Another GOP Epic Fail: They 'Cuda Had A Contendah
My Right Honourable Friend from New Jersey made the case today for why the Beltway GOP shot themselves in the foot by refusing to wait a few weeks for Palin's confirmation on keynoting their fundraising shin-dig. Well, it turns out he was right. The GOP high muck-a-mucks really blew it by jumping the gun a second time:
[SarahPAC spokesperson Meg] Stapleton said Palin would not agree to political events until after April 20, when the Alaska legislative session ends. "She is focused on Alaska," Stapleton said today.
And while Palin's camp claimed no hard feelings about being replaced by Gingrich, Stapleton said, "She probably would have said yes if they could have waited." [emphasis added]
Another epic fail for the GOP. I'm sure Newt will really pack them in. It's not like we get to see him on television every night or hear him on Sean Hannity's radio show every other day. No offense to Newt. I've always liked the guy. But come on? Really?
They coulda had a contendah...
UPDATE by RAM: Welcome Hot Air readers. We would like to clarify that it wasn't ethics laws preventing Gov. Palin from accepting the NRCC fundraiser. She made a very clear promise to Alaskans that she would be fully focused on Alaskan issues during the current 90 day legislative session. Her trip to DC for the Alfalfa dinner coincided with an important meeting with her DC congressional office about the stimulus. Yes, it's true that she agreed to attend a non-partisan pro-life dinner and a breakfast for special needs children in Indiana at the tail end of the session. Meg Stapleton said that Palin will be taking a "36-hour vacation" to attend the events because these causes are near and dear to her heart. And she's already taken flak from the Alaska press for this. A reporter actually asked her why an event for special needs children was important to her.
This is the world of Alaska politics. It's a long way from the beltway, but as I noted yesterday, these are the people she was elected to serve, and she is doing her job and keeping her promise to them to always put "Alaskans first."
However, regardless of the ethics laws, but it is not difficult to imagine that more frivolous ethics complaints would have been made had she attended. And she's already half a million dollars in debt from the other charges.
UPDATE II by RAM: I should also note that there is still talk of a special session after the regular 90 day legislative session. The governor has told lawmakers that she does not want to call a special session. Personally, I think she doesn't want them to count on one -- she wants them to work as if there won't be one. But she's also very keen on getting that railbelt utility bill passed before the end of the current session. If a special session were called, it would take place this summer probably from June to August -- right around the time of that NRCC dinner.
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33 comments:
Well the GOP allowed McCain to be the Nominee...the ONLY thing he did Right was pick Sarah. Beyond that...NADA!
The GOP needs to grow "some"...the last time they had anything worth while was 1994.
"putting Alaskans first" is a pretty consistent refrain here at C4P and time and time again it helps to explain the course of events.
So, we ordinary barbarian had the situation pegged right. The stupid people couldn't wait till 19th and then they have to go to press with "she's a disaster" quotes. Rolling my eyes, what will open their eyes, the poor souls?
They 'Cuda had a contendah!
I hate repeating myself but since this thread is virtually the same as the 'Jimmy Orr thread' I will repeat the same question.
What does the revocation of Sarah's invitation without notifying her, to be the keynote speaker at the Congressional fundraising dinner in June tell you about the dinner committee, the GOP members of Congress or the GOP in general?
1)they are childish or haughty and would rather cut off their nose to spite their face
2)Sarah Palin does not deserve any respect from the GOP members of Congress or the GOP who consider her an interloper and are jealous that she is stealing their thunder
3)that there is infighting among GOP political or ideological rivals (RINO's) or their surrogates in regards to Sarah, whose goal is to undermine or marginalize Sarah and to elevate their choice or a RINO for the POTUS nomination in 2012.
4)the GOP establishment has launched a shot across Sarah's bow because of SarahPAC beginning to rival the RNC for the hearts and minds of the base and is thus warning her that she better fall into line with the party apparatus or it may not support her as vigorously as they could in the general campaign if she gains the nomination in 2012
5)that the GOP is in total disarray and rather than focusing on challenging Obama's socialist agenda it would rather eat its young or emasculate its own.
