“There are a lot of things you can do when you finish a losing campaign. You can sleep for 30 hours straight. You can get drunk. Your can reflect on what went wrong and why your side lost. Or you can immediately dump every unflattering tidbit you know – or think you know – about your colleagues to the press.” – Byron York, National Review
This quote was in response to this and this right here. I almost can’t even find the words.
There are always stories like this that come out of the losing camp. Me personally, unless you’re willing to man up and put your name one something, anything coming from “unnamed sources” ranges from complete bullshit to a gross exaggeration. I’m sure if John McCain won, “unnamed Obama staffers” would be blaming the loss on Joe Biden not knowing how to keep his mouth shut, and “unnamed Biden staffers” would talk aboot how Obama was the least experienced guy Biden ever worked with. That’s just politics…ain’t it grand?
What I find most offensive is the petty and vicious way that MCCAIN STAFFERS – not the NY Times or MSNBC, but people who if they don’t care aboot the party allegedly care aboot John McCain – are looking to destroy Sarah Palin less than twenty-four hours after the election. And for the life of me, I can’t understand why.
Even if the stories are true, and I don’t think they are, but if they are true…that makes John McCain and the people in charge look bad. Why did they choose her in the first place? They vetted her for five months…did NAFTA not come up in conversation? When you couldn’t find any public opinions she’s given on issues…did no one think to ask her? Let’s say for sake of argument that she didn’t know anything…after sequestering her for five days you make her first interview on network news…the same news that even liberals are admitting were in the tank for Obama? No one on the McCain campaign said to themselves, “You know, instead of Charlie Gibson, what about Sean Hannity?”
Are we supposed to believe that she landed in St. Paul, after five days of her and her family being savaged by the media, to give the most important speech of her career in front of the largest audience to ever watch a Presidential convention…and went shopping?
And the hardest one for me…do they really expect us to blame her for John McCain’s loss? I mean, really? I’ve given my thoughts on it last week, but if you need more convincing, consider this from the Wall Street Journal:
But in a strategy session of five McCain advisers — campaign manager Rick Davis, pollster Bill McInturff, strategist Steve Schmidt, ad-maker Fred Davis and strategist Greg Strimple — the back and forth revealed a fundamental problem. Fred Davis posed a question designed to give the campaign a central focus: “Why should we elect John McCain?” Tellingly, after several hours of debate, the five couldn’t reach a consensus.
Think about that. Forgetting the economy and George Bush and the history they were running against…John McCain’s top advisers couldn’t come up with a reason why we should elect John McCain.
All the stories aboot clothes and make-up and geography won’t change that.
Exit quotation: “And it escapes me why they seek to tarnish and diminish the hopes of the person who may serve the Party they claim to love — either as a future Presidential candidate or as a spokesperson for reform and rebuilding.”
9 users commented in " Don’t Blame Sarah Palin "
Follow-up comment rss or Leave a TrackbackFirst, Newsweek among others, quoted multiple sources associated with both campaigns before reporting on many of the Palin shopping and related claims. Shuffle it any way you like but defending buying clothes to the tune of tens of thousands for the “first dude” is bizarre and troubling. As for why Hannity was not offered the first interview, the vast majority of Americans and 100.0% of thoughtful folks understand that he is a barely honest, barely literate, unfactchecked hack who pales in comparison to Charles Gibson.
JOHN McCAIN LOST FOR 4 REASONS AND SARAH ISN’T ONE OF THEM.
FIRST…Obama and the DNC raised record breaking amounts of money
SECOND…Obama and the DNC had a tremendous ground game…much better than McCain
THIRD…Although most voters agree that McCain is different than Bush…But there was such anger and outrage at the Republicans over the economy that the republicans suffered. Look how many seats the Dems won.
FOURTH…September 16th when Lehman Bros went Bankrupt and soon others followed…then McCain said the foundations of our economy are strong. I knew what he meant, but it was taken out of context and Obama never looked back.
***I am an Independent who voted for McCain, but people have to be realistic and honest. Blaming Sarah Palin for John McCain losing the election is like a high school student telling the teacher that he did not do his homework, because the dog ate it.
For McCain staffers to blame Sarah Palin for the loss is “rediculous”.
What it is is “political expediency” let’s find fault; let’s pass judgement; let’s not accept responsibility. “The standard operating procedure in Washington”
…McCain lost because our country is “ignorant” to the truth, that a Democratic Congress caused and allowed or did not prevent the economic downfall. …McCain lost because of biased “bleeding liberal” media stations like CNN; MSNBC: CBS; NBC; and ABC, reporting in a unprofessional journalistic manner to hide the truth and promote their own agenda. ….McCain lost because he is not a “public speaker” or has that “chrismatic” attraction to sway the masses, that tells us what we want to hear, to hide the hidden agenda. …McCain lost because he said in one of the debates, “nuclear power pants” and “a fresh of breath air”. …McCain lost because when he held up both thumbs up and said “my friends” after each word it sounded disingenuous. …McCain lost for not exposing Barack Hussane Obamma for what he really is…a radical socialist with marxists ties to crimminals, terrosists, and anti white preachers and leaders.
So let’s blame Sarah Palin who “exemplifies the spirit and character of our country” with honesty, truth and moral values and convictions.
It’s wrong, innappropriate just like our Goverment who’s moral compass is so corrupt,that the only way they can find their way to the parking lot is to give themselves a five and a half week vacation or come back to give themselves a pay raise.
