Palin-Clinton Race in 2012?

Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin and her husband Todd with their fifth child, new baby "Trig" (a Norwegian name). Trig is a special needs child, born with Down Syndrome. Sarah's and Todd's press release after the child was born began, "God has blessed us . . . ." Mother, father, and child are doing well.

On my national blog on Wednesday, I'll have a column up about two women who could be competing for the presidency in 2012: Sen. Hillary Clinton of New York and Gov. Sarah Palin of Alaska, whose youngest daughter, Piper, age 7, is pictured jumping on a huge sealskin in a Native Alaskan area. Piper has to be one of the most charming children in America, and sometimes the TV stations want to interview her before they talk to her very popular mother. Sarah Palin is reportedly on McCain's short list for V-P choices. She has five children, including a newborn boy, Trig.

On this column early tomorrow I'm going to talk about my experiences with the "NobamaNetwork" and other groups committed to making sure Barack Obama does not get elected. I hope you'll come back. If you have a blog or web site, please join the Nobama Network.

Bill's Girlfriend? Obama "Sliming" Hillary?

Let's make a major effort to support Republican congressional candidate Dana Walsh. I am going to put up on every blog (and I have a bunch) an appeal to send a contribution to Ms. Walsh. She's pro-military and running against Cindy Sheehan and Nancy Pelosi, "the witches of the West." I hope a whole lot of people online will feature Dana Walsh at: http://danawalshforcongress.com. Her web site is terrific. It has pics of Sheehan and Pelosi playing huggy-bear with dictators (Chavez and Assad). Please contribute what you can.


"She sounds like she's planning a coalition government. The two of 'us" are going to run this together." (David Gergen of CNN on Hillary Clinton)


Gina Gershon, actress linked romantically in Vanity Fair article to former President Bill Clinton. The article was written by Todd Purdum, who is married to Clinton's former press secretary, Dee Dee Myers. Yikes! Somehow, the Botoxed lips don't work for me. However, a friend in Ambridge said of Bill, "I can't believe it. As he gets older, the girlfriends get better looking."




Bulletin: Tomorrow (Wednesday) I'll talk about Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton and what lies ahead for her. If I had a crystal ball, I'd predict that -- in 2012 -- Mrs. Clinton would be running for President . . . against Vice-President Sarah Palin. Hey, stranger things haven't happened, I admit, but we paddle along nowadays in uncharted waters. The following are Bill Clinton's comments about how the Obama campaign and its surrogates have been "sliming" (nice word, Bill) his wife.





"The editor of Esquire— he sent us an email yesterday and said it was the single sleaziest piece of journalism he'd seen in decades. He said it made him want to go take a shower and he was embarrassed to be a journalist when he read it."





"You know he [Todd Purdum] didn't use a single name, cite a single source in all those things he said. It's just slimy. It's part of the national media's attempt to nail Hillary for Obama. It's the most biased press coverage in history. It's another way of helping Obama.





"They had all these people standing up in this church [Barack's now-former church, Trinity United] cheering, calling Hillary a white racist, and he didn't do anything about it. The first day he said 'Ah, ah, ah well.' Because that's what they do— he [Obama] gets other people to slime her. So then they saw the movie they thought this is a great ad for John McCain— maybe I better quit the church. It's all politics."





"It's all about the bias of the media for Obama. Don't think anything about it."



Steve adds: I doubt we've heard the last of this. On Dee Dee Myers: Clinton did appoint her press secretary, but decided relatively soon that she wasn't up to the job. I thought she was (and is) a capable PR person. Apparently, she was very hurt by President Bill tossing her under the bus, but she's avoided trashing him.




Do I believe McCain supporters should use Bill Clinton's comments against Obama? I sure do. Mrs. Clinton has portrayed Barack Obama as a man not at all ready to be President. She should be reminded of her comments -- and so should Obama.

Note: I'm putting up the following column from my national blog because it's relevant to the concerns of this site.

The pundits last night didn't really "interpret" Mrs. Clinton's "concession speech" (more properly, her "non-concession speech"). Instead, they mainly had a befuddled look on their faces. Some wondered if she was not perhaps launching the first shot in her 2012 campaign for the presidency. (I suggested that the next presidential election -- the one after this year's -- might end up pitting Senator Clinton on the Democratic side against Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin for the Republicans. (In this scenario, President John McCain would have -- as we used to say in business -- "elected to take early retirement.")


