GOP Governors Pull the Plug On Palin's Press Conference (The RGA Dirt)

Human Events ^ | November 13, 2008 | Jack Thompson

[flattorney]

The Republican Governors Conference Press Guidelines promised that Alaska Governor Sarah Palin would “take approximately 20 minutes of questions” at today’s morning press conference. Instead, this press conference, attended by 150 local and national media and taped by 26 video cameras, disintegrated into a fiasco when Texas Governor Rick Perry shut it down after only five minutes and four questions. Eight other governors assembled on the stage, all men, seemed visibly uncomfortable with the “Palin at center stage” format. When Perry stepped in front of Palin at the podium to announce it was over just as it was getting started, Palin looked irritated, and the media shouted, “You’ve got to be kidding,” “This is ridiculous,” "Come on,” and “We were promised more questions.”

Forty minutes later, at a larger gathering attended by most the seventeen governors at the Conference, Bill Kristol of The Weekly Standard may have given the reason why Palin was reined in: envy. Said Kristol, “This is not the Republican Governors Association. This is really the Republican Presidential Candidates Association.” Palin, after the truncated press conference, gave a prepared twenty-minute speech in a large hall to approximately 400 members of the RGA (who gave her a long standing ovation at the outset and close) and the media. Palin recounted what it was like to go through the campaign and what lay ahead for the GOP. Some quotes of note:

-- She began by joking that she filled the last two months “with a few speeches, meeting important people who change the world, like Tina Fey, and opportunities to expand my wardrobe.”

-- She thanked President Bush for having discharged, over the last eight years, his most important duty of office -- keeping us safe. This was met with long applause.

-- “God is in control, and He decided it was not our time and not our moment.”

-- “We wish President Obama well, but as the chief executives of the various states it will be our job to lead by example, to oppose any more unfunded federal mandates and the growth of the federal government. All Republican governors embrace the federalist principle that the government closest to the people is the most responsive and most responsible.”

-- She took a swipe at what she called the addiction to “opium (Other People’s Money),” found in bail outs that reward bad corporate decisions.

-- Finally, in the area of policy, she repeatedly noted that the Republican leadership in Washington had over the last decade betrayed the conservative principles and values of the Party, and that it is up to Republic governors, not to the failed GOP leadership in Washington, to lead the GOP back to power.

To conclude her prepared comments, she got very personal in tone. She said that, during the campaign, her “real right hand man was my husband Todd, and, in the future, I am to rely upon him more and on others less." She received sustained applause when she remembered all the teenaged girls who came up to her and told her they were excited she had shown “[t]here is no glass ceiling on achievement” and “[o]ne day, a woman will be President.”

Finally, Palin remembered all the special needs children and their parents who met her on the campaign trail with signs “We’re Here for Trig!” and “Trig in the White House.” She noted that on some cars in America bumper stickers say, “My kid is on the Honor Roll.” At her campaign stops, she saw signs held by extra chromosome Down Syndrome kids saying “We’re X-Tra Special,” and parents of those same kids held signs that read “My Kid’s Got More Chromosomes Than Your Kid!”

After Palin’s comments, the roundtable -- including Kristol, General Tommy Franks, South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford, Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty, and Indiana Congressman Mike Pence -- discussed what went wrong in this election cycle and what must be done. Sanford noted, “We must put this election, and the danger it poses, in a broad historical perspective. The ancient Greeks understood that democracy will lead to tyranny, as citizens out of greed vote themselves largesse from a country’s treasure.” Pawlenty, by contrast, rejected the “return to our conservative roots” theme of others at this conference and said,“GOP principles must be harmonized with outreach to the new demographics of America,” “the GOP is fifteen years behind in the use of technology and the Internet,” “the GOP needs more than a political comb-over,” and “voters don’t want our Party led by a crank.” Unsure of to whom Pawlenty was referring in that last comment, there were some gasps from the crowd.

Congressman Pence took direct aim on the $700 billion bailout and any other future bail-outs, stating that Washington’s GOP leaders had walked away from the 1994 Contract with America: “We cannot tax and spend ourselves out of this mess. We must unleash our free market economy.” Pence, possibly not running for the Presidency, turned to Palin and called her “the best and most courageous candidate for the vice-presidency in my lifetime.”

Bill Kristol noted things may turn the GOP’s way more quickly than the doomsayers think, citing the quick reversal of fortune for the GOP from 1976 to 1980 and from 1992 to 1994. “Such a turnabout can come again if Republican governors take advantage of the blessing, not the curse, that the national hegemony by the Washington GOP is over," said Kristol. “It is up to you to seize this opening and to show, in your states, that you are the party of bold ideas, the party of reform, and the party of action. Ronald Reagan was a successful Governor who reclaimed Washington for the GOP.”

