Posted on 10/10/2009 6:26:40 AM PDT by Extremely Extreme Extremist
Republican gubernatorial candidate Bob McDonnell repeatedly and personally asked former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin for help this summer in his campaign for Virginia governor, a Palin spokeswoman said.
But by late August, Palin learned that the McDonnell campaign no longer wanted her assistance, Palin adviser Meg Stapleton said in an interview tonight.
Earlier this week, McDonnell reacted with a bit of sarcasm when asked whether Palin would be campaigning with him. "There was a time earlier on when she was governor when I thought she would come here,'' he said. "But I think she seems to be busy with books and other things like that. We've still got about 20 different events scheduled down the road and she's not one of them."
But Stapleton says Palin is not too busy to come. She says that her boss offered to help McDonnell numerous times both in conversations with him and his campaign and through the Republican Governors Association.
(Excerpt) Read more at voices.washingtonpost.com ...
Hmmm. Now that the Theis lost its impact, and the popularities of Obama/Warner/Kaine are failing to transfer to Deeds, the next tactic of the Left is to drive a wedge between cosnervatives.
Looks like Politico and WaPo are tag teaming to stir the pot in VA.
Politico working against Republicans? I'm shocked I tell you. Shocked!
If McDonnell doesn't think he needs her help that's ok with me. You just better win.
Maybe he should just keep his mouth shut according to the old adage, “if you can’t say something nice...”
I love the smell of a desperate Washington Post. It smells like Victory!!!!!
Exactly. I think WaPo has actually done Palin a favor here by giving her camp a chance to respond after McDonnell's remarks earlier in the week as quoted in the article:
Earlier this week, McDonnell reacted with a bit of sarcasm when asked whether Palin would be campaigning with him. "There was a time earlier on when she was governor when I thought she would come here,'' he said. "But I think she seems to be busy with books and other things like that. We've still got about 20 different events scheduled down the road and she's not one of them."McDonnell's Beltway troops have their "keep that woman out of here" strategy. Fine. Just win.
See Bob run.
Bob is running to the center, boys and girls.
Run, Bob, run!
- JP
Wouldn't it be in her style to have an apperance or two that is a suprise.
I have no inside knowledge, but given her ability to get around and in her adversaries heads, anything is possible....
This is all just so much silliness. The thing about the beltway media, at least from my standpoint out in the boonies of VA, is that the beltway media means squat.
I put my McDonnel, Cuccinellii, Bolling, and Scalley signs up Thursday and by mid afternoon yesterday I had 6 people ask me where to get some..........and at least 3 of those folks I know for a fact voted for Zero in November.
McDonnell is doing just fine and is staying on message, while Deeds is floundering around now that his thesis attacks have failed to motivate anyone in his favor, as did his attacks on Bush.
I think the world of Sarah Palin, but don’t personally see a need for her assistance for any of the statewide candidates at this time, as they all have danged good conservative bona fides on their own.
Deeds and company, including the Beltway media would love a Palin visit, because then they would focus on her and take away from focus on McDonnell.
These of course are my personal opinions, your mileage may vary.
Just wait until they see the crowds that Palin draws on her book tour...
How come the right doesn't do the same thing?
Link leftist pols, actors, talking heads etc linked to undesirables [read: right leaning personalities] for whatever sticks, and what doesn't for that matter. Yea, complete with quotes from unnamed sources.
I mean as long as the truth has nothing to do with anything, anymore?
The media has half a story........they put him on the spot and twisted the knife in his candidacy........vote for the candidate who espouses your principals and ignore this distraction. The left fears defeat and has to take him down any way they can.
Well, look. Part of this is simply rotten. Ed Gillespie went in there and took over the Campaign and had his people trash her. She would motivate the troops in the Tidewater and Downstate. I suspect she would also help him midstate and in the Valley. The problem is that you have a candidate and a campaign that is afraid to run on a limited government platform.
This is what happens when you dabble with Bushie Republicanism. More spending. More deficits. You have to cater to Northern Virginia, where that kind of thing is Mother’s Milk.
The McDonnell Campaign, at Gillespie’s insistence, has been enormously unfair to Palin here. As usual, the hidden hand of Teh Mittens is behind this.
Best,
Chris
I agree with you on Mittens.
Just kidding.....:-)
Yes my sense of humor gets me in trouble :-).....
You've got your candidates and the blame game mixed up here.
Deeds is the one who is going to throw the hissy fit when he loses, and he has already laid the ground work for the blame game. As of last week he stated that it is Obama policies and what is going on in DC that has him so far behind in the polls. It's got nothing to do with his campaign, his record, or the fact he started the summer out by campaigning against GW instead of Bob McDonnell. Nope, not his fault at all.
Don't forget, the seat these gentlemen are vying for is currently held by Obama's hand picked DNC Chairm, Tim "the Eyebrow" Kaine..........
Bingo, you’ve hit the nail on the head.
The media is trying to stir up trouble here, where none exists, except in the Deeds camp. Deeds is at least 9 points behind and the media is panic stricken.
I think the other posts here have it right. This is the kind of story Politico has mastered and now the WaPo is picking up. Twist a story so that a Republican is shown to say something bad about Rush or Palin and watch the base howl.
Deeds talked about what rotten people Bush and Pat Roberston are. Plus Deeds had Mark Warner and Obama constantly shill for him.
The lesson to be learned from VA: If you talk about the issues that voters find important, then voters don't give a flying frig about guilt by association.
What candidate and campaign are you talking about? That is not how I am reading the McDonnell camp........what am I missing?
I don’t know McDonnell, but it sure seems to me he had better get Palin’s endorsement to clear this matter up.
ex animo
davidfarrar
Earlier thread on the Politico article here.
Why?
