Posted on 11/02/2009 12:09:17 PM PST by 2ndDivisionVet
So Sarah Palin has started endorsing candidates, by boosting conservative Doug Hoffman for an upstate New York congressional seat in tomorrow’s elections. Maybe she should make that a regular practice. Endorsements matter, despite what the chattering heads say on cable news. And multiple Palin stamps of approval could be good for the recipients, the Republican Party, and ex-Governor Palin herself.
Plus, the ads would be fantastic. Decoder can see one now: “Hi, I’m Sarah Palin, Brander of MavericksTM. I’ve taken time from my busy schedule here in Alaska because it’s important you know that [CANDIDATE NAME] is a maverick, just like me and Ronald Reagan. So vote for [HIM/HER] for [OFFICE], and remember the Mavericks‚ MottoTM: ‘Let’s Keep Our Nation Wild and Free.’ ”
First of all, Decoder is aware that in that New York congressional race, Palin picked a third-party conservative, not the official GOP candidate. We’re not here to talk about the past.
That official GOP choice – moderate Dede Scozzafava – has dropped out, and says she’ll back the Democrat in the race. But according to a Siena College poll released Monday, it’s Mr. Hoffman, Palin’s pick, who has a five-point lead in the race.
Decoder is also aware that some pundits say endorsements generally are of little consequence. But many political scientists who actually study endorsements say they can make a difference.
In presidential primaries, endorsements from top officials can channel donations and volunteers to candidates. And a nod from a recognizable figure becomes ever more important the further down the electoral ladder one goes, from national to state and local offices.(continued)
(Excerpt) Read more at features.csmonitor.com ...
An endorsement by Palin seems to have more value than an endorsement by 0bama. 0bama threw his weight behind Martin in Georgia, converting all 25 of his offices into Martin for Senate offices, mobilizing his ACORN storm troopers, and recording radio and robo calls for him, Chambliss was endorsed by Palin who appeared at 4 big rallies, Chambliss won by 15 points.
Palin endorses Hoffman, and he goes from 3rd place to 1st in the latest polls. 0bama held a $30,000 a plate fundraiser for Owens, and his numbers haven’t gone up a single point, 0bama has even sent ACORN and now Biden into the race.
So, judging by what has gone on, I’d give Palin 2 and 0bama 0, as far as his influence as an endorsement goes when he’s going head to head with Palin.
Then there are the VA and NJ races. Palin has endorsed both McDonnell and Christie.
0bama campaigned for Deeds in VA, and McDonnell is ahead by double digits. The 0bama camp is now throwing Deeds under the bus, blaming him for running a bad campaign.
0bama has campaigned relentlessly in NJ, and Corzine’s numbers haven’t gone up a single point, and latest polls show Christie ahead.
None of those are part of the presidential pack of Sarah Palin, Mitt Romney Mike Huckabee and Tim Pawlenty. They were not the first individual to show up that was risking her political future and chances of being President of the United States.
Ummm, Governor Sarah Palin endorsed Mr. Hoffman back on October 22nd, which is almost TWO WEEKS before the election, not THREE DAYS. The only major GOP politico to beat her to the punch was Senator Fred Thompson. Now, all the RINOs (Huckleberry, Patacki, Gingrich, Myth, etc.) are lining up to get on the winning side.
In politics, as in comedy, timing is everything.
What if Scozzafava had had, instead of two days, two weeks before the election to get out the vote for the Democrat?
Gee sorry I missed it
Hey Bob J, I may be a day late and a dollar short, but allow me to pile on: Get a life oh clueless nimrod!!!
Must be a Huck-a-Buck, Romney-Bott or worse, a Zoot-Newt-Fan.
After all, November is the month of the turkey and when we read you plaintiff gobble-gobble-gobble (de-guck), it is noted with great sympathy...
"Stupid is as stupid does".....You certainly make the genius of Forrest Gump plain to see...
The endorsement was important because:
1) It was Sarah Palin.
2) It was not for the designated Republican.
Her endorsement gave Hoffman credibility and opened the floodgates for others to follow.
To put this outside the plane of the 2010 or 2012 race, one of the keys to Obama’s victory was the endorsement he receive from Ted Kennedy in January 2008. Before then, Obama was seen as a token outsider but Hillary! was going to be the nominee and you crossed her at your own peril. But when a heavy hitter like Ted Kennedy endorsed Obama, it opened the floodgates for 1000s of other Democrats to jump from Hillary! to Obama. Kennedy’s endorsement catapulted Obama to even par with Clinton’s candidacy.