[flattorney]

Adjunct Post to FR Thread:
11.13.08 MSNBC Hardball Video: Will the GOP Back Palin? - RGA Conference, Miami, Florida
- - Is Palin the future of the Republican Party, or does the somewhat chilly reception she's received from her fellow governors at the Republican Governors Association Conference in Miami suggest tougher times ahead for her? Discussion by moderator Chris Matthews, Pat Buchanan, and Republican strategist Mike Paul. They also discuss what GOP changes are necessary. The conversation becomes heated between Buchanan and Paul.

RGA Chairman Gov. Rick Perry of Texas jumps in and rudely cutoffs off press questions to Gov. Palin

FlAttorney’s FR “Straight Talk” Republican Governors Association

MAR

[2ndDivisionVet]

Stick a fork in Rick Perry; He’s done.

[KentTrappedInLiberalSeattle]

I reported this same occurrence, day before yesterday, and was shrilled at by a good many mouth-breathers and assorted Team McCain spider monkeys. ;)

[GOP Poet]

Maybe she needed to shoot and field dress Perry. LOL.

[SeeSharp]

I’m surprised he didn’t try to vaccinate her.

[hiredhand]

Ping!

[GOP Poet]

mouth-breathers and assorted Team McCain spider monkeys. ;)

:-D. Love your names for these sorts. Great!

[ABQHispConservative]

All these rino governors should be envious of Palin. She has the base behind her, and we are taking note.

[Doug TX]

Palin needs to retreat to Alaska for six months. The media will find a new target and if obama is sworn in, he will have more problems then the media has cameras.

Time for Palin to ‘get lost’. Plenty of opportunity time later.

[cherry]

does anybody have an explanation for this?

[Still Thinking]

What a dick. If he thinks he’s a more viable candidate than she is, he’s free to seek the nomination, and find out if he’s right. The bunch of RINO primary voters that show up, sad to say, he’s probably right.

[Squantos]

GOP hangs this lady out to dry then I am done with the GOP !

Not sure what is going on here but it don’t look good initially !

Fair warning GOP !

[nralife]

"Stick a fork in Rick Perry; He’s done."

We can hope! He has been and is an embarrassment to Texas.

[GOP Poet]

Now that is a picture that needs a bit of photoshopping with Sarah’s hunting gun—LOL.

[dalereed]

Pawlenty and Pence need to be kicked out of the party!

[Oldexpat]

The voters will favor her with votes and money. Just wait.
Rich Perry is toast. He tried upstaging the real hero of the campaign and we won’t forget. He can kiss any national ambitions goodbye.

[KentTrappedInLiberalSeattle]

GOP hangs this lady out to dry then I am done with the GOP !

Ditto!

[flattorney]

Thank you. This entire situation is ridiculous.

“Some anonymous Republican governors grumbled to CNN that Palin’s presence at the meeting distracted from the broader display of unity they were seeking.”

Yes, Sarah is really “distracting” Gov. Dave Hieneman (R-NE) at the RGA conference. /sarcasm. She probably had to go back to the hotel room and change her blouse after he slobbered on it.

MAR

[Sun]

Gov. Perry was the idiot who wanted young school girls to get vaccinations to prevent them from getting sex-related disease, whether they were sexually active, or not.

[nralife]

Instead, this press conference, attended by 150 local and national media and taped by 26 video cameras, disintegrated into a fiasco when Texas Governor Rick Perry shut it down after only five minutes and four questions.

Office of the Governor - Rick Perry - Contact Page!

Send him a message!

[A message]

Governor Palin in that picture has a look that seems to say,” I have to stand next to this moron.”

[Bellflower]

Four years is a long ways off. Right now she is very good for the Republican Party. They need to realize this and let her go. Blinded by pride, it looks like to me.

[nralife]

"Gov. Perry was the idiot who wanted young school girls to get vaccinations to prevent them from getting sex-related disease, whether they were sexually active, or not."

Worse than that! He mandated that it be done by EO, to please one of his pharma contributors. Thankfully the State Legislature put a stop to that.

[Ben Reyes]

Who the hell Perry thinks he is? This really pisses me off. I am going to write a nasty email to this fool. Damn!

[plain talk]

While the jealous Governor thing is certainly possible I noticed that in that photo Perry looks more upset at the press than jealous. What were the press asking? Is it possible Perry wanted to cut off a bunch of liberal questions? Not sure but can’t just accept the author’s subjective account without more data.

[cpdiii]

Rick Perry aka “Mr. Good Hair” is everything that the media portrayed Governor Palin of being. Governor Palin was not as she was portrayed. Governor Perry is!!!!!!!!

I have always regretted voting for him. If Kinky Freidman will run again I will vote for him. You must admire anyone that will call his country and western band KINKY FRIEDMAN AND THE TEXAS JEW BOYS. :)

[Sun]

“Worse than that! He mandated that it be done by EO, to please one of his pharma contributors. Thankfully the State Legislature put a stop to that.”

