« BACK  |  PRINT

RS

EDITOR OF REDSTATE

On the Romneybot Attacks Against Sarah Palin

By: Erick Erickson (Diary)  |  October 28th, 2008 at 04:00 PM  | 

RESIZE: AAA

When I was in St. Paul for the Republican Convention, more than a dozen people told me acolytes of Mitt Romney were feeding all the stories to the media portraying Palin in a negative light.

In fact, I heard that one of the biggest pushers of anti-Palin stories, including encouraging reporters to pursue the “Trooper-gate” story was Romney spokesman Kevin Madden.

I did not blog on it at the time because I perceived it to be people trying to finish off Romney. It likewise seemed clear to me that if this was going on, it was people loyal to Romney who were still hoping for his come back and not Romney himself.

These days it is hard to miss Kathleen Parker’s savage attacks on Sarah Palin. She, along with several others listed here attacking Sarah Palin were also some of the first pundits in bed with the Romney campaign in 2007/8.

Again, it is hard for me to place the finger on Romney. It seems to me that these are people who are still convinced he’s the better nominee and don’t want Palin to be in any position to challenge him in 2012.

At this moment, however, it is absolutely clear — there is an effort, organized or not, by supporters of Mitt Romney to harm the reputation of Governor Sarah Palin.

The American Spectator documented it yesterday.

Former Mitt Romney presidential campaign staffers, some of whom are currently working for Sen. John McCain and Gov. Sarah Palin’s bid for the White House, have been involved in spreading anti-Palin spin to reporters, seeking to diminish her standing after the election. “Sarah Palin is a lightweight, she won’t be the first, not even the third, person people will think of when it comes to 2012,” says one former Romney aide, now working for McCain-Palin. “The only serious candidate ready to challenge to lead the Republican Party is Mitt Romney. He’s in charge on November 5th.”

Though I initially dismissed the Kevin Madden rumors, Amanda Carpenter has Kevin in his own words going after Sarah Palin.

And it is not just Madden. It may be hard for you to believe, but there are Romney supporters now working on John McCain’s campaign who are, in fact, indisputably out to damage Sarah Palin’s reputation. I am not just convinced of it. I know it to be fact. That there are “conservative pundits” echoing the same talking points makes me deeply suspicious.

I agree with Matt Lewis. I doubt Mitt Romney is responsible or encouraging it. In fact, I suspect he’d be extremely disappointed to find this out. Nonetheless, whether organic or organized, it is happening and it deeply worries me that these people now undermining Sarah Palin view Romney as the logical choice to lead the RNC or be the front runner in 2012. You don’t get to sabotage your own side and then have your guy be the front runner.

We must remember this. Contrary to the quote in the American Spectator, if November 5th ushers in President-elect Obama, I stand with Sarah.

Tags: , , ,
Get Alerts

COMMENTS

POSTING RULES  |  LOGIN TO COMMENT  |  REGISTER TODAY
  • Anteater

    Let’s hope that Romney himself is an example and starts campaigning with McCain in places like Colorado.

  • 29Victor

    If, as you say,

    there are Romney supporters now working on John McCain’s campaign who are, in fact, indisputably out to damage Sarah Palin’s reputation

    Then please name names so the Republican Party can ostracize them right along with the Republican commentators that are attacking McCain/Palin.

    I’m not talking about those who just refuse to support the ticket, or even those who give them a bad time (like Noonan & Co.), but those Republicans who are actively working to hurt the ticket, and through the ticket the country, for their own political or professional gain, should be frozen out.

    Party unity is one of the biggest advantages Democrats have over us. We have gone from being the Party of Lincoln and the Party of Regan to the Party of CMA and I, for one, am just sick of it.

  • terilyn

    We really need to stick together. I do hope the Mitt Romney will come out against the folks who formerly worked for his campaign. I believe he will.

  • NICKinVA

    Romney himself has also been lukewarm on Palin. So, I wouldn’t be surprised if he is green-lighting this stuff. I think Romney was angered by not being picked. The minute McCain got the nomination Romney started kissing his ass like it was nobody’s business. He was out there on every channel for McCain and everyone (probably including himself) thought he was gonna be the number 2 for months.

    I think when it comes to being President its me first, then party. Romney has a huge ambition and he doesn’t want Palin getting in the way if McCain goes down next week.

    I think you also see Palin looking out for herself with all of these leaks that she has “gone rogue” and has stopped listening to her handlers. Her handlers, however, have done a really bad job by keeping her scripted and away from the media. That, plus the fact that she was an unknown, allowed her to be defined by SNL more than the campaign. You can’t blame her for trying to break lose and re-brand herself.

    I think if McCain looses on the 5th there is bound to be a lot of fighting within Republicans on how to go on from here. You’ve got the George Wills fighting with the Rush Limbaugh crowd and you’ve got moderate republicans claiming the “party has left them.”

  • joeljournal

    That’s the best response, for now, to this backstabbing.

  • hazard

    When Obama wins in a landslide, we can all be honest and objective about the situation and just blame it on Romney! He is the source of all the GOP’s problems as you know. We’ll just say that his tireless campaigning and fundraising for an undeserving candidate like McCain that dragged Romney’s reputation through the mud in the primaries was all a sinister plot to take down his competition in 2012. Come on people!

    Palin was undermined FIRST and FOREMOST by McCain himslef. McCain didn’t want a VP, he wanted window dressing and thought he’d get it with Palin. She’s proved not to be a “fall in line” yes woman. She is not afraid of challenging McCain and he doesn’t like it. I hope she gets her chance to give him a piece of her mind when this fiasco is over. She will have 4 years to repair her reputation after having assicated herself with a sexist.

  • Fallon

    How completely and utterly disappointing.

  • streetwise

    And, alas, intellectual conservatism has matured enough to have intellectual snobs.

