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Sarah Palin's Folly: Stumping For John McCain (Does Personal Loyalty Trump Conservatism?)
Policial Insomniac ^ | 03/28/2010 | Dan Cleary

Posted on 03/28/2010 6:05:44 PM PDT by SeekAndFind

One of my very favorite bloggers on the Right - Powerline's John Hinderaker - wrote a post earlier today entitled 'Biker Girl Campaigns for McCain'. By Hinderaker's own admission, his sole motivation for writing it was to show a perfectly gratuitous photograph of Palin looking great in a black leather biker jacket on the campaign trail.

No complaints there.

However, I have a bone to pick with the rest of John's comments:

Sarah Palin was in Arizona yesterday, campaigning for John McCain in his primary contest against former Congressman J.D. Hayworth. This was an appropriate demonstration of loyalty toward the man who opened the door to fame and fortune for her. Beyond that, Palin's support McCain is right on the merits and displays her almost unerring judgment in political matters.

Like most conservatives, I sometimes disagree with John McCain, and on those occasions he can be an infuriating opponent. But he describes himself as a "proud conservative," and that's how he votes a large majority of the time. Moreover, while he is an imperfect Republican, McCain is a great man. He is a warrior, one of the staunchest characters ever to participate in politics, a modern-day Andrew Jackson. We need him. If the Republican tent ever grows too small to contain the likes of John McCain, we are in deep trouble.

Moreover, McCain was the party's Presidential nominee just two years ago. The last thing Republicans need to do is to start eating our own, like the Democrats when they drummed Vice-Presidential nominee Joe Lieberman out of their party.

Now, Sarah Palin endorsing John McCain per se is understandable. I still don't like it one bit, but I'll cut her some slack. Remember, she threw in with McCain before conservative J.D. Hayworth entered the race. And with McCain expecting only token opposition from the Democrats in the general election, he was for a time the most conservative man in Arizona's U.S. Senate race - if only technically and by default.

BUT...J.D. Hayworth is in the race now. He is a far preferable choice than McCain for conservatives on many issues, particularly immigration. Meanwhile, Palin has transitioned from merely supporting McCain (presumably out of a sense of loyalty) to actively stumping for the guy.

I thought Palin was supposed to be helping elect conservatives - not campaigning against them.

Furthermore, in this instance Palin is supporting the very man who deserves unique (though not exclusive) blame for putting Barack Obama in the White House, for the following three reasons (at least):

1. McCain-Feingold. The effect of this now officially unconstitutional campaign finance 'reform' legislation was to allow 'non-partisan' (read: radical left) outfits like MoveOn.org to thrive and to bestow massive political influence upon filthy rich liberal donors like George Soros. Think that played a role in Obama's victory?

2. Comprehensive Immigration Reform (aka Amnesty for Illegal Aliens). Read this and you'll get a sense of how McCain's convoluted stance on illegal immigration lost him the conservative vote in droves in 2008. Think that played a role in Obama's victory?

3. The Bank Bailouts of September 2008. McCain went out of his way to put himself on basically the same page as Barack Obama when it came to bailing out big banks. In an election year that favored any warm body the Democrats ended up nominating, this gave voters one less reason to not vote for Barack Obama. Think that played a role in Obama's victory?

Don't get me wrong - I'd probably still support John McCain vs. 'unopposed' or 'garden variety Democrat.' Probably. But J.D. Hayworth is a no-brainer for conservatives vis-a-vis John McCain, and one has to assume Palin would be in Hayworth's corner were it not for the fact that she was McCain's hand-picked running mate in 2008.

So I'll ask the question: Does personal loyalty trump conservative principles for Sarah Palin?


TOPICS: Politics; Society
KEYWORDS: conservatism; hayworth; johnmccain; loyalty; palin; sarahpalin
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To: SeekAndFind

I am afraid Palin’s decided to take the same Tea Party-indulging approach that the Republican Establishment is backing this year (and 43 used in 2000): talk like a rabble-rousing radical/populist but actually still support the thin-gruel, watered-down policies of a Democrat-lite.


