Posted on 04/07/2010 1:32:58 PM PDT by rabscuttle385
Conflicting loyalties seem to have resulted in some surprising political decisions by Sarah Palin.
On Monday here at NewsReal Blog I argued that Govenor Sarah Palin’s active support of John McCain’s Senate reelection campaign makes no sense. Palin, after all, doesn’t owe McCain anything. Whatever debt she might have owed McCain she paid off during the 2008 presidential campaign.
In fact, if anything, it seems to me that McCain is indebted to Palin. This because his ‘08 campaign really did her a disservice, and also because McCain staffers have since betrayed the former Alaska governor with malicious and disparaging leaks to the media.
Many of the commenters to my post don’t disagree. However, they write, there is one laudable reason why Palin is actively supporting McCain: loyalty.
Fair enough. Loyalty is important. But it seems to me that Palin has competing loyalty obligations; and that she chose to be loyal to McCain when she just as easily could have chosen to be loyal to other people and other principles instead.
For example, Palin knows that some of her most steadfast supporters in the conservative and Tea Party movements have very profound and important differences with McCain.
These Palin supporters believe that on too many critical issues — including free speech (aka “campaign finance reform”), military modernization, and illegal immigration – McCain is a liberal wolf in a conservative sheep’s clothing.
What about loyalty to these people? What about loyalty to their issues and concerns? Why does loyalty to one man, one politician, outweigh loyalty to millions of dedicated conservative and Tea Party activists?
And why does personal loyalty to a man (McCain) outweigh loyalty to a set of conservative political principles?
No one’s saying that Palin had to actively oppose McCain. That might, indeed, have been awkward and ill-advised given that she was his vice presidential running mate.
But why did Palin have to go out of her way to actively support and campaign for McCain? Why couldn’t she have praised both McCain and his challenger, Rep. J.D. Hayworth, while remaining neutral in the Arizona Senate race?
I can think of two possible explanations offered up, respectively, by journalists Conor Friedersdorf and Matthew Continetti.
Friedersdorf says that Palin simply may not be the conservative her steadfast supporters think she is. She may, in fact, be a John McCain Republican. This would mean that she is liberal on some issues, moderate on others, and conservative about a few things.
Continetti notes that since being thrust into the national limelight, Palin has “become incredibly rich.” It may be — and this is me speaking, not Continetti — that because of her newfound riches, Palin feels an understandable debt, literally and figuratively, to Sen. McCain.
If true, that’s fine. Making money to support one’s family is honorable. But that’s a different type of loyalty, I think, than many of the governor’s defenders have in mind.
John R. Guardiano is a writer and analyst in Arlington, Virginia. You can follow him on Twitter: @Guardian0.
John, you ignorant slut.
Were she a true social issues conservative, she would not have run for governor and then VP with small children. She’s a feminist.
I really like Palin, but I hope she doesn’t run for President in 2012. No matter why she resigned the governorship of Alaska, it proves to me she isn’t up to the Presidency. I think she can do us much more good as a politically active private citizen.
Hmmm. . .I guess that depends on what you define as "social issues conservative". I wouldn't say that being a governor or VP disqualifies a woman from being a social conservative. Apparently you do.
When you get Huck or Mitt you’ll be wishing otherwise.
MAny who are giving Palin a pass on this are the main reason we are in the fix we are now. They refuse to see what is right before their eyes.
Sarah said she and McCain have the same vsion for America and the direction we should take.
That sums it up for me. This is why I think her Discovery Channel show isn’t doing so well, people see she is a fruad.
He'll be her veep choice in 2012. So of course she's nice to the old geezer.
Yeah Guardino what a tool. Be sure and site his March 27th column as well
“I must say the general conservative response to David Frum’s forced exit from the American Enterprise Institute (AEI) has been disappointing, albeit perhaps not surprising.
Of course, no one expected conservatives to respond with indifference, given what this brouhaha quite clearly says about the state of the conservative movement in America. But why have some conservatives been so nasty, vicious and mean-spirited in their denunciations of David?
I think it’s because they realize that all is not well on the Right, but for reasons of political circumspection, feel a need to be quiet and to downplay their concerns.”
I figure with a history like that why should I care two cents for ANYTHING this yahoo has to say.
If you don’t like Palin fine. I think that what you see is what you get and most folks don’t know what to do with that
Palin’s support of McCain does not make her a RINO; it just makes her loyal. As to her ideals, I pay more attention to the life a candidate has lived than to what they claim to believe, and Palin has lived her principles. Because of the support of the Tea Party, she is despised by the RINO’s almost as much as by the left. That’s to her credit.
You are delusional no doubt you prefer Ron Paul or the like.