Palin Statement:
April 1, 2009, Juneau, Alaska - Governor Sarah Palin today released the following statement in response to the dismissal of the indictment against former U.S. Senator Ted Stevens: “Senator Stevens deserves to be very happy today. What a horrible thing he has endured. The blatant attempts by adversaries to destroy one’s reputation, career and finances are an abuse of our well-guarded process and violate our God-given rights afforded in the Constitution. It is a frightening thing to contemplate what we may be witnessing here – the undermining of the political process through unscrupulous ploys and professional misconduct. Senator Stevens and I had lunch together recently at my home and he reiterated the faith he held for vindication; he never gave up hope. It is unfortunate that, as a result of the questionable proceedings which led to Senator Stevens’ conviction days before the election, Alaskans lost an esteemed statesman on Capitol Hill. His presence is missed.”
techno, all 5.
Palin's making nice with Ted Stevens, whoa! She's trying hard to get the Alaska GOP to be behind her, isn't she?
Gingrich is a fresh, up-and-coming face!
He'll wow them! He'll pack them in and bowl them over like Joey Bishop at a rave party! Like Hitler doing a monologue in the Catskills! Like Himmler at your Bat Mitzvah!
Jesus, I have several reasons to criticize SarahPAC, but they pale next to the galactic stupidity of the A$$Clown RNC.
Think of the Washington Republican Party as a the circus clown act that comes into the Big Top with the firetruck full of clowns. They dismount to put out the fire in the clown house. Only, instead of water coming out of their hoses, they spray napalm to make things worse.
Did Sarah ever comment on the Stevens matter at the time? I know she refused to disclose her vote.
The RNCC really screwed this whole thing up.
As for C4P using the "Alaska First" Meme, it is correct. She is the elected Governor of Alaska. Her loyalty is to them before the lower 48, or a political party. She takes her job seriously unlike elected officials who give an ipod to an elderly queen who already owns one.
Rachael,
Yeah, she did.
"After being found guilty on seven felony counts, I had hoped Senator Stevens would take the opportunity to do the statesman-like thing and erase the cloud that is covering his Senate seat. He has not done so. Alaskans are grateful for his decades of public service but the time has come for him to step aside. Even if elected on Tuesday, Senator Stevens should step aside to allow a special election to give Alaskans a real choice of who will serve them in Congress."
Dermot Cole from the News-Miner jumped on this immediately. Fagan, Super Dave, and that crowd is going to have a field day.
Another sports analogy:
Disinviting Sarah Palin from keynoting the dinner is like leaving Tiger Woods off the Ryder Cup team because he wasn't sure if he would be ready to play or not because of injury and taking offense and willy-nilly choosing a journeyman to replace him on the team well before the tournament was to be played.
Oh I do vaguely remember that now. Hmm. Seems her feelings have changed, maybe it has something to do with her own recent experiences with "adversaries."
Replacing Sarah Palin for Newt Gingrich is like a real estate agent trying to sell you on the virtue of living in an old cottage along a quiet lake while all along you want to own an upscale condo in a beehive area full of singles and swingers and razzle-dazzle and be in the middle of where the action is.
I think she was forced by the campaign to remark on Stevens.
I am glad she's trying to make nice with the Alaska GOP, Lisa Murkowaski and now Stevens. She doesn't need any more friendly fire from her own party.
What I wrote on Draft Sarah Palin for VP on Sept. 22, 2008:
"Sarah is the most vilified political candidate in the history of modern American poliitcs and perhaps of all time.
They have tried to 'strip her bare', draw blood by impaling her', beat her 'to a pulp', and 'stone her to death'. They have sought to destroy her body and will and the 'rabble' will continue to seek to crucify her.
Yes, we must all pray for Sarah and her family but we must do more: to the devotees of Sarah we must circle the wagons around her-we must personally vow never to allow Sarah's detractors to diminish our loyalty and devotion to her.
We owe her that much. We must treat Sarah as one of our children. our spouse or our parent.
Only through this type of fervency, urgency and commitment can tens of thousands make the phone calls without stop to sway voters, walk and drive the hundreds of miles day after day to hand out literature, buttons and yard signs and passionately convince fence-sitters of the wisdom of voting for the McCain-Palin ticket."
