Stupid Character Assassination
Unnamed McCain staffers have been leaking vicious charges against Sarah Palin. I have not linked to their crap – as reported by the national media – because I am not a big fan of that sort of unsourced slander. But whoever is doing it better reconsider quickly. Rasmussen reports that Palin enjoys approval numbers that any politician would cheerfully kill for.
Sixty-nine percent (69%) of Republican voters say Alaska Governor Sarah Palin helped John McCain’s bid for the presidency, even as news reports surface that some McCain staffers think she was a liability.
Only 20% of GOP voters say Palin hurt the party’s ticket, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey. Six percent (6%) say she had no impact, and five percent (5%) are undecided.
Ninety-one percent (91%) of Republicans have a favorable view of Palin, including 65% who say their view is Very Favorable. Only eight percent (8%) have an unfavorable view of her, including three percent (3%) Very Unfavorable. (Emphasis added.)
The would-be character assassin(s) might want to think about their future employment chances rather than trying to smear someone who may well play an enormous role in Republican politics for quite some time. This is precisely why the left and the media attempted to crush her. Let’s not allow it internally, shall we?
By sam, November 7, 2008 @ 4:08 pm
I think that Ms. Palin is the best thing since sliced bread. I agree, the reason the D’s are trying to trash her so much is because they realize that she has the charisma thing.
By JAK, November 7, 2008 @ 4:12 pm
But she’s not in the club, so both the Dems and the Repubs need to dampen any enthusiasm whatsoever quickly, lest a spark remain!
By Anthony (Los Angeles), November 7, 2008 @ 5:08 pm
Count me as one of the 65% “very favorable” bloc. I spent a lot of time studying her record* and character after her nomination, and I came away convinced she’s just what the US and the Republican Party needs. Unless something drastic happens, she’s my preferred candidate in 2012.
*(Which was easy to uncover, unlike the President-Elect’s.)
By Foxfier, November 7, 2008 @ 5:09 pm
Add me to the “Very favorable”– also my husband, three out of four aunt/uncle couples I can speak politics with, both parents and my little sister.
By Gaius, November 7, 2008 @ 5:58 pm
Yeah, like I said before, she rings true. I think that is what they are afraid of.
By feeblemind, November 7, 2008 @ 6:01 pm
Palin was the only reason I voted for McCain. Moderate repubs and the Dems need to destroy her because they correctly recognize her potential and see her as a threat. They are afraid of her and rightly so.
By Bill Franklin, November 8, 2008 @ 9:53 am
C’mon folks, there are plenty of Republicans that are excellent Presidential material. How can you stand behind Palin? Do you honestly in your heart think she is qualified to lead this country?!? No comparisons to Obama please (I didn’t vote for him) – I’m asking you if you really believe she’s one of the top Republicans to lead this country.
There seems to be this belief that she’s a “real conservative.” Let’s remember she’s Governor of one of the top five states that receives more federal dollars than they give – hardly a conservative position. She also just plain lied about being against the bridge to nowhere. She was a big supporter before it was exposed as pork barrel spending. And the federal money for the bridge was still given to Alaska! Her anti-science positions are disconcerting if we want the USA to remain #1.
IMO Republicans need to go back to the 90s Gingrich true fiscal conservative “contract with America” position (and somehow convince people they mean it this time) if they are ever going to regain power. The last eight years of deficit spending, huge increases in the size of government (non-defense), and pork barrel spending have jaded conservative-leaning independents from trusting Republicans with power.
By Foxfier, November 8, 2008 @ 10:54 am
C’mon folks, there are plenty of Republicans that are excellent Presidential material.
Name them. The running joke this election is that there were great Democrats running– they just were on the Republican ticket.
1) Federal funds usually come via earmarks, which the Governor has zero solid effect on– thus, Arizona is dead last in federal funds, because it’s got McCain.
2) She flat out admitted that she supported getting more infrastructure and, after elected, when she looked at the actual budget, decided it wasn’t an effective use of the funds. Of course the money was still given to the state, they’re transportation funds.
3) WHAT anti-science leanings? It may shock you, but allowing local schools to choose to teach the scientific weaknesses of a theory is NOT anti-science; doubting that global warming is man-made is also not anti-science.
