McCain: I think Palin should be the VP nominee

posted at 9:45 am on April 4, 2012 by Tina Korbe

Yesterday, Sarah Palin emphasized in her interview with Matt Lauer that whoever becomes the GOP nominee should not play it safe in his selection of a vice presidential running mate. She declined to answer outright whether she thinks this year’s VP nominee should have more experience on the national stage than she did in 2008, but she did say she thinks the presidential nominee should “go rogue” with his pick.

Former GOP presidential nominee John McCain backed up those statements today with this:

On CBS’s This Morning, McCain, the 2008 GOP nominee, was asked whether he agreed with his former running mate that Romney should ‘go rogue’ in picking a vice president.

“I think it should be Sarah Palin,” McCain answered, laughing. And while he did not backtrack from that statement, he did say that there was a “wealth of talent” in the GOP field, including Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal.

It’s an interesting proposition. She’s far more seasoned than she was in 2008, with a loyal fan base that would be incredibly energized by her presence on the ticket. But would she accept? She declined to run for the presidency herself, maintaining that she can have more influence as a media presence than as an actual candidate. If she worried she wouldn’t have enough influence as the presidential nominee or the president, then she surely wouldn’t be satisfied with the level of influence the vice presidential nomination offers, even if it was her launching pad to the fame she now enjoys.

The willingness of any Republican to accept a slot on the 2012 GOP ticket will be in part determined by the probability of victory. At this stage in the game, as Obama leads Romney nationally and stoops to the lowest possible attacks on Paul Ryan, the vice presidential nomination might not appear so much a reward as a challenge. If not Sarah Palin herself, the vice presidential nominee will have to at least possess her pluck and fighting spirit. The eventual GOP nominee better not play it safe, indeed.

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He has no path to electoral victory, which is the only thing that really matters. National polling is irrelevant, especially before the primaries are over. It really only becomes a useful tool a week or so before the General Election. Buckshot Bill on April 4, 2012 at 1:02 PM

Mitt is going to win in a landslide after he schools Obama on the economy and energy. Most people like successful, decent and very smart. The 2% here will claim it was because they held Mitt’s feet to the fire or Palin endorsed him or something equally stupid.

Basilsbest on April 4, 2012 at 1:10 PM

Sure he may be a decent man. There are a lot of decent people out there that could be running if that’s the only criteria. If you want to add successful and smart, there’s a lot of those out there, too.

I have not personally seen anything from any of the four candidates in the primary that leads me to believe that they can beat Obama. You (and the other Romney people) keep painfully forgetting that it’s not only Obama that we are running against, but the Dem machinery, the LSM and the other minions that will crawl out of the woodwork (like Acorn or whatever they call themselves now, the unions, etc).

So yes, straight up Romney (and any of the others) can beat Obama, but against the other baggage that will be along for the ride? No, haven’t seen any indication that he or the others have that kind of stomach and spine.

So you and your brethren can bleat about Romney being The Only One, but I would bet my coin that he’s going to lose and lose ugly when the LSM and minions are through with him. These are desperate people and they are going to target the stupid/lazy and there are lot of those out there.

Good luck with your delusions, though. I hope it at least gets you to sleep at night.

kim roy on April 4, 2012 at 4:31 PM

Another false meme continually put forth by the ABRtards.

Gunlock Bill on April 4, 2012 at 2:35 PM

Ah! The local Mittler Youth Sturmbannführer finally makes his appearance!
I beginning to wonder if you’d ever show up.

Dunedainn on April 4, 2012 at 4:44 PM

It’s an interesting proposition. She’s far more seasoned than she was in 2008, with a loyal fan base that would be incredibly energized by her presence on the ticket.

You have got to be sh-tting me. I know that you think that Mitt is stupid. I know that he’s not your guy. But get a grip. Mitt is nobody’s fool and he is NOT going to pick everybody’s fool to be his Veep.

MJBrutus on April 4, 2012 at 4:58 PM

Nowadays, for health-care purposes, a man is considered a child to be kept on his parents’ health care until age 26.

cane_loader on April 4, 2012 at 11:46 AM

Interesting point. And at a mere child’s age of 25 you can run for the US House of Representatives and graduate from your parents’ health care to Congress’ cadillac plan. Such a deal!

