Dubious Endorsements
As I’ve indicated elsewhere, the events of the past year have affected me in such manner as to have rendered me at best skeptical and at worst cynical of anyone who involves themselves in politics today. Even outside the political process human nature is what it is and when legitimate self-interest is co-opted by darker angels, one need only ignore both words and deeds and simply follow the money trail.
After I heatedly criticized Sarah Palin’s decision - in the wake of a phenomenally successful book tour - to forgo further political activism for a lucrative contract as a FOX News talking head, I was roundly attacked, condemned and, in one or two cases, abandoned by commenters who were less than pleased with my analysis and opinion of Mrs. Palin’s actions.
Unfortunately, with every new announcement of her latest activity or political endorsement, my cynicism only grows deeper. Recall that not long ago she announced she would stump in Arizona for John McCain - the Amnesty-loving Alpha RINO who stabbed her in the back during the 2008 Presidential campaign. Previously, I wrote a lengthy post asserting that Bill Kristol was dead wrong when he predicted she would do so because, at the time, I was still something of a true believer.
But that was before she announced her contract with FOX News. I later had to eat crow in a subsequent post and admit that Kristol was right and I was wrong.
Now we learn that she is endorsing Rand Paul over Trey Greyson in the upcoming Republican primary for the U.S. Senate in Kentucky.
Sure, his dad brings along some name recognition too, but Rep. Ron Paul’s son Rand Paul — who is running for a U.S. Senate seat in Kentucky — was ecstatic to hear former vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin was endorsing his insurgent Senate campaign.
“We think it may be the biggest endorsement that a candidate could get in the country this year,” Paul told Yeas & Nays, boasting he was “all smiles” when he heard the news Monday.
The endorsement wasn’t a total shock. Paul’s campaign had been putting out feelers to Palin’s people for quite some time, but Paul believed one of his grass-roots supporters, who penned a persuasive letter to Palin, may have sealed the deal.
“I think showing that even big things sometimes happen through one grass-roots supporter is interesting,” he said.
Palin’s role in the campaign has yet to be defined. In fact, the two Republicans — both associated with the tea party movement — haven’t even chatted.
“That’s on my list, to put a call into her and say, ‘hello,’ but we haven’t arranged that yet,” Paul said.
Interesting. That Dr. Paul is a conservative there can be no doubt. He out-Reagans Reagan and that’s saying something. Dr. Paul has this to say about illegal immigration:
I do not support amnesty. Those who come here should respect our laws. I support legal immigration and recognize that the country has been enriched by those who seek the freedom to make a life for themselves.
Immigrants should meet the current requirements, which should be enforced and updated. I realize that subsidizing something creates more of it, and do not think the taxpayer should be forced to pay for welfare, medical care and other expenses for illegal immigrants. Once the subsidies for illegal immigration are removed, the problem will likely become far less common.
I support local solutions to illegal immigration as protected by the 10th amendment. I support making English the official language of all documents and contracts.
Millions crossing our border without our knowledge constitutes a clear threat to our nation’s security. I will work to secure our borders immediately. My plans include an underground electric fence, with helicopter stations to respond quickly to breaches of the border. Instead of closing military bases at home and renting space in Europe, I am open to the construction of bases to protect our border.
This is pure, rock-ribbed conservatism. It even outdoes Ronaldus Magnus who, in one his rare moments of idiocy, signed legislation that granted amnesty to millions of illegals. There is no question that Rand Paul is clearly the candidate of choice in the Kentucky Republican primary.
However, there remains a very big question for Mrs. Palin: ought we to hold our collective conservative breath waiting for her to change her mind about campaigning for Juan McAmnesty in Arizona? After all, this is the woman who announced that she will be making several appearances at Tea Party rallies, starting in Nashville, TN this coming weekend:
I thought long and hard about my participation in this weekend’s event. At the end of the day, my decision came down to this: It’s important to keep faith with people who put a little bit of their faith in you. Everyone attending this event is a soldier in the cause. Some of them will be driving hundreds of miles to Nashville. I made a commitment to them to be there, and I am going to honor it. [Um...sort of like like she honored her commitment to serve as Governor of Alaska, right? Ouch. Bad example.]
But participation won’t be limited to those in Nashville who have a ticket. It’s much bigger than that. Because the Tea Party movement is spread out across the country — with no central offices or annual events — this is an opportunity to connect with like-minded folks. Yes, there will be speeches given in a room in Nashville. But we’ll also be speaking with thousands of Americans watching online at twitter.com/SarahPalinUSA, or through various news outlets. And the conversation will continue on my Facebook page. [One of the primary rules of public relations tells us that there can never be too much of a good thing when it comes to self-promotion - especially when you have a lucrative cable news show contract with the most prominent and popular cable news network in the country.]
I will not benefit financially from speaking at this event. My only goal is to support the grassroots activists who are fighting for responsible, limited government — and our Constitution. In that spirit, any compensation for my appearance will go right back to the cause. [Ah. I see. Which cause? The Nashville Tea Party? The RNC? Or, perhaps, SarahPAC which, I understand, has raised $1.4 million in the second half of 2009. It is also my understanding that SarahPAC spent $63,000 to purchase copies of "Going Rogue" for distribution to individuals who donated $100 or more to her political action committee. I'm understandably curious to know what she plans to do with the royalty check from the sale of those books.]
