-
U.S. News: Obama-Kelley Meeting
May 20, 2013 | 0 comments
-
The SPLC: Big Bucks, the FRC, and Jimmy Carter
May 7, 2013 | 6 comments
-
Mark Levin Talks to the NRA
May 7, 2013 | 0 comments
-
POLITICO: RUSH LIMBAUGH MAY PART WITH CUMULUS
May 5, 2013 | 13 comments
-
The Problematic Frank Luntz’s Stockholm Syndrome
April 25, 2013 | 11 comments
The Spectacle Blog
Here we go.
So now come all these news reports (just for example, here, here, here, and here) that Team Romney has decided deliberately — deliberately — to trash Sarah Palin by not inviting her to the Tampa convention.
And they expect people to rally to their candidate when they are out there sticking their finger in the eye of the party’s base? Sending a message to the Tea Party to go take a flying leap?
If this is true, and no less than Governor Palin herself has said she is uninvited, one can only wonder:
What are these wizards of smart thinking?
Historically, people who are trashed by their own party employ the one entirely fatal weapon they have at their disposal: they stay home in November.
Having a unified convention is Politics 101.
Having — make that deliberately sponsoring — a convention inevitably perceived as being run by small people with no agenda except their own routinely yields the same results: defeat.
What should be done? Having had the opportunity to once upon-a-time work on this kind of issue myself, here’s the answer.
First, quickly and publicly remedy this by graciously inviting Governor Palin.
Second. As the 2008 nominees, Senator McCain and Governor Palin should have some place and/or role of honor at the convention — in this case, yes, speaking slots for both.
Third. Make certain that all of the nominee’s defeated rivals — Gingrich, Santorum, Bachmann, Ron Paul, Pawlenty, Perry — are given some public role at the convention. Have a unity dinner/breakfast/lunch with Governor Romney — lots of pictures. If there is a running mate selected by then — include the running mate.
Fourth: Get the platform under control — consult, consult, consult, consult. And have the votes in subcommittees, full committees and on the floor to get it done.
Last but not least: The night that Governor Romney accepts the nomination, at the conclusion of his speech and his bows with his running mate — flood the stage with McCain, Palin and all the defeated rivals.
Message: We are not Team Romney — we are Team America. And yes, Barack Obama, we are as one on the mission to stop you and your “transforming” of America in its tracks.
But for heaven’s sakes — be inclusive.
Get Governor Palin invited now. Post haste.
She was the first woman VP nominee of the Republican Party. She has more than earned simple, basic respect.
Don’t add to Governor Romney’s problems by making him seem like an ungracious, small man.
He quite decidedly isn’t. But the lights are on now — people are paying attention. He has real enemies out there. He will need all the help he can get not just to win, but to govern.
And that specifically includes Governor Palin.
View all comments (31) | Leave a comment
More Blog Posts by Jeffrey Lord
http://spectator.org/blog/2012/07/17/romney-campaign-disses-palin-t
Follow us:
ADVERTISEMENT
SPONSORED LINKS
FLASHBACK TO: 1995
-
Pope Culture
A man of faith in a godless age is hitting Americans where it hurts.
-
Why the GOP Does Not, Like, Totally Suck
Mr. and Mrs. American Spectator Reader, let P.J. O’Rourke talk sense to your kids.
-
Dames at Sea
-
In the Absence of Guns
In Britain, defending your property can get you life.
-
The Metaphysical Martini
-
Counting the Costs of Clintonism
The debacle of this president’s administration is both a cause and a symptom of the decline of American values. Unless Congress impeaches him, that decline will go on unchecked. An eminent jurist surveys the damage and assesses the chances for the recovery of our culture.
-
Chuck McHagel
It won’t take long for conservatives to scratch this presidential wannabe off their 2008 scorecard.
-
The Legacy of Old John and Mother Fresh-Roasted
-
It’s the Best Time of the Year
The American Christmas, like the songs that celebrate it, makes room for everybody under the rainbow. Is that why so many people seem to be hostile to it?
-
The Bush Crack-Up
Was the President done in by the economy, or by the politics of the economy?
Clip of the Day
ADVERTISEMENT
Dai Alanye | 7.17.12 @ 10:12AM
This advice is so basic it hardly seems necessary to state it, but Romney has a sort of genius for misunderstanding politics.
fmm| 7.17.12 @ 10:13AM
Unfortunately Romney is a small man.
Kingofthenet| 7.17.12 @ 10:18AM
Besides it will make the nominating FIGHT, more interesting when Mittens has to bow out. Give all the Contenders Boxing Gloves, and PLEASE put some lipstick on the pig.
Teflon93 | 7.17.12 @ 11:22AM
When will conservatives wake up and realize the GOP has nominated a liberal?
C. Vernon Crisler | 7.17.12 @ 5:29PM
I think conservatives have very high expectations for Romney. It's almost as though they think they've nominated a real conservative instead of a moderate.
The dissing of Sarah is just one in a long line of disappointments that conservatives will have to get used to. They now have to sleep in the bed they made during the primaries.
JKPitts| 7.17.12 @ 11:30AM
Go here:
http://www.mittromney.com/forms/suggestions
To tell the morons how to behave.
Ocmulgee| 7.17.12 @ 12:09PM
Romney is an establishment RINO, and finds comfort there. Gov. Palin probably won't endorse him, and he will probably lose to Obama. There is a long, dark road ahead.
RCV| 7.17.12 @ 12:25PM
As I've said before, conservatives who think that Romney feels he owes them anything have blinders on. The right tried to stop his nomination, so he feels no obligations to them. He will look to the center for his VP nomination, and will be sure that the American electorate sees a convention --and a future Romney administration -- firmly center stage, not stage right.
C. Vernon Crisler | 7.17.12 @ 5:33PM
The right tried to stop his nomination? Weren't you paying attention? No, they nominated this guy instead rather than a real conservative. Winning for them was the most important thing; not principle. This November is probably going to end up being a replay of the McCain/Obama contest, with Romney becoming more moderate as time goes on.
Truth to Power| 7.17.12 @ 7:05PM
RCV needs to go to San Bernardino to help out with trash removal. Why a screw up and functional idiot like RCV feels he has anything to offer on the advice front is amusing. The left are the poster boys of incompetent governance.
Quartermaster| 7.17.12 @ 1:29PM
No one thinks Mittens "owes" then anything. He did have to get much of the real base to support him to get the nomination, and if he then pokes them in the eye, then he can forget winning.
I will say this. It was a very serious mistake for any Republican to vote for Mittens, even the RINO wing. I very seriously doubt Mittens will beat Obama, the worst Dem candidate ever put up. Many of the founders stated categorically that Democracy is unstable form of government, and we are going to prove that once more. Steel yourselves for Mittens defeat, because I really believe he is going to lose.
Crassus| 7.17.12 @ 1:36PM
So RuPaul gets to enter through the front door while Sarah Palin has to enter through the rear and carry a mop and a pail? Way to go, Mittenz. All hair and no cattle.
aware| 7.17.12 @ 3:40PM
Obviously, you haven't been keeping up. Like in Nebraska. Inform yourself before you say something as wrong as this. GOP establishment will never let Paul through any door, front or back.
Now Palin will get the same treatment. It's what an "establishment" does, elbow out all who ain't them.
Crassus| 7.17.12 @ 3:48PM
Wrong, Junior. It's Palin who's getting treated like a dog. RuPaul and Sonny Boy Rand both will probably get a chance to speak at the RNC according to the latest scuttlebutt although perhaps not in a prime time slot. They get to enter through the front door. Palin gets to carry the mop.
aware| 7.17.12 @ 3:50PM
Yeah, we'll see won't we. Bet you have it backwards.
William R| 7.17.12 @ 6:05PM
Palin is a dumb bimbo and boob bait for losers like you.
hrh| 7.18.12 @ 1:43PM
Say that to Palin's face.
Bully.
RJ| 7.17.12 @ 2:23PM
I don't have a problem with focusing the convention on the nominee and I think it would be a good idea not to remind us of McCain, but the Romney campaign must avoid making any slights against Governor Palin and the Tea Party - they are the people he needs to get elected. McCain's big problem was he spent more time reaching across the aisle than working with the people on his side of the aisle.
Ken (Old Texican)| 7.17.12 @ 2:25PM
She will be invited to speak.
RCV is a communist and part of the nomenklatura..(elite ruling class). Ignore him
KennesawJack| 7.17.12 @ 3:47PM
I think you're right Ken. If Palin isn't invited, Romney hands the election to Obamarx. He MUST know that.
Sjccoach| 7.17.12 @ 2:58PM
Another clue that we will have Obama for four more years. Romney is the typical RINO. He only looks to conservatives when he needs the nomination. Now that the nomination is sewn up watch him move away from the base of the party. Like Ford, Bush, Dole and McCain he will throw away the election.
NormKundla| 7.17.12 @ 3:02PM
If Sarah Palin isn't speaking at the Republican convention then I won't vote for Mitt Romney. I am a Florida voter, so my vote does matter. If this is a preview of things to come then we have have gained nothing. We probably should hold our breaths for Romneycare either.
NormKundla| 7.17.12 @ 3:05PM
Romney keeps playing into the media's hand when he does stuff like this. Romney needs Palin supporters to win and last time I checked nearly 60 million of us voted for her to VP and she has a bigger following than him. Palin has the power to make or break Romney.
NormKundla| 7.17.12 @ 3:08PM
If Sarah Palin isn't speaking in Primetime it will be an insult to the Tea Party and the real conservatives that powered the 2010 victories. It is the GOP Establishment that is Small Tent and Big Goverment.
aware| 7.17.12 @ 3:49PM
This farce(election) will come down to simply who pisses you off enough to vote for the other political hack. So far, conventional wisdom would tell you that Obama easily pisses off more people, more deeply. But just give Romney time to work.
Just wait till he starts showing you who the "In" people are he'll be surrounding himself with. This little spitball at Palin will seem mild then.
rightasrain| 7.17.12 @ 9:51PM
Does anyone know who is responsible for inviting people to the convention? Romney isn't even the nominee yet so I question whether his team has the sole say-so.
hrh| 7.18.12 @ 1:45PM
Rrrrrrright.
And do you question whether Romney's team had sole say-so regarding the entire primary process?
To wit, Florida moving their primary up a month.
Virginia making their ballot process so difficult only Romney and Paul got on it.
Iowa declaring Romney the winner for 2 weeks before Santorum, the actual winner, is acknowledged.
You think the Romney team didn't have sole say-so in all of that?
Ooooookay, then.
rightasrain| 7.18.12 @ 2:49PM
Rrrrrrrright. The same Romney you would probably describe as tepid, wishy-washy and insipid is also a shrewd, Machiavellian genius who manipulated all the primaries and now is manipulating the convention. Oooookay then.
Surly Curmudgen| 7.18.12 @ 2:20PM
Romney does not come close to being a moderate. Fabian socialist however fits him to a "T". Is it not a sad day when we are contemplating saving ourselves from a Marxist communist by electing a socialist?
Fiscal| 7.19.12 @ 2:10PM
Romney does his homework. The extreme right hates Obama and the extreme left hates the extreme right. No one on the right will vote for Obama and no one on the left will vote for Romney. Polling shows that Obama has 45% of the vote tied up and Romney has about 40% of the vote tied up. So it is that middle 15% that Romney must convince. They absolutely hated Palin and if he wants to give the election to Obama, he can't throw Palin in their faces. He knows that this election will be won by whoever gets the independents/moderates to vote for him.
The downside is that some of those on the extreme right may not come out to vote. However, that risk is minimal since they almost certainly will vote against Obama.
This is politics, folks, and it is won by paying attention to the numbers. Just ask Rove.