As to topic here, I love Sarah but she won’t work on this ticket, not here, not now–maybe a cabinet post? And in light of the horrible advice he miscampaigned with against Obama, I wish McShame would just shut up and crawl back into the nearest hole with the rest of the trolls.

stukinIL4now on April 4, 2012 at 3:37 PM

I believe if the Founders were brought here to 2012 in a time machine, they would not allow a 35-year-old to be elected president – nor a 40-year-old, neither.

People mature a lot more slowly nowadays than back when life expectancy was 40 years old, and in 2012 one has usually not accumulated enough wisdom at 40 to run the whole country. (Sorry, Sen. Rubio.)

cane_loader on April 4, 2012 at 5:10 PM

McCain: I think Palin should be the VP nominee

… so we can again blame her when we LOSE the White House.

IMHO, the only STUPID thing Sarah has ever done is support that RINO.

DannoJyd on April 4, 2012 at 7:34 PM

The eventual GOP nominee better not play it safe, indeed.

LMAO! Yeah right!

Like Sketchy would EVER allow THAT. HAHAhahahahahaha…

DannoJyd on April 4, 2012 at 7:36 PM

Not if Romney’s the candidate. Two reasons.

1) Mitt would not run with her. He’s been attacking her since before the 2008 election was even over.

2) Palin would not run with him. There’s no way she’s ever going to defend Romneycare, or his waffling. Palin at least respected McCain as a war hero. Romney embodies everything that people despise in politicians.

They are far too different.

tom on April 4, 2012 at 9:17 PM

“I think it should be Sarah Palin,” McCain answered, laughing.

Obviously McCain slipped in the bathtub this morning and hit his head, knocking some sense into it, if only for a short time.

RJL on April 4, 2012 at 9:18 PM

It describes people who think that someone like Christine O’Donnell could ever win office in a state like Delaware, because the only thing that ever matters in an election is ideology. Period. Not vote counts, not charisma, not money, not political support, not issue positions, and not the constituency sought to represent. You, from your comments, are not among those people.

KingGold on April 4, 2012 at 10:15 AM

You know what? Maybe you better hope that those of us who despise Romney don’t get the idea to use the “Christine O’Donnell Precedent” and start publicly slamming Romney AFTER HE WINS THE PRIMARY (as opposed to merely not voting for him). You’re not helping your candidate by continuously reminding us of how the GOP openly turned on O’Donnell AFTER THE PRIMARY, bad candidate or not. The GOP’s gross disloyalty to its own candidates and its flat refusal to defend their own is actually part of the reason why I no longer habitually vote GOP and won’t be supporting Romney in the general.

Aitch748 on April 4, 2012 at 10:48 AM

Well said. “Party loyalty” always seems to be a one-way street.

tom on April 4, 2012 at 9:32 PM

There have been remarks made recently by some of Romney’s fans (John Sununu and Ann Coulter) about what a bad idea Sarah Palin was as the VP in 2008. Now we have McCain suggesting that Romney should choose Palin again.

Makes me think there is some pressure going on behind the scenes to pick Palin.

Cheetah1956 on April 4, 2012 at 11:00 AM

There is. This is about winning the Senate.

The Establishment doesn’t give a rat’s a$$ about Romney. They know he’s an ambitious little scrunt whose father got his butt kicked by Nixon, of all people.

But by G-d, those Senate Committee Chairmanships almost guarantee control of the Swag Bag, and that’s what counts in D.C..

The Beltway War Criminals look at the same internals that Mittens people do, and they can’t help but notice how people aren’t exactly throwing themselvea at Mitt’s feet. If people don’t turn out, this could affect the real 2012 deal, control of the Senate!

This race is about control of the Senate Rules Committee, Senate Finance, and the Banking Committee. The rest is just Mitt Romney’s towering ego talking. That’s why you are hearing this Palin pushback from people downstream who don’t like her; they are hearing things from Inside that the Big People are not happy with the Senate polling they are seeing.

If Palin can get these people a Senate Majority and control of the swag, they will line up to kiss her tee-hiney. Even if Romney loses, they will thank her. They are starting to come to the conclusion that Mittens can’t hack it.

They need Turnout Juice. Romney don’t have the Mojo.

But I think Palin stays away.

victor82 on April 4, 2012 at 11:16 AM

Very compelling. I think Palin has enough party loyalty to campaign for any of the possible candidates that actually wins the nomination. But if it’s Romney, she’s not about to get on the ticket with him and have to defend his liberal ways.

Any support would have to be at enough distance that she didn’t feel like a hypocrite.

tom on April 4, 2012 at 9:37 PM

Now, here we are, once again, sitting with another bland establishment figure that couldn’t give a s**t about conservatism or the Tea Party. No energy. Can’t even get securely through this damned primary. But who backed him? The big GOP moneylenders and institutional bigwigs…and still, he’s struggling, because the people don’t want him. As it stands, he may or may not win. I’m guessing he won’t, because his history of flip-flopping makes even Kerry look consistent. So, my guess is that these history-challenged sherry-swilling dips**ts will pressure Romney to go after a perceived conservative(probably Rubio or possibly even Jindal), and once again, it will fail to move people, even more dramatically because we learned our lesson last time around.

MadisonConservative on April 4, 2012 at 11:21 AM

Romney looks like a president, so there’s that. Unfortunately, Romney looks like every negative stereotype of a slimy politician, so there’s that.

Romney really needs Palin’s qualities, but in himself. Having them in a VP pick would make precious little difference. People vote for the top of the ticket, not the VP.

And that in a nutshell is why McCain lost.

tom on April 4, 2012 at 9:42 PM

This guy isn’t offering anything other than throw Obama out, and that won’t be enough. When I tell you that GOP people in D.C. are concerned about Toxic Mittens’ effect on turnout affecting their ability to take the Senate back, I mean it.

If Mitt was such a stand-up guy, he’d be able to offer a rationale to voters to gather around his banner. He can’t. He’s Mittens. Offering people reasons to vote for you is what the Hoi-polloi like Palin do.

We just can’t have that. Might rebuild the Reagan coalition or something…

victor82 on April 4, 2012 at 2:31 PM

Romney’s whole plan is to try to pick up moderates and independents. Moderates and independents are not likely to vote Republican for the Senate and House. I believe they are absolutely right to worry.

This is why Reagan was so consequential that we are still talking about his election in 1980 and 1984. He was bigger than life, because he was about advancing more than just himself to the White House. He brought in conservatives across the board.

Romney’s plan to pick up moderates and independents helps absolutely nobody except himself. If he wins the nomination — even if he somehow managed to win the White House — he would fade away in a single term and leave no legacy behind. Because he’s not about anything but himself.

tom on April 4, 2012 at 10:00 PM

“McCain: I think Palin should be the VP nominee”

Sabotage

Demican, Republocrat…Michael Savage was right!

flameofjudah on April 4, 2012 at 11:04 PM

Mitt is nobody’s fool and he is NOT going to pick everybody’s fool to be his Veep.

MJBrutus on April 4, 2012 at 4:58 PM

…aaaaaand yet again, I am justified in telling the Mittwits to bite me. Mitt. Will. Never. Get. My. Vote.

alwaysfiredup on April 4, 2012 at 11:11 PM

…aaaaaand yet again, I am justified in telling the Mittwits to bite me. Mitt. Will. Never. Get. My. Vote.

alwaysfiredup on April 4, 2012 at 11:11 PM

+1000

Dunedainn on April 4, 2012 at 11:34 PM

I disagree. The VP candidate should be a safe choice. The last thing we need is a big controversy about it. We need to keep attention focused on the top of the ticket, not the bottom.

Jeff A on April 5, 2012 at 6:53 AM

Sarah Palin cannot take the second spot again. No one could. You go forward or go home. Taking back-up to Romney says, “I’m not good enough for the top job.” She would define herself as a loser for all time. This is a stupid premise but forward by a stupid man. Forget it.

SurferDoc on April 5, 2012 at 11:04 AM

Sarah Palin cannot take the second spot again.

Sure she could. It would be the end of her political career if she lost, but if she and Romney won, she would be going forward, big time.

However, she would not help the ticket. For every Mitt hater who held their nose and voted for him anyway because Palin was on the ticket, they’d lose two or three squishes from the middle who’ve been condition by the media to think she is poison. So Romney won’t pick her.

This would not be a repeat of 2008 where she helped McCain keep from losing even worse than he did. The media smear machine has had four more years of battering her image.

fadetogray on April 5, 2012 at 1:11 PM

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