Sarah Palin, unlike McCain, has been consistent not only in Alaska and as a candidate for VP but also since 2008. If you don’t like her fine but quit trying to put words in her mouth that she has not said. And by the way the Discovery Channel show hasn’t even been shot yet so go back to the gas oven and breathe a little more deeply. Perhaps then your brain will clear
Answer: Cynthia McKinney, Ralph Nader and Chuck Baldwin.
If the vice presidential candidate for John McCain and the the biggest GOP superstar since Reagan had not supported McCain for reelection for his Senate seat, then it would have meant the destruction of her image, and of the GOP image and it would have been the non stop political story of 2009 and 2010, the division between the ticket of the previous year would have made the Republicans appear broken and shattered and would even have led to a widespread reevaluation of the importance of a Democrat victory in 2008, because it would make the GOP ticket look like it had been a sham, it would have damaged and have prevented this incredible change in public opinion towards the entire republican brand that Palin has helped reshape during the last 17 months.
Palin would have looked cheap and shallow to the general public for turning on the man that 59,000,000 of them voted for, she would easily be painted as a radical and unstable person and a bitter, small timer to the general public.
There is a lot more going on with the national image of the republican/conservative movement here than what we McCain haters see in the Arizona Senate race, the general public does not share all of our perceptions and in depth view of the race between McCain and Hayworth. They would see the Presidential and the vice Presidential candidates of the Republican party at each others throats, clearly signaling that Obama and the Democrats represented stability and calm.
Palin’s image would have never survived, and the entire national, conservative movement would be weaker in reality and in the public’s eye.
The show she had on just a few days ago, sorry it wasn’t on the discovery channel, but on Fox.
And no I do not support Paul. And if you chack my posts before Sarah McPalin offered her support for McCain you will find I was very much a Palin supporter.
But the friend of my enemy is also my enemy.
Thank you that is exactly the truth
Yes, she is not the conservative her supporters claim she is.....when you have 8 different positions on Illegal Alien Amnesty (”not Total Amnesty”...Palin), and, put a windfall profits tax on oil companies in Alaska...you are not a conservative.
We need to find a real conservative in 2012...and Palin is not a real conservative. You do not continue to hang around and shill for John McAmnesty...if you are a real conservative
I've written that very thing here in FR threads several times in recent weeks. I think the reality is that Sarah had not formed stances on all the issues that one must deal with in presidential campaigns. And that's no surprise and nothing negative about Sarah. She had not spent months and years preparing for a presidential campaign as most have who end up on a presidential ticket. She had a few days, or weeks notice when most have been preparing for years.
I'd hoped that Sarah would take 2010 as a year to establish herself and form stances on the major issues, but attaching herself to Juan McCain is not the way to do that. Am now hoping she is through with the McCain campaign, and will be very scarce around that race for the duration. But if she continues to speak out for McCain, and especially if she returns to Arizona to campaign more, she can really harm her own future prospects.
“it seems to me”
that doesn’t mean squat.
What matters is what loyalty means to her.
I’m certainly not anti-feminist. Good grief. After the hell her family’s been through, they need to see their mom kick some tail. You want her kids to grow up with “loser” over her forehead?
Sarah Palin is loyal to the American people and your freedom.
We must take every opportunity to educate those who do not understand the consequences of the Obama Regime.
I have been a conservative longer than you have been alive so stop with your name calling.
To suggest that somehow one cannot be a conservative if you are a) female b) married c) with children and d) in politics is beyond ridiculous. Why not suggest perhaps that ANY politician should have NO children because it would be a sign of a bad parent to be so involved outside the home.
Considering that the Hasidim seperate the men from the women for worship I am not overly impressed with your comment about being fanatics about women.
Please do not try and force your Orthodxy onto others. If you think a woman should stay at home that’s fine that has not been the view in the western US for over 150 years
I hope John McCain wins. JD is guaranteed to lose in Arizona. That would give the DemonRATs a seat we could have won with McCain.
“But if she continues to speak out for McCain, and especially if she returns to Arizona to campaign more, she can really harm her own future prospects.”
I agree. But actually, the way she’s resisting conservatives makes me respect her in a grudging kind of way. I hope she clears up her position on borders after Hayworth wipes up the McStain.
“Palin’s image would have never survived”
I think you’re right. The one sure thing about Palin is the MSM is going to trash her no matter what she does, it’s hatred defies all bounds of reason. That, too, is to her credit.
“I hope John McCain wins. JD is guaranteed to lose in Arizona.”
Yeah, McStain’s a real “winner” all right.
This primary is going to be a long slog for those of us who like Palin, like Hayworth, and know McStain for what he is.
She is supporting McCain for the reasons she says she is supporting McCain. I wish these people would stop calling Palin a liar.