  • streetwise
  • Swamp_Yankee

    People can play connect the dots with assocations and innuendo.

    All I know is that Romney has been much more supportive and a much better surrogate than Huckabee. Huckabee has been AWOL and his show on Fox, which isn’t even that good, has shown clips mocking McCain and Romney already.

    But we can never blame Huckabots. For all we know,there could be Jeb, Jindal or Pawlenty supporters who recognize that Sarah has taken the mantle for 2012 if McCain loses and is probably the future frontrunner if he wins.

    A lot of people have horses in that race. I’m not sure why some seem so eager to blame Romney supporters.

  • renegade

    Romney with his millions spent in the primaries, couldn’t muster up the level of support or enthusiasm that Palin did simply by just showing up. This probably scares Mitt quite a bit. Romney is a good man and would make a fine POTUS. However, people more easily connect to Palin, especially the middle class.

    Just remember, never underestimate a person who can kill and disembowel a moose in 5 minutes then in under an hour throw on some makeup and pair of pumps and be the sight of the party.

  • rjd27

    wouldn’t be aware of this. If he’s not, that doesn’t make him much better than Obama, when it comes to judgment and associations. If he does know and is not publicly chastising his supporters, he is culpable. If he is so sequestered as to not know what his own supporters are doing – and we’re not talking grassroots supporters here – then his bid for 2012 needs to be end this minute. We don’t need another Republican who doesn’t know what’s going on around him.

  • ca_libertarian

    I think that’s the worst thing this campaign has done, is to denounce intellectuals and try to pretend like having an ‘elite’ running the country would be a bad thing.

    McCain is no intellectual, but he’s not ignorant. Unfortunately the Palin pick aligned him with a less-than-desirable crowd that seems to seek the lowest common denominator in American intellect. The Palin wing is almost gleeful about its ignorance.

    I’m not saying Romney would have helped McCain’s chances; clearly picking another moderate wouldn’t have brought the base out to vote. But for #1 on the ticket in 2012, the Republican party could do a lot worse than Romney. Palin, for one.

  • hudsonrepub

    “The only serious candidate ready to challenge to lead the Republican Party is Mitt Romney. He’s in charge on November 5th.”

    I certainly do not think that Romney will be leading the Republican Party on 11/5, but I am not sure who will in the event McCain loses. I am hoping that Newt takes a more central role.

  • kat

    that McCain didn’t pick Romney. I always got the used car salesman vibe from him, really felt he was trying to be what he thought voters wanted, not what he truly believed.

    I will not forget this in 2012. When he tries to take down Sarah, we’ll take him down instead. If he couldn’t get the votes this year with the open field, he sure as heck isn’t going to get it in 2012.

    Remember, an elephant never forgets.

  • GrizzlyAdam

    This just confirms what Romney supporters were saying back in the winter and spring: That he surrounded himself with incompetents. It was a rookie mistake. But one that I think he has learned from, and his ready to move forward from.

    Romney is out there on behalf of McCain. He is hitting the radios shows (Glenn Beck, Ingraham, etc) Romney has class. He lost with grace. He is a forward looking man, not one to hold a grudge or “greenlight” attacks against Palin simply because she got the job he may or may not have wanted.

    The truth is, that win or lose on the 4th, the future of the GOP is not McCain. It is Romney, Palin, Jindal, Pawlenty and others. It is conservatives who stand on principles, and not career mongers who are trying to be on the right side of everything.

    Anyone in the GOP slamming Palin should be held accountable on their own. Are we so ignorant as to think that they can do nothing without the permission of a dear leader? Perhaps they are working together to damage Palin. If so this is the worst kind of political posturing.

    This sort of behavior will only end up with them falling on their own sword. Unable to get a job with either party.

    To you Palin bashers within the McCain camp, I’d like you to meet Scott McClellan. You all ought to have a lot to talk about.

  • hazard

    about Romney taking her down. Huckabee will do that.

  • finaljeopardy

    and Palin is no idiot. Stuff it, loser.

  • mscout99

    if this is the case, and I wouldn’t be surprised if Romney was okay with this.
    During the primaries, he and McCain were at it like cats and dogs. A large part of me seriously belives thay once Rudy’s popularity went down and Fred Thompson didn’t really pick up some steam that the nomination should have been his.
    I also believe Romney was desperate for the VP pick as well. I remember him on Hannitys radio show repeatedly saying “I’ll accept if asked” like he was dropping a huge hint to McCain. The problem with Romney and the MSM was that Palin wasn’t on anyone’s radar.
    To give him credit, he did meet with McCain recently about the economy, and I think there is room for Romney in a McCain/Palin adminsitration, but I have to wonder if he aspires anything greater and what he would be willing to try to vault to the top.

  • Vegas_Rick

    Of course your tag line says it all. Romney DOES NOT want to pick a fight with Governor Palin.

    Do you think Romneys squishy flip flops would have gotten him 90,000 in Florida, 25,000 in Grand Junction, etc.?

    Regardless of what happens next week, Palin will be the front runner in ’12.

    Count on it.

  • Vegas_Rick

    Of course your tag line says it all. Romney DOES NOT want to pick a fight with Governor Palin.

    Do you think Romneys squishy flip flops would have gotten him 90,000 in Florida, 25,000 in Grand Junction, etc.?

    Regardless of what happens next week, Palin will be the front runner in ’12.

    Count on it.

  • Western

    Within the last month, Kevin Madden on CNN has constantly made belittling remarks about Gov. Palin.

    Rather than defend fellow conservatives, especially Palin, Madden has become a “token” Republican on CNN.

    Rommey better be careful–his sour grapes as a result of his primary lose might hurt his choices in the future.

    In my opinion, it is going to be Palin v. Jindal.

    Who ya got?

