Proxy war: Rand Paul’s GOP opponent says Palin isn’t qualified to be president
posted at 5:36 pm on April 14, 2010 by Allahpundit
In a vacuum, this wouldn’t be newsworthy — 69 percent of registered voters agree with him — but in a closed primary in a red state, when Sarahcuda’s already endorsed Paul and Mitch McConnell’s already endorsed Grayson? I do believe we have ourselves a bona fide grassroots vs. establishment proxy fight on our hands. Chris Cillizza:
The question — and Grayson’s answer — speak to what is almost certain to be a growing problem for establishment Republicans as they seek office.
The simple truth is that behind closed doors most establishment Republicans and party poobahs don’t believe that Palin is currently qualified to be president of the United States.
But, they also recognize that Palin is — without question — the symbolic leader of the Tea Party movement and speaking ill (or anywhere close to ill) of her creates the possibility that the most enthusiastic piece of the GOP base will turn on them and, in doing so, jeopardize their chances at winning.
And so, few — if any — leaders within the party will answer the question as directly as Grayson. Instead, they will say things like “that decision isn’t up to me, it’s up to the voters” and other sorts of rhetorical obfuscation that keeps them from getting crosswise with the former governor of Alaska.
This isn’t some sort of game-changer — Grayson already trails Paul by 15 points — but I wonder if it’ll help Paul indirectly by taking the edge off the accusations that he’s a kook. Suspicions about the Paul family infect even the conservative base, Sarahcuda’s endorsement notwithstanding; now that Grayson’s shown himself to be sour not just on him but her, it’s easier to dismiss his criticism of Paul as simple “elitism” or whatever. Wouldn’t surprise me to see Paul get a bounce as some righty skeptics take a second look at him now. Or is it Grayson who’ll get a bounce as centrist Republicans (assuming they exist in Kentucky) embrace him for having sniffed at Palin?
Incidentally, Palin and McConnell aren’t the only players in this proxy fight: Jim Bunning, whom McConnell pressured to retire, just threw his support to — surprise — Rand Paul.
Blowback
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And a cheap stamped-metal tool at that!
As to Palin being ‘qualified’…technically speaking all one has to do to be ‘qualified’ is to be a US citizen and over the right age. But that discussion gets us into the letter of the law vs. the spirit of the law.
Dark-Star on April 14, 2010 at 7:34 PM
Not really. Lehman Brothers and TARP were the contributors. According to Rasmussen (the most accurate pollster of the 2008 election), McCain was leading Obama by 2 points on September 15, 2008…the day Lehman went bankrupt. I don’t think McCain ever led before he picked Palin.
You can have your own opinion, but not your own facts.
ddrintn on April 14, 2010 at 7:35 PM
I don’t see Grayson’s answer as an insult to Palin, frankly, and not unreasonable at all. But then, I’m not a big fan of the Pauls, either.
More to the point — if the Republicans answering this question “no” would simply go one step further and inform the public that they also don’t believe that Obama is qualified to be President (he isn’t) and that Palin would make an infinitely better President than our National Village Idiot Joe Biden, then all would be forgiven.
Why don’t they do that? Think on your feet, boys.
Jaibones on April 14, 2010 at 7:36 PM
I don’t know…he seems to command such authority. :)
Diane on April 14, 2010 at 7:38 PM
Well then they’d have to explain how Pawlenty and Romney and Huckabee are more “qualified”. Or better yet, Ryan the congressman.
ddrintn on April 14, 2010 at 7:41 PM
You also have to take into the consideration that there were a lot of people who were not going to vote for McCain until Palin joined the ticket (I personally know about 15). You can’t just say she lost votes and not look at the other side either. She helped McCain gain votes as well. Of course, that was never reported.
deidre on April 14, 2010 at 7:44 PM
I think most of the people that say that Palin is not qualified are not qualified to make that statement.
docdave on April 14, 2010 at 7:45 PM
Considering the fervor with which you defended your “The GOP if TX-14 are going to rise up and vote out Ron Paul” claim, you’ll forgive for taking your political prognostications with more than a grain of salt.
JohnGalt23 on April 14, 2010 at 7:47 PM
Diane, I really wasn’t trying to be nasty. But, you asked how you fit into the Tea Party? If you have to ask, than maybe you’re not in the right place.
Tea Party isn’t about Palin, or the GOP,RNC,DNC. It is a movement about curbing the Government Largesse. About the people’s will being heard, and understood.