101 posted on 03/28/2010 9:05:35 PM PDT by 9YearLurker
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To: 9YearLurker
I live 20 miles north of this, the largest and busiest border crossing in the world San Diego - Tijuana, Mexico I know the drill re illegals and anotehr reason I support Sarah Palin
102 posted on 03/28/2010 9:07:20 PM PDT by SoCalPol (Reagan Republican for Palin 2012)
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To: 9YearLurker

*week*


103 posted on 03/28/2010 9:09:52 PM PDT by 9YearLurker
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To: CAluvdubya

Yes, very peaceful Palm Sunday.
Wonderful Mass. Palm leaves from Caribbean.


104 posted on 03/28/2010 9:10:43 PM PDT by onyx (Facts don't matter. Proof not required. Anything goes! Racial slurs, death threats.....)
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To: little jeremiah
To be more specific, you'll see what concerns me the most in my comment #16. Many people here have no problem with negative comments about "good old boys" or extra funding for public education and social programs (e.g., domestic violence), but I am concerned about those. IMO, funding for enforced surges of western romanticism (most often behind the label of feminism) is destructive to families and our Constitution (see Second Amendment concerns in VAWA, Emerson case).

Sarah Palin Endorses Ashley GrahAMNESTY; Gives $1K to Israel-Hater (Debbie Schlussel Alert)
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2442450/posts

Should We Be Concerned About Sarah Palin’s Endorsement of Rand Paul?
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2443218/posts


105 posted on 03/28/2010 9:16:02 PM PDT by familyop (cbt. engr. (cbt), NG, '89-' 96, Duncan Hunter or no-vote.)
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To: SoCalPol

Just who was the last pol not to say we need to secure our borders? And just how secure is that border ever going to be if we give those who make it here “back of the line” citizenship for the cost of a small fine every few years? And just what would the chances ever be of a Palin being elected in 2012 if McCain and his ilk got their way with a massive legalization by 2011?

Oh, and I agree with you that many hard-core Freepers’ pet candidates haven’t a prayer of ever winning a national election. But I don’t agree that the Republican to beat Obama in 2012 has to already be drawing big crowds in 2010. I’m open to someone else coming to the fore next year.


106 posted on 03/28/2010 9:17:07 PM PDT by 9YearLurker
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To: Chunga; mkjessup
you have to admit mkj has a lot of guts talkin like that.

Don't know what Paul has to do with it

107 posted on 03/28/2010 9:19:00 PM PDT by molybdenum ((A nation without borders is not a nation......Ronald Reagan.))
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To: little jeremiah
That settles it. I refuse to vote for her. Is she stupid, blackmailed, or bribed, to be on the side of illegals? “Not total amnesty”. Sickening!

*sigh*

She's none of what the poster listed.

She's not for amnesty.

She's not stupid, blackmailed or bribed.

It's sickening that you would even entertain those thoughts.

108 posted on 03/28/2010 9:19:07 PM PDT by onyx (Facts don't matter. Proof not required. Anything goes! Racial slurs, death threats.....)
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To: familyop

Now you’re linking Debbie Schussel!

The debunked liar!

You’re a troll with an agenda and your agenda has never been pretty.


109 posted on 03/28/2010 9:20:44 PM PDT by onyx (Facts don't matter. Proof not required. Anything goes! Racial slurs, death threats.....)
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To: SoCalPol; familyop

Troll is linking Debbie Schussel.

The same Debbie Schussel who continuously tries to shoot down Sarah Palin, Mark Levin and Sean Hannity.


110 posted on 03/28/2010 9:24:07 PM PDT by onyx (Facts don't matter. Proof not required. Anything goes! Racial slurs, death threats.....)
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To: SoCalPol; 9YearLurker
I guess I can add this to show how we feel about illegals, since this was not too far from me....

Photobucket

Sarah gets what illegal means!

111 posted on 03/28/2010 9:28:34 PM PDT by CAluvdubya (We need a Commander-in-Chief, not a professor of Law standing at a lectern-Palin 2010)
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To: familyop

Sarah Palin has never endorsed Lindsey Graham, that is a lie.

Even common sense should have told you that it didn’t make sense, why, or even how, would someone endorse a candidate for an election almost six years into the future, an election that would be after 2010 and even two years after the 2012 presidential election, who even knows what will be happening in the year 2014?


112 posted on 03/28/2010 9:29:40 PM PDT by ansel12 ( If you guys can stop Palin, Romney will not have any real opposition.)
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To: CAluvdubya

She also said this weak her position on illegals was identical with McCain’s. Does McCain ‘get it’ too?