Of course, the major question the Senator left is whether she wants (expects?) the vice presidential nod. CNN"s David Gergen suggested that Mrs. Clinton seemed to be indicating that she wanted Senator Obama to agree to some sort of "coalition" government -- or perhaps a co-presidency. On that point, what about a "troika," that would have three equal parts: Barack, Hillary, and -- of course -- Bill?


The problem with Hillary as a vice-presidential nominee is this: she has supplied the Republicans with all sorts of ammunition. Famously, she once said, "I have a lifetime of experience; Senator McCain has a lifetime of experience; Senator Obama has a speech [against the Iraq War] that he delivered in 2002." When Obama runs against McCain, he will hear those words used in ads -- again and again and again.


Mrs. Clinton's slogan in her campaign was "Ready on Day 1." She has implied that John McCain would also be ready to serve as President on Day 1. Of course, her words mean that Obama would NOT be ready. If she thought the Illinois Senator had the appropriate seasoning (and as Prince Hamlet said, "The readiness is all"), then her slogan would have made no sense. Bill Clinton said on June 2 that the Obama campaign was "sliming" his wife.


Again, if Hillary Clinton accepts (the proper word may be "seizes") the vice-presidential nod, Bill Clinton's words just might ring throughout the fall campaign. The former President indicated that Obama is relying on "surrogates" to hurl mud at his wife.Are Hillary and Bill Clinton really ready to mend fences with Obama? Are they willing to say, in essence, "all is forgiven, Barack. We really didn't mean all those nasty things we said about you."


Is this to be a ticket that contains a undertone of the following: "It's true that I said Barack wouldn't be ready on day 1; however, since he will have me with him (in the White House? perhaps the Lincoln Bedroom?), he won't have to worry about not being quite ready for prime time."


And what would the presence of Mrs. Clinton on the ticket do to Obama's seminal message of change? In fact, the "Billary" triplex would be a continuing reminder of the ghosts of American politics past. Barack would learn that it's impossible to fire a vice-president (or a former President)

.For Senator McCain, campaigning against an Obama-Clinton team might not be the daunting task it appeared to be yesterday. The Republican message -- one of them -- is going to highlight Obama's unsuitability for the highest office. And the main "spokesperson" for that position might not be John McCain, but rather Hillary Clinton -- with occasional assists from her husband.

Let the games begin!

Is McCain Talking to Hillary?

To regular visitors, I'll have another column up on Sunday morning. It will deal with "options for Hillary Clinton" -- and it will be a good piece. I have a hunch Mrs. Clinton will go through the motions when it comes to the campaign of Barack Obama. In the recent flap about a new preacher (an RC priest) at Obama's (former?) church, John McCain stood up for his friend Hillary Clinton -- and Obama didn't. I think Sen. McCain may be talking to Sen. Clinton behind the scenes.


If you're interested in another candidate who might one day end up in the White House, check out my piece on PA's Melissa Hart: http://pennsylvaniaforjohnmccain.blogspot.com/.

Rumors are swirling that Gov. Sarah Palin of Alaska is on John McCain's short-list for the vice-presidential nomination. I'll write more Thursday p.m. about why Sarah would appeal to disaffected Hillary Clinton supporters. The following is from the popular site called "Wizbang."

http://wizbangblog.com/content/2008/05/28/wednesday-evening-reads.php

Main Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin To Meet With McCain VP Search Team

Posted by KevinPublished: May 29, 2008 - 1:32 AM

A tipster sent us word that John McCain's VP advance man Arthur Culvahouse has been spotted in Juneau, Alaska. There's only one reason he would be there - to meet with Alaska Governor Sarah Palin about the Vice President position.

This comes on the heels of McCain's Memorial Day weekend barbecue attended by Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, Florida Gov. Charlie Crist, Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, Kansas Sen. Sam Brownback, South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham, former White House budget director Rob Portman, and Connecticut Sen. Joe Lieberman. Supposedly that was in informal affair, not a vetting session, but it appears that the VP selection game is very much afoot.

