The Spectacle Blog
After Wednesday’s all-day drama surrounding Saturday’s Tea Party rally in Indianola, Iowa — with headliner Sarah Palin reportedly ready to cancel her scheduled appearance — Palin’s fans were understandably perplexed.
It appeared that the event’s organizers, a new group called Tea Party of America founded by Ken Crow, had provoked an unnecessary controversy by a last-minute decision to add former Delaware Senate candidate Christine O’Donnell to the rally schedule. Tuesday, O’Donnell was disinvited and then re-invited, and by Wednesday morning, Palin’s participation in the event was reported to be “on hold.” Then O’Donnell was finally disinvited and, at last word, Palin had agreed to go on with Saturday’s show.
The very public controversy seemed almost perfectly calculated to promote the media’s stereotype of Palin as difficult and demanding. NBC News reported:
Tea Party of America President Ken Crow told NBC News, “I had to cancel Ms. O’Donnell” after a conversation with Sarah Palin aides - and is now hopeful Palin will attend the Saturday rally in Indianola.
He was told by Palin’s team that he’d have a final answer shortly.
This comes after failed Delaware Senate candidate Christine O’Donnell was in, then out, then back in, and now indefinitely out. And Palin was in, then “on hold.”
An organizer of the much-publicized tea party rally in Iowa this weekend says Sarah Palin would not be doing herself any favors if she drops out of the event.
“I hope that isn’t so…It would hurt her more than hurt us,” event organizer Ken Crow, the co-founder and president of the Tea Party of America, told TheDC.
And Real Clear Politics reported:
While it is clear that O’Donnell’s proposed speaking slot was not acceptable to Palin’s camp, the Palin aide denied that anyone on the Palin team had explicitly demanded that O’Donnell be removed from the speaker’s list.
Palin’s concern arose, the aide said, when an O’Donnell aide suggested to event organizers that Palin wanted the Delawarean to share the stage with her.
“They haven’t spoken in over a year,” the aide said of the two women.
Someone unearthed a quote from event organizer Crow saying of Palin’s presidential prospects: “I know for a fact she ain’t gonna run.” The quote prompted Dave Weigel of Slate to exclaim: “That’s the guy bringing Palin to Iowa for an event that reporters are attending because they wonder whether Palin will run!”
Palin supporters wondered why Crow was publicly expressing such derogatory opinions about his own rally’s headliner. And then one e-mailed me a photo showing Crow talking to Texas Gov. Rick Perry at a recent Des Moines GOP event. The Palin supporter speculated:
This guy Crow has to be doing this all on purpose, for one reason: to make Palin look bad, for the benefit of someone who wants to make Palin look bad.
Remember: if they can make the narrative “Tea Party Woman=Christine O’Donnell=Sarah Palin” stick, then who wins? Rick Perry.
That speculation may seem far-fetched, but Stacy Drake of Conservatives for Palin writes: “I do know that Ken Crow is a Rick Perry supporter who has managed to make a mess out of a highly publicized event that Governor Palin will be headlining on Saturday. I also know that he has been trashing Governor Palin to the press.”
Is this paranoia? Or are Palin’s supporters belatedly learning why I described Perry’s campaign as “The Phantom Menace” of Iowa?
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amy| 9.1.11 @ 3:26AM
Rick Perry is an off-putting combination of George W. Bush and Sarah Palin – to most independents and moderate voters. It would be counterproductive of conservatives to nominate him – it would re-elect President Obama.
And Perry’s crony capitalism problem/pay-to-play baggage is a huge issue too!
Adjoran| 9.1.11 @ 4:47AM
Paranoia for $200, Stacy!
Notice the non-denial from Palin's camp: they didn't insist CO'D be banned from speaking. Well, they didn't say they didn't object to her sharing the stage with Palin, did they? Or that they were reconsidering participation because of it, did they? Instead, a narrow response . . . it would have been fine with the Palin folks if Christine had spoke at 11 a.m., in the side parking lot, with no electronic amplification.
