tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4425587034622601550.post3058917991245079753..comments2023-09-15T04:27:57.129-04:00Comments on Commentarama: Palin Knows How To Win In CaliforniaAndrewPricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11312364467936820986noreply@blogger.comBlogger41125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4425587034622601550.post-67142814858624999922011-05-08T09:22:18.420-04:002011-05-08T09:22:18.420-04:00It is interesting to note how even Palin's &qu...It is interesting to note how even Palin's "friends" write her off. One of the first characteristics you notice of both RINO's and dhimmis they inevitably accept their antagonists premises and thus snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. <br /><br />Missing from this whole discussion is Sarah Palin herself, as if she was a passive figure who is acted upon by events and fate. And to some extent she is, as are we all. But it seems to me that her defining characteristic, after all of the battles and malicious efforts to destroy her, is a very rare quality. Like a number of historical figures you could name she is able to take events as they unfold or are going to unfold and bend them to her will. She is the furthest thing you can find from passive. Plucked, almost unknown with four days notice, immediately targeted for destruction by a good swath of the US establishment she non-the-less became the engine of the McCain campaign. Since then the attacks have continued unrelentingly yet somehow she looms ever larger on the national stage equipped with both experience and increasing resources.<br /><br />Will she run in the coming election? I would bet yes. But she will be the one to chooose the moment. <br /><br />The venerable, powerful and well connected Hoover Institution may turn out to be one of her chief allies. Already her officially announced new foreign policy adviser is a Hoover Institution Research Fellow and rumor connects other Hoover figures with her. Some of our most important public intellectuals are connected to the Hoover Institution including California's Victor Davis Hanson, Thomas Sowell and many others.<br /><br />If you get a chance watch Andrew Breitbart's recent video interview. One thing he talks about is how popular cultural will loom large in the next election. When asked if any of the candidates from the right understood this and knew how to use this powerful tool he answered - one did - Sarah Palin.viatorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09210255358385745222noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4425587034622601550.post-65107302414956051542011-05-07T12:25:46.647-04:002011-05-07T12:25:46.647-04:00Joel: My sole comment about Palin losing ground w...Joel: My sole comment about Palin losing ground with the Tea Party was from a Fox poll from about a week ago. I didn't review the poll, just mentioned what Fox commentators themselves said. As I've mentioned to you and Bill589, I simply don't personally judge potential candidates on a single poll or a temporary trend. <br /><br />But when I see poll after poll from the left, center and right that indicate a candidate has large negative numbers, I can't simply ignore that. If Palin's negatives are created by the left, but can be countered by her supporters and the right, excellent. But until then, they remain negatives which harm her overall viability as a candidate. It may not be fair, and it may not be right. But it is a fact.<br /><br />Until she actually declares her candidacy, or at least an exploratory committee, this is all really quite academic. Meanwhile, she did something in California that I felt was well worth reporting and commenting on. That's about as close to "puffing" <i>any</i> potential candidate as I'm willing to go this early on.LawHawkRFDhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17800255923675295515noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4425587034622601550.post-81703742350689865672011-05-07T12:05:51.980-04:002011-05-07T12:05:51.980-04:00Bill589: As you've already figured out, this ...Bill589: As you've already figured out, this is a conservative opinion blog. One thing that distinguishes conservatives from liberals is that we have the ability to tolerate multiple differing viewpoints under the rubric of "conservatism." We have movement conservatives, libertarians, social conservatives, fiscal conservatives, and Tea Party conservatives posting here, and we've all remained friends, even when we disagree. No lockstep here.<br /><br />I agree that Palin is doing something right by virtue of the vitriol she receives from the left (specifically the pseudo-intellectual elite in the Obama administration and the MSM). Still, I am not prone to judging my candidates (favorably or unfavorably) by what the MSM says about them. I'm not a big fan of "the enemy of my enemy is my friend." Too facile, and too dangerous.LawHawkRFDhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17800255923675295515noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4425587034622601550.post-57213032868593340952011-05-07T02:06:58.573-04:002011-05-07T02:06:58.573-04:00LawHawk,
I looked for a new poll that specificall...LawHawk,<br /><br />I looked for a new poll that specifically is about Palin and the Tea Partiers. I can't find it.<br /><br />I have found a lot of articles from the usual suspects about how she is slipping...etc. etc. yet they were dated a good two to three months ago. Do you have any new ones?Joel Farnhamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15856960977033430002noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4425587034622601550.post-13916534415399003042011-05-07T02:01:15.585-04:002011-05-07T02:01:15.585-04:00LawHawkRFD:
Thank you. I’m new to politics, but I...LawHawkRFD:<br />Thank you. I’m new to politics, but I’ve started to voice my opinion here and there. I figure, if that msnbc guy Mr Ed can have his own tv show, I can at least comment on a blog occasionally.<br /><br />With SP, I’m often left hanging for an ‘and’. As in ‘SP isn’t good because of damage from the left.’ And? <br /><br />I figure, with the fact that the left spent all that time and energy damaging her, she must have something that concerns them.Bill589https://www.blogger.com/profile/14043363656382229438noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4425587034622601550.post-567262986167786472011-05-06T22:30:10.948-04:002011-05-06T22:30:10.948-04:00Bill589: I think there's a great deal more go...Bill589: I think there's a great deal more going on than just taking the left's advice about picking our candidate or our own resolve not to do so. Palin's drop in popularity (very surprising in the Tea Party ranks) may be attributed to the left's portrayal of her, but there has to be more to it than that. For me personally, the left's scurrilous attacks on her have had no effect whatsoever on my opinion of her viability as a candidate. For many others, the stronger the attacks from the left, the more they liked her.<br /><br />Welcome to the site, and I hope we will continue to get your input.LawHawkRFDhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17800255923675295515noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4425587034622601550.post-51875954618366224472011-05-06T22:23:29.390-04:002011-05-06T22:23:29.390-04:00rlaWTX: It just sorta came to me. My dog spends a...rlaWTX: It just sorta came to me. My dog spends a lot of his time chasing lizards here. He would have had to settle for cockroaches in San Francisco.LawHawkRFDhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17800255923675295515noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4425587034622601550.post-9641431587564730412011-05-06T22:21:45.677-04:002011-05-06T22:21:45.677-04:00T_Rav: I had to laugh at that question. I'm n...T_Rav: I had to laugh at that question. I'm not sure whether I thought the question was just plain silly or unintentionally silly. Barbara Walters would have been proud.LawHawkRFDhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17800255923675295515noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4425587034622601550.post-39354287113246100942011-05-06T18:59:45.651-04:002011-05-06T18:59:45.651-04:00I agree that the leftist media has damaged Palin. ...I agree that the leftist media has damaged Palin. But remember a couple of years ago many conservatives were saying that we can never again let the left and their media pick the Republican candidate?<br /><br />Now, many conservatives say Palin can’t be elected because the left and their media has damaged her too much.<br /><br />Did we forget what we said?Bill589https://www.blogger.com/profile/14043363656382229438noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4425587034622601550.post-51445540823525954182011-05-06T13:49:48.651-04:002011-05-06T13:49:48.651-04:00Lawhawk- love that lizard image!!!Lawhawk- love that lizard image!!!rlaWTXhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09319344164726195144noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4425587034622601550.post-55455787357539847792011-05-06T09:46:51.691-04:002011-05-06T09:46:51.691-04:00LawHawk, I had to laugh at Gary Johnson. It was ob...LawHawk, I had to laugh at Gary Johnson. It was obvious that the moderators were just playing with him. Take the last questions given to the candidates:<br /><br />Cain: You once supported Romney's Presidential bid. Why did that change?<br /><br />Santorum: Given your track record, why should voters pick you as the most viable candidate?<br /><br />Johnson: Donald Trump has his own television show. If you could have a television show, what would it be?<br /><br />I liked how Pawlenty handled the Cap and Trade question. He basically said, "Yeah, I made a mistake, and I'll admit it." That was probably the best thing he could have said. Those stupid focus groups afterwards went big for Cain, but I don't really see it. Like you, I thought he had far less of substance than Pawlenty or even Santorum. As for the numerous absences, I'm willing to give those a pass for now because there's still so much time before the election really starts, but they do need to show their affinity with the base more.T-Ravhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10861218035729479354noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4425587034622601550.post-54252686745170739782011-05-06T01:31:32.309-04:002011-05-06T01:31:32.309-04:00T_Rav: Although I'm not predicting it, I woul...T_Rav: Although I'm not predicting it, I would not be surprised to see a dark horse emerge before this is all over. Either somebody who doesn't have a high political profile, or has said for now that he or she is not interested in running. But except for Pawlenty, I don't give anybody in that debate a chance of winning the nomination. <br /><br />Let's see what happens when Pawlenty has to come up against the others who didn't appear for this debate. I do think that any politician who is already an "apparent" candidate would be wise not to avoid debates in the smaller and more rural states in the future. Much of the conservative base is there, and this is no time to be downplaying their importance.LawHawkRFDhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17800255923675295515noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4425587034622601550.post-24927441311813448052011-05-06T01:22:05.845-04:002011-05-06T01:22:05.845-04:00Joel: I don't consider Pawlenty third-tier, b...Joel: I don't consider Pawlenty third-tier, but I'm not yet ready to make him first-tier either. The others made me think of stand-ins rather than real candidates. Except for Paul, who is certifiable. He could end up the Ralph Nader of the Republican Party.LawHawkRFDhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17800255923675295515noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4425587034622601550.post-66737738858818751812011-05-06T01:19:06.231-04:002011-05-06T01:19:06.231-04:00T_Rav: I think Pawlenty came out the "winner...T_Rav: I think Pawlenty came out the "winner" of this debate. He can answer questions, and isn't afraid to admit when he made a mistake instead of blaming it on someone else. I like Cain, but all his answers were vaguely unresponsive to the questions being asked. He may simply have overprepared. Santorum had a little too much of Obama-style "me-ism." I almost started counting the number of times he said "I." I admire his social conservatism, but that's not going to be the issue in the 2012 election. Paul is an example of what movement libertarianism can do to clear thought. And if unconnected to the realities of life, it's downright dangerous. I had never seen Gary Johnson before, and I'm not particularly sure if I care if I see him again.LawHawkRFDhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17800255923675295515noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4425587034622601550.post-40722994453553645862011-05-05T23:55:01.134-04:002011-05-05T23:55:01.134-04:00Joel, it kinda is. Honestly, I'm pretty sure t...Joel, it kinda is. Honestly, I'm pretty sure the real winners of the debate were "Everyone not watching the debate." And yet, aside from Romney (and I guess Bachmann?), this is what we have to work with so far. And only one or two of the people are going to be viable even for a short time. This should be fun.T-Ravhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10861218035729479354noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4425587034622601550.post-18709787073472322982011-05-05T23:25:29.626-04:002011-05-05T23:25:29.626-04:00T-Rav,
That list of contenders seems to me from ...T-Rav, <br /><br />That list of contenders seems to me from the third tier.<br /><br />I could be wrong.Joel Farnhamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15856960977033430002noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4425587034622601550.post-86393028454858639422011-05-05T22:40:06.795-04:002011-05-05T22:40:06.795-04:00Ok, so now that THAT's over:
The debate wasn...Ok, so now that THAT's over: <br /><br />The debate wasn't that bad, I guess, which isn't really saying anything when the expectations were so low. Here's my quick summary of the candidates, in order of how I perceive their success:<br /><br />1. Pawlenty--did everything he needed to do, which mainly was show he's a serious candidate with spirit and a grasp of the issues. He had a lot of good answers and handled his Achilles' heel (Cap and Trade) pretty well. I feel better about him now.<br /><br />2. Cain--Okay, I really don't think he had great answers; he did okay but not super. But he seems to have gotten a lot of good feedback from the Tea Party core. My own opinion of him hasn't changed, but that of a lot of people seems to have.<br /><br />3. Rick Santorum--Did better than I thought he would, given his reputation as a one-note candidate. He had some good answers too, but he annoyed a lot of people with his personal anecdotes and other idiosyncracies. <br /><br />4. Ron Paul--Probably here because I don't like him. Typical Paul-ness, really: some of his economic stuff was spot-on, but the rest was weird warbling, especially when Israel came up. It only sounded good because there were so many raving Paul-bots in the audience.<br /><br />5. Gary Johnson--Confirmed his relevancy to the race when he started shouting, "Hey, you're giving all the good questions to the other people! I'm right over here!" No, really, he said that. Bye.T-Ravhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10861218035729479354noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4425587034622601550.post-74064591023039399672011-05-05T21:48:43.669-04:002011-05-05T21:48:43.669-04:00T_Rav: I walked past the TV when Paul was railing...T_Rav: I walked past the TV when Paul was railing against American militarism. Gee, that's what I was railing about when I was a 60s radical. But I was young and naive. What's his excuse? If he had criticized wasteful spending, including the military, I would have agreed. But my historical reading says we are not Prussia, nor would we ever want to be. Criticize our current vogue of "nation-building" and propping up fledgling "democracies" if you will, but don't call it militarism. That's a whole different animal. Just ask Kim Jong Il.LawHawkRFDhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17800255923675295515noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4425587034622601550.post-72160212760854678992011-05-05T21:41:22.763-04:002011-05-05T21:41:22.763-04:00T_Rav: The EPA would never allow Missouri to ship...T_Rav: The EPA would never allow Missouri to ship it to us. Too much damage to the endangered highway snipe and flying smelt. Besides, we have plenty of water, they just won't let us turn on the tap.