Governor Palin would (in my estimation) make an excellent VP candidate for McCain. Thomas Cheplick at The American Spectator makes the case that she's probably the only VP cadidate who can balance the ticket against Obama. She's also a potential magnet for disaffected Hillary Clinton voters, many of whom are just looking for a reason not to vote for Obama.

Sarah Palin: New Mommy V-P?

Later today I'll be writing more on my national blog(s) about how Republican candidates in PA and elsewhere can exploit Democratic Congressman Paul Kanjorski's statement (scroll down) that Democrats lied to voters to get elected in 2006. On my Pennsylvania blog (http://pennsylvaniaforjohnmccain.blogspot.com) blog, I have a column about what political tactics work and which don't. I'm continuing to write there about the crucial issue of fund-raising. I hope you'll forward it to candidates in your own states. There are some surprises. Thanks for visiting. If you like this site, tell your friends about it. :-)

Alaska teacher-of-the-year Jan Boucher, along with Gov. Sarah Palin and her youngest daughter, Piper (then 6, I believe) painting a mural in a Native Alaskan village. When it came time to go home to Juneau, Piper announced she thought she would stay.

Sarah and Todd Palin with three daughters. I love Piper's (age 7 now) "Hollywood Smile." In Alaska, Todd is known as "The First Dude." (Think "Northern Exposure") Son Track is in the U.S. Army Infantry. Baby "Trig" apparently was non-existent at the time. When Trig was born, Sarah's press release began, "God has blessed us . . . ." I hope God blesses US (and U.S.) by having John McCain name her his running mate. Sarah, my faraway friend, we're trying! (When Sarah announced on TV that she was having a fifth child, Piper announced: "I'm going to be a BIG SISTER." Piper, I bet you'll be a great one.

If Hillary Clinton is not to be the first female President, there's a good chance that Gov. Sarah Palin of Alaska, mother of five, including a U.S. Army infantryman, will be the first woman to win the presidency. If that happens in 2020, well, Sarah will be only 56 years old. I wrote recently on the RudySupportersforMcCain Group about the pressing need for McCain to choose a woman running mate -- specifically, Sarah. Somewhat to my suprise I got the following message from "A," a female (in italics)..

"Count me old-fashioned, but Palin is a new mom (again) and I don't think it's appropriate for her to be taking on a 90-hour-a-week job like the Vice Presidency. Indeed, I question how she is doing with her governorship right now. Either her job or her children aren't getting everything they need. I know I'm going to be flamed, but I don't care.

"I count myself a feminist (even though that word has been reviled of late), but children need their parents, not a nonstop parade of nannies. Infants and toddlers in particular need their mommies. In addition, Palin's new child has special needs. I think another candidate would do just as well for Mac.

Palin could be VP (or even run for POTUS herself in a few years, when her new baby is a more self-sufficient older child).

My response follows (in boldface)

I don't flame, but occasionally I tend to smolder.

Sarah has spoken about running for Vice-President while pregnant, and I'll dig that up later. She is very interested in the Vice-Presidential slot. I'm sure her husband is very good at this point in taking care of children when necessary. I know Sarah brings newborns to the office.

I regard your comments as "old-fashioned," but worst than that they represent the kind of sexism that has put the Republican Party way behind the eight-ball with female voters -- about 57% of whom generally vote for Democrats. They do in part because they believe we Republicans are so "old-fashioned" that it inteferes with their God-given right to live their lives as they wish. Thus, in many cases, they want nothing to do with us or our candidates.What would those female voters say about your "old-fashioned" comments.

They would say that you are holding women with newborns to a standard to which you, in your "old-fashioned" way, would never hold a man with a new child. Sarah Palin has a wonderful support system obviously.

Here are a few example of what Sarah has accomplished in her first weeks after giving birth to Trig, her fifth.

Following is from Anchorage Daily News on May 23:

Palin's veto ax lops $268 million from budget.. Sarah Palin on Friday axed about 10 percent of the spending that state legislators approved for hometown projects.SThis is the second year in a row Palin vetoed projects dear to legislators. She said lawmakers stuffed the $2.7 billion state capital budget too full.

Here's a story today from the Anchorage Daily News:

Palin backs TransCanada pipeline plan

Gov. Sarah Palin is calling for TransCanada to get the state license and $500 million subsidy to pursue building a natural gas pipeline from the North Slope. "It's a better proposal than we had even hoped for," she said this morning.

My comments again:

These stories above are both huge deals in Alaska, and the pipeline is a much bigger deal in the lower-48, which will get the natural gas from Alaska.I'm sure Searh will be a great vice-presidential candidate. She is no ordinary mortal. She was delivering the Keynote Address at the Republican Governor's meeting when she went into labor. She finished the speech.

The following is a portion of a column written by Cindy (SJ Reidhead) on The Pink Flamingo. Cindy is a woman professional (writer) but not a mother. The article is very worth reading.

It's entitled:

"Why Isn’t a New Mommy (Sarah Palin) Qualified to be VP?" http://thepinkflamingo.blogharbor.com/blog/_archives/2008/3/7/3566539.htmlRead the full article on Blog Critics.More on the announcement. Here Palin is seen downplaying the whole idea of a VP turn this time. I keep thinking about Dick Cheney. Let's face it, the GOP is in a corner. There are qualified individuals who are neither white nor male. Every time I hear our white, males list potential candidates, they do not have enough creativity to consider the fact that they are neither the only gender nor race. I think this is the year for someone other than a middle aged white male. Lo and Behold: (no profanity please)

Some Neanderthal wrote on his site that Sarah Palin, the very competent and very pregnant (7 months) governor of Alaska is probably out of the running for VP because she will be a new Mommy and would probably want to stay home with baby! (no profanity please – it’s Lent).What could be better?

It is quit obvious we Republicans are going to have a serious financial deficit to deal with when it comes to fund raising. If Barack Obama is the Democratic Nominee, he has nearly a hundred million dollar financial advantage over John McCain.

Can you imagine the publicity her selection would generate? We’re talking F-R-E-E publicity, fawning and gurgling over a brand new baby Palin.

McCain: Pick Sarah Palin Now!

"The first female Vice-President of the U.S. may be Sarah Palin of Alaska."

I guess this is Alaska Governor Sarah Palin week online. Several important bloggers have endorsed Sarah recently. One of them is the absolutely wonderful Jean Avery, who manages http://moms4mccain.blogspot.com. Jean is one of the brightest political activists in America (along with Sharon Caliendo), and I urge you to visit her site. (Sharon blogs at: http://democratsforsale.blogspot.com). You also want to visit the site of the individual, Colorado's own Adam Brickley, who founded the "Draft Sarah Palin Movement." Two years ago, he was the only member of the movement. I was the third. Now, Sarah Palin is a national fiigure with an army of supporters. It would be a bold, imaginative step for John McCain to pick Sarah as his running mate, but boldness and imagination are just what we have come to expect of the Senator from Arizona. If you want to read just one article that captures the essence of Sarah's appeal, see Fred Barnes' Weekly Standard piece ("The Most Popular Governor") at: http://weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/013/851orcjq.asp. Thanks also to Cindy at The Pink Flamingo, one of the most popular blogs, for her continuing support of Sarah. And a salute to the irrepressible (and almost unpronouncable) FullosseousFlap, a big-time blogger, for his endorsement of Sarah this week at: http://flapsblog.com/?p=7028#comment-87351. If you haven't yet seen my HillarySupportersforMcCain blog, one of the most unusual going, well, what are you waiting for? McCain's chances for the presidency rise and fall on the basis of how effectively he can attract Hillary Supporters.

Alaska Gov. Sarah Heath Palin, mother of five, including a U.S. Army infantryman, and John McCain's best choice for V-P

BLOGGERS AND OTHER ONLINERS: IF YOU HAVE A BLOG OR WEB SITE, PLEASE REPRINT THIS NOW!

Ted has left a new comment on your post "Sarah Palin Belongs to America":

Here's an important piece of advice: If it looks like it's going to be McCain/Palin anyway (and that should be a "no brainer" for Team McCain), McCain should announce NOW or VERY SOON, rather than later towards the convention. There's currently a growing chorus for Obama/Hillary (as VP) ticket (in fact the Dems are likely aware of the Palin phenomenon).

If the GOP waits while movement for Hillary as VP grows -- even worse until after it is solidified that Hillary will/could be VP pick -- selecting Palin will be portrayed by Dems/liberal media more as a reaction by GOP selecting its own female (overshawdoing Palin's own remarkable assets), rather than McCain taking the lead on this.

Selecting Palin now or early (contrary to the punditocracy) will mean McCain will be seen as driving the course of this campaign overwhelmingly, and the DEMS will be seen as merely reacting. And, there's absoultely no down-side to this because even if Hillary is a no-go as VP for Obama, the GOP gains by acting early.

McCain the maverick. Palin the maverick. Do it now!

There's no reason, and actually substantial negative, in McCain waiting to see what the Dems do first insofar as his picking Palin as VP, because, no matter who Obama picks, Palin is by far (and I mean far) the best pick for McCain and the GOP, especially in this time of GOP woes. The GOP can be seen as the party of real 'change' (albeit I hate that mantra, change, change, bla bla), while not really having to change from GOP core conservative values, which Palin more than represents.

In light of the current oil/energy situation, as well as the disaffected female Hillary voters situation, and growing focus on McCain's age and health, Palin is more than perfect -- now.(Perhaps Team McCain is already on to this.)


My comment: Ted, you said it all. John McCain needs to understand that choosing the usual suspects -- two older white guys with silver hair -- is not a winning combination this year. Few people who know about Sarah and her stellar career doubt she will be President of the U.S. someday, so let's get her front-and-center NOW.

McCain: Get Those Hillary Voters!

On my national blogs (yeah, I have two) I have a piece posted Wednesday night that discusses the anti-American, anti-military, pro-Communist band, the Decembrists, that helped draw the huge crowd for Obama in Oregon. It's quite fascinating.http://camp2008victorya.blogspot.com & http://stevemaloneygop.blogspot.com

NOTE: THE COMMENTS AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS COLUMN (AND THE ONE IN THE COMMENTS SECTION) ARE QUITE REMARKABLE.

Nora O'Donnell (MSNBC) "Does she [Hillary] believe she has been treated unfairly because of her gender?"

Terry McAuliffe (Hillary's campaign manager): "It is what it is." (He talked about the avalanche of negative stories about Mrs. Clinton)

[If you think America's educational decline is irreversible, please visit my Pennsylvania site (http://pennsylvaniaforjohnmccain.blogspot.com). All revenues from those who use Google AdSense (to your right) to consider purchases will go to John McCain and other outstanding candidates.]

In Kentucky (Tuesday evening) exit polls are showing that two-thirds of Clinton voters are saying they will not vote for Obama in the General Election. Forty-one percent are saying they will vote for John McCain. That more than the percentage that say they would vote for Obama in the General Election.

Mrs. Clinton won the Kentucky primary by more than 250,000 votes -- an incredibly large number.

That's why I'm asking my favorite Pennsylvania congressional candidates and their supporters to say, "A vote for my opponent is a vote for Barack Obama." That is not the conventional wisdom, but the conventional wisdom is wrong in this case. To my friends running for Congress, I urge you to tie yourself and your campaign to John McCain.

I have been asking some very good Republican congressional candidates (most in Pennsylvania) to ally themselves with -- and strongly endorse -- John McCain.

The other day when a reporter asked Senator McCain about Hillary's continuing her campaign, I didn't believe he exploited the opportunity. He made vague comments about the ups and downs of campaigns, pointing to the time when he was way behind, etc.

There's a fire raging in the Democratic Party, and McCain should experiment with pouring some "verbal gasoline" on it. If he doesn't believe they're stealing the nomination from her, he can note that many people do feel that way.

Specifically, they believe she's suffering from unfair actions by Howard Dean and friends, along with a media that's "in the tank for Obama." By the way, I agree with those Hillary supporters on that point.

The point is that John McCain and his entire campaign should be reaching out -- now -- to Hillary supporters. The Hillary-ites should know that they're very welcome in the McCain camp.

One other step John could take that would keep most of those Hillary supporters (including the 41% in KY) in his camp is to name an outstanding female as his running mate. I believe that female is Gov. Sarah Palin of Alaska.

The way to get women elected to the nation's highest offices is to put them in a position to run for vice-president and President. A woman like Sarah Palin has the toughness, integrity, and campaign skills to become a President of the U.S. She deserves the chance to run for that office.

We need those Hillary supporters, and we need strong support from women in general.

