Palin, McCain, and the Difference between Support and Agreement

by Whitney Pitcher

Yesterday Governor Palin penned a post on her Facebook page expressing her support of Senator McCain in the face of censure by his own party in Arizona.  In many ways, it echoed the op-ed she wrote for the Arizona Central when she endorsed Senator McCain’s re-election nearly four years ago. Governor Palin’s support of Senator McCain shows far more of her character than of his merit. As Governor Palin wrote last night:

We live in a time of diminishing virtues because of societal influence towards total self-centeredness. This is unfortunate and makes raising families, conducting business, and governing that much more challenging. I know how important the virtue of loyalty is because in politics it’s pretty much nonexistent. I stand on that most important virtue and answer those asking today: “Yes, I am proud to have been asked to run with him in 2008, and he is my friend.”

If loyalty is essentially nonexistent in politics as Governor Palin notes, how would anyone know what it looks like? One needs to look no further than Governor Palin’s own character and action over the years. Governor Palin has stood by Senator McCain’s side since 2008, in spite of his often tepid support for her and his nonexistent defense of her when she was more or less accused of murdering his Arizona constituents in Tucson three years ago. Governor Palