Palin and Gingrich, the endorsement and it merit - image from ap via politico
Last night on the Fox News Program, Hannity, Sarah Palin made a salient point about the Republican nomination process, as well as an endorsement of Newt Gingrich as a good choice for those South Carolinians. (See video below).
In understanding Palin’s statements, one has to look beyond South Carolina for her reasoning – she is suggesting that a lengthier primary season, with full vetting of candidates, is necessary to prevent the nation finding one man elected who does not exactly represent his campaign platform. She knows whereof she speaks.
Flashback 2008:
It is no secret that Barack Obama ran to the middle in 2008, sounding more moderate by the month, with the exception of a few instances where individuals managed to tape events at which he was speaking to his base. For example the comment made at a San Francisco fund raiser noting (Paraphrasing) “conservatives in Pennsylvania were clinging to their guns and religion…”, a comment that did not go unnoticed in most conservative outlets, but got zero traction from what has become the “mainstream media”. The fact of the matter, the President was not fully vetted – by anyone, other than a few conservatives, who, although they were loud, got very little attention in the grand scheme of things. It was the fact that Obama was “untouchable” by virtue of his ethnicity, by virtue of his intellect, and the problem with John McCain and the GOP in general, - they were polite enough to go along – to tone down attacks – in other words, point out facts. It is a pattern of the elite arm of the Republican Party, not unlike the elite arm of the Democrat Party (which one has to credit with more smarts when it comes to street fights), that everything must be politically correct and if the media or someone is slightly offended – retreat! McCain, in the style of Olympia Snow, (for those who are not familiar with the Senator from Maine, she is the feminine equivalent of a John McCain), did not stand for his principles, rather caved to the pressure from the media and advisors to “play nice”. In the end, it is not so much that McCain would have made a better President, it was the fact that he stood zero chance of getting elected – it was not only the Republican Brand that was poisoned by years of media hype, it was McCain’s retreat in the face of facts that allowed the Democrats to run roughshod over the man. He was, in essence, a weak candidate that was chosen by the RNC early, because he was slightly more moderate than Mitt Romney! One Mike Huckabee, who was doing fairly well, was inappropriate because he was an astute politician who was willing to say things that might make people uncomfortable. He was also stellar in the debate arena, not a national sleeping pill (see McCain).
Therefore, Palin became the “cause” of McCain’s demise, yet the truth of the matter was, she had, one her own, brought more excitement to the debate, and spoke to the heart of issues that were on the minds of those who were not caught up in slogans, and or were trying to be overly politically correct. It was McCain’s weakness as a candidate overall, his moderate tone, that gave Obama the edge.
It was the process of a left of center candidate, moving right just enough, mostly through television advertising and some appearance, to appeal to the independents that will ultimately decide an election. This is exactly what Palin is speaking to: avoid nominating an individual who is not fully vetted, or perhaps a candidate in the vein of a moderate who is so strikingly familiar to a McCain that one of two things would happen: Obama and the Democrats would be overjoyed at the prospect of besting Mitt Romney (already prepared, already noted and by DNC operatives who have the dirt on Romney and no other candidate, as well as Nancy Pelosi’s “endorsement” of Romney as her favorite candidate.) Instead of pushing for one candidate so early in the process, and this includes all media – right left and center – the process should continue in order to ensure that not the party, necessarily, but that the people have been able to fully vet these candidates in order to ensure that he public has a Presidential Candidate that is ready to take on the monumental task of running a campaign against a machine, and to clean up the mess left behind, by not one, but two administrations.
