Posted on 10/27/2010 7:35:57 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
First came the criticism of O’Donnell on the night she won the primary, then came the knock on tea partiers for being unsophisticated, which earned him Rush’s ire. Now this.
Is he … trying to alienate grassroots conservatives? And if so, why?
With all due candour, appearing on your own reality show on the Discovery Channel, I am not certain how that fits in the American calculus of ‘that helps me see you in the Oval Office, Mr Rove told The Daily Telegraph in an interview.
He added that the promotional clip for Sarah Palins Alaska could be especially detrimental to any political campaign. It features the mother of five in the great outdoors saying: I would rather be doing this than in some stuffy old political office.…
Mr Rove was asked if the 46-year-old Mrs Palin, who is among the front-runners for the next Republican nomination, would be a wise choice if the party wanted to seize the White House from President Barack Obama. He replied: You can make a plausible case for any of them on paper, but it is not going to be paper in 2011. Its going to be blood, its going to be sweat and tears and its going to be hard effort.…
There are high standards that the American people have for it [the presidency] and they require a certain level of gravitas, and they want to look at the candidate and say ‘that candidate is doing things that gives me confidence that they are up to the most demanding job in the world.
His excuse for this will be that he’s just being honest, as he’s duty bound to be when he has his commentator hat on, but no one on either side gives Karl Rove that little credit strategically. If he thought there was advantage to be had here in ducking the question, I’m sure he would have done so. Three theories, then: (1) This is pure payback for Palin needling him on the night of O’Donnell’s victory, calling him a “good old boy” who’s part of the GOP establishment “machine.” (2) This is him trying to run down a formidable presidential contender so that his own candidate of choice in the primary will benefit. Who that candidate might be, I don’t know, and maybe Rove doesn’t know yet either. But Daniels is, of course, a Bush alum, and Rove had some very nice things to say about him just a few weeks ago. (3) This is a ploy to try to reorient Republicans who are leery about Palin back towards the “establishment” and away from the tea-party grassroots. It’s one thing for the average conservative joe to harbor doubts about her, but if a guy who helped get George Bush elected twice is hint-hinting that she’s disqualifying herself by doing this, it may goose the perception among undecideds that she’s unelectable.
Exit question: Isn’t the response to this simply that Palin plays by her own rules and is playing … pretty darned well right now? The reality show is unorthodox, but being authentic and unpretentious and outdoorsy have always been key to her appeal, and the show feeds all of that. No doubt Rove would have said three months ago that appearing on Maher’s show in the 90s meant that O’Donnell could never beat Mike Castle, and yet here we are. Voters turned viciously on the GOP in 2006 and 2008 and now they’re about to turn viciously on Democrats; they’re utterly exasperated with what they’re getting from Washington, in which case if there’s ever a moment to try something out-of-the-box, now would be it. High risk, but high reward too.
Update: The AP’s seen the first eight episodes of the show and has nice things to say.
Bedtime for Bonzo was released in 1951. As we all know Reagan was elected in 1980. A large number of people, myself included, were not born in 1951 but were able to vote for Reagan at least once during his two terms.
Good grief. He's basically saying that someone who lived/lives a good, wholesome, life ancored in old fashioned personal/family/Christian values isn't as fit to lead the country as a cocktail circuit/big city/’insider’ who knows nothing other than politics - is?
He has been away from Texas to long - drank too much Washington bilge water. He's a rabid establishment professional politician - which is what is wrong with this country. And
He's jealous - and afraid, particularly of Sarah. She is skunking him good in political strategy and power. His day in the sun is waning - and he's panicked/
Go home, Karl - and STFrigU
The only way I would watch the turd Rover on the tube is if someone would hit him in the face with a pie while he’s flapping his gums.
Actually, I would pay to watch that if Sarah Palin or Christine ODonnell would throw the pie.
I can no longer listen to Sean on the radio (dispatched the satellite TV a while back). As long as he caters to pundits like Rove (who are on Fox payroll), his show is unwatchable to my family and me.
“Sean is absolutely unwatchable with that parade of RINO losers.”
Dana Perino, Nicolle Wallace and Rich Lowry.
We don't care what you think. So please do us all a favor. Sit down. Shut up.
Nothing but love,
L
P.S. I sincerely hope you run into Mr. Palin in a dark alley. Failing that I sincerely hope that I run into you in a dark alley.
“There are high standards that the American people have for it [the presidency] and they require a certain level of gravitas”
Interesting - didn’t the critics of “W” use that exact same word “gravitas” to demean Bush?
Acting/TV/Movies was R. Reagan’s “profession” before politics. Palin and family are simply obsessed with media attention. Huge difference there.... Rove was right on this one. If the Obama clan had such a show about their lives in Chicago, everyone on her would say it was below the level of what is needed for someone running for POTUS/CinC.
You anklebitters slay me.
This from a guy who makes the Pillsbury Dough Boy look like a bronzed steelworker.”
Now that’s funny, and quite true. And it’s kinda what I was thinking when Karl started talking about blood and sweat and how Sarah may not have the stomach. I also have no doubt Sarah could kick Karl’s ample backside six days a week and twice on Sundays and never break a sweat.
“Its going to be blood, its going to be sweat and tears and its going to be hard effort.
What individual in this election has worked harder, taken more punishment, dealt out even more, energized the base, discombobulated the opposition, destroyed RINOs... than Palin?
If nothing else she’s proven she can play in the big leagues.
Karl who?
Right.
Palin has almost singlehanded led a conservative resurgence from her kitchen table in Wasilla, using Facebook, and getting inside Zero’s head constantly.
Palin and Limbaugh have shown the way back.
Now we have to go get our country back from those Marxist maniacs in DC.
She ran with the biggest rino of all...
“She ran with the biggest rino of all...”
True, but she left him in the dust.
I believe Rove was that high-know anonymous source that said if the senate doesnt go Republican it will be Palins fault
That will not resonate very well after we win 65, 75, 85, or over 100 seats and the great majority of Palin endorsements are winners.
I can’t believe that CT voters will elect the phony Vietnam vet or Delaware voters will go with the Marxist. They must love that Obamacare back there, and be anxious to pay carbon taxes. If we don’t get to 51 senators, it will be on the backs of the voters in those states. We could still get to 51 without them but it would mean running the board. I still have hope that our first state will come through and lead us away from the road to serfdom.
Wait.......... I thought we all got the note ....you have to bash Karl Rove NOT Palin
Yeah, an obvious disqualification from leading the conservative movement this past year.
No way should we have allowed her to criticize Obama, lead the way in supporting new, fresh conservative faces, lead in her outspokenness to Obama's horrid agenda, or rally the TEA party folks this past month.
Besides as all the above activities show, she's a quitter, right?
...oh, and Krauthammer too.
Cheers!
Palin is the only prominent Politician, Democrap or Repubican, who could be dropped in the middle of the wilderness and walk out alive.
Hey Rove, read my tagline.
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