The Other McCain

"One should either write ruthlessly what one believes to be the truth, or else shut up." — Arthur Koestler

Palin, Newt, Huck and Cain, Oh My!

Posted on | February 23, 2011 | 25 Comments

Rounding up some 2012 news: Both Doug Brady at Conservatives for Palin and Josh Painter at Texas for Palin liked my reaction to “worthless two-faced backstabbing crapweasel” Frank Bailey.

What Bailey has done — trying to cash in with a “tell all” book damaging to his former employer — is a breach of a fundamental principle, best expressed by Elbert Hubbard: “If put to the pinch, an ounce of loyalty is worth a pound of cleverness.”

Think about it: The only thing that makes Bailey’s ax-grinding manuscript newsworthy is the fact that he once worked for Sarah Palin. So what he is selling (or attempting to sell) is the access he gained because of the services for which she paid him, and the trust she placed in him. She actually gave Bailey the password to her e-mail account! And this is how she is repaid? Ed Morrissey nails it:

Maybe someone should work on the title.  “Blind Allegiance”?  His allegiance seems to have been pretty conditional on getting favorable positions in the Palin administration, and when he didn’t get them, the allegiance apparently turned into dislike rather easily.

Of course, anti-Palin trolls (are these people paid to do this?) quickly infested the comments of my post about Bailey, citing this, that and the other thing “revealed” by disclosure of confidential communications.

Question: Why are we always getting these “insider” smears of Sarah Palin but yet we never see any leaked internal e-mails from Team Obama?

Answer: Because Democratic operatives actually believe in their cause, whereas too many GOP operatives are just in it for themselves.

Bailey seems to imagine imagine himself as doing God’s work in backstabbing his former employer. You may search Scripture to your heart’s content and I guarantee you will never find praise for selfish and disloyal servants.

Nor, for that matter, will you find any scriptural blessing for serial adulterers:

Newt Gingrich’s speech at the University of Pennsylvania Tuesday night quickly took a turn for the dramatic when the first student to question him brought up his admitted extra-marital affair and accused him of being “hypocritical” for espousing moral values.
“You adamantly oppose gay rights… but you’ve also been married three times and admitted to having an affair with your current wife while you were still married to your second,” Isabel Friedman, president of the Penn Democrats, said to Gingrich. “As a successful politician who’s considering running for president, who would set the bar for moral conduct and be the voice of the American people, how do you reconcile this hypocritical interpretation of the religious values that you so vigorously defend?” . . .
Gingrich has admitted that he had an affair with a staffer, now his third wife, in the 1990s — the same time he was advocating for the impeachment of Bill Clinton in the wake of the former president’s relationship with Monica Lewinsky. A damning Esquire profile last year shed light on that affair, as well as one he had with his second wife while still married to his first. While the source of Gingrich’s heckling Tuesday night was a Democrat, it nevertheless underscored the trouble many Republicans expect him to face with skeptical religious conservatives in Iowa if he ultimately decides to run for president.

Well, they’re not going to let him forget that, are they?

It has been said that hypocrisy is the tribute that vice pays to virtue, but that doesn’t work too well as a campaign slogan. Jesus forgave the woman caught in adultery, but forgiveness isn’t the same thing as a presidential endorsement.

Republicans almost universally acknowledge Gingrich as one of the great political thinkers in the party and admire his ability to articulate the conservative message. But a Gingrich presidential campaign involves little problems of a strictly biographical nature like that, to say nothing of his Dede Scozzafava problem.

Meanwhile, it looks like our friend Lisa Graas is on the Huckabee bandwagon for 2012, with a combination book review and interview:

In the book, Huckabee offers the pro-life view very eloquently, however he did not explain what legislation he would support on the issue of abortion, so when I spoke to him, I had to ask him about that. I decided that the best way to determine what his position is would be to ask him which sitting Supreme Court Justice he likes the most. He responded, without any hesitation whatsoever, “Scalia.”