Palin on the stump for S.C. Governor Haley, one of many she "endorsed" who went on to win their respective seats - image: election republic dot com
Palin, love her or the alternative (how’s that for my politically correct readers?), she has the power to move mountains when it comes to the fortunes of those seeking public office by virtue of a call to arms of conservatives to bring aid, cash, and work to a campaign. In 2008, Palin was single-handedly responsible for the election, and in some cases, reelection of individuals who were on the verge of defeat. One of the more notable in this instance was the stumping she did for South Carolina Governor Haley, who endorsed Romney – Palin, who is a Republican after all, will endorse a Moderate to move a seat from one side of the aisle to the other, but for the most part, looks for the most conservative and honest politician to endorse. Her success rate is legendary – she might not have won all of the House and those Senate seats and Governors office in 2010, but she did take the majority – no mean feat.
Palin stumps for Perry image fromtexastribune.com
Therefore, her signal to those who would have preferred she be on the debate stage, and there are millions, and to those who respect her, especially in South Carolina, most likely recall the help she gave to their Governor Haley, and with the suggestion that a vote for Newt is her preference for South Carolina, will speak volumes. She is underestimated at every turn, and that is to a great extent problematic to those who choose that route. She is also keenly aware of the rift she causes within the “mainstream” media, who will see her endorsement of any candidate as a negative, regardless of the reality, therefore, her endorsement of Newt Gingrich in South Carolina was coached in language that suggested an endorsement for one state, so far. She, like many Republicans and Independents and those Tea Party affiliates are not ready to nominate any one individual, rather there are several candidates that are worthy of the opportunity to prove that they deserve the nomination. The process of just giving a “pass” to those who are pre-qualified, and pre-chosen by the “party”, obviously has not worked to the best advantage of country.
Individuals like Haley, and Rick Perry (who was in a heated race with Kay Bailey Hutchinson, former Senator from Texas), saw Palin swoop in and snatch them from the jaws of defeat, best remember that she has that capability. Numbers don’t lie, and Palin has the numbers to support her ability to move candidates as well as issues.
Will she continue, State by State, to endorse Newt Gingrich – perhaps – as the fact of the matter is that in order to best Obama, one has to be smart, savvy, politically astute, and not terribly afraid of being politically incorrect and/or offending the media. In addition, one has to have the debate skills necessary to go toe to toe on a stage with Obama – that leaves one candidate. To those who are wavering between Romney solely based on someone telling them a poll said he was the most likely to best Obama – need a reality check. In order to best Obama, the individual that is the nominee, needs to be able to best Obama in the debate, to draw a contrast that will both assure, encourage and win the hearts and minds of the American voting public. Therefore, one has to ask: who is most capable of both governing, debating and standing on ones records, no matter if it is business or government or both? Is that really Romney, is anyone really sure?
Coming from Massachusetts, and having experience as a constituent only, it is the constant warning sent forth regarding changes of opinion from campaign to office, change of opinion while in office, and less money one one’s pockets due to fees, fees, fees. Mitt Romney may have lowered taxes – he touts, 19 times, but he raised fees, mainly on the backs of the “so-called” middle class. On his website he attempts to explain why a fee is not a tax. Frankly, one has to be honest, when one is paying even one red cent to the state (or Commonwealth in this instance), then one is being “taxed” no matter what language is used.
It is the very few differences in the manner in which Romney governed Massachusetts between campaigns (one for the senate and then the 10 year run at the White House (starting in 2006, one must remember), and the manner in which Obama has governed. Perhaps not in terms of ideology, some of the time, but in terms of “which way the wind blows” governing. It does not serve the public well.
Therefore, thank you Sarah Palin for endorsing Newt for South Carolina – perhaps she will take it upon herself to hold back endorsing one candidate, or endorse that one candidate state by state, giving time to rally her pack and her massive group of online followers.
Let the late night jokers, and the pundits that have already crowed Mitt Romney as the nominee take notice that it is not over until the people have cast their ballots, and only one person, to date has made that loud and clear one Sarah Palin.
Video via www.newt.org
Food for thought: To reiterate the issues of debates and the import see PAC video below: (Nancy Pelosi Approves this Message see: Politico article on Pelosi looking forward to a Romney nomination – why? The Obama Campaign prefers Romney over any other candidate (initial source: Boston Globe).
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