I hope Texans don’t vote for him in the next election.

Throw out the RINOs.

[Chairman of the Bard]

LOL!!! How about some Rick Perry Chili, Chili con Perry?

[EternalVigilance]

Time for new leadership, and a new vehicle for conservatism:

[Squantos]

GOP has some real internal overhaul work to do....... they are infested with cow crap and back fighters. The individual career climbers with the keys to that place need to be let go !

[PhilDragoo]

Message sent.

What an ass.

[cpdiii]

“I hope Texans don’t vote for him in the next election.”

I did once, but will not do it again.

[lnzog]

Somebody needs to tell our politicains to grow up. (that goes for the media too.)

[TennesseeProfessor]

On the one hand, I agree with the other posters — I will not give Perry the time of day after what he did.

On the other hand, Palin has political enemies from both parties that she needs to learn how to deal with. For example, perhaps she could have stepped in front of him and said, “Excuse me, but the press conference does not end for another 15 minutes, and the next question is from ...”

[informavoracious]

Maybe the lefties are correct. The GOP is sexist.

[Lloyd227]

"...and assorted Team McCain spider monkeys"

LOL, I love it!

if it's ok with you, I may need to work that into my tagline!

[Chairman of the Bard]

She's right in position for a rear naked choke on Perry. He'd tap out in under 10 seconds.

Sarah looks pissed. It really doesn't matter what questions were being asked. Sarah is rapidly becoming very adept at turning the tables on them.

[Centurion2000]

Rick Perry is a giant piece of RINO turd that inhereited the ofice of governor.

Somedays I wish Bill Clements was back.

[JRandomFreeper]

Rick Perry is my governor. He's a dick with ears. I'd vote for Ann Richards (now that she's dead) before I'd vote for him.

Ever see Rick Perry with President Bush? Outside of the original gubernatorial election?

I'm going to do everything in my power to kick him to the curb.

I guess I'm trying to say that he's not well respected by the people he pretends to represent.

Clap... they have a shot for that.... Perry? That takes votes and grass-roots.

/johnny

[KentTrappedInLiberalSeattle]

if it's ok with you, I may need to work that into my tagline!

Go for it. ;)

[padre35]

Less Perry and more Palin...

Typical Republican Foot Marksmanship..from Perry to Pawlenty...wow...they make my head hurt thinking of them as the future of Conservatism...

[Canedawg]

“voters don’t want our Party led by a crank”

Who do you think he was referring to?

[headstamp 2]

It is truly astounding the amount of abuse this woman has had to contend with throughout the campaign. Now she is getting it from the damned idiots in her own party at this comference.

This is an absolute disgrace.

Note to Perry, this woman was just on the national presidential ticket. Ya think maybe she deserves a little more exposure and time for questions out of a modicum of respect than a schmuck like you?

I’ve never seen a party’s pols degenerate into such a bunch of pathetic ankle biters as this “Stupid Party”.

[lnzog]

himself? hehe...

[LiteKeeper]

INTREP

[MaxMax]

Time for Palin to ‘get lost’.

Sometimes people forget how short memories are here in America.
Palin needs to remain on the national stage for the next four years,
if only for the battle of upholding conservative values.
Especially if she wants to become POTUS.

If she disappeared now and resurfaced in four years, she would
fail to even become a consideration for 2012. IMO

[Billy Bud]

A perfect example of why this party is in such disarray. Too many egotistical windbags who can't see the writing on the wall until they lose their next election bid. Then they reappear telling us how we need to move more to the center to win. Keep getting rid of the rubbage and we will rebuild from the ground up with with good principled conservative values that can be articulated with conviction which Sarah Palin will be able to do without a problem. She really believes them, you can see it in how she speaks, they are more than just words, they are the principles in which she lives her life and apparently in how she governs. Time will tell

[Enchante]

Memo to Rick Perry: you and your fellow bozos screwed it up again. You have a real superstar in Governor Palin but your pitiful envy means that you would rather shut her down after 5 minutes than allow the Republican Party to begin to recover from the debacle of the past two elections.

[SoCalPol]

*Pence need to be kicked out of the party*

You must have him confused with someone else.

Congressman Pence took direct aim on the $700 billion bailout and any other future bail-outs, stating that Washington’s GOP leaders had walked away from the 1994 Contract with America: “We cannot tax and spend ourselves out of this mess. We must unleash our free market economy.”

Pence, possibly not running for the Presidency, turned to Palin and called her “the best and most courageous candidate for the vice-presidency in my lifetime.”

[MaxMax]

Ya think maybe she deserves a little more exposure and time for questions out of a modicum of respect than a schmuck like you?

That's been the problem with the COWARDS in the Republican party,
they stick their DAMN heads in the sand and never FIGHT BACK!

/Gah they piss me off.