Palin denounces her critics as cowardly

[Wretched Excess]

You know, I was a little nervous about the second week after Sarah Palin had been selected--I wish I'd expressed this anxiety at the time, so as to improve my record to at least being 1% correct in predictions.  But I didn't air my anxiety.

I got the impression, after Sarah Palin was proving so popular, that the old guys in the McCain campaign suddenly got insecure.

And insecure people, to keep something from getting out of their control, usually try to suppress, to stamp down, things.

And so the campaign.

The sad thing is, we secure people don't worry about a right-hand man or a second-in-command outshining us; and if it helps move us up, we allow that right-hand man or second-in-command to keep shining, to do most of the work for us.

If John McCain had sincerely wished to win the election, he could have just sat back, relaxed, gotten mellow, and let his running-mate do all the campaigning.  But no, his ego got in the way; he was supposed to be the "star," not her.

I have noticed something about you, my friend.  you always seem to think that your reactions aren't "typical" american reactions.

it happens all the time, when, in reality, YOU are the guy that the presidential candidated are shooting for.

can you say "breadbasket"?

[TheSarge]

republican turnout was down.  you see it in the ohio turnout.  ohio as a state was flat (believe it or not), and turnout in cuyahoga county was actually DOWN.  and we lost indiana;  we won that state by 21%, over 500,000 votes, in 2004.

we just got our asses kicked.

And that all comes back around to what Duke was trying to say...all of what you listed above was the result of the GOP running a candidate that didn't represent the bulk of the Republicans in this country.

There is no way that a Rockerfeller Republican like McCain could EVER take the torch of Conservatism from the likes of Reagan and Gingrich.

He despises what they stand for.

[Rebel]

I think they freaked out when they saw how much love and admiration there was for Governor Palin.

I think it got to McCain as well. **** him. He pulled her in TO energize the base, don't get pissed when she does.

[Duke Nukum]

You know, I was a little nervous about the second week after Sarah Palin had been selected--I wish I'd expressed this anxiety at the time, so as to improve my record to at least being 1% correct in predictions.  But I didn't air my anxiety.

I got the impression, after Sarah Palin was proving so popular, that the old guys in the McCain campaign suddenly got insecure.

And insecure people, to keep something from getting out of their control, usually try to suppress, to stamp down, things.

And so the campaign.

The sad thing is, we secure people don't worry about a right-hand man or a second-in-command outshining us; and if it helps move us up, we allow that right-hand man or second-in-command to keep shining, to do most of the work for us.

If John McCain had sincerely wished to win the election, he could have just sat back, relaxed, gotten mellow, and let his running-mate do all the campaigning.  But no, his ego got in the way; he was supposed to be the "star," not her.

Exactly because choosing Sarah Palin was brilliant and if it was John McCain's pick then that made him brilliant.  Sadly, egomaniacs can never truly recognize their own brilliance and so end up stamping it out.

[Zeus]

The Reps got beat by the Cult of Personality,with a little help from friends in the media(actually a lot of help).

The lefties have learned in a battle of Idealologies they loose hands down. They have abandoned Ideological battles for personality,glitz,feel warm & fuzzy messages etc etc.

Why do you suppose they are damn determined to impose restrictions on the only mass media they don't dominate,Talk radio.

[SaintLouieWoman]

Rush was on the Greta Van Sustern show and was riled with the McCain staff for their cowardly back-biting. Laura Ingraham is basically saying the same thing.

The GOP needs more folks like Palin and fewer RINO'S. McCain was a terrible campaigner and acted way too erratic. His loss was squarely on his shoulders----and those of his staffers. But he's the one responsible for them.

[NHSparky]

Obviously you have never partook of Big Red then 

Incidently Both Dr, Pepper & Big Red originated in Texas. I don't like either of themanyway.I am a Dew Dude.

Back in my drinking days was a drink called Dr. Pepper I drank occasionally. I large glass of beer, Take a large shot of rum,ignite,drop in glass fullof beer and chug the beer.

What, no Irish Car Bombs?

When I feel the need for something more sugary, I get either a Grape Bomb or Cherry Bomb--Red Bull and a shot of grape or cherry Three Olives Vodka, drop shot glass into Red Bull, and chug.