    Palin–demonstrated grit and determination (especially in the convention speech and in the debate) in the last seven weeks…has a conservative pedigree with a reform-minded approach to political governing…a political outsider…now has fundraising potential for the future as well as grassroots support.

    Jindal–a conservative with an Ivy-league education…has a some experience in D.C. politics…governor in the South…a hard-nosed conservative politican who excels in television interviewing.

    Both are young conservatives who can appeal to the base. Both have the potential to broaden their support, however.

  • zsmvf6

    nt

  • Vegas_Rick

    I don’t know, could it be the quoted conversations/interviews?

  • streetwise
  • ca_libertarian

    I never said Palin’s an idiot, she’s certainly not. It’s the people she purports to speak to that scare me.

    Whether or not they actually exist and have the single-minded values and focus is a completely different matter.

  • NICKinVA

    Presidential candidates are some of the most ambitious people on the planet. He’d probably fight her by trying to appeal to more moderates and speaking up his knowledge on economic issues. It’d be interesting to watch.

  • Illinicon

    he has been the loyal solider since Super Tuesday. His speech at Cpac was one of the most gracious exits from a Presidential campaign in modern times. He could have gone out to CPAC and rallied aganist McCain and fundraise alot of money to keep his campaign going. Alot of people said his exit had everything to with him privately finacing his campaign and not wanting to spend more of his money, but he could have gotten alot of anti-McCain money and continued, but he did not. He has been one of McCain’s leading campaign surrogates in the media, the network he has appered most is on is MSNBC, which if you did not strongly believe in the McCain camp is one outlet you would not go on because it would not be worth the aggrevasion to deal with those knuckleheads. If we do lose on Tuesday, our strongest ticket in 2012 would be Palin/Romney.

  • NICKinVA

    Presidential candidates are some of the most ambitious people on the planet. He’d probably fight her by trying to appeal to more moderates and speaking up his knowledge on economic issues. It’d be interesting to watch.

  • mikefisk

    …would be that attacking Romney supporters is more of a way of attacking Romney by proxy. I don’t think he’s orchestrating the attacks on Palin, but I think his supporters are pretty incensed over the fact that their guy was more or less slimed by McCain and Huckabee.

    That being said, neither Romney or Palin are likely to be the front-runner in 2012 if Obama were to win; both would be considered irreparably damaged goods.

  • NICKinVA

    I think he would come out on top of that. Let’s face it, Palin’s image right now is pristine. In four years a lot of people will remember her interviews and her rivals in the primaries will definitely use her past as oppo material. Jindal may be the only conservative to out-Hope a President Obama.

  • OneAmericanChristian

    This is very sad…Of course, I warned many about Romney’s true intentions during the primaries (not on here), but no one would listen. Romney can kiss my Sam’s Club Republican bottom. Thank you Erick for having the courage to report this…the E’Con Elite will certainly protest.

    God Bless John McCain, God Bless Sarah Palin, and God save our American States.

  • Moe_Lane

    Which is her privilege, of course: but frankly it’s this sort of behavior from his supporters that’s turning off my sympathy for the man.

  • NICKinVA

    Palin’s image right now *isn’t * pristine

  • Swamp_Yankee

    They are not even surrogates and they are saying stupid stuff. Ridge said McCain cant win without PA and McCain would be winning PA if he selected him over Palin. Nice.

    Huckabee is just being a dope on his Fox show mocking McCain during the debates and doing little to help. Nice, Mike.

    Madden is is just a TV pundit trying to look contrarian. TV pundits and journalists are under no duty to tow the party line as party leaders like Huckadork and Ridge should.

  • Tbone

    Who cares what his acolytes think? He couldn’t lead the back of his own head.

  • Tbone

    Who cares what his acolytes think? He couldn’t lead the back of his own head.

  • finaljeopardy

    They were both one term governors at the end of the day, and what did he accomplish compared to Sarah Palin?

    As for Kathleen Parker, I assumed she was in a snit, because her husband said he is “sexually attracted” to Sarah Palin.

  • streiff

    involvement.

    What I do know from personal experience is that during the primaries the Romney campaign in the guise of the total asshat who was doing their web campaign (yes, Steve, you) was relentless sending out really negative information on other candidates with a smarmy “not for attribution to the campaign” restriction.

    Given the behavior of the campaign I really have no doubt that Romney supporters are going after Palin. Given his much vaunted management skills I have to wonder the extent to which they have been green lighted on this.

  • VaRepublican

    and we know how helpful he’s been to McCain.

  • Pentagon16

    I didn’t know Romney until the primaries and quickly grew disgusted by his lies and campaign tactics against FELLOW REPUBLICANS. Then when asked he stated flatly he would not serve in a McCain cabinet during the convention (way to go out and help the team Mitt!) and there have been constant intimations of his efforts to sabotage McCain-Palin.

    I will do anything I can to ensure he is never elected to anything in the future.

  • OneAmericanChristian

    I’m tired of you elitists dragging Huck’s name through the mud. When you attacked him, you said it was because he was a “populist”. That’s intellectually dishonest, considering he had a much more conservative record than Romney, but I digress.

    Then you attacked Jindal, then Pawlenty, then Sarah Palin (even after she got the nod). We’re seeing that anything less than Mittens himself is not good enough for you. You will not Hijack our party, and Mitt Romney will NEVER be elected president, EVER!

  • NICKinVA

    But its not what they have accomplished anymore than it is the image that they can portray. He gets instant credibility on the economy and moderates would still remember what worried them about Palin 4 years ago. She needs another first impression on a lot of Republicans.

  • joeljournal

    …but perhaps he needs to get his supporters in line.

  • Brock

    if we do not get Vice President Palin, she will probably run for governor of Alaska again and win handily, thus making her a 2 term governor.

  • Right_Again

    A short perusal of the comments on this blog prove your point.

    Just look how quickly the comments go from bashing Romney’s surrogates to bashing Romney himself.

    Some people just can’t help themselves.

    Can any of you name anyone running for President this year who has been more loyal and supportive of John McCain since dropping out of the race?

    Didn’t think so…

  • GOP84

    I must say that this, if true, is very disheartening. I think most Romney supporters want to win this election. And while I still maintain that Romney was the best man for the #1 spot, I speak for myself when I say that I was happy to see Sarah Palin take the VP spot. I couldn’t be upset about that at all.

    I’d like to call on all other Romneybots if they are doing this, to stop it immediately. Sarah Palin is a fine Republican and she solidified my support for McCain.

  • Pentagon16

    would be a Jindal/Palin ticket in 2012 where she can help with the base and he can be the intellectual face of the party for the moderates and DC/NYC crowd. I hope that happens

  • hazard

    skip Iowa, leaving Palin and Huckabee to duke it out for the SoCon/mainstream religion vote.

  • OneAmericanChristian

    That was too harsh, I apologize. This is why I don’t engage online much, still too many bitter feelings from the primaries. I am serious about one thing though…I’m tired of this camp attacking everyone else in our party.

  • cp4three2

    I think Gingrich purposely sat this out knowing he couldn’t beat Clinton, but probably wishes he were in because he could take Obama.

    Palin eventually takes the Stevens seat after 2 terms as gov.

    Though it wouldn’t shock me to see something like Palin/Rice, either with Jindal waiting (he’s only 37)

  • Swamp_Yankee

    They are not even surrogates and they are saying stupid stuff. Ridge said McCain cant win without PA and McCain would be winning PA if he selected him over Palin. Nice.

    Huckabee is just being a dope on his Fox show mocking McCain during the debates and doing little to help. Nice, Mike.

    Madden is is just a TV pundit trying to look contrarian. TV pundits and journalists are under no duty to tow the party line as party leaders like Huckadork and Ridge should.

  • Vegas_Rick

    You need to get away from the Dem talking points more often. Or quit reading Parker and the other “elites.”

  • mscout99

    but I stick with Sarah Palin.
    Not trying to say anything negative and I know he has a state to run, but I’m curious as to see why we haven’t seen Jindal a lot more as a surrogate. I think TV ads with him would be pretty strong.

    Palin/Jindal, 2012
    Just in case!

  • robbyshankar

    I invite everyone here to read Kathryn Jean Lopez’s article on this very subject on National Review Online. Here is the tag: http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=NGU0ODkzNGVjZTA3ZjQ0OTkxNmUxNzc5YWQ5ZTQ2N2Q=
    Mitt Romney has done more for McCain than any of the other Republicans who ran for president. Further, anyone who reads the American Spectator article will realize it was poorly written with absolutely no sources given. How trustworthy is that? I wouldn’t be surprised to find that this is all the work of democrat operatives trying to sow the seeds of dissension within the Republican party. It’s just a side story to the stories about how Palin is being a “diva” and going against McCain. It’s just another way for the lousy media to make it look like the GOP is falling apart. Anyone who takes this story seriously if totally giving into it. The truth of the matter is that 99% of those who wanted Romney will vote McCain/Palin, just like Romney will be doing. I find it silly and premature for Erick to say that he stands with Sarah if McCain loses. This is exactly what the Dems want. They want us to be looking to 2012 as if McCain doesn’t have a chance. If people would focus on getting McCain’s message out there (like Romney has done more than almost anyone else), maybe McCain wouldn’t be behind in the polls. Instead we’re arguing about whether or not someone who used to work for Romney is trying to sabotage Palin’s chances for 2012. Ridiculous.

  • Illinicon

    payroll, such as the CNN leakers. Romney’s big mistake was hiring Washington people to run his campaign. They are as Krauthammer put it, “looking to make sure they are not shut out of the Washington cocktail circuit for 4 years if Obama wins.” I am sure Mitt will distance himself and disavow any comments that are anti-Palin during his next round on the talkshows.

  • finaljeopardy

    You got it right the first time. There are few politicians who have fought corruption as successfully as Sarah Palin. The base is not buying the roughing up of her “image” carried out on behalf of the Obama-bought media. As for Jindal, he will face the same attacks Palin has seen for her conservative values: religious bigotry and abortion.

  • Josh_Painter

    I think these attacks by former Romney staffers happened below Mitt’s own radar. But they’ve been pulling this kind of stuff since their sleazeball attacks on Fred Thompson during the primaries. Remember the rumors that he would drop out (well ahead of the time he actually did decide to leave the race)? Remember the Phony Fred website? Both were the work of Romney operatives.

    Kathleen Parker isn’t the only Romney-supporting pundit who has trashed Palin. She is joined by Michael Shmerconish and arguably Peggy Noonan.

    If Mitt does intend to pursue elective office in the future, I hope he does not include these sorry bastages who worked for his presidential campaign in his plans.

    I know Mitt, as a Mormon, adheres to a stringent moral code. When his former staff and supporters carry out political activities which are anathma to Mitt Romney’s own ethical standards, they do not serve him well.

    • JP
  • adamsweb

    Huckabee was effusive in praising Sarah Palin and has defended her in numerous appearances in the media and has been positive about her on his show.

    Second point. None of the major columnists who have been slamming Palin have been tied to Huckabee. They’ve been tied to Romney.

    Third point. None of Huckabee’s people are on his staff. Romney people are and that’s where the attacks are coming from

  • newagegop

    Seems like the smartest folks in America just crashed the economy.

    I doubt Sarah Palin and her unwashed masses could have screwed up things as well as the “elites”.

    Wisdom and intelligence don’t have to be at odds with one another, but our “elites” seem to lack one of them.

    I’d still rather have plumbers, teachers, and farmers run America instead of our current career politicians.

  • Darin_H

    1. They, and not the candidate, were the ones to turn me away from voting Romney in the primary. Only the Paulites were worse.