You should go read the whole thing, because I like Lisa, even if I don’t like Huck. But you all know who I do like, and our friend Matthew Newman at Old Line Elephant has an interview with Herman Cain:

NEWMAN: Do you believe that never holding elected office will be a hindrance to your campaign?
CAIN: Many reporters and members of the elite political class would like you to believe that attending an Ivy League school or having a lifelong political career is essential to succeeding in public policy and public service. Such a perspective indicates how out of touch they are with the American people. Most Americans cannot identify with lifetime politicians. They can identify with someone who has run several businesses, raised a family, survived cancer and achieved his American Dream.
And besides, all of the people in Washington, D.C. have political experience. How’s that working out, for you?

Go read the rest of that. You’ll also want to read Cain’s column in Investor’s Business Daily:

Being in a leadership position without leading is called position-ship.
And when you truly lead, you will be criticized because working on the right problems, setting the right priorities, surrounding yourself with the right people and developing the right plans will not make everybody happy.

This column was called to my attention by a Cain supporter who pointed out that Sarah Palin promoted it on her Facebook page and her Twitter feed. That prompted me to do some thinking out loud at The American Spectator:

Was the former Alaska governor signaling that she might not run in 2012? Or, perhaps, was her promotion of Cain’s column — praising Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker’s leadership — a backhand dig at Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels, who punted in his own showdown with Democrats and unions?

Reading the tea leaves is a favorite game of pundits, and I don’t usually bother with guesswork and predictions. Best to stick with what you actually know, and what I know is that Palin did everything in 2010 that a presidential contender would do in preparation for a 2012 campaign. So she has put herself in position to run, but the decision to run or not . . . wow, that’s tough.

If Palin runs in 2012 and loses, all the naysayers will say, “See? We told you so.” And then she would be finished, unless she’s able to stage one of those long comebacks like Richard Nixon did after losing to JFK in ’60 and getting beat for California governor in ’62. On the other hand, if Palin were to decide against running, the naysayers will say, “Chicken!” So she’s damned if she does and damned if she doesn’t.

And so we are left to ponder this one little tea leaf — Palin pushing Cain’s column — asking, “Does it mean anything?”

Maybe she just saw the column, agreed with it, and wanted to share it, without consideration of Cain’s status as a potential 2012 rival. And it’s no sweat off her nose: She’s the Big Name no one can miss, whereas for many voters, he’s still “Herman Who?”

On the other hand . . . Well, I’m sure you can see what might be on the other hand.

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Category: Election 2012, Herman Cain, Mike Huckabee, Newt Gingrich, Sarah Palin

Comments

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1385852725 Richard Mcenroe

    Huckabee is pro-life except for police officers.

  • http://www.lisagraas.com Lisa Graas

    Thanks for the traffic! But I’m not on the Huckabee bandwagon just yet. If I had to vote today, I might vote for Palin. I might write in Mike Pence. I might vote for Herman Cain. Not committed…but who’s going to pass up an opportunity to talk to Mike Huckabee? Not me!

  • http://www.lisagraas.com Lisa Graas

    Come to think of it, it might be better for my mental health if I don’t even endorse a candidate. I might spare myself a lot of grief if I just focus on the main mission: getting the far left out of the White House.

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_WWFTUCBOPWNF5NAZKRWWH22BDA Blackwater

    Stacy, I know you loves you some Herman Cain, and who doesn’t, but he’s never run a city, never run a state, and couldn’t even beat a RINO in a deep red state.

    Being an executive in business and being a Chief Executive in government are two very different things. In the private sector, if the wheels are coming off the wagon, a CEO is able to fire and hire, and do almost anything needed to turn things around, with few road blocks.

    The Executive in government, however, must navigate some treacherous waters, deal with their legislature, and so on.

    Cain is simply not ready for prime time. He’s talking fiscal, but there’s a lot more going on in the world.