<br /><br />Palin has recognized something that is important to beleaguered Californians, but has a meaning for all Americans. If you want mindless, faceless arrogant bureaucrats to decide whether you thrive or die, vote Democrat. If you want your elected representatives to make that decision after consulting you, vote Republican. That theme could be carried out on multiple fronts.LawHawkRFDhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17800255923675295515noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4425587034622601550.post-2169842711621264072011-05-05T21:08:27.334-04:002011-05-05T21:08:27.334-04:00Oh, and speaking of election-y stuff, Fox News is ...Oh, and speaking of election-y stuff, Fox News is airing the first GOP debate, with Tim Pawlenty, Rick Santorum, Herman Cain, Gary Johnson, and Ron Paul. So...yeah. Should be momentous. I'll let y'all know how it's going, if I don't fall asleep first. But eight minutes in, Paul is already making an @#$ out of himself.T-Ravhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10861218035729479354noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4425587034622601550.post-56312137810046203892011-05-05T20:43:16.786-04:002011-05-05T20:43:16.786-04:00LawHawk, every time I read about the Central Valle...LawHawk, every time I read about the Central Valley, smoke comes out of my ears. I hear there's plenty of water back home in Missouri; maybe we could lend y'all some. <br /><br />Good on Palin for making an issue out of this. That place is the enviro-left's dirty little secret, and the more it gets publicized, the more their ideology gets shown up for the empty slogans it is.T-Ravhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10861218035729479354noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4425587034622601550.post-55423089537212474862011-05-05T20:12:43.432-04:002011-05-05T20:12:43.432-04:00LL: Thank you, kind sir. Whether I favor Palin o...LL: Thank you, kind sir. Whether I favor Palin or not, what she has done in my home state of California is gutsy and should be a beacon to other Republican hopefuls. She has identified a problem and supported those who are suffering while the others have simply followed the traditional path to Republican defeat in California.LawHawkRFDhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17800255923675295515noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4425587034622601550.post-63431448146657069842011-05-05T20:09:04.160-04:002011-05-05T20:09:04.160-04:00Joel: We don't endorse candidates until after...Joel: We don't endorse candidates until after the primaries have been decided, and we don't count any national figures out until they have actually lost. That said, I gave Palin a boost here because she did the right thing in a very important electoral state, and set what I consider to be an important campaign precedent. Whether that can overcome her high negatives, I can't predict. But regardless of what the MSM and the internet do, as it stands now, in every poll that has asked the question, her negatives have been so high as to damage her viability <i>at the present time</i>. However scurrilous the attacks on her have been so far, they have been effective. It may not be fair, but it is reality. And yes, that could change radically by primary time.LawHawkRFDhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17800255923675295515noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4425587034622601550.post-14385651679464498802011-05-05T20:00:54.205-04:002011-05-05T20:00:54.205-04:00Patti: It isn't enough to have a strong conse...Patti: It isn't enough to have a strong conservative base. Her negatives among Democrats and Independents are very high. As it stands now (and it could change radically by election day), she would be another Goldwater. In elections, that's a disaster. In movements, it's an important start. It may be that it's just too early for her, or maybe her destiny is to be an important gadfly. I've been on both sides of campaigns in which the candidates were the zenith of ideological purity, and watched as they went down to massive defeat. I just don't want this to be another instance of that. I'm not sure we could survive another four years of Obama. The price is just too high.<br /><br />In other words, the objections on the right are not to Palin so much as to Palin's candidacy. And of course, I am one of those who delights in every one of her jabs at the left. As a candidate, she would have to soften her rhetoric, and I'm not so sure that accomplishes her goals or enhances her ability to weaken the liberals. Goldwater was a master of the verbal stiletto, but he still lost by a landslide. He was far more effective from his perch in the Senate.LawHawkRFDhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17800255923675295515noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4425587034622601550.post-80002716329323552432011-05-05T19:32:11.931-04:002011-05-05T19:32:11.931-04:00At the risk of brevity: Good article!At the risk of brevity: Good article!LLhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05538854359365988863noreply@blogger.com