 2008 at 3:59 PM
Thanks, I try :)
Brian1972 on December 3, 2008 at 4:00 PM
hey … that vote on gay marriage in California proved that conservatism is dead!
joey24007 on December 3, 2008 at 4:00 PM
Reagan gets 44 states: Bizarre anomaly
Obama gets 28 states: Existential shift in the electorate.
Lehosh on December 3, 2008 at 4:06 PM
Allah, its fairly obvious that you dislike Palin and want to discredit her for the very same reasons the media and the left want/need to: Fear the fact that she’s got your panties in a bunch seems to me like one more reason to support her. As far as her appeal among “independents ” or “moderates” …? well, John McCain was THE most popular GOP candidate in history among both those groups, and he got smoked in the general, so, thanks but no thanks on wooing the middle…if there’s one thing we should have learned the hard way in november, it’s that we win when we get conservatives to the polls, and we get plastered when we don’t. We can argue all day between who is more “conservative” …. the libertarian, fiscal conservatives like me, and religious right pro life, family values people on the other side…but when we are lucky enough to get a candidate who’s both ?? thats electoral gold, baby, I’m not sure what part you don’t get, AP ?? or is it that you understand it all too well ? hmmm
johngalt on December 3, 2008 at 4:07 PM
I’ll take the winning candidate’s word for it – he felt she was a big plus. Whether you like her or not it seems childish to try and diminsh her popular appeal.
It strikes me funny that the libs discount her popularity considering that their Presidential candidate was elected based on nothing other than his personality.
And for conservatives to diss her impact seems like sour grapes because their favorite doesn’t draw the same response.
katiejane on December 3, 2008 at 4:08 PM
How many are pro-life/pro-choice?
How many support an increase in taxes for the top 5%?
How many support a nationalized healthcare system of some sort?
How many favor gay civil unions(not marriage)?
How many believe Creationism should be taught in schools?
See what counts as “liberal” and “conservative” changes with each generation. Gay rights wasn’t a part of the “liberal” agenda until the last 20 years. But liberalism still existed no? Conservatives used to be isolationists and anti-interventionists. Your and Palin’s problem is that she is on the wrong side of the majority of the issues that matter to people.
DeathToMediaHacks on December 3, 2008 at 4:09 PM
Brian1972 on December 3, 2008 at 4:00 PM
When some a-hole liberal makes a nasty comment about her being stupid or a redneck or a bible thumper I feel personally wounded. Like someone insulted my mother, ya know?
gippergal1984 on December 3, 2008 at 4:14 PM
How many are pro-life/pro-choice?
How many support an increase in taxes for the top 5%?
How many support a nationalized healthcare system of some sort?
How many favor gay civil unions(not marriage)?
How many believe Creationism should be taught in schools?
See what counts as “liberal” and “conservative” changes with each generation. Gay rights wasn’t a part of the “liberal” agenda until the last 20 years. But liberalism still existed no? Conservatives used to be isolationists and anti-interventionists. Your and Palin’s problem is that she is on the wrong side of the majority of the issues that matter to people
I don’t see that, I think you’re missing the forest for the trees by focusing on individual issues rather than general ones…I could easily respond by pointing out that the majority of americans do NOT support partial birth abortion, or gay marriage, etc….I think whats important is that conservatism as a general principle, ie: low taxes, personal responsibility, faith and family values, law and order, smaller government, strong and energetic national defense… is certainly favored by the majority of americans. Our message is strong, our messengers lately have been pretty weak, Bush included. Bottom line, this is not a democracy, it’s republic, a representative government, and in Palin, for the first time in a long time, I feel like there’s someone who represents me
johngalt on December 3, 2008 at 4:23 PM
A townhall event with scripted and approved questions defeats the purpose of such a forum.
V15J on December 3, 2008 at 4:25 PM
What, that he uses the same tactics?
Did you see the post I linked to?
I didn’t say he was a troll poster, these kind of posts emulate them.
right2bright on December 3, 2008 at 4:29 PM
This was not an ideological issues based election in the end. The financial meltdown turned the campaign into a panic election. Before the bank failures and the stock market crash, McCain Palin were ahead 5-7 points nationally, more in the red states that flipped blue. The crash upset the chessboard, and wiped off the front burner the issues that have driven the electorate the last several cycles. McCain had a chance to stay in the game, but he blew it with his reaction to the bailout. “Erratic” became stuck to him, and he could not shake it.
Furthermore, McCain was counting on the success from the surge helping him out, and the “media hacks” made that issue disappear entirely once it became clear that it would not hurt Republicans anymore.
Add to that an increase in the black vote due to Obama’s melanin content, a massive discontent from conservatives with McCain which Sarah Palin did a lot to repair but was not quite enough.
Perfect Storm for Democrats this time around.
America is not France.