Palin says "we need John McCain fighting for us" because he is "fighting harder for Americans today up against Obama's misguided policies" and she wants to see him re-elected. "I do support John McCain, and I would come out again in a heartbeat and say absolutely I support him."
PALIN: Well, I will correct you, then, Greta, because John McCain and I and everybody I think who was here today rooting for John McCain, we're all part of that tea party movement that is part of that groundswell of Americans rising up and saying, No, big intrusive government growing every day under Obama? We don't like it. We want to take our country back. That's what the tea party movement is all about and that's what John McCain is all about.
PALIN: Hey, Greta, he's very humble about this. Bottom line is John McCain believes in equality. He believes in the power of women, too, and I'm thankful for that. And Cindy McCain, as you say, a strong, independent woman -- she'll speak her mind. She'll call it like she sees it. And I appreciate the relationship that they have and the friendship and respect that comes from this couple. And Cindy McCain -- she's a great -- she's a great American. Tell you what Cindy McCain, too -- she's a perfect example of behind every good, successful, strong man stands a very surprised woman.
VAN SUSTEREN: Governor Palin, if you were vice president today, what would you be telling a President McCain about what to do about immigration, if anything?PALIN: I support his position on immigration. It all comes down to securing the border. And he who has actually proposed some solutions, the Obama administration does not want to listen to Senator McCain or any other Republican, and that, of course, leads to a greater problem that we have in Washington, D.C. And it's that lack of the new administration's ability and enthusiasm for listening to those on the other side of the aisle who have some good solutions that they want considered.
"If you want conservative solutions and common sense leadership ... to fight for what this state and country needs, I'm asking you to vote for John McCain," Palin told several thousand people packed into a fairground in Tucson, Ariz."Let's send the Maverick back to the Senate," she added,
It's not about Loyalty. It's about what Sarah Palin thinks is best for Arizona.
I disagree. She loves her family very much. She believes she can do some good. She managed to take care of her kids while governor. Have you read her book? She is an amazing woman.
What, your Ron Paul articles weren't enough so you have to post this crap from a David Frum supporter?
We're on to you Rabs. How's that support for Ron Paul going? Has he cracked 1% yet? Like you, he's just so pure......
You can never resign, or change directions in your life if you want to be President?
Now, wait a minute. If she resigned because she knew she'd be more effective as a private citizen, then why would she run for President, thus ending that private citizenship? It simply isn't possible to have it both ways at the same time.
If she no longer feels she can't be more effective as a private citizen, then what has changed? I can't think of anything.
The real point with Sarah’s children is that if she wants a decent America for them she has to run and win. When the barbarians are streaming through the gate...one has to react to that threat...not the number of hours of child-parent “quality time”.
PALIN IS DOING 30 SECOND ADS ON ALL THE CONSERVATIVE TALK RADIO SHOWS HERE IN ARIZONA.
That’s right, folks......Limbaugh, Hannity, Levin, et al. on the 2 biggest talk radio stations in Arizona.
550 AM Phoenix (powerful station, like KFI in Los Angeles)
790 AM, Tucson (reaches to the border, and to Phoenix)
In the ads, she calls McCain everything but GOD!!
I suspect they will run until the primary.
The SRM would happily exploit any 'wedge' that they could use to hurt the GOP, regardless of who becomes the standard-bearer. So, on balance, SP was right to support McCain. As long as it's just pro-forma lip service, fine, but if she participates in any negative campaigning against Hayworth, she's toast.
Great Post! You deserve a medal for Post of the Day!
I agree with you. I just cannot believe the ampunt of finger pointing that some folks want to do.
My only conclusion is that either a) they have never had children or b) the children have yet to flex their wings
*yawn*
Could not disagree more. And if JD doesn't win it, I'd rather have an Arizona Dim senator rather than six more years of the pro-amnesty, pro-cap and trade, pro-Nanny State, anti-tax cut, etc., backstabbing little weasel Juan McCain. Another Dim senator would cause less harm than six more years of Juan.
Is he a "Maverick" this week or not?
She's loyal to the establishment. Just like John McCain.
She casts herself as an outsider, but she's spent essentially what amounts to a lifetime in politics.
What she's doing is what any skilled politician would do: Throw out some catchy slogans and buzzwords to earn the trust of the voter.
McCain’s RINO pal. I like Sarah but I am starting to wonder. I am sure teh MCCainiacs here will call me a Myth Romney-bot.
Her choices had consequences for her family, but I am not attacking her children. As a citizen viewing her as a presidential candidate, I have every right to judge her view of responsibility and deferred gratification.
And no, I do not want to keep women down and such. But my primary concern is for the children.
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