I briefly served as a volunteer speechwriter on the McCain-Palin campaign in 2008. I was never part of the inner circle, and even if I had “dirt” to dish, I wouldn’t dare violate the confidentiality agreement I signed – even though that hasn’t stopped some former McCain campaign aides from publicly blaming Gov. Sarah Palin for everything that went wrong.
But here’s the truth about the McCain-Palin campaign, which HBO’s upcoming “Game Change” film attempts to shroud in fanciful anti-Palin fiction: Palin carried the campaign. She would have led the Republicans to victory had it not been for the September financial collapse and McCain’s disastrous decision to suspend his campaign so that he could vote for the TARP bailout in Washington.
The Democrats knew it, too. That fall, I was back in the classroom at Harvard Law School, surrounded by students and faculty who not only supported Sen. Barack Obama but were, in some cases, involved in his campaign at senior levels. They feared Palin and, after her arrival, could barely talk about the election without a sense of dread. They had no answer for her optimism, her authenticity, her femininity and her courage.
On the ground in New Hampshire, where I volunteered after classes and on weekends, Palin’s nomination had led to a sudden groundswell of support. Where McCain had struggled to fill an arena, lines outside events featuring Palin seemed miles long. She had awakened and rallied the conservative base.
[…]
After the election, when the Republican establishment began to self-destruct, Palin rallied the conservative base yet again. She became an important voice in the burgeoning Tea Party movement. She helped lead Republicans to the greatest congressional victory in several generations. Her success stopped the Obama agenda dead in its tracks. That’s a real “game change” worthy of a film – and the story’s still being written.
Of course they can’t tell the truth about Sarah Palin. You don’t demonize someone to that degree and not be scared of them. You don’t worry about something insignificant. If left alone she would still be standing. It’s still amazing to me that people can’t accept the reason she gave up the governorship of Alaska.
IMO McCain threw the race under the bus. Phony concern, rushing back like HE could stem the tide. That old fool picked someone who showed him up and didn’t like the results. People, why do they keep picking the same stupid damn people to muck up our lives. Just like Harry Reid. We are still in the hole here and he was going to be our ( the little guy, you know) savior. BS
But you know, GOD knows who really won THAT race.
Thanks Curt for helping me recover from what I feared might be dementia. It’s routine from the leftist propaganda machine but maddening all the same. Every time I hear someone rail against Palin for wrecking the last election, I scratch my head and wonder; did I miss something? It seemed to me McCain was DOA until she entered the campaign and gave us hope for a true leader. McCain was an awful choice but it was his turn in the good-ole-boys club to get a swing. Just like Bush 1 and Dole. Milktoast.
However, I did not approve of Palin giving her endorsement for McCain’s Senate re-election. It smacked of political payback of the same ilk I loved her for fighting against. I was mad about that for quite awhile. McCain deserves our respect for what he suffered in Hanoi but that is all. All the same, I think she would be exactly what we need as President. I guess she knew this HBO hit-piece was coming and decided it was too much to overcome. I’m still hoping for a brokered convention where we slide her in at the last minute. If we’re destined to lose, I’d love to have her front and center telling ’em all what we think on our way down.
If left alone she would still be standing. ( Dee February 24, 2012 at 9:20 pm)
Umm… looks to me like she’s still standing, and still has standing! This occurred just two weeks ago. How soon we forget. see:
As to your question, ” why do they keep picking the same stupid damn people to muck up our lives. Just like Harry Reid”, the pot is rigged and the deck is stacked against us by the very ones who want to maintain their power and control over us. They choose the candidate they want us to vote for. It is our duty to fall in line like good little sheep and vote the Party line, never mind our disgust and revulsion at been expected to do so. That is how we ended up with Dole, McCain, and now Romney. And even if they throw us conservatives a bone by nominating a conservative for the VP slot, the end result will most likely remain the same, a discouraged and disenfranchised base, leading into what could be the most important election of our lifetimes.