    2. That said, I’m not surprised by their attacks. Palin stands as the GOP standard bearer should McCain lose, or have the inside shot should McCain only serve one term – either way Palin > Romney.

    3. The Romneybots are quite jealous of Palin and her ability to draw an adoring crowd. Did Romney ever draw 60,000? Could anyone else, even Jindal?

    4. She’s a lifetime member of the NRA and she doesn’t just hunt “vermin,” she’s moose-huntin’ awesome!

    5. Her 20 months in office as governor has pushed Alaska more towards limited-government conservatism. Romneybots only wish that their guy could say that.

    6. Always been pro-life.

    In sum, Palin is the embodiment of Reagan conservatism, Romney, even given the benefit of the doubt on his conversions, doesn’t come close – and the Romneybots know it.

  • Dave_in_Fla

    It sure looks on the outside like an October surprise designed to split the GOP base.

  • mbecker908

    First of all, I’m an evangelical Christian who’s been very active in the pro-life movement for 30+ years.

    That said, Mike Huckabee is about the worst thing that could possibly happen to the Republican Party. The guy is, in fact, a populist of the old order. He’s never met a government program he didn’t like. His embracing of the “Fair Tax” was the most blatant piece of work I’ve seen on our side of the aisle. The guy signed up only because they have an organization in place and he had zip. He is by-and-large clueless about what it would take to implement the “Fair Tax” (bottom line, ain’t happening in your lifetime).

    Mike Huckabee is the Republican version of Barack Obama. Hopefully he’ll get enough exposure to kill any chance he might have had for another run.

  • Yared

    a Palin-Jindal ticket in 2012. Or maybe 2016…

    That would be one amazing pres race.

  • leftylurker

    He said that he could do to the RNC what Dean did to the DNC.

    Take that with a grain of salt, obviously, but I think there are some good points to his argument.

    The Right’s Howard Dean

    For myself, again, keep my name in mind, I found Huckabee to be the most compelling of the Republican candidates.

  • leftylurker

    He said that he could do to the RNC what Dean did to the DNC.

    Take that with a grain of salt, obviously, but I think there are some good points to his argument.

    The Right’s Howard Dean

    For myself, again, keep my name in mind, I found Huckabee to be the most compelling of the Republican candidates.

  • noufa

    This is a pretty sickening thread. No one seems to remember the 11th commandment.

    Romney surrogates? There?s no evidence that Romney himself is involved in these smears. Yet half of the above posts are potshots at ?Mittens?. And you guys wonder why we?re about to get spanked at the polls?

    You?re smearing a fellow Republican. The is no proof that Romney is smearing anyone.

    The Republican attacks on Palin are crap. They fault her because of lack of academic pedigree. Those Republicans are NATURALLY going to drift towards Romney. His academic credentials are impeccable. There is no conspiracy.

    Would remind my fellow friends of Romney that the Gipper was no Ivy Leaguer.

    But I?m really tired of the populist right smearing Romney as an elitist. Why should anyone apologize for personal wealth & an elite education?

    Romney?s not leaving the party. Get over it.

    Palin is our nominee for VP. Get over it.

  • noufa

    Or did I miss something?

  • Chromodynamic

    Romneybots everywhere, listen hard and listen well because here’s the news:

    If any of you little disgruntled pishers keep casting stones at Sarah Palin because you want your man to have some kind of head start on 2012, remember something important and take it to heart, and do it now:

    There are people who receive emails from your man on a daily basis asking for support for Mitch and others, and there are people right here on this blog who supported you and your candidate and who even might do so again if the chips fell that way for a good reason.

    But there aren’t any of us who supported you who will ever do so again if you act like a bunch of thumb-sucking twits right now. Let’s be crystal clear about that: we’ll take a Spiked Pipe™ to your heads for as long as you live in American politics and we’ll never, ever forget the things you’re saying now.

    So stop.

  • Moe_Lane

    Kos’ motivations are not, in fact, suspect: we know quite well that he has our worst interests at heart.

    So, thanks for letting us know, but we’re not going to take his advice into account.

    Moe

  • finaljeopardy

    For example, when her experience as CINC of Alaska’s National Guard was being attacked, why didn’t Jindal point out that Palin was on the phone with him during Hurricane Gustav coordinating a relief response.

    That’s what governors do during peacetime, in respect to their roles commanding the National Guard. It would have looked good for the Republican party that newcomers are eager to handle national emergencies better than the previous administration. And I can see no reason Jindal would distance himself from the VP nominee.

  • nargin

    That would surprise me a great deal, and it depends a largely on next week’s outcome. For someone who’s essentially an outsider to the reigns of a party’s power structure, I think it really takes a win to establish that sort of influence. If the ticket doesn’t win, and if a frank and rigorous crunching of the numbers should establish that she cost votes overall or inspired donations on the other side in any substantial fashion, then I can’t see such a future.

    Then again, I was frankly baffled to see Edwards back on stage this year, so maybe I can’t call ‘em. But I know it’ll take a lot of convincing for me to measure Palin’s stature on a par with that of Reagan.

  • Section9

    Mitt knows that inside of two years, Palin will be a lethal candidate.

    She has attracted the loyalty of base voters in ways that haven’t been seen since Reagan. Mitt wants to run again, and the fact is, the first time out, even though he had a huge financial advantage, he lost to a guy who was washed up in 2007.

    If Romney was actually a good General Election Candidate, he would have beaten McCain in the Primary. He isn’t, and deep inside, he knows it. If he can’t beat McCain, there’s no way he can beat Palin.

    Nobody can beat Palin in two years, except, possibliy Huckabee and maybe Rice if she decides to get in. Mark that down right now: nobody.

    That’s why Mitt put out the word to have his zombies on the McCain Campaign trash Palin. Today was the last straw. One of his trolls put out the word that Palin was a “whack job”. Mitt’s people want to gain control of the RNC after the election.

