Palin Helped McCain Lose
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I’m always bemused by this type of analysis of the 2008 election from the right. In the piece Dan Riehl tries to argue the case that Palin was mismanaged by the McCain campaign, and as if they had only let Sarah be Sarah she might have saved the effort.
Bull.
While Palin energized some of the conservative base in a way McCain never could, she also solidified in the minds of many independents the idea that it would be insane to have John McCain anywhere near 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue (and for any liberals not energized already by the Obama campaign, Palin had a Bush-style effect in kicking our butts into gear — she still has this effect). The minute Palin was outside of the stage-managed world of the convention, it became clear just how stupid she was, and the sort of Jerry Springer style drama she had lived in in Alaska. Her fumbling of the easiest questions asked of a presidential or vice presidential candidate – seriously, how hard charging is a question about what newspapers and magazines you read – reinforced earlier frames from the Obama campaign about McCain’s unsuitability for the Presidency.
People were inclined not to vote for John McCain, and for any voters out there whose opinions could be swayed, the choice of Palin became a concrete example of why they shouldn’t. They were willing to take the gamble on Obama, because the chaos of McCain/Palin was far too scary.
But conservatives now hold up Sarah Palin the way they hold up conservatism. We are now told that our previous, very conservative president didn’t fail due to his conservatism. Conservatism is never at fault. And in their eyes neither is Sarah Palin. Her incompetent answers, her wacky positions on policy, her inability to engage on any level resembling a serious public leader, in their eyes is not a flaw of any sort. For them, America failed Palin, not the other way around.
And if she runs in 2012 and the inevitable landslide loss for her comes, America will have no doubt failed Sarah Palin again. Thank God.
UPDATE: As is if to prove my point, Palin argues that to crack down on a nuclear Iran we have to do something about “Iraq”.
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she also solidified in the minds of many independents the idea that it would be insane to have John McCain anywhere near 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue
This is the key point. Right now only about 30% of Americans identify themselves as “Republicans.” If that was 45 or 50 percent, I’d understand the benefits for the GOP of bring forward an incredibly polarizing candidate. I’m not in the “please run, it’ll be amazing!” camp since honestly I don’t even enjoy the slightest risk, but if she actually ran against Obama I would imagine an even largest sweep in 2012 for him than he had against McCain in 2008.
What is most shocking about Palin’s popularity is how enduring it has been. Are so many Americans so stupid that they can’t understand her lack of qualifications for any serious job, political or otherwise?
Sideshow Sarah strikes again!
Shocker!
Either way, OW is so obsessed with Palin that now he’s just making shit up. Anyone who was paying attention last year knows damn well that McCain never had a chance in hell to beat Barry no matter who he picked for VP. He was never popular with the GOP base to begin with and put Barry on the firing line and even he’d tell you that he had the Presidency in the bag after he beat Billary in the primaries. Palin had nothing to do with McCain’s loss, if anything she reenergized the Right and made the race somewhat “close”. Like Palin admitted on Oprah, the economy was tanking, a GOP administration was in charge, people wanted “change” and they got it. Too bad only a year later and most are starting to have regrets.
“why can’t everyone masturbate about me like Rich Lowry?”-Sarah Palin
I agree with Mr Ghost insofar as the Dems could have nominated a ham sandwich and won after 8 years of Bush.
But Palin certainly helped McCain lose. In my mind, what swung the “undecided” were two things: one, the choice of the obviously and demonstrably stupid Palin as a running mate; and two, the laughable “suspending my campaign” stunt.
Both those moves showed that McCain was a desperate whore who would say or do anything to get “his turn” as President.
If she’s so overwhelmingly unpopular, how come her personal approval ratings among independents are statistically insignificant from Obama and Biden?
Anyone who was paying attention last year knows damn well that McCain never had a chance in hell to beat Barry no matter who he picked for VP.
Except the press repeatedly told us Palin was a game changer who had Dems running scared. I even had folks commenting here telling me we were scared of her and that she was gonna kick our butts.
Because Obama and Biden kicked her ass in an election.
Meh, false logic… Obama had Biden, who is as much of a moron as you think Palin is, if not more so.
Such a moron, he didn’t hurt the ticket and won.
I don’t think the grifter even wanted to win. More money on the wingnut welfare circuit.
I see you don’t/didn’t question Dan Quayle’s intelligence, very well. Biden is still clearly a moron, though. Do you really believe otherwise? Really?
Biden, who is as much of a moron as you think Palin is, if not more so.
And this is where you lose credibility.
The “liberals are scared of Palin” meme is still out there. I have a regular wingnut friend of mine who comments on my crappy little blog telling me this all the time.
‘What is most shocking about Palin’s popularity is how enduring it has been. Are so many Americans so stupid that they can’t understand her lack of qualifications for any serious job, political or otherwise?’
You can even ask this question after the 2 term nightmare that was Bush?
If the GOP ran a picture of Reagan’s head photoshopped on the body of the Statue of Liberty clutching a Gatling gun, every Republican in the country would vote for it; many would do so twice in the same election.
‘Like Palin admitted on Oprah, the economy was tanking, a GOP administration was in charge, people wanted “change” and they got it.’
Righhht; which is why she ran in the first place, because she KNEW she was going to lose.
Jesus the endless rewriting of history by the Right continues unabated.
No wonder you people love Palin; she wouldn’t know reality if it showed her up to be a vapid, unsophisticated political nonentity during a presidential election.
AND IT DID.
‘If she’s so overwhelmingly unpopular, how come her personal approval ratings among independents are statistically insignificant from Obama and Biden?’
First of all that’s not true, and secondly, I wonder if it would be because Palin’s only public policy decisions are which shade of slutty lipstick to wear?
Obama and Biden are embroiled in the toughest Goddamn job in the world; Palin is running around peddling a book full of lies she didn’t even write.
Which ones would you think had an easier time appearing popular?
You’re all wrong.
It was on account of the Obama-lovin’ “librul” media being so hard on old Sarah, all the while givin’ Obama a “free pass,” on everything, dontcha’ know.