This is agitprop from the left wing media that is in the tank for anything Obama and DNC and their boy is sinking in the polls.
I have serious doubts there are problems or animosity between McDonnell and Palin. He is running a campaign that is staying on message. Deeds is not.
Deeds has been running against GW Bush and Pat Robertson, neither of whom are running for VA Governor, and not Bob McDonnell. This is nothing but just so much noise to try and get Bob off message. Why are so many FReepers willing to fall for the media spin?
And unfortunately, based upon what I've been reading on the numerous threads about it, there are an awful lot of FReepers falling for it.
Exactly. This is what I’ve been trying to get across.
The McDonnell campaign is staying on message and campaigning on the issues. Deeds has been running against people who are NOT in the race.
"Ooogadaboogadah!" A visit for Palin might just keep the so-called independents and moderates from voting for McDonnell. Pure hogwash. They'd be outnumbered by the thousands who would have shown up to see Palin and energized the grassroots more. You think the grassroots are fired up over Huck, Mitt, and T-Paw?
At least they got that part right. Sarah can rock the house anywhere she goes.
McDonnell better invite Sarah for his inauguration. And make her and Todd sit next to Gillespie, just for fun.
So far, McDonnell has run a good campaign, but he needs to be careful of not angering the conservative base, which supports Palin. He also needs to control the messages he’s sending to the media regarding Palin.
Washington Post trying to stir up trouble within republican ranks, since that’s the only way McDonnell would lose.
I’m sure the Palin supporters are smart enough not to fall for it.
McDonnell is running for Governor. When Palin was a Governor, and the race was tight, she could have been helpful.
But as a resigned Governor, she wasn’t much needed. McDonnell didn’t need help with money, because Fred Thompson is right here in Virginia, and he’s been working for McDonnell (McDonnell was the state chair for Fred Thompson).
The Post is trying to stir up some Palin/Thompson animosity, but I’m sure it won’t work.
Cleanup needed on aisle 9.....
FAR TOO MUCH is being made out of this and yes, it’s being manipulated by McDonnell foes, and unfortunately the bait being taken by some on the Right.
Which would make sense since they share the same agenda.
Do you think the grassroots in VA really gives a dang what you out of staters thing WE should be fired up about?
Most of us grassrooters are sick and danged tired of people like you telling us what WE should be doing. I live here, you don’t, so don’t tell me what I should be doing.
Virginians don’t take to kindly to outsiders telling them what they should or shouldn’t do -— I learned that right quick when I moved here. I’m no longer considered an outsider, you are.
No, but they might give a big dang about what Bob McDonnell really thinks about why he wants no part of Sarah Palin in VA. I'm saying that recognizing that it's probably the correct strategy for Palin not to show up there. McDonnell screwed this up by implying in WaPo that Sarah Palin was too busy to come to VA.
You sure are testy about this race. Lighten up. There's no prohibition on free speech and freedom of opinion on this board.
Full disclosure: I was born and raised in Virginia and still have much family there. My Virginia roots go back to 1640. I don't need any lectures from you on my VA bonafides.
Actually, I do believe you are the one being testy on this, not me.
I have no bona fides in VA, and I’m the first to admit that. I’ve only been here 6 years and that is why I defer to others who know better. I just speak of what I know in this very forgotten corner of VA known as the Eastern Shore.
There's a FR rule prohibiting me from commenting on issues outside of Wisconsin?
Most of us grassrooters are sick and danged tired of people like you telling us what WE should be doing.
Where on this thread am I bossing you and other Virginians around?
I live here, you don’t, so don’t tell me what I should be doing.
All I'm saying is that Palin would help McDonnell immensely. What part of that is making you hysterical?
Virginians don’t take to kindly to outsiders telling them what they should or shouldn’t do
LOL. Well, PING me to one of your nanny-state threads then and complain about it.
It's not forgotten to me. My aunt, uncle and cousins lived in Onancock for many years before relocating to the Hampton Roads area.
As for your accusation that I'm the testy one, GMAFB. I actually read your post.
If you want your state to remain blue, that's fine, but I see this race as early war shots between the GOP elites and the grassroots.
How?
Depending upon the poll you look at, Bob is anywhere from 9 to 14 points up. Why should Sarah Palin waste her clout?
Mixing apples and oranges is beneath you. I have always thought better of you, I guess I was wrong.
I agree and I think the "Ft. Sumter" shot may come in FL. Palin has a few months to make the decision whether to get into the middle of that, but if she decides to support Rubio, all hell may break loose.
(A) Because the beltway is trying to depress conservative turnout by fabricating a rift between Palin and McDonnell.
(B) Ed Gillespie is in charge of the McDonnell campaign and conservatives fear it'll be business as usual
(C) It is foolish for McDonnell to sit on this lead and "play it safe." He needs to destroy Deeds and destroy the Compost who tried to derail his campaign over his thesis. What better way to close the deal than to accept Palin's invitation?
Mixing apples and oranges is beneath you. I have always thought better of you, I guess I was wrong.
It's never personal to me. We still cool G, right?
McDonnell is doing fine...Deeds is weak. If Deeds wins, kiss Virginia goodbye forever.
Please accept my apologies. Yeah, I’m a bit testy this evening. I spent the better part of the afternoon dealing with people who believe the MSM crapola about Bob McDonnell and Sarah Palin and how they are right wing whackos.
Even though I disagree with you on A, B, & C.........we’re still cool.
I’m a space cadet right now. I’ve been up since 4am and as soon as my 11yo gets home from DC (10-15 minutes) I’m hitting my pillow.
I’m not terribly worried about McDonnell, nor about Palin, and I really do believe this “rift” is a MSM fabrication.
My only advice for McDonnell in light of these articles is "Just win, baby. Just win." I'm nervous about the Bush/Romney people running McDonnell's campaign.
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