    We have the entire world going to hell right in front of us. What’s Cain’s foreign policy experience, positions?

    We MUST attain real energy independence. Does Cain know how to get us there?

    Where is he on illegal immigration, and will he have the backbone to back that up?

    Sorry, we have a real leader who has proven she has a steel spine. Someone with a two decades long record of successfully running a city, successfully running a state, and successfully regulating the oil and gas industry in Alaska.

    She has plenty of foreign policy experience dealing with the various trade missions in Alaska, and has proven she has a handle on what’s going on now. She’s also proven that she has the cojones to back her talk up.

    As for Herman’s awesome IBD editorial, since that’s one of Palin’s favorite publications, I wouldn’t read more into it than she saw the editorial, and agreed. (as does everyone else) She’s really good at tweeting things that she feels are important, no matter the source.

    Cain’s a wonderful man, and would make a great Commerce Secretary, but President, get real. He has less practical experience than Obama did, and we know exactly how that worked out.

    Mitt Romney should serve as a reminder that “good” businessmen DO NOT equal good Governors, or President.

  • http://thatmrgguy.wordpress.com/ Mike

    Maybe Mr. McCain is reading in the tea leaves that a possible Palin/Cain ticket is in our future?

  • Rumshoteyes

    I amlost spilled out coffee on my screen as i stared reading “Sorry, we have a real leader who has proven she has a steel spine. Someone with a two decades long record of successfully running a city…”

    Dude, she was a mayor (for 6 years) of a “city” that has a population of less than 10,000 [She won teh elction 650 to 450 votes!]. And she was a governor (for 2 years) of a state, that is 1/4th in population and 1/12th in GDP of the city of Chicago.

    “She has plenty of foreign policy experience dealing with the various trade missions in Alaska…”

    I did it again!

  • Rumshoteyes

    (see my reply below)

    For the record, Rahm Emanuel got more than FIVE HUNDRED TIMES the votes that Palin got for her mayoral election. And Emanuel’s tally is more than three times of vote she got when she was elected for governor.

    By your logic, two years from now Rahm Emanuel must be a far more qualified person than Sarah Palin, right?

    LMAO!

  • Anonymous

    Why would we want another Commerce Secretary.
    Got no problem with a President Palin, arithmetic stands in the way of that happening in 2012. If she runs and fails, her rehabilitation would take a decade. We don’t have a decade.

  • Bert Spence

    There is a third alternative for Palin beyond the (1) run/lose/fade away and (2) don’t-run-and-be-labeled-chicken dilemma constructed by Stacy: (3) anoint one of the other candidates, push him over the top, and continue to exist as a celebrity king-maker. Nice work if you can get it . . . .

  • Anonymous

    Your spitting on the computer has nothing to do with the facts being presented. It more than likely has to do with your rumshot eyes.

    Sorry, don’t take a paid commenter seriously who comes up with a name like rumshoteeyes.

  • Anonymous

    There is a fourth and the most realistic alternative:

    Palin runs and wins, hires Cain for an admin position, and they get the country back on the right track.

    Palin is not wired to be a celebrity kingmaker. Anyone who says so PROVES they have done no homework on her record.

    Here’s some resources if you care to do any research:

    http://hrh40.wordpress.com/palin-resume/
    http://hrh40.wordpress.com/palin-policy/

  • Anonymous

    IMHO that is the plan, I don’t see how she overcomes her negatives fast enough to change the math.

  • Anonymous

    IMHO that is the plan, I don’t see how she overcomes her negatives fast enough to change the math.

  • Anonymous

    IMHO that is the plan, I don’t see how she overcomes her negatives fast enough to change the math.

  • Anonymous

    Then you don’t have much vision.

    The LIA Q&A she did last Thursday changed a lot of Dem minds – there were over 1,000 in the room.

    Hence the medias’ bogus Michelle Obama blather.

    Watch and learn. Watch and learn.

  • Rumshoteyes

    If she runs and fails, her rehabilitation would take a decade.