My opinion of Mrs. Palin will change considerably if she announces a change of heart and declares that she will campaign for J.D. Hayworth - the only true conservative in the Arizona primary - instead of John McCain.
Until that time I will continue to view her with a jaded and jaundiced eye in the hope that future events prove me wrong.
Well said! Politicians are, by nature, a breed apart and just because of that fact it is prudent to keep an ever watchful eye on even the best of them.
I’ll be there at the TPM conference in Nashville. I’m gonna try to live comment on C4P.
Great column by Sarah. She is stepping into the vacuum between the GOP and the TPM.
By the way, regarding the books, that is common. It works. I got two of those myself and paid WAY higher than the retail because it was part of SarahPAC and Wisconsin Right to Life.
If possible, see if you can get a question in regarding the McCain endorsement. For my part, I’m willing to wager that even if you could ask the question, she wouldn’t answer it directly.
Just remember that of all the talk radio pundits, the only one so far to come out unequivocally in favor of J.D. Hayworth is Mark Levin.
I’ve listened to his protracted rants on this matter on at least two occasions. He’s passionate about defeating McCain and if Mrs. Palin expects to resurrect any hope of being taken seriously by the conservative base, she had better clarify her position, pull the political shiv out of her back and ram it deep into McCain’s chest.
I can ask, but like you said she won’t be able to answer any different than she already has.
She is not powerful enough to confront him and ignite a mini-civil war. I knew she would endorse McCain months ago (hunch), so I am looking for any other formal endorsements of the likes of McCain, Kirk (Illinois), etc.
The feeling is that she likes John, and he is Ok on some issues, but eventually he MUST retire.
Manly,
Just had a long day with Bill Johnson on the road. This means nothing other than I’m tired. Don’t get “comfy” with Rand Paul. He’s being “packaged.” He’s not what he purports. Fiscally conservative, yes, the rest, meh.
Check this site, if you wish, http://genuinegopmom.blogspot.com
It has some background. I never could get links right in here.
I’ll try and be back later with my thoughts on Palin. Our mutual friend, Dr. Alan Keyes was with us when the announcement came. Keyes was not surprised nor pleased. In fact he said she will be hurt by this.
I may be wrong, but I think it was calling Palin a “whore” that got some people twisted.
You write a great blog, and it goes without saying that you not only have a right to your opinions, but also have the right to ban anyone for any reason you may have.
That being said…
Manly,
I’ve been out on the road for Bill Johnson all day. This means nothing more than I’m tired. I read your piece, don’t get too “comfy” with Rand Paul. He’s packaged and managed and not quite what he says he is. He’s a clone of his daddy. Fiscally conservative yes, the rest, meh. Check here http://genuinegopmom.blogspot.com. I’m still having trouble getting things to ink.
Our friend, Dr. Alan Keyes, was with us when the endorsement was announced. Dr. Keyes said that he wasn’t surprised and that it will wind up being bad news for Palin. I’ll try and get back later with more for you or a private email…I have to write Anchorman too.
My opinion is stick with your instincts….you were more right than I thought. She is looking out for her.
However inartfully I may have expressed myself, you will always be welcome here, my friend.
Good. Because we are on the same side.
Palin endorsed McCain BEFORE Hayworth got off of his ass and announced his candidacy…
Her endorsement of Rand Paul confuses me. Unless, as Dan Riehl has up on his site “she’s positioning herself to garner the Libertarian vote in ‘12″…So far, she’s endorsed Rand to the tune of $2000. We’ll see how much and how hard she campaigns for him when Palin is in KY in a few weeks…
As I understand it, Trey Greyson is McConnell’s hand picked candidate. The best thing I can say about McConnell is that his wife didn’t take his last name…
The cheap shot about her resigning her Governorship is, just that, cheap…You know the reasons…
When are you going to write a similar post calling Rudy, Huckabee, et al ‘whores and prostitutes’ for being on TV and therefore, disqualified from running for Federal office because they are nothing more than pundits?
Neither Rudy nor Huckabee quit in the middle of their political tenures.
That said, Huckabee is a pathetic populist fraud. He is the epitome of a snake oil salesman.
Rudy is, in the final analysis, a RINO. He realized that New York is a lost cause and has decided not to run for governor. After all, he can make a ton of money with his businesses, so why bother running for governor of a state that is doomed to federal serfdom?
That’s about all I need to write about either of these two.
Will you hold your breath waiting for her to change gears? Gosh, I hope you have a large lung capacity.
Not holding my breath…The point I was making was that Hayworth had not announced his candidacy for McCain’s seat when Palin endorsed John. An endorsement sought by McCain.
Had Hayworth gotten off of the pot earlier, I believe that Palin would’ve endorsed McCain anyway out of loyalty, etc. BUT, she may have couched the endorsement by saying Hayworth was a worthy candidate. Just speculation…
Neither Rudy nor Huckabee nor any other sitting Governor has ever been subjected to the malicious “prosecution” by the left that Palin was. And, if either had, the laws in their states would have protected them from financial ruin. Unlike the loophole in Alaskan law that left the Governor unprotected.
As for Huckabee, I lived under his “leadership” for 11 years. He calls himself a Republican. He’s NOT a fiscal conservative. He’s NOT a social conservative…
Rudy is a Rockefeller Republican…
Point taken. Let’s see what happens.
Sapwolf,
What’s your take on Gov. Palin endorsing Ron Paul’s son?
There is no bigger fan of Sarah than me, but if she follows through and endorses McCain, I am done with her…