113 posted on 03/28/2010 9:30:19 PM PDT by 9YearLurker
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To: little jeremiah
"Tough Love."

IMO, anti-American trade deals are another problem. They're putting us into a perilous position for the near future. They even divide us, to extents, from a couple of our potentially most loyal and powerful allies on the planet (India and Israel). There are also the social problems involved in certain agreements between globalists.

So between many of the more honest investors, engineers, technicians and other assorted peasants, we are on the way to seeing a real "reset." We're not buying much except for items conducive to self-sufficiency, but we are preparing to produce. We want new, old fashioned leadership and don't care to see the current trends continue slowly toward the bottom. We're not "militia" types and are not doing anything illegal, but the effect is on the way. No one can force us to be fat consumers.


114 posted on 03/28/2010 9:37:11 PM PDT by familyop (cbt. engr. (cbt), NG, '89-' 96, Duncan Hunter or no-vote.)
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To: onyx

Perhaps I spoke without enough information. The quotes seemed really bad to me.

I am just so sick of illegals having free rein that I am sort of hair trigger on that (and quite a few other) issues.

Okay, I’ll keep an open mind and I hope she speaks her view very clearly so everyone knows where she stands on illegals, amnesty and all that is related.


115 posted on 03/28/2010 9:40:46 PM PDT by little jeremiah (Asato Ma Sad Gamaya Tamaso Ma Jyotir Gamaya)
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To: 9YearLurker

Because trolls say McCain will do this or that doesn’t mean that will be the case.

Many on FR have no knowledge or at least have tried to cover the fact that war has been declared on America, our country has been attacked by IslamOfascists and more attempts have occurred both here and many other countries have been bombed.

Iran is arming and training the enemy in the Middle East, North Korea, Hugo Chevez in Venz.

The Terrorists who flew the plane into the Pentagon lived 6 miles from me here in San Diego

Their Imam, Anwar al-Awalki lived here in San Diego for 4 years. He is now in Yemen and radicalized via computer the Dr. who killed several at Fr. Hood. He also face to face radicalized the Nigerian who tried to set off a bomb over Detroit.

It is people like McCain and Palin who understand we are at war and must win.

McCain has a Navy Officer son at flight school and a
son who is based here in San Diego in the Marines and has served in Iraq

Sarah Palin’s son is in the Army and recently served a tour in Iraq.

FReepers can do their troll routine but
the Conservative Republicans are focused on what is a life or deathe situation.
If Trolls want to divert attention away from the person who can beat Obama, It just proves Trolls are Obama’s best friend.


116 posted on 03/28/2010 9:41:02 PM PDT by SoCalPol (Reagan Republican for Palin 2012)
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To: 9YearLurker

identical with McCain’s as in the border must be secured.


117 posted on 03/28/2010 9:41:45 PM PDT by SoCalPol (Reagan Republican for Palin 2012)
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To: familyop

What is the VAWA, Emerson case?


118 posted on 03/28/2010 9:43:23 PM PDT by little jeremiah (Asato Ma Sad Gamaya Tamaso Ma Jyotir Gamaya)
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To: 9YearLurker

Palin expands her position on Illegal Immigration

Palin: we need to close the borders. They are called illegal aliens for a reason and if they are not going to follow the rules they should not be in our country.

It’s pretty simple I ratched that one down to the simple answer because its an easier answer than some politicians want it to make it be. you close the borders.

You get more agressive about cracking down on the illegal aliens and we take it serious what our border patrol officers are trying to do

December 2009

Lars Larson radio talk show

LARS: The amnesty proposal that was defeated in Congress — in your view, was that amnesty for illegals and would you back amnesty for a path to citizenship, as the current president calls it?

SARAH PALIN: No, I’m not for amnesty. Let’s ratchet this down quite simply to remember what we’re referring to. Illegal aliens are called “illegal” for a reason.

We need to secure our borders and I am not for amnesty. And there are humane ways to deal with the 11-13 million illegal aliens who are in our country right now, but if they’re not going to follow the rules, they need to get out


119 posted on 03/28/2010 9:44:19 PM PDT by SoCalPol (Reagan Republican for Palin 2012)
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To: little jeremiah

Good enough. Thanks.


120 posted on 03/28/2010 9:45:44 PM PDT by onyx (Facts don't matter. Proof not required. Anything goes! Racial slurs, death threats.....)
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