Don’t blame Sarah Palin she just wanted what we wanted and that was to change that.
WE ARE TO BLAME
Don’t get me wrong – Palin was a disaster in waiting. And obviously Palin was used by the campaign.
All that Sarah Palin IS guilty of is that she allowed herself to be used. Clearly, she didn’t have the understanding that moving to the Big Leagues was going to be different than running for Mayor or even for Governor of an insulated, small population state.
There are a lot of people out there who get by with flash over substance – sizzle over steak. (Paris Hilton anyone?) Unfortunately, a run for President will examine and magnify and distort every possible flaw a person has and even those they don’t have … and Sarah either didn’t consider that or actually believed that she was qualified (I would bet on the latter). She had stars in her eyes. It’s sad to see what is now happening, but it is also so very predictable given how our society falls for the cult of “celebrity”.
So who is ultimately responsible? WE ARE. We are a society that encourages the mediocre to overreach. We egg them on to reach the top and then we gather with stones in our hands to knock them down when they get there.
Wow, Craig M., that was really thoughtfull and balanced. You should apply to FoxNews immediately to keep our entire Republican party drinking the wrong kool-aid from the wrong cup. WE SHOULD NOT KEEP TRYING TO ELECT UNQUALIFIED FLAG WAVERS! They crumble, some quicker than others as Palin did, but they always do. Lets actually nominate an intelligent, thoughfull, SELFLESS leader this time and forget the blatant pandering to the extreme right as some bizarre requirement above actual intelligence and capability to do the job right. This is crazy.
Ignorant to the truth, boy do you embody and most of the extreme right (note: anyone listening to AM radio or Fox talkshows right now) that remark!
We cannot pin our hopes to Palin. She is a joke to the entire country except those who actually believe the Obama is a Muslim Terrorist crap. We are embarrassing ourselves with Palin and with the conspiracy theories. Obama won because she should have. We lost our way with all the negativity and character assassination AND with nominating an unqualified beauty queen who crumbled during NORMAL interviews. You guys saw it, there was no “gotcha” journalism there, people. Just watch how Obama handled O’Reilly, who was loaded for bear. He handled it, well, like a president.
Wow, Mr. Plowell said (verb) “to impress greatly.” Thank you! Your response seemed really thoughtless and unbalanced. I’m sure CNN could use you as another far left stagehand to steady the teleprompter.
So you say we should not elect unqualified flag wavers. You seem so conflicted and confused. Are you saying we should elect unqualified flag haters? I guess you think 173 days in office where Obama voted (present) qualifies him for the Presidency. His school records at Colombia and Harvard are sealed along with his extra curricular activities and it is still an uncertainty that he is a naturalized citizen of the United States. His grandmother claims he was born in Kenya.
And speakng of confused, you stated in your second response and I quote “Obama won because (she) should have.”
Is that like 8 years of Bill Clinton and Hillary ran the country. Oh heaven help us if Michelle takes over…have you read her thesis paper on anti-whites?
Yes, you are right about one thing Mr. Plowell. We have lost our way. We took God out of our government, our schools, and we are paying the price for offending our Creator. You got just what you deserve, a President that has no problem with abortion and civil unions.
I’ll take Sarah Palin any day of the week, who has a proven track record and who has accomplished more in 2 years of Governor of Alaska than Obama has in a lifetime. Her belief in God, country and the willingness to reform a corrupt government is exemplary but thanks to your vote and the vote of many uneducated Americans, we have lost that opportunity.
Abraham Lincoln said it best, “We will never be destroyed from the outside but from the inside if we falter or waver.”
For God said, “they will be known for their many words but do not understand.”
The stage has been set for the final prophesies to be fulfilled; One world government, one world money system, one world religion.
We should be one nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all. We will pray for our new President and this country.
Hi Craig M,
I personally believe that United States is more conscious about humanity and good of the majority now than it has ever been. First, I do not think we have lost our way. Obama’s vicotry has showed us that people can put aside racial differences and prejudices and work for the best interest of our nation. The best interest of our nation relies not in minority of the elites, but the majority of common people.
For example, New Yorkers enjoy relatively higher standards of living in comparison to people in other parts of the country, and yet majority of New Yorkers chose Obama to be our president. Don’t you think the white collars know who which candidate (McCain or Obama) is out for their best financial interest? The answer is that they do know, but overwhelming numbers of them still chose to vote for Obama. Do you know why? I think it is because they are conscious of others’ interests and the interest of the society as a whole. For this reason, they chose to vote for Obama even though they know that Obama to them means great financial sacrifice.
Capitalism and industrialization have taken us to another level of humanism. I don’t think God was considerate for the blacks when they were enslaved or segregated. I think US has always been a country with deep rooted racism. How can you justify that we were in the right way in those inhumane days where people with skin color difference were treated like accomodities.
The fact is humans have to live morally without God. Morality is defined by the society and our own consciousness, not by some higher being who we cannot comprehend. If God does not exist, does this means that humans can live immorally? Of course not…
I am not sure about Palin. I would think that a mayor who made raped women paid for their own rape kits (800-1000 per kit) really knows what people want.
As for Harvard and Columbia, it takes more than intelligent for normal people to get in, and that just tells you something about Obama. who became the first president of prestigious Harvard Law Review.
If Palin is not the sole factor why McCain lost his campaign, she is definitely a huge factor.
If she would have demonstrated close to Hillary’s competency and brilliancy, McCain would probably not have lost that badly.
Leave A Reply