[NHSparky]

oh, the reason would be that john mccain was a crappy candidate, and even Sarah Palin couldn't save him.

Bingo--I would have had no reservations voting for Thompson had he made it that far.

So what's the reason?  Where do we put the blame, if any is to be given?  Frankly, I'm more of the, "fix the problem, not the blame" type of mentality.

Here's one thing wrong as I see it--primary season.  Every damned state was moving up dates, screwing everyone else over, making claims of disenfranchisement, etc., etc...

I really don't want to be choosing a party candidate when the election is a year away.  It's not necessary.  From the time NH had the "first" primary in 1952 until today, the primary has gone from mid-March to January 8th.  The 8th?

Candidates who didn't do well in states where they might not have been expected to do well were screwed.  IOW, the "firewall" strategy used by Thompson and Guiliani backfired on them badly.  They waited until it was too late.

Here's my idea:  Four "super" days of states with roughly equal numbers of delegates.  Every other Tuesday starting the first Tuesday in April, with the last one coming just before Memorial Day.  Therefore, for 2012, the primary days would look something like this:

Group 1--April 10th
Group 2--April 24th
Group 3--May 8th
Group 4--May 22nd

Groups rotate every four years, with Group 4 going to Group 1 next, then 2, then 3.  State legislatures which do not abide by these rules will not be allowed to seat delegates at the national convention.  This way the media hype, campaigning, fundraising, etc., is a bit more even.

Just a thought.

That being said, Palin is going to be a force to be reckoned with.  The RINO's screwed her over and she ain't one to take that kind of crap ever.

[DumbAss Tanker]

We suffered from the same problem that killed us with Bob Dole:  What it takes to win the general election is NOT the same as what it takes to win the GOP primary.

Taking the primary requires lots of inside connection to and good will from the establishment Beltway-centric GOP power structure (which is not the social or libertarian conservatives, they are mostly just fiscal conservatives to the extent they aren't just RINOs period, but unfortunately they are the supposed intelligentsia and dominate as our supposed media spokesmen, to the extent we have any at all, who emphatically do NOT want the same kind of candidate the base does). 

I was for Thompson, I was extremely disappointed that he just wouldn't get off his ass and campaign, maybe it was out of deference to McCain at the time, but it really left nobody I both liked and whom I thought had a real chance to win in the general..

 

[Ptarmigan]

But why did we lose them?  I would say it was a lack of leadership in the GOP.  The blue bloods rewarded McCainez with the nomination for not jumping to the Democrat party back in 2001 and McCainez had no ability to lead.  All we heard from the blue bloods was "the era of Reagan is over" which was less than inspiring.

I was ready to sit out until Palin became the nominee.

There are two bright spots in the Obama win:  1) we got to meet and fall in love with Governor Palin and 2) John McCain isn't President.  Oh and 3) the Smithsonian no longer has that cursed diamond dragging down the country.  Three bright spots.

The Smithsonian removed ptarmigans from their exhibit and put more rabbits and hares.

[DarkHalo]

One time I had a really good chuckle was when Greta asked her about being trashed by lefty bloggers. She said she wasnt worried by what 'bloggers were writing from their parents basement'. That is the response of someone in the know about the loony left.

[Chris_]

We suffered from the same problem that killed us with Bob Dole:  What it takes to win the general election is NOT the same as what it takes to win the GOP primary.

Taking the primary requires lots of inside connection to and good will from the establishment Beltway-centric GOP power structure (which is not the social or libertarian conservatives, they are mostly just fiscal conservatives to the extent they aren't just RINOs period, but unfortunately they are the supposed intelligentsia and dominate as our supposed media spokesmen, to the extent we have any at all, who emphatically do NOT want the same kind of candidate the base does). 

I was for Thompson, I was extremely disappointed that he just wouldn't get off his ass and campaign, maybe it was out of deference to McCain at the time, but it really left nobody I both liked and whom I thought had a real chance to win in the general..

 

I felt exactly the same way, and as someone else suggested, the race was pretty much over when it got to our state.....I believe that holding a national primary on one or two different dates will level the playing field, and negate much of the media (and party insiders) influence on the primary process.

doc