We are ALL Tea Partiers now.
portlandon on April 14, 2010 at 7:49 PM
I think you’re playing a little fast and loose with your analysis, if not your facts.
Yeah, McCain briefly led Obama around the middle of September, before the crash. But that was most likely simply a post-convention bounce. I don’t think John McCain ever really led barrack Obama, and probably never stood a chance.
That being said, while Palin probably did drive a few independents away from the ticket, she did do the one thing she was brought on board the campaign for… she rallied the Right around John McCain, something that was probably beyond the capabilities of any other GOPer at the time. And she did it spectacularly well.
JohnGalt23 on April 14, 2010 at 7:52 PM
Considering that you are a card-carrying Ron Paul Cultist, you’ll forgive me if I don’t give a damn what you think.
Rebar on April 14, 2010 at 7:55 PM
The guy has an opinion and he should be able to say it without being trashed. Incidentally, his take is more in line with public sentiment as well. I know polls aren’t everything, but Sarah’s look like shit right now. Most Republicans like her but that doesn’t mean they want to see her as our next presidential candidate, nothing wrong with that. This race should be about ideas, not personality politics.
echosyst on April 14, 2010 at 7:55 PM
Oh, I’ll cover that action.
JohnGalt23 on April 14, 2010 at 7:58 PM
Brave words, coming from someone afraid to back up his (asanine) predictions with a little cold, hard cash.
Of course, I expect those with Paul Derangement Syndrome to have a blank space above the belt. I had just hoped for so much better from you.
JohnGalt23 on April 14, 2010 at 8:01 PM
Maybe Paul can pass some of that $31+ Billion in pork your way, to salve your heartache.
Rebar on April 14, 2010 at 8:12 PM
Once again I ask, at what point did you give up on the idea of being taken seriously?
Let’s take a look at a few issues, and see where the ’60′s Left, establishment Republicans, and Ron paul stand.
- Membership in the UN – Ron Paul is against it. 1960′s Lefties and mainstream Republicans skipping hand-in-hand towards one-worldism.
- Medicare and Medicaid – Ron Paul favors the elimination of them. 1960′s Lefties and mainstream Republicans wet their pants at such a suggestion.
- Social Security – Ron Paul wants younger people to opt out of it. 1960′s leftists and mainstream Republicans think it is a bulwark of our american society.
- Gun Control – 1960′s Leftists and mainstream Republicans think that the government in DC has the authority to say who can have a gun and where they may have it. Ron Paul takes seriously the idea of the Rights of the People not being infringed.
Now, the list really does go on and on and on…
So why would you make such a juvenile statement? Unless of course that’s the only kind of statement that you can make.
JohnGalt23 on April 14, 2010 at 8:15 PM
Ron Paul is heading to office for another term, despite your asinine predictions to the contrary.
My heart is doing just fine.
JohnGalt23 on April 14, 2010 at 8:16 PM
Actually, exit polls did show that Palin helped McCain more than she hurt him.
Jon0815 on April 14, 2010 at 8:18 PM
I don’t consider myself a Palin person but when things like this happen, it becomes all to obvious that the established leadership in the Republican party feel that both she and the Tea Party movement are one huge headache. They will be more then willing to ride the tide back into a majority but they will go right back to what got us into this mess to begin with. Out of touch is an understatement.
Cindy Munford on April 14, 2010 at 8:21 PM
Ron Paul, Rand’s father, was not a big fan of Palin himself. I don’t think it is just about establishment Republicans at all. A lot of people do not feel Palin is prepared to be President, I disagree with that, but the feeling is obviously more widespread than just some Republicans.
And besides, Palin is an establishment Republican herself in many ways.
Terrye on April 14, 2010 at 8:28 PM
I agree. I wasn’t implying we needed a leader. I was criticizing the choice and overlapping allegiances. Sorry for the confusion.
Diane on April 14, 2010 at 8:29 PM
I’m sure that the prospect of Paul sucking more Billions out of the American taxpayer to buy votes while bashing the republican party on left-wing news, does your old blood-pump a world of good.
Rebar on April 14, 2010 at 8:30 PM
For you idiots who still claim that Palin hurt the ticket, 2 things:
1) Gallup polling consistently showed Mccain getting either 38% or 39% of the female vote throughout the ENTIRE summer of 2008…. after picking Palin, it bumped up to a consistent 43% and 44%… exit polling showed him getting 43%… do the math… that’s several million women Palin brought to the ticket.
2) Here’s a little interesting exercise for you to try: Overlay two graphs… the S&P 500 chart and the Rasmussen or Gallup daily tracking graph of Mccain/Palin…. The correlation is uncanny.
Mccain/Palin lost because of the economic meltdown. End of discussion.
BPD on April 14, 2010 at 8:44 PM
Only you know the truth about whether your writings are actually your thoughts.
I think otherwise.
unclesmrgol on April 14, 2010 at 8:51 PM
Sadly true — a meltdown orchestrated (and that’s not too strong a word) by the Democrats and their interference in the housing markets. That includes Mr. Obama — one of whose jobs was forcing Citibank to do subprime loans.
unclesmrgol on April 14, 2010 at 8:53 PM
1.) Having the Republican leadership arrayed against you 30 months out from the next presidential election isn’t the worst thing in the world. Case in point: Ronald Reagan in 1978, where Reagan was considered both a lightweight and the least-electable candidate of the major contenders going into the 1980 election;
2.) That said, if Rand Paul does win the Kentucky Senate race, he becomes as much Sarah Palin’s child as he is Ron’s. If he limits his similarities to his father to his budget issues, that won’t be a problem for Palin if she decides to run in 2012, but if Rand turns out to be a clone of his daddy on both the domestic and foreign policy issues, look out.
jon1979 on April 14, 2010 at 8:53 PM
Right. I think what they really mean is that yes, sure she’s qualified, they just don’t think she’s smart enough, or experienced enough. But that sort of rejection is going to be hard to express without earning an enormous amount of hate from her supporters.
Jaibones on April 14, 2010 at 9:55 PM
Grayson is exactly what the Tea Party is all about. He could just as easily have run as a democrat. Another career pol who just doesn’t get what is going on. The State republican party has already stepped in it by endorsing him. He has trailed badly from the start.
pgrossjr on April 14, 2010 at 10:05 PM
Sen. Bunning is the Man. His exposure of PAYGO is why I still can vote for a Republican. Of course, Sen. Bunning is retiring, but I would vote for him.
Its the spending, stupid.
Angry Dumbo on April 14, 2010 at 10:12 PM
My Dr’s cousin’s friend says that Mittens isn’t qualified to be a dog catcher.
Not to mention Mittens is a religious whack job that believes in that mumbo jumbo about Joseph Smith getting tablet’s of gold from the White Jesus that only he can read with his scrying device.
Mittens is cuckoo for Coca Puffs.
Mr Purple on April 14, 2010 at 10:33 PM
Well, given the fact that “qualification” outside the constitutional requirements is a pretty subjective thing, it would probably be better to say, “Yeah, she meets the qualifications. It’s up to voters to decide beyond that.” After all, Bush Sr. was more “qualified” in the eyes of many than Reagan.
ddrintn on April 14, 2010 at 11:14 PM
I’m not a big Palin fan, because I’m slowly becoming enamored by a fat man in Jersey, Never thought I would write that sentence but Palin is more qualified than Obama was when he was elected, and even if unqualified she can’t do any worse than our political elites have done recently. I live in KY so I’m thinking I will exact a little revenge for you Palinites. You can send me bourbon if you feel appreciative.
DFCtomm on April 15, 2010 at 12:19 AM
This is an exciting race.
Who would want Mitch McConnell’s endorsement?
Grayson will be clobbered in the primary.
molonlabe28 on April 15, 2010 at 10:25 AM
Grayson must be a label instead of a name if you consider the illiterate redneck Congressman from Florida, Alan Grayson. This guy reinforces it by not knowing without Palin, McCain would’ve been another Mondale. For the record, Reagan carried 49 of 50 states and Mondale carried his homestate of Minnesota by 2%. Being dumber than a rock suggests he is in the wrong party.
volsense on April 15, 2010 at 3:02 PM
Well, besides the numerous sources who say she was a drain on the ticket, how about the fact that her approval rating has been upside-down ever since the American people got a good look at her? Isn’t it kind of obvious that someone who is viewed negatively by a majority of the population is going to hurt the ticket?
I certainly agree that Palin lifted the ticket from the moment she was announced until the Couric interview. But after Couric, she was a drain.
orange on April 15, 2010 at 5:35 PM
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