PLEASE READ THE COMMENT IN THE COMMENTS SECTION (a Hillary Supporter for McCain) as well as the following notes I received on http://mccainnow.com/). They are quite enlightening:


Jean Avery said:

"Hi Steve - thought this would be interesting for you... http://elections.foxnews.com/2008/05/20/ky-exit-polling-clintons-core-base-still-loyal/

"There are literally over a dozen anti-Obama groups on CafeMom, mostly from Hillary people not McCain people. Experience, national security and overall 'professionalism' seem to be common ground. Women are becoming, to borrow from Obama, "bitter" at the level of pressure Hillary is under to quit. I honestly think the longer she stays in the more of her women voters will choose McCain as an anti-Obama vote, or because (gasp) they read about his vastly superior credentials and character."

Andrea Snell said:

"Hey Steve, I've been working on my mom for weeks and she is definitely leaning McCain if Hillary doesn't get the nomination. (She was actually very pro-Obama up until he was found to be sending out misleading ads before the Ohio primary and he got increasingly negative towards Hillary) As to VP, a woman would be great but Huckabee could [help] ensure the South WV, VA, NC, and Iowa."

Gov. Sarah Palin: Presidential Material

Note to Visitors: I believe this particular blog is dealing with the key issue in the 2008 electon: whether the Hillary voters will continue gravitating to John McCain -- and whether he will go after them aggressively. I thank the many people who have visited and I'll do everything I can to give you a reason to keep coming back.

Note: I sent the following message to several (female) Republican congressional candidates I'm working with this year. Please pass it on to congressional candidates in your area. Thanks.

Bulletin forcongressional candidates and supporters: In KY exit polls are showing that two-thirds of Clinton voters are saying they will NOT vote for Obama in the General Election. Forty-one percent are saying they will vote for McCain.That's why I'm asking candidates and supporters to say, "A vote for my opponent is a vote for Barack Obama." That is not the conventional wisdom, but the conventional wisdom is wrong in this case. Tie yourself and your campaign to John McCain. (Please be kind enough to go Congressional Quarterly -- link below -- and vote for Gov. Sarah Palin (scroll down). If you want women in high offices, then vote for female candidates like Toni Gihooley (PA 17th CD), Melissa Hart (PA 4th CD), and Marina Kats (PA 13th CD).

There is a widespread belief (discussed last Sunday in the New York Times) that, since the nomination has been stolen from Mrs. Clinton, Sarah Heath Palin of Alaska could be America's first female President. There is a great grassroots pressure on John McCain to name Sarah as his running-mate. She's probably the country's most popular elected official, a fiscal conservative who's pro-life, pro-Second Amendment, pro-people, and pro-family. In Alaska, she is extremely popular among not only Republicans, but also among Democrats and Independents. She is a ferocious campaigner and her now-legendary toughness reminds some people of Senator Clinton.





Will this woman, Alaska Gov. Sarah Heath be America's first female President? And will this man, Todd Palin, (above) holding their new baby, Trig, be America's "First Dude?" There is a good chance John McCain will name her as his vice-presidential running mate. Please vote for her in the Congressional Quarterly "V-P Madness" poll (see below)


Palin Fans:

Gov. Palin is now just one victory away from WINNING CQ Politics' "VP Madness"! She beat out Rob Portman in the Final Four by a vote of 56%-43%, advancing to a final confrontation with Mike Huckabee. I'm very confident in the chances of a Palin victory, but the presidential primaries proved that underestimating Mike Huckabee is a huge mistake. So, let's make sure that we give our favorite governor as much help as we possibly can.

PLEASE let as many people as you can know about this poll. Post it on your blog, email your friends, write a note on your Facebook profile, anything to help push Gov. Palin over the top. Win or lose, VP Madness has been a major victory for our movement, but a win here could permanently catapult Sarah Palin into the top tier of the top tier of the veepstakes (at least as far as the media is concerned).

LET'S WIN THIS!!!!!--

Adam Brickley
Founder, "Draft Sarah Palin for Vice President"
palinforvp.blogspot.com

Note from Steve: Adam Brickley, a 21-year-old college student (who's graduating this week in Colorado Springs) is the finest young political operative in the country. Please cast your ballot for Sarah, a truly remarkable woman who just might be "Mt. Rushmore material."