By martian, November 8, 2008 @ 12:48 pm
Or, an alternative theory is that no one in either the McCain or Palin camps has leaked anything and this is just a ploy by someone in the media to continue to tear her down. I agree with Gaius that the Dems (and by extension their MSM lackeys) fear Gov. Palin because they definitely took notice that her selection as the VP candidate electrified the Republican Party and energized what had been a demoralized Republican base. They DO NOT want her on the stage at the National Politics level. They want her future to be destroyed and any possibility of her running in the future removed. Thus they are continuing their attempts at character assasination. This helps the Dems because it gets rid of her and, at the same time, demoralizes the Republicans.
Personally, I want to know a lot more about what HER positions are, not what the Dems and the MSM SAY they are, or the positions she had to support as a member of the McCain ticket before I make a decision as to whether I would support her down the road. However, unless there is a major shake up in the MSM we may never get an unbiased view of ANY Repubkican candidate ever again.
By Ropelight, November 8, 2008 @ 1:05 pm
Bill Frankin, in my opinion Sarah Palin is exactly what this country needs, she would have made a fine VP, and if she’s willing to run for national office again, she’ll get my support.
The examples you cite of Palin’s supposed shortcomings are unpersuasive, as is your call for the good old days of Newt’s revolution. It failed because the GOP would not stand up and fight back when Dems and MSM attacked. Cowards don’t win the brass ring and they never get the girl.
By Boy Named Sous, November 8, 2008 @ 3:26 pm
Count me in the 65% as well. As for her “anti-science positions”, again, name one. Her belief in creationism? That’s her personal belief, and this may come as some shock to you, but she’s never advocated teaching it as public policy. If you look at what she ACTUALLY has said, she believes that schools should allow discussions regarding it, if the issue is raised, but should NOT teach it as science.
By Bill Franklin, November 8, 2008 @ 5:46 pm
Should schools teach creationism or evolution in the classroom? Palin: “Teach both. You know, don’t be afraid of information. Healthy debate is so important, and it’s so valuable in our schools. I am a proponent of teaching both.” I’m a devout Catholic/Christian. My undergrad is also a Bachelor of Science. IMO creationism does not have a place in a pro-science school system.
Anchorage Daily News: Should the bridge to nowhere be financed? Palin: “*Yes*. I would like to see Alaska’s infrastructure projects built sooner rather than later. The window is now–while our congressional delegation is in a strong position to assist.”
I’m tried of doing research for people, when confronted with evidence, still deny reality. The same thing happened here a couple years back when people here said the US didn’t use white phosphorous as a weapon. When I quoted a military spokesman who spelled out that we did, it was ignored.
As Gaius mentioned in another blog post, fewer Republicans came out this year than 2004. Conclusion: Palin didn’t energize the Republican base (just the opposite apparently), at best she energized the minority evangelical base. I’m finished arguing this position; if you don’t agree, fine. That Palin is a liability to the Republican party is so utterly obvious to me that I’m unable to find a common ground to defend the position. I will be curious to hear what Karl Rove and other Republican analysts have to say once the dust settles.
By Bill Franklin, November 8, 2008 @ 6:07 pm
Oh, and as for the slurs being some MSM conspiracy theory, Palin was interviewed recently called the leakers “jerks” who took some of her comments out of context. Not the kind of response you’d expect from a total fabrication.
By Moose, November 8, 2008 @ 8:59 pm
Who is Bill Franklin:
1)I’m a devout Catholic/Christian. My undergrad is also a Bachelor of Science. IMO creationism does not have a place in a pro-science school system.
2)The same thing happened here a couple years back when people here said the US didn’t use white
phosphorous as a weapon. When I quoted a military spokesman who spelled out that we did, it was ignored.
3)Oh, and as for the slurs being some MSM conspiracy theory, Palin was interviewed recently called the leakers “jerks” who took some of her comments out of context. Not the kind of response you’d expect from a total fabrication.
Answer : a Democrat playing games with Republicans.
Here is total BS “No comparisons to Obama please (I didn’t vote for him)”
Hey Bill,you don’t fool anyone. Go Home
By Sam L., November 8, 2008 @ 9:58 pm
I note that Michelle Malkin and Ace Of Spades are searching and taking names of the leakers, for future reference.