    Remember something: Mitt’s people are largely the same people who had control of the RNC before the election, and are wired in with K-Street and the deep and abiding corruption that has made the RNC the tuned-out-from Main Street monstrosity that it is. The WH apparatus wanted Mitt: he was their boy. That should tell you something.

    Now Palin comes out of nowhere and captures the heart and soul of the conservative rank and file like Goldwater did in 1960 and Reagan did in 1964 with his “Time for Choosing” speech. Conventional politicians like Romney are ambitious, and have retainers who are ambitious, as well. Romney sees what Palin can do. And it concerns him, to say the least.

    I am totally done with Mitt Romney. This is the lowest thing I have ever seen one Republican do to the other during a campaign. Tar, meet feathers.

    The thing is, it won’t hurt Sarah Palin at all. It will only rally the Base to her even stronger, This will allow her to work on reaching out to independents and conservative Democrats that Obama is sure to upset. Just as Reagan did.

  • Oz

    and they don’t want Palin ’12.

    In truth they will both lose to Jindal ’12 (or Jindal ’16) but that’s besides the point.

    Basically, they see Palin as taking Romney’s place as the favorite for the next election. They are the PUMAs of the Republican party only they are fighting over the VP slot instead of the Prez slot.

  • finaljeopardy

    as far as Sarah Palin is concerned. Any talk of 2012 is counterproductive to winning 2008.

    Mitt Romney is no longer seen as a leader on economic matters. He was MIA during the crisis, he hasn’t done much since the SLC Olympics, and he spent a ton of his money on a losing campaign.

  • Swamp_Yankee

    n/t

  • mbecker908

    Gov. Palin in the long run. This race was/is John McCain’s to win or lose. Certainly if we lose there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth and finger pointing, and some of it will be directed at Gov. Palin. Four years is a long time and she will have plenty of time and opportunity to recover.

    In the event McCain loses, I think 2012 and beyond will be all about Gov’s Palin and Jindal. Like it or not, they are the hope for the future of the Republican Party.

  • Swamp_Yankee

    n/t

  • blooch

    According to Oswald Bates, assicatin’ with a sexist can stone kill a gal’s political career.

  • jsteele

    … has sold his soul to The One™

  • JLenardDetroit

    WARNING: SARCASM ALERT

  • nargin

    …or at least I’d like to see a test drive of Palin on the national stage for a few more years before seeing any wagons hitched to her. I agree it’s always been McCain’s to win or lose, at least in the sense that her selection was his choice. Jindal seems able to articulate his thoughts more clearly, and seems to have more of them of substance.

    Again, perhaps my finger isn’t on the pulse, but I’m a bit boggled that she seems to be outshining him. He’s the draw for me, and has been since the primaries. I know that “hero worship” as a factor in candidate selection was roundly denounced around here as sappy or worse around that time, but I keep returning to that aspect, because, darn it, he is a hero, and he’s my hero, and I think that matters. Enduring what he endured in the service of his nation builds character in a way most of us can scarcely fathom, and it counts a lot more for me than offing a moose.

  • JakePrime

    We’ve got an election to win.

    Besides, four years is a long time from now. Anything could, and probably will, happen.

  • JoeG

    Either will serve the party well. I just hope it’s VP Palin running in 2012.

  • David123

    and the free world.

    Let’s all help McCain and Palin to win THIS year. Obama would be dangerous for America in the war on terror – listen to Joe Biden. Elect Obama and we’ll face a crisis!

    Mitt Romney would be a far better president than Obama, but that’s not our choice so let’s unite behind McCain and Palin. They are both patriotic Americans of very good character.

  • McPALINation

    He had his chance, and he couldn’t get the nod. I hope everyone has a long memory, cause like Erick said, “You don’t get to sabotage your own side and then have your guy be the front runner.” –EVER.
    He should’ve made his bots curb it long ago, and now McCain should get rid of his a$&. This really pisses me off. I may be about to be banned, but I’m sayin’ it anyway: his “faith” was/is a big reason he is standing in the back row now, and the % of the 51% of the population who cares how that “faith” treats its women, will never even put him in a VP spot–we need to do ourselves a favor and remember this in 12. The Palin bashing right now is a pretty enormous example of exactly that concept. Remember, part of the reason we like her is that we DO feel comfortable with her assuming the role of POTUS if, god-forbid, that ever became necessary.

  • antisocial

    We will have more than 3 years after Nov 4th to argue about the next nominee and veep too. There is enough fun and work left for this election….

    Lets wait 7 days and not use the future installment of fun right now.

    btw… I love Gov. Palin so I am already in that tank.

  • shawng

    1) It doesn’t surprise me at all that Romney’s supporters instituted the circular firing squad. They had it working before the Primaries were even over with the way Romney surrogates were saying it would be better to vote for Obama and go down in flames then vote for McCain and lose our soul. (See Rush and Glenn Beck for two. Though at least Beck recanted this after the Palin pick publically.)

    2) Given that the most savage attackers on Palin have been the Romney crowd and NRO, parroted by the left again and again, all Romney had to do was come out and say “this is uncalled for.” But he’s following the Hillary Clinton playbook. I have no doubt he’s savaging Palin by proxy to clear the way for his ’12 campaign. Please, don’t tell me he’s a loyal soldier again.

    3) Romney and the NRO surrogates really don’t get it. If he was at all meaningful as a conservative candidate, he’d have won. No one in the conservative movement ‘wanted’ McCain. But Romney’s lack of consistency made him unattractive. And then there was the Michigan protectionist rant.