Most endorsements are worthless because either the endorser wasn’t significant or the timing of the endorsement had no impact on the race. Most politicians are “me too” types that won’t endorse the outsider unless somebody bigger has already stuck their neck out for them.
If nothing else, NY-23 shows Palin’s endorsement means a lot more than Newt Gingrich’s.
Bob J Weinerschnitzel,
You should just go ahead and shut down your Romney for President office in Dubuque right now. The folks you mentioned are like pop guns, whereas Ms Palin is like bringing in the howitzer.
It is particularly telling that you used the term “right wing” Not to many on this side refer to ourselves as such. You might have just tipped your hand there.
Mr Weinerschnitzel, I compliment you on your hot dogs, but like your posts, they give me the dysentery.
“In politics, as in comedy, timing is everything.”
Thanks for admitting Palins endorsement was all about political timing and not principles. If it were, she not only would have endorsed a couple months ago she would have campaigned on his behalf IN New York as Armey did..
Ya, I’m a liberal, always has been since my inception on this site which bears the registration number 56...or something close.
You know you’re dealing with the laziest of conservatives when they don’t even bother to check the bio’s of the FReepers they attack.
I’m thinking you got one of those Budweiser beer hats on right now? Chug one for me.
And we want to know why you spend time on a conservative web site fighting against true conservative politicians.
The only time McCain lead in the presidential race was after Sarah joined the ticket.
Sarah wasn't strong enough to carry McCain to the finish line with a win, but she did better than any other Republican could have.
I’m not interested in your pedigree. I have been on the hunt for you since yesterday. You may not be a liberal, you could be a puritanical Libertarian, but you are definitely anti-Palin, but can only use State run Media information to support your conclusions.
You present many criteria that must be met for your approval of a candidate. The problem is, the screen is so tight that no one gets thru. So vote for Zero in ‘12. Then go home and let your kids know not to have any kids, and that you’re sorry that AmeriKa won’t be that shining city on a hill for them, and that you regret that their generation will have to fight a war against China just to keep us independent.
bttt
old news see here http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2375545/posts
“I’m not interested in your pedigree.”
Not only are you a liar, you’re a bad one.
What part of “I am not interested in your pedigree” is a lie?
You spout off order of registration as a defense for illogical, malinformed posts. Sounds like the same kind of logic that gets the republican presidential nominees picked. “Hey, I’m next in line...”
How about defending your nonsense with some REAL information instead of the old tried and true name calling?
First off, thanks for the kind and reasoned response.
I love her, always have. But I think her resignation takes her out of the political sphere as a future candidate particularly as president. I was supremely disappointed that she resigned, although I undertand it and hope she makes lots of money now that she is free of the bonds of public service.
I think Sarah could be a formidible force in conservatism as a pundit and one who helps us keep our focus and maybe helping to elect the right candidates. Kinf of like a Coulter or Limbaugh. What I’m afraid of is that even though she knows this her most ardent supporters don’t and will do everything possible to tear down other potential nominees in the process and splitting conservatives right down the middle.
What I would like to see is Sarah to come out now and tell us if she is going to run for the ‘12 nomination. I don’t think she did this in her resig speech nor now as it will affect her “cash flow” in the meantime. What I see is her keeping everyone in suspense, expectations high, and at the last moment, decline. You may think that is cynical but I’ve been around politics long enough to know a long con when I see it.
I don’t hate Sarah, I hate what some of her supporters are doing. It’s bad for conservatives and the cause in the long run. We need to know where we stand now so we can make logical and informative decisions. At this point I see Sarah playing the gane. If she’s going to run, fine, tell us and let us modify our approach accordingly. If she isn’t, free up that emotion and effort and allow it to be pointed in other more effective directions.
As you probably don’t know as many others here on FR won’t, early in FR’s history we were tied fairly closely to Alan Keyes. We all loved him and he said the right things. He spoke at all our activism events, I even picked him up in LA and ferried him around as a PTB for FR, the LA Chapter and the FR Network. But I eventually got turned off not necessarily at Alan but his supporters. I didn’t want to be associated with them anymore. They were fraking nuts. That may not be a direct reflection of Alan but he was the head of the org and all that was his responsibility.
I’m getting the same feeling with Palin supporters as I did with with Keyes and his org. It’s uncomfortable and won’t win me many friends, but as anyone who has worked with me in FR can tell you, I call ‘em as I see ‘em.
BTW - If Sarah were to announce her candidacy for ‘12 I would support if for no other reason than I think she would be a shoe in and we would have only a couple dozen months to rework her public image. Personally, I think she has a long haul to actually win the Presidency, but I’m a realist and if she wins the nom I will support her as best I can because the alternative is nothing short of disaster.
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