Yip-Yip-Yahoooo!
I get to add another name to my Rolodex of DRECKS! (people seared into my memory for stabbing Gov. Palin in the back)
28) Ken Spain "Newt, a REAL leader" "New direction"
29) "She was a disaster" quote guy (as yet unidentified)
Much has been made of Sarah's support for Stevens now but little has been said about the actual content of the statement. Was this statement also meant for a wider audience?
" The blatant attempts by adversaries to destroy one's reputation, career and finances are an abuse of our well-guarded process and VIOLATE GOD-GIVEN RIGHTS AFFORDED IN THE CONSTITUTION. It is a frightening thing to contemplate what we are witnessing here-the undermining of the political process through UNSCRUPULOUS PLOYS and PROFESSIONAL MISCONDUCT."
Was this a shot across Obama's bow?
My comments are showing up on wrong posts...sorry yall. I think Im just going to delete the wrong ones.
It's probably my ignorance of Alaska politics, but I don't understand why she couldn't give a confirmation before the end of the session, if the event happened after the session's end. Is it because of the possibility of one or more extended special sessions?
Anthony, it's possible that they will need to have a special session. Gov. Palin doesn't want it, and she's made clear that she wants legislators to move and not dilly-dally expecting a special session, but they could still have one. If they do, it could happen in the summer -- around the time of the NRCC event.
I'm not all together convinced she is not going to go. She'll be in Auburn NY on June 6th, and the fundraiser is June 8th. It would be easy enough for her to line up an event for June 7th, then go to the fundraiser. But, since the unnamed bunch have already stabbed her in the back over it, she might not want to go, even if they asked her again.
Greg, not only they've called her a disaster but also spread the meme that this screwup means she isn't ready for prime time. She can hardly accommodate them after such a treachery. I hope she goes to NY, she goes to Virginia and takes care to be conspicuously dissing the NRSC on that Monday.
The real problem with this speaking issue and the GOP is the same as cost them the election and that is REPUBLICANS ABANDON THEIR PRINCIPLES!
SARAH has principles, lives them and honors promises she makes to Alaskans not to leave during the Legislative session, it is her DUTY and she respects it!
Sarah's political instincts are well documented and she will step out at her choosing and in my humble opinion, it won't make a rats ass difference what republican speaks anywhere, they will never be able to connect and command the conservative message like her. She will have plenty of time and opportunity as long as she takes care of business in Alaska to fulfill our need to hear and see our leader more. i can't wait!!
Thanks, RA, I thought that might be the reason.
I'm a little wary of being too hard on the organizers (though I do think they jumped the gun announcing she'd be there): without knowing the details of how they're run, it's possible they had to have a speaker lined up by a certain date and couldn't wait for the legislative session to end.
Regardless, it's their loss.
Anthony, it might have been the whole invitation process, etc. They might have wanted to get everything shored up by a certain date. But I still say it was an epic fail on their parts.
I think Rush gave a subtle shout-out to the 'Cuda today re the Tedisco race in New York. He seemed to be addressing the underlying malaise that has Repubs feeling dispirited thesedays and the Messiah, doing his darndest to make us feel like Dems are invincible -- for good.
Rush was giving stats on various races but pointed out that Repubs have easy wins -- when they have a good candidate. Like, say, a principled governor who hails from a chilly state?
I agree, RA. They were the ones who initiated the action, after all.
I'm a fan of Sarah, but do you think she was testing them to see how badly they wanted her? After all, she did confirm attendance to 2 events already, yet she didn't respond to theirs? Perhaps she didn't want to respond to political matters until after the session to avoid hostility from the legislators?
I was also thinking it was good for her not to attend because it would be partisan politics, and after reading Trailblazer, she gained good ground during her run for governor when the Republicans were against her because she was able to focus on just doing what's best for Alaskans vs. playing partisan politics.
Also, the NRCC/NRSC should've waited. They can't wait for 20 days? Geez.
Anyway, at least we'll get to see what type of "excitement" (if any) we'll get from Gingrich.
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