    McCain was simply the least dreadful option. Do they really think in 12 or 16 Romney would be sooo much better a candidate than he is now? I don’t. I think he’s pretty much moot fast-fading to irrelevance now. Show me how people are beating down the door to hear his pontifications on the election? crickets

    4) I do think Palin has decided her handlers have mucked things up and she’s going to speak her mind. I don’t think that’s necessarily bad, as McCain could hardly have run a worse campaign if he HAD fired all his senior staff and replaced them with Joe the Plumber.

    5) I think the media cannot entirely be blamed for pointing out the dissension in the Republican ranks, as it’s entirely self-caused from the circular firing squad. To be fair, as the Dems fell apart after 80, 84 and 2000 and Congressionally in 94, they made a point of putting the dissension on display there too. The media likes bloody water more than they like partisanship. And the Republicans are bathing in their own blood right now; no two ways about it.

    6) Finally, while it’s good that Romney gets called out on this now. He doesn’t deserve to get off for his surrogates role in sabotaging the campaign and his own inactivity on behalf of it. The traitors can go bye-bye.

  • someone

    This isn’t the Democratic party. Palin has earned her stripes with the national party, shrugging off the vilest, most concentrated media/PR assault (including, apparently, Rombots) in modern political history to give McCain a frankly shocking chance of winning. Jindal hasn’t. She’s “next”, and the GOP always goes that way.

    Furthermore, if McCain wins, she’ll be sitting VP and unbeatable. If he loses, Obama’s inevitable embarrassment on the world stage will reflect poorly not only on him but on the whole idea of having a thinky, non-alpha President.

    He might make her a good VP though.

  • peg_c

    and gets away with it because he is a Christian. Like we don’t see a bunch of those on the other side.

    When Rush interviewed Huck a few weeks ago I came extremely close to driving off the road. My shouts could have broken the windshield. Rush treated him very nicely considering the outrageous lies coming out of Huckabee’s mouth.

    As for Romney, stick a fork in him he is DONE. He cannot lead our party because he cannot put a majority together within our party. I’ve spoken to numerous Dem friends and co-workers and they despise him — ever the tolerant freedom-lovers, they hate him for his big biz gloss and for Mormonism. (I’ve said so many times the intolerance and prejudice of Democrats knows no bounds.) If Republicans can’t support him and Dems despise him, just who does he think is going to elect him?

    Romney can tell his supporters in the McCain campaign to STOP IT. That he obviously hasn’t is a huge mark against him. Sorry, but anyone smearing SarahCuda will earn my everlasting enmity, period.

  • Moe_Lane

    …is going to be a formidable candidate. LA politics are not for the weak, and he’s going to have a strong reform record backing his play.

    There are hella worse things for the GOP to contemplate than a VP Palin vs. Gov Jindal primary battle.

  • The_Dude_Abides

    When the Dems take control of two branches of government, it will become obvious to Republicans that a brand makeover is necessary.

    Why?

    1) Diminishing importance of the white vote — With each passing election, white voters become less important. They still rule the roost for now, but that’s changing quickly.

    2) A changing electoral map — Republican candidates have been able to get by on thin electoral margins, but it appears that Dems are going to win four out of the past five popular votes. And now, with demographics shifting in Virginia, Colorado, North Carolina and New Mexico, the Republican pathways to victory are aligning more closely to popular sentiment.

    3) Losing social issues such as anti-abortion and anti-gay — Younger voters overwhelmingly support abortion rights and gay rights, and insisting on more Draconian philosophies along those lines becomes a spiraling liability.

  • dblagent007

    Sarah Palin was the only thing that got me excited about McCain/Palin (unfortunately, disgust with BO didn’t translate to excitement for McCain). I think Sarah would make a very good presidential candidate, although I think she needs to be put through the fire of the hostile media a little bit more before then.

    It is unfortunate that these people that were formerly associated with Mitt’s campaign have criticized Palin. However, I think the generalizations of all “Romneybots” and criticismms of Mitt himself are misplaced.

  • The_Dude_Abides

    Both Jindal and Palin are general-election liabilities because of their radical stances on social issues.

    As a North Carolinian, I do think it would be amusing to imagine our neighbors to the south having to decide between two guys named Barack Obama and Piyush Jindal, but I don’t think Jindal or Palin will satisfy the enraged fiscal conservatives to make it to the general.

  • someone

    Nice.

  • briefsynopsis

    Lets all hope Mitt gets on top of this ASAP.

  • Neil_Stevens

    Petition for reinstatement from the Directors if you want to come back.

    You’re the ones running the campaign against women, complete with obscene slurs. You yourself are the thorough racist who looks at a person and files them into a category based on ‘color,’ the same as the Democrats in the Jim Crow south did. You don’t get to come into our house and tell lies about hate.

  • Uma_Richie

    I hope that you are not so daft that you ignore this reality.

  • dskinner11

    There is one former Romney guy who is named in this, who now has another job.

    The rest is crap. No names of anyone who Romney even remotely has influence over.

    This is totally in response to the poll last week showing Romney ahead of Huckabee and Palin. Spec is usually anti-Romney and they are attempting to undo all the goodwill that Romney earned over the last 7 months.

    Let’s see who is a better conservative leader from now until November 2010 and then let’s get behind that person.

  • Moe_Lane

    NT

  • Moe_Lane

    Ach, well, I get more than my fair share anyway. :)

  • ElCapitan

    Means he’s “non-alpha?”

    If Obama wins Jindal is our best shot in ’08. Palin is great but Jindal, like Reagan, has the ability to articulate conservative beliefs better than Palin has shown herself able to do, in my opinion. If McCain wins, then obviously Palin would make more sense as Prez, with Jindal as VP.

  • cp4three2

    People in the South know who he is and like him.

  • cp4three2

    Newt Gingrich he can also articulate conservatism very well. And, like, Reagan, he’s been working on developing conservative ideology for years prior to his coming into the prime time.

  • Moe_Lane

    Not to mention Palin.