    I don’t see how she overcomes her negatives fast enough to change the math.

    I think Palin will run if she thinks she hasa good chance of winning the primary, even if she has almost no chance of winning the presidency.

    You get all the lime light, more campaign shopping and this time no one to stop her. After she gets drummed up badly in the elction she can play the victim, how its all the lamestream media’s fault and those mean liberals etc. She will have more books to write and reality shows to appear to keep her busy making money for at least a decade.

  • Anonymous

    A thousand Dems a day ain’t gonna do it. Checked out your sites couldn’t find the latest polls tab.
    I get that you’re a big Palin fan and you are putting your energy where your mouth is go for it and good luck.
    Now if you’ll excuse me I need another cup of cynicism.

  • Anonymous

    We don’t have a decade. If whoever wins the Republican nomination looses the presidential race we’ll need Sarah to teach us how to tan caribou and deer hides cause that’ll be the new medium of exchange.

  • Rumshoteyes

    The LIA Q&A she did last Thursday changed a lot of Dem minds

    hahaha keep dreaming…

    Each time she opens her mouth unscripted she loses more popularity. With a limited supply of hardcore fans like you, she’ll bound to hit the botom soon, so no worries it can’t get any worse from then on.

  • http://twitter.com/isleofyouth PhilipJames

    I would venture to bet that Sarah saw Cain’s article, liked it and is her style, posted it up. If you look back you will find she has done this with other potential rivals when she liked what they said or did. Sometimes doing the right thing is actually the smartest thing too.
    As for the part about if she ran and lost she would be knocked way down on the totem pole… I keep reminding people what she said the day she left office…
    “I said before I stood in front of the mic the other day, you know, politically speaking — if I die, I die. So be it,” Palin said.
    So, I would not worry about Sarah Palin if she ran and lost… gosh, wouldn’t it be terrible for her to go back to Alaska and have to live there with her friends and kids and Todd and “Alaska”.

  • Anonymous

    Sorry, but Mike Huckabee is just Clinton with a halo. He’s perfectly fine with big government as long as it’s telling people what he wants them to do.

  • Anonymous

    Then I’m amazed this country ever got off the ground. The professional political class didn’t exist when this country was founded. It took the Civil War and especially the New Deal to enshrine the idea that the ideal candidate was a permanent government employee.

  • http://profiles.yahoo.com/u/EU5DQWQTTHTPO4A4ZYSL3AAV2U Adjoran

    That’s no halo, my friend – it’s just that Huck’s big fat ZERO fell over on its side.

  • http://profiles.yahoo.com/u/EU5DQWQTTHTPO4A4ZYSL3AAV2U Adjoran

    Newt’s entering a swim meet in a suit made of anchors. His marital history is a minor anchor compared to his failures as Speaker (all due to putting his ego before the job at hand), his support for energy taxes, and his general tendency to make people dislike him.

    His Dede problem pales in comparison to his Nancy problem. At least Dede was nominally a Republican, if only temporarily. Pelosi’s a diehard Marxist and always has been.

    Despite her many qualities, Palin has a public perception problem. She was put in the national spotlight/crosshairs too soon, but the Democrats panicked and went all out to smear her. She got the Clarence Thomas/Dan Quayle treatment in concentrated form and is still getting it. Her negatives are just too high to win the general. If she shows strong improvement there, fine – but she has to show it before I could get on the bandwagon.

    Huck’s a big government guy, and a sucker for phony religious conversions (which led to his flood of pardons and commutations). He’s making great money on Fox now, and the only reason he would run is to derail Romney in Iowa out of personal spite.

    Cain’s lack of government experience should be viewed as a plus, especially since his private experience was a success story. But he did lose a GOP Senate primary against a squish, so there is doubt on electability there. And he came out for the gold standard last year, which puts his understanding of economics in doubt.

  • Anonymous

    There are problems with using one’s finger in the wind as an anchor.

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