And Crow seems entirely too much a yokel to have plotted such a complex scheme, or even to have followed it so perfectly.
If Perry's team is indeed capable of getting this far inside a rival camp's OODA Loop on such short notice, he will roll over Obama like tanks over France.
Never assign to malice that which can be explained by incompetence.
creeper| 9.1.11 @ 11:18AM
Crow IS a yokel. His yokelism is on full display here.
Jrd| 9.1.11 @ 7:35PM
Perry-krishna, Perry-krishna, krishna, krishna, Hare, Hare.
Ween yourself off the crony capitalist Kool-Aid.
We presently have a crony capitalist in the White house. No one is going to run to the polls to vote for another one.
A white crony capitalist from Texas doesn't beat a black crony capitalist from Chicago, duh!
Negro X| 9.1.11 @ 7:19AM
Any conservative who worries about " independent and moderate voters" is an idiot.
The independent voter is mindless drone.
Indy| 9.1.11 @ 8:22AM
I disagree, many independents are not happy with either party. Many independents are conservatives, we do not favor the GOP establishment. There are also many independents who disagree with the hard leftist views of the current Dems. You have no idea about my background, "mindless drone" I think not.
Bo| 9.1.11 @ 11:36AM
Evidently only "idiots" want to win the election while the smart people are fine sending out the Christine O'Donnells to slaughter.
m| 9.1.11 @ 7:23AM
I prefer Gov. Rick Perry of Texas to run for President; not Sarah Palin.
Amjean| 9.1.11 @ 1:23PM
I prefer for Sarah Palin to become president of the United States, not Rick Perry.
mistert1950| 9.1.11 @ 1:48PM
M:
You sound like a really informed voter because I love his Dream Act of 2001, am really excited with his plan to pay for healthcare on both sides of the border, am most excited with his taking 18 billion in stimulus money and raising his state's debt. Stay informed M, our country needs more informed voters as yourself!
Jrd| 9.1.11 @ 7:37PM
You prefer crony capitalism. At least you admit it. Might as well stick with Obama.
martin j smith| 9.1.11 @ 7:49AM
Christine ODonnell aint so hot and her walking off an interview was not so smart. So, I think TEA PARTY candidates need better vetting in some cases.
As for Palin--( that is up to her as to what to do ) but I would NOT WANT TO SHARE A STAGE WITH ODONNELL.
Beyond that For those of you may have forgotten -one: We will have no perfect candidate but we need the BEST WINNER of the lot that is in
the field --and so far Palin is NOT in. And as we me we need the Anti-Obama and the Anti-GWB ( at least in terms of ability to articulate ) and I could support Perry and others but we will see.
TennesseeVolunteer| 9.1.11 @ 7:59AM
AS, Don't waste your time on such trivia. There is much to do in this world and worrying how people with agendas are playing musical chairs should not be a priority.
Pecos Pete| 9.1.11 @ 8:22AM
TV: Agreed.
I have an idea: You and I will form The Tea Party of Independent America, Inc. We will then invite King O to make a speech. King O will then be promoted by the MSM as the only candidate suitable for election because he is the favorite of Tea Partiers, unions, GE, the CIA, environmentalists, train buffs, Code Pink, the Chinese and the military. Hopefully we could figure out how to get ACORN to become a shareholder and fund our enterprise.
Apologies if I left out an activist group or other interested person(s).
Sean| 9.1.11 @ 8:12AM
http://dailycaller.com/2011/08.....re-praise/
Democrat Rick Perry is such an idiot that he praised Hillary Care. This was when all conservatives even some Democrats were fighting against it tooth and nail. No we Do Not need a fake candidate.
bluecollarbytes| 9.1.11 @ 8:28AM
The events Palin attends are full of potential landmines- and I think Palin's camp thinks about that.
PopMedia is basically waiting around to pounce on every utterance and interaction between Palin and the wide-spread somewhat disparate tea party forces. Everything Palin does and says will be used against her. Palin will always be Palin- genuine that is. But if she is going to enter the race, she will need to try to control perceptions like any other candidate.