  • cp4three2

    First, let’s not count Mccain as dead yet. A victory for him obviously puts Palin as the front runner. But this does lead into my next point:

    People need realize that none of these candidates this year were not big time conservatives. We sent the JV out because we knew it’d be a bad year (why would a big dog want to taint himself with a lost election against Hillary? Had they known Obama would be the candidate, we’d have had a bigger field). In four years we’re going to see a whole new crop of young conservatives from Paul Ryan to Bobby Jindal to Eric Cantor. This excludes the likes of Newt, Palin or Rice who cold possibly join the fray. A Mccain victory proves that Democrats have lost touch with the country.

    The map also changes in 2010 and it favors Republicans. Unless Obama’s hypothetical presidency is exceptional, he’s going to have a tough time winning an extra 6 electoral votes when there isn’t a foil to go against like Bush.

  • Illinicon

    If waits to run until 2020, he will still be just 49. Anyways rebuliding Louisana is more imporant to him than the White House, I think that comes across strong in every interview of seen of his. IF we lose Tuesday, there are two scenerios for 2012. Either Obama is Carter’s second term and Palin runs for the nomination and wins the White House thanks to being to the defacto front runner in a party that has always nominated the next person in line or somehow Obama turns into a Bill Clinton clone looks unbeatable and Palin doesnt run and we nominate Gingrich to almost be a 21st century Goldwater, a guy who in essance is a sacrifical lamb in terms of election at hand, but helps to redifine the Conservative brand in the future.

  • Cowboy

    Romney has solicited me many times in the last few months to support McCain/Palin.

    You are new here and I don’t care to listen to you threaten me with a spiked pipe to the head because you have a problem with Romney.

    Don’t do it again! Got it?

  • Cowboy

    Erick, we are in the last week of trying to get McCain/Palin elected.

    We know how you feel about Mitt but can it wait for a week? This is the last thing we need right now.

    First you endorse a couple of Dems. and then you start in on the Romney supporters. Sheesh!

  • Neil_Stevens
  • hoosierteacher

    Fred Thompson. He’s actively supported McCain and Palin. (And he doesn’t seem to have back stabbing supporters that try to undermine the ticket either.)

    Game, set, match.

  • someone

    Be directed at the folks who, you know, are taking potshots at the actual nominees?

  • hoosierteacher

    He’s cleaning up a mess. He’s against criminals and pork barrel politicians (which is why we shouldn’t vote for the GOP sen and rep in AK), and against backstabbers in the Romney group that have gone after Palin.

    If we had cleaned house earlier, we would still be in the majority in the congress. Better late than never.

    We should support our ticket, but not the people that give our party a bad name.

  • seattle_ite

    When the heck did this love affair with “moderate” republicans (RINO’s) become the be-all-end-all of the party??? I’ve stated in other posts that Mac’s ticket was lukewarm before the Palin pick. Sarah has breathed new life into the ticket. Coincidence? I think not.

    Full disclosure, I liked Reagan, but thought he didn’t go far enough. When GW said we’re going after the terrorists, I actually cheered. I am an Independent Conservative (upper case intentional), who usually votes for the GOP. The base, and Conservative independents WANT our side to fight for us, not continue this ‘bipartisan’ BS. The “moderate wing” of the GOP is precisely why we’re doing so poorly (the moderates are the high spenders, BTW).

    Principles matter, whether Noonan and the rest get it, or not.

  • merevaudevillian
  • Nick_Haynes

    if Mitt came out today and made a public statement to his “surrogates”, as you call them, to knock it off, then you would say he’s simply trying to play CYA and prepare for 2012.

    Nothing will ever be good enough for those like you that think that he’s the GOP’s version of pure evil. Not all the “Rombots” here who have donated to the campaign because of Sarah Palin, made thousands of calls for the campaign, and knocked on thousands of doors. Not the fact that, when Romney saw that he could not win, decided to bow out gracefully, rather than wait a month or two for no particular reason only than pumping up his own name (like Huckabee). Not the fact that, just a couple of days after bowing out, he endorsed McCain and went to bat for him early on, rather than refusing to ever bow out and refusing to endorse the nominee (like Ron Paul).

    No, for guys like you, it’s important that you constantly and without substantiation attack Romney, because nothing he does will ever fool you. You’re too smart for his games. He’ll never slip one by you.

    Or, maybe (and I’m just spitballing here) you’re an idiot and need to worry more about getting John McCain and Sarah Palin elected than about your foolish conspiracy theory.

  • Goldwater_Conservative

    Thats all I have to say about that, but when we talk about 2012, and I’m voting and cheering for McCain/Palin but the reality is they will lose next tuesday, but when we look at 4 years from now its important that we get it right this time. None of the guys that ran in the primaries this cycle will be considered, and for good reason, we can do better.

    I truly believe, that the Obama/Pelosi nation will give true conservatives the opportunity to stage a revolution, and we must have someone at the top of the ticket to lead the growing tidal wave. I want to believe in SaraCuda, I love the narrative, but the hard truth is she is now tainted (and its not all her fault) but first impressions are hard to overcome. Jindal is clearly the great hope for the country. I see a Jindal/Pawlenty ticket leading conservaties back into the majorities in both the house and maybe senate in 2012 and then, and only then, will we get the real reform that this country so desperatly needs.

  • Cowboy

    to support Democrats and why not call them McCain staffers instead of Romneybots unless he can prove Mitt is behind it.

  • mbecker908

    about as exciting as Bob Dole but without Dole’s sense of humor.

    I think we’ve become the party of DC Insiders, that’s how I see McCain. I’ve never considered him to be “my” Senator, I consider him to represent the interests of Washington DC well before he represents mine as a resident of Phoenix.

    Both Palin and Jindal are “outsiders” and they will both, by 2012, have outstanding resumes that will dwarf anything from DC. I think a large measure of BO’s appeal this year is that he’s viewed as an outsider.