The American Spectator

Bullpup| 11.10.08 @ 3:00PM

Palin proves yet again she is more in touch with America than McCain and scores of beltway Republicans.

I don't think she should have referred to "the Republican ticket" since she frags herself in the process. She should have straight up said, McCain and all the other flakes out there who have been spending as fast as they can with both hands.

Captain America| 11.10.08 @ 3:29PM

What everyone is asking: How the hell does a Republican administration rack up such debt? It doesn't take a Barlett or Bandow to reach that conclusion.

Mary| 11.10.08 @ 3:29PM

I think she has to tread carefully here. GW is still popular with the base.

I don't think McCain or Palin had to embrace GW's missteps, but I think treating him like a leper was a mistake.

He's kept the Country safe. He's a decent man and people appreciate loyalty. Wright didn't hurt Obama, after all.

Instead of playing a game of cut and run, that was not believable from the start, it would have been much better if McCain would have realized that to say one thing about something is not to say everything.

I never thought of McCain as a genius, but he sure could have lived up to his honorable man image and defended Palin against this barrage of antipathy.

He didn't have to stipulate to anything he didin't know. All he had to do was come out and say that this chumpish attack on his VP was unseemly and wrong.

Captain America| 11.10.08 @ 3:32PM

It should also be pointed out that 2006 might have been different had President Bush opted to dismiss SoD Rumsfeld before the election instead of after it.

Not that I was entirely pleased to see him go, but there was so much baggage well before the 2006 election.

Captain America| 11.10.08 @ 3:34PM

Mary,

I'm afraid its not how you and I feel about GWB but how the nation does. Right now, he treads at about 20% favorably.

Mary| 11.10.08 @ 3:52PM

Captain -

I understand your point, and maybe you're right.

I didn't mean that McCain should have blabbed on about President Bush, but that on a few occasions he should have reminded people that he tried to act in what he thought was the best interest of the people and that these many years later we remain safe.

In Peggy Noonan's most recent column she writes that because President Bush commands so little respect that Obama "is president from day-one, in a way."

What kind of instant gratification seeking is that? What kind of historical myopia is that?

It's astounding to me that in all this talk of intellectual curiosity or the lack of it, we are stuck with people who wouldn't know erudition if it bankrolled them.

P.S. After the market collapse, safety against foreign enemies ceased to be an issue at all, I do realize that.

megapotamus| 11.10.08 @ 4:16PM

If it weren't for Palin McCain wouldn't have had a single up day nationally. If he had stuck with his supposed anti-spending image and torpedoed Bailout Jr... Now With Extra Sweeteners!!!! he would have won by ten points. This malicious, stupid and flatly fictional attack on Palin is disgusting and a sad revelation from a man who, while serving this nation well and long, is shown finally to be rather petty. McCain can be counted on to lead the new non-partisan Republicans into their true destiny; tax collectors for the welfare state, and to malign their supporters all the way. Thus will he reclaim his "base"... the press.

ruth| 11.10.08 @ 4:45PM

Palin should distance herself from Bush. But I believe she can do it in an honorable way so that it doesn't appear petty or mean spirited. President Bush did some great things in office, and I am grateful, but his weakness and lack of leadership as the Republican standard-bearer is unforgivable.

Spicy Joker| 11.10.08 @ 5:24PM

The question is why Bush Jr. is popular with the base. Bush Sr. doesn't look so bad in hindsight.

DJ| 11.10.08 @ 6:13PM

Captain America | 11.10.08 @ 2:29PM
What everyone is asking: How the hell does a Republican administration rack up such debt? It doesn't take a Barlett or Bandow to reach that conclusion.
>>

Amen, a "conservative" that gave us medicare part b and no child left behind. He spent money like a hillbilly that hit the lotto, and we'll all pay for it for many years to come.

Thomas| 11.10.08 @ 9:31PM

IMO, the Palin quote is only half the story. W was never a social conservative and not really more than a fiscal moderate. He also proved unable to control his party. This hurt him and, to some extent the, the Party. Add to that the non-stop attacks by Dems and the press, most of which were based upon inaccurate information, convinced a large number of people that he was responsible for all of their problems, even the ones that only existed in the minds of his enemies.

What truly killed the Republican chances was their non-candidate [J. McCain], MSM propaganda for Obama and vote fraud. McCain could still have pulled it out, if he had tried.

ruth| 11.10.08 @ 10:15PM

McCain is a moderate. Moderates get their butts kicked.

james23| 11.11.08 @ 9:05AM

Sarah was just acknowledging the obvious here. She was not mean or scape-goating--just stating the obvious.

Eric Dondero| 11.11.08 @ 9:15AM

The Beltway libertarian crowd, along with the cynics at Reason, were comletley absent from the "libertarians for Palin" movement. It's not like we libertarians for Palin won't notice if they try to start chummying up to our Palin 2012 effort.

We'll be the first to check their '08 membership cards at the door. Sorry, no Johnny come Latelys allowed at the dance.