McCain strategist Schmidt: Palin nomination would be ‘catastrophic,’ GOP ‘bereft of ideas’ for health reform.
McCain strategist Schmidt: Palin nomination would be ‘catastrophic,’ GOP ‘bereft of ideas’ for health reform.
Today at The Atlantic’s First Draft of History conference, Steve Schmidt, who served as the top political strategist for both John McCain and Arnold Schwarzenegger, spoke candidly about the state of the Republican Party. On health care, Schmidt noted that some individual Republicans, like Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI), were “advancing ideas” on health care legislation, but that “the party holistically is bereft of ideas.” Asked about Sarah Palin’s future political prospects, Schmidt argued that she could conceivably win the GOP nomination because of her popularity with the base conservative electorate. However, if that were to happen, Schmidt said that such a turn of events would be “catastrophic” because Palin has alienated mainstream America:
SCHMIDT: I think that she has talents. But my honest view is that she would not be a winning candidate for the Republican Party in 2012, and in fact, were she the nominee, we could have a catastrophic election result.
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Looks like a loss has brought Schmitt around to his senses.
October 2nd, 2009 at 2:13 pmRun Sarah RUN!!!!!!!
straw poll for the righties:
who among you will be voting for Sarah in the primaries??
October 2nd, 2009 at 2:13 pmSchmidt’s angling for a job with Mittens or Pawlenty, or he’d never have put that out there.
October 2nd, 2009 at 2:14 pmMan, they came out and said they have no ideas. I think I hear trolls running.
October 2nd, 2009 at 2:17 pmIf I remember correctly, Schmidt was the one who insisted on Palin’s selection as running mate, over McCain’s objections…
Go figure.
October 2nd, 2009 at 2:18 pmSCHMIDT: I think that she has talents.
– - Really, Steve? She’s proudly ignorant. If she looked like Golda Meir, you and the rest of the GOP wouldn’t even know who she is.
October 2nd, 2009 at 2:18 pmPlease, Please, Please pick the crazy lady! I Really want to see the formation of the “We have Nothing to do with those Loons” party. At least those few remaining thinking folks from the Republic party would have somewhere to go then.
October 2nd, 2009 at 2:19 pmPalin/Keyes 2012!
Bachmann could be SecDef.
Cheney @ HHS
Maybe Inhofe at Sec of Education?
October 2nd, 2009 at 2:19 pmSo what’s on the menu for tonight?
October 2nd, 2009 at 2:19 pmFricasseed Republikant!
Eat hearty, me whackos!
LOL! Reflection from a Repug? First the tell all book about Bush, Lidsay Graham denouncing ‘Bithers’ and Beck, and now some soul searching from this dufus? The sad thing is, McCain made Palin a star. Now she is raking in the dough and he looks foolish for picking her in the first place. I don’t know whether to laugh or cry.
October 2nd, 2009 at 2:20 pmmike from Arlington says:
“Maybe Inhofe at Sec of Education?”
Secretary of the Interior.
October 2nd, 2009 at 2:22 pmHe’d want to keep everyone inside and turn up the air
conditioning.
With the furnace on full blast at the same time.
But…I thought Palin represented Real America™. It’s refreshing to hear this from a long-time GOP operative. It’s also not the first time Schmidt’s seen the light. Remember, he endorsed same-sex marriage earlier in the year..
October 2nd, 2009 at 2:24 pmTalents? What talents? The woman can’t string two sentences together, she has no educational backround(several colleges). She is a quitter. And no offense, her voice reminds me of nails on a blackboard.
October 2nd, 2009 at 2:27 pmImagine Palin in office after 10 months…
October 2nd, 2009 at 2:32 pm“You guys are a bunch of meanies!”
“You’re all trying to destroy my family!”
“I quit!”
wow – they can get all wound up and post dozens of comments about the olympics non-issue,
but something important like who they might run in 2012 gets crickets…
it’s almost as though none of them take anything seriously at all.
October 2nd, 2009 at 2:32 pmSCHMIDT: I think that she has talents
Lots of people can wink , Steve ; and most of us know the appropriate times and places when to do that , too………
October 2nd, 2009 at 2:33 pmThe last time either party nominated someone who wasn’t currently a Senator, Governor, Vice President or President, or who wasn’t previously a Vice President (and that only twice), was… Eisenhower.
Sarah Palin is unemployed. Historically, that takes her out of the primary race right there.
October 2nd, 2009 at 2:34 pmQuote “The Republicans are bereft of ideas on Health Care Reform.”
No, they do have one idea and the gloating over the loss of Chicago for the Olympics proves it.
They want Obama to fail. For them, it’s OK if America also fails as a result, as long as Obama fails. FDR gave the American people a lot and they voted Democrat for a generation. And the rich ruling class got scared as they saw their ownership of America dwindle over the years as a super middle class emerged. It wasn’t until Reagan came along that they were able to reverse that tide and that tide became a tidal wave with GW. (They actually got cocky and tried to take on Social Security itself.)
They are sacred to death that Obama could be another FDR and show that when you empower common Americans you get an explosion of prosperity. So they have to make sure he fails no matter what the consequences and get this nation back to empowering the rich only. They even have their own TV network to make sure it gets done.
That’s their idea. Their only idea.
October 2nd, 2009 at 2:34 pmSchmidt didn’t specify what those talents are. I’m voting for being able to spit shine Levi in the time it takes Bristol to get milk and cookies from the kitchen. But that’s just me.
October 2nd, 2009 at 2:34 pmIf tis is so, then why the hell did YOU, Steve Schmidt, orchestrate a presidential campaign that made her the number two on the ticket and a heartbeat away from the presidency. Can you answer that one concisely please?
October 2nd, 2009 at 2:37 pmnos@14, I can picture just that. Send the dialouge to Tina Fey and she will win another Emmy for it.
October 2nd, 2009 at 2:37 pm.
Hey. The G(no)P has a plan…
… “DON’T GET SICK!”
.
October 2nd, 2009 at 2:38 pmP.D. says:
…her voice reminds me of nails on a blackboard.
I have nothing against her family or even her deadbeat husband, but that woman crawls under my skin and creeps me out worse, way worse, than even Bachmann, Coulter or ‘Ginny Foxx.
October 2nd, 2009 at 2:39 pmI have to agree and disagree with Steve Schmidt. I think Sarah Palin would be an excellent GOP candidate. What say you guys give her the nomination, then we can find out who’s right. I agree that she’s got talents. She can do some of that “fancy pageant walkin’” and wink her way into the presidental race.
October 2nd, 2009 at 2:40 pm.
Q U E S T I O N:
When will charges of BRIBERY be leveled?
http://hmc-lavadogs.livejournal.com/tag/criminals
B R I B E R Y!
.
October 2nd, 2009 at 2:41 pmBingo! In their minds, the only way they can be returned to power is if they make Obama seem to be an even bigger failure than Bush. In my opinion, they’ve overeached. The hyperbolic language and absence of truth in their accusations makes their attempts utter failures. Obama continues to have above average poll numbers. That tells me that the majority of the American people haven’t forgotten that the GOP experiment is what got us into this screwed up position in the first place.
October 2nd, 2009 at 2:42 pmAhhhh maybe Sarah might do her mavericky thang and seek the nomination anyway. I’d love to witness that all the way to the crash and burn. Frankly I think she is all about the money now, the only thing she wants to stay in the spotlight for is to increase her bank balance. She already said being a governor was “too hard”. Don’t think we need a quitter and a whiner as president.
October 2nd, 2009 at 2:42 pm.
Hey, Sarah had to go to China to find a “REAL” Red State.
.
October 2nd, 2009 at 2:43 pmPawlenty added 2 known crooks, which the media has conveniently termed ‘key operatives’ that failed under Bush. An ex-Rove aid who should be in jail, & Sara ‘I can’t remember shit’ Taylor.
Look out, Palin! Timmy’s sneaking up on you.
Fact is, Timmy is a sneak. He’s also a well known liar, who doesn’t have time to be in Minnesota anymore, after putting us into a $7Billion deficit through accounting shell games and illegal unallotments.
Palin / Palwnety 2012 would be absolutely hilarious. Two losers, one with a mullet and the other with shit for brains.
Go Republics! Go somewhere, anywhere but here…
October 2nd, 2009 at 2:43 pmPalin would try to have Point Barrow host the Summer Olympics.
October 2nd, 2009 at 2:44 pmThey could do the high dive from the oil platforms.
AIO@23, I agree. She seems like a petulant whiner. It is AWAYS someone elses fault. ‘Gotcha Questions’, ‘The Media’ she plays the victim card and the Righties eat it up. I have noticed something about Righties. There are always blameless. No money in the Treasury? Blame the Liberals! Unemployment? It’s the illegals! They consider themselves blameless. I guess they forgot the last 8 years of Bush’s rule and that Obama inhereted this cluster-fu*k.
October 2nd, 2009 at 2:45 pmTP, when you start placing ads in the content window, I’m outta here.
I fully realize this site costs money to advertise, & I’m fine with it on the right hand column.
Putting CSX or any ad, for that matter, right where we’re trying to read a story is complete bullshit.
After all, how many ads will you sell if you have no posters?
October 2nd, 2009 at 2:49 pm“Palin nomination would be ‘catastrophic,’ GOP ‘bereft of ideas’ for health reform.”
No Schmidt, Sherlock!
October 2nd, 2009 at 2:49 pmZimzone@32, LOL! Don’t be too hard. I am beginning to think ALL life is a advertisment. From ‘Morning Joe’ swilling StarBucks to Brian Williams shilling for Al Roke on the ‘Weather Channel’
October 2nd, 2009 at 2:52 pmWe can only hope that Palin is the candidate in 2012. That would create a landslide for Dems in many toss up areas. The Republicans will finally go over the figurative cliff and complete the political realignment of the moderates moving to the Dem party.
October 2nd, 2009 at 3:00 pmLou Dobbs/Sarah Palin in 2012!!!
Lou has presidential ambitions, supposedly. Lou claims to be an “independent” but whenever I have the misfortune of seeing him on TV he sounds like a tight-as* Republican (if it looks like a duck and walks like a duck).
October 2nd, 2009 at 3:06 pmPalin won’t run, she is only interested in filling her bank account. Running for President is hard, and she is not really interested in working that hard. She couldn’t even finish a term as Gov of Alaska, probably the easiest Governor job in the country because of oil revenues. My prediction is she will be a drain on Republican funds and drop out at the last minute.
October 2nd, 2009 at 3:08 pmP.D. says:
…Brian Williams shilling….[for Israel]
I quit watching that clown when during the massacre in Gaza last January Williams thought that it would be cute to just give the total number of those killed on both sides.
October 2nd, 2009 at 3:09 pmAs if the deaths were a 50/50 split, and not 99% Palestinian civilians.
Sounds like “strategist Schmidt” is looking to shed the Sarah anchor from around his neck. Okay with me, but Sarah would still be the best choice for the Dems…go Sarah go.
October 2nd, 2009 at 3:12 pmmike from Arlington says:
Palin/Keyes 2012!
Bachmann could be SecDef.
Cheney @ HHS
Maybe Inhofe at Sec of Education?
I nominate Rep Paul “go to emergency room” Broun for Surgeon Genernal.
October 2nd, 2009 at 3:13 pmI agree!! Palin 2012!
October 2nd, 2009 at 3:13 pmSo their idea was to totally tank McCain’s chance, or ?????
October 2nd, 2009 at 3:14 pmI wouldn’t find it a catastrophe I would find it hilarious go sarah go hahahah
October 2nd, 2009 at 3:15 pmTodd Palin resigns from oil job
October 2nd, 2009 at 3:15 pmSorry about that. I do have other clients. Now where were we? Oh yes you were just about to explain what you goals and objectives are and what you think this negative attention seeking behavior gains…
October 2nd, 2009 at 3:28 pmNow it seems that you are having difficulty with the actual topic of this thread and have reverted to the just throw shit around strategy. How does that make you feel?
October 2nd, 2009 at 3:29 pmCrazy Legs says:
Why is Congress so eager to cut $160 billion-plus from Medicare Advantage?
There’s a difference between projecting places where savings can be made while giving the same level of service, and underfunding the program. Typical pro-big-government conservative, defending gubmint waste…
October 2nd, 2009 at 3:32 pmIs this guy going rouge???
October 2nd, 2009 at 4:15 pmCrazyLegs:”Why is Congress so eager to cut $160 billion-plus from Medicare Advantage?”
Because it’s a republican giveaway to the insurance industry. The idea, as I understand it, is that you save public money by cutting out the middle man (the insurance industry) and have Medicare negotiate for better prices itself.
October 2nd, 2009 at 4:24 pmHrundi V. Bakshi says:
Her daughter is a whore. We all agree on that.
Fcuk off, I don’t. That’s exactly the kind of blame-young-women crap social conservatives like to trot out.
October 2nd, 2009 at 4:48 pmAIO
says, of Palin”…woman crawls under my skin and creeps me out worse, way worse, than even Bachmann, Coulter or ‘Ginny Foxx.”
She creeps me out worse than Freddy Krueger.
October 2nd, 2009 at 4:51 pmIf she runs, though, she could herself some sweet clothes and maybe not give them back this time.
October 2nd, 2009 at 4:53 pmSchmidt and the people like him that recognize the problems that unchecked populism is causing in their party are going to have a really hard time turning it around. It ought to be fun to watch, and folks should give the trolls and crazies every encouragement to forget rationality and just go for it (whatever the frack ‘it’ is).
I’ve never seen a major political party dismantle itself, so it ought to be interesting. The Democrats have come close, a couple of times, but they managed to draw back from going over the edge; it isn’t clear at the moment whether the Republipimps have a personality or faction that’s capable of a disciplined effort to stop the irrationality. Michael Steele certainly isn’t that person.
October 2nd, 2009 at 4:57 pmInteresting that Palin is a Republican given that her husband has/had that union job…
October 2nd, 2009 at 4:57 pmWere those clothes ever actually given back? The latest I read was some clothes in black plastic (garbage) bags that weren’t inventoried were returned.
October 2nd, 2009 at 4:58 pmCrazy Legs says:
Why is Congress so eager to cut $160 billion-plus from Medicare Advantage?
Because the money won’t need to go to private insurers any more and Medicare customers will get even better coverage with the new system? ;)
October 2nd, 2009 at 5:22 pmCrazy Legs says:
Why are Republicans are so eager to end Medicare? ;)
October 2nd, 2009 at 5:22 pmPatsy’s got nothing. Next?
October 2nd, 2009 at 5:23 pmThere are laws concerning how campaign contributions can or cannot be spent without incurring taxes. When a candidate converts campaign contributions for personal use, then it becomes a part of their taxable income. Palin can buy clothes for her run but failure to return them or sell them would create a taxable item. The tax code and election law can be manipulated to allow a candidate to use money for extravagant meals, transportation, etc., during campaign activities. But any property that the candidate keeps will be taxed.
October 2nd, 2009 at 5:34 pmSCHMIDT: …and in fact, were she the nominee, we could have a catastrophic election result.
Schmidt is behind the curve here. The teabagger/birthers would say they’ve already had a catastrophic election result.
Heh.
October 2nd, 2009 at 6:57 pmHitler finds out about Sarah Palin’s book title.
October 3rd, 2009 at 11:32 am@ 65. heh. that’s worth two or three ubersnarks…
October 3rd, 2009 at 4:00 pmRomney/Palin 2012: One candidate wearing magic underwear and the other with a witch doctor as an advisor. What could possibly go wrong?
October 3rd, 2009 at 11:03 pmThank you for your sharing.!
October 7th, 2009 at 3:40 pmFor all the talk of the President losing independents, how come the Presidential approval number is at 52 to 53% and holding? vajina estetigi
October 9th, 2009 at 9:17 am