Now is not a good time to affiliate, on stage, with Christine O'Donnell- someone who probably had to much trust placed in her given prior history (including financial questions) and what appears to be her craving for relevance in celebritydom.
JGwen| 9.1.11 @ 8:45AM
http://dailycaller.com/2011/08.....re-praise/
Governor Perry was then the newly elected as Texas Agriculture Commissioner. He was appropriately concerned over the needs of his constituency. He wrote concerning the directions Hillary Care would take vis-à-vis and on behalf of his constituents. At that point it was not clear the directions Hillary's efforts would ultimately take. It is pretty apparent the "Commissioner's" appreciation of and reaction as related to the full nature and impact of Hillary Care could not be and was not with knowledge of her ultimate product.
Sean| 9.1.11 @ 10:42AM
That is false. Everyone at that time knew what Hillary wanted for health care and it was worse than Obamacare. Conservatives were fighting her while Perry was praising her efforts.
Jrd| 9.1.11 @ 7:39PM
Nice try but he already changed his party to Republican. So that means he was a Republican who supported Hellerycare. Yep, got it.
Bob Grant| 9.1.11 @ 9:05AM
This is typical Palin. Confusion and pettiness. She wings it way to much for a legitimate presidential candidate which her followers just love but 95 percent of the country do not.
The bottom line is the Rick Perry surge should put the final dagger in any hopes of her running, which is just as well. The real question is whether she'll throw caution to the wind and run.
Amjean| 9.1.11 @ 1:25PM
As soon as voters research Perry's record or it
leaks out via the internet, etc. they will quickly turn away from him.
Seek| 9.1.11 @ 3:18PM
Drama queens don't make good presidents. Sarah Palin is one of those people -- I've known more than a few -- who enjoy ginning up a false sense of controversy so as to call attention to her "persecution." Go home, already. Mission accomplished.
mcr| 9.1.11 @ 5:00PM
Bob
Bet you were thrilled at yesterdays Tea Party mix up for the Sat Rally. Any chance you get to pick on Palin, you run with it. I have really noticed that about you.
Jrd| 9.1.11 @ 7:42PM
Then why does your crony capitalist candidate need Palin to drag him over the finish line? Bottom line, once Palin declares Slick Rick is running for VP. Take that to the bank. You know it, I know it, and you know that I know that you know it.
mrp| 9.1.11 @ 9:40AM
I hope Team Palin checks the sound system before her speech.
As for Rick Perry, what goes around, comes around.
In the immortal words of Mitt Romney (on Jay Leno's Tonight Show):
"Did you see what she did to that halibut?"
somnolence| 9.1.11 @ 11:11AM
I hope Palin does run just to make the current field cringe and sweat. Some people think that she appears to be too big-headed, or egotistical, AS IF THE OTHERS AREN'T? Perhaps she is drawing some attention from them because their messages at times appear to be repetitive and shallow. Many pundits say she will lose in the primaries, or utter the craziest thing I have heard yet, that she should run in 2016. Suppose the GOP prevails in 2012 for the White House? Now where would that put Palin in 2016. No, all the arguments that O'Reilly, Noonan, Morris, and Will put together urging her not to run fall on deaf ears in my corner. Give me a reason to vote for any of the others over her. I haven't seen it yet.
steve in ohio| 9.1.11 @ 1:38PM
Electability?
Bob Grant| 9.1.11 @ 2:04PM
She's right on the issues. Wrong on the intangibles. She doesn't have the stuff of presidents.
Jrd| 9.1.11 @ 7:43PM
And you didn't see "The Undefeated."
If you did you would recognize Slick Rick as one of those eunuchs in the corrupt crony capitalist bastids club.
OLDRAY| 9.1.11 @ 11:20AM
Perry is a sure loser. HHis crony dealings are too obvious to be covered up. The Democrat mediawill equate it with Perry being a crook. And there is no real answer to his record. Palin is a straight arrow.
Amjean| 9.1.11 @ 1:26PM
I agree with you 100%
Bob Grant| 9.1.11 @ 2:09PM
Puleeeze. In the meantime Obama is racking up his crony credentials at record pace: GE, Berkshire Hathaway, Goldman Sachs, Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac (true, GSE's but not immune to crony capitalism), GE...shall I continue?
Let the dems try!!
Jrd| 9.1.11 @ 7:46PM
And how about Slick Ricks crony capitalism. We already have a crony capitalist why replace him. Gardasil, Trans-Texas Corridor, shall I continue?
Bob Grant| 9.1.11 @ 2:19PM
...Oh, and how about Solyndra? The failed solar panel company that went bankrupt after receiving a half a billion dollars from the taxpayers.
A shocker!! Obama received $137, 000 in campaign donations in '08. This in not just boilerplate cronyism, this is criminal.
Let the dems go after Perry.
Jrd| 9.1.11 @ 7:47PM
Perry who is having a fundraiser in NYC hosted by the dude who founded AIG? You know the flippin' AIG we had to bail out in the 2008 financial debacle. That kind of crony capitalist.
somnolence| 9.1.11 @ 2:02PM
Steve In Ohio: Prove to me ANY of the others are electable. Bob Grant: You're quite sure that "95 % of the country" doesn't agree with Palin? I don't think I would be that sure.
Bob Grant| 9.1.11 @ 2:11PM
I just said they don't agree with her antics, not necessarily her positions.
Jrd| 9.1.11 @ 7:49PM
What about Slick Rick's antics like lying to the citizens of Texas that if he wins a 3rd term for governor he won't run for POTUS. Antics like that?
steve in ohio| 9.1.11 @ 4:17PM
67% say they would never vote for her. A few polls have had Romney and Perry ahead of Obama, but never for Palin. Even Ron Paul, my favorite but another hopeless cause, polls better than Sarah.
Jrd| 9.1.11 @ 7:50PM
Liar, you are quoting push polls. We are not sheeple like Perry-krishnas who tell people Palin is endorsing him.
Mike Bergsma| 9.5.11 @ 3:24PM
I detest the term "sheeple". It is snotty and arrogant and adds nothing to the discussion. Contempt for the voters is not a smart practice if you are trying to influence them.
Mike Bergsma| 9.5.11 @ 3:26PM
Those were not push polls at all but widely regarded polls like Rasmussen.
somnolence| 9.1.11 @ 2:09PM
Just what the hell is the "stuff of Presidents." Even under Reagan we had Iran-Contra and the Marine barracks in Beirut blown up and we didn't retaliate. The "stuff of Presidents" my butt.
Controse| 9.1.11 @ 3:01PM
The dirty tricks just keep coming. One would think that Gov. Palin would have assured herself total control of the invitees to this event before publicizing it so. After all it is the anniversary of her VP acceptance speech. But I have no doubt once Sarah is on the podium she will turn it all to her advantage somehow.
somnolence| 9.1.11 @ 4:38PM
And, Steve, who generates these polls? I have NEVER been contacted by one of these polling apparatchiks, and I've been voting since 1972. The 67% is inflated bogus B.S. at its most nonsensical. I'll lay you a wager if Sarah gets in she will outpoll your man, Paul, easily.
Clint| 9.1.11 @ 6:11PM
Associated Press-GfK poll: Ron Paul the most favorable GOP candidate
A new national poll of the general population has revealed that top tier candidate Ron Paul is the most favorable choice in the Republican Presidential nomination race.
Ron Paul 37% favorable vs 36% unfavorable = +1
Mitt Romney 39% favorable vs 41% unfavorable = -2
Rick Perry 33% favorable vs 36% unfavorable = -3
Michele Bachmann 35% favorable vs 43% unfavorable = -8
ys| 10.25.11 @ 10:07PM
Slewing ring : a novel rotary products, also commonly called a slewing bearing slewing bearing, usually by a worm, shell, motor and other components. http://www.1stbearing.com