Brian1972 on December 3, 2008 at 4:30 PM
The cry from the left…
right2bright on December 3, 2008 at 4:31 PM
Ditto.
canditaylor68 on December 3, 2008 at 4:36 PM
I agree that country may not be as small c conservative anymore but when you throw in the libertarian element into the mix it becomes a mighty force to contend with. That is why I have proposed that the 3 legged stool of national security, fiscal sanity and traditional values be supplemented by a fourth leg-that of libertarianism to broaden out the conservative appeal. And to lead that march I would nominate Sarah Palin, a libertarian in her own right and not just a social conservative.
technopeasant on December 3, 2008 at 4:37 PM
I do know. It hits my sense of fairness and justice, and chivalry to some degree. If people want to say Sarah is wrong on some issue, another solution would be better, that’s fine.
When you insult the person with things like idiot, or breeder(what’s that all about?) it gets me a little hot under the collar. Sarah is a fine American woman, and deserves better than schoolyard rumors. Argue about Alaska’s budget, or tax policy, environmental protection vs resource development, things that matter to people’s lives. When you attack her intelligence or focus on what she wears or her regional accent, it’s petty, juvenile and unfair.So naturally, I get petty and juvenile right back atcha!
Brian1972 on December 3, 2008 at 4:38 PM
Unless you have evidence for this claim it’s pretty meaningless.
I agree. It’s offensive and demeaning. I strongly critic her, not because of WHO she is, but because of WHAT she believes in and fights for. That’s enough for me. And yes my disagreement with her beliefs can sometimes slip into antipathy towards her, I don’t actually know her, she is probably perfectly lovely as a person.
But her policy positions are so problematic. And at a certain point Palinites are going to have to stop talking about her wonderful personal qualities. And START talking about her substantive positions. She may be an “effective executive” but does she have answers to the major problems of today. I don’t think so. And frankly, neither does conservatism. Healthcare is an issue thats not going to go away and “free market” isn’t going to cut it. A stable economy, not. going. away. and “Reagan” and “this is a great country” isn’t going to answer those questions.
DeathToMediaHacks on December 3, 2008 at 4:44 PM
Brian1972: if this trash were just confined to the Nutroots, and I’m all for free speech, I would not come down so hard on it and use words like disinformation and propaganda. I am a student of history and I do not refer to Nazi Germany lightly. But when the MSM (broadcast media and news media)and its leftist pundits pound away 24/7 on those themes you replied to when brought up by gippergal1984 it takes on the same sinister overtones as Goebbels-style brainwashing and antagonism did in Nazi Germany in grossly distorting reality with the worst kind of ridicule, calumny, vilification and harrassment levelled at Sarah Palin, with only one purpose in my mind-to destroy her utterly without any chance of her being rehabilitated or resurrected. The intentions of the MSM are thus crystal-clear. But what is not crystal-clear yet is what the conservative movement is prepared to do to defend its spearhead, its flagship, its champion who has issued the clarion call to all conservatives to rise up and be counted so we conservatives can act to take back America and restore the importance to America of the traditional values which are enshrined in the founding documents of the Declaration of independence, the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. America was founded as a perfect union; Obama and his merry men and women are out to destroy it. As conservatives we must wake up before it is too late. As Reagan said: “Freedom can be lost in one generation…”
technopeasant on December 3, 2008 at 5:04 PM
Well, first of all, Queen Elizabeth is a figurehead who arrived at her position because of the accident of her birth. She wasn’t elected, so I wouldn’t count her. Citing Margaret Thatcher as an example, however, only reinforces SFG’s point, I think. Why is it that we have never seen a viable female candidate for POTUS? Thatcher was PM over 20 years ago. Countries like India and Pakistan and Israel and the Philippines have all had female leaders. Why not the United States? It’s not that there’s a lack of qualified women in this country.
I think the problem is a complicated one, and I think a lot of the blame rests with women themselves. Women are just unduly critical of each other and I do think that hold us all back, which is sad and pathetic and very 7th grade. But I do also think that there is still a glass ceiling out there that some beta males are only too happen to see remain in place. And a lot of them are members of the party leadership on both sides, so that’s part of your answer as well. Or they’re members of the MSM, where you have overt sexists like Chrissy “Tingles” Matthews.
It’s really unfortunate that we women seem to be our own worst enemy a lot of the time. The feminist movement has done little to advance the rights of women as far as I can see, unless you buy into their meme that the only “right” that really counts is the right to abortion on demand. I am sure those who fear women like Sarah Palin are only too happy to encourage the infighting and backbiting that goes on between women. Keeping a class divided is a sure way to make certain it fails.
This is probably the number one reason I heart Sarah Palin: I don’t agree with some of her views, but she — like me — seems to pretty libertarian in applying those views, so I am OK with that. There’s no candidate who is ever a perfect fit really, but she’s a lot closer than a lot of the other options. But if Sarah can break that glass ceiling and in so doing shatter the stereotype that powerful, pro-women candidates can only be moonbat liberals, then I would consider that a personal victory. Conservative women far outnumber traditional feminists, but you would never know it by listening to the MSM or observing the power bases in this country. Electing Sarah Palin president would be a watershed moment for us all. I would no longer feel like I was being silenced or marginalized by beta males, by liberals, and by Uncle Toms of my own gender like Noonan and Parker.
NoLeftTurn on December 3, 2008 at 5:08 PM
CNN
V15J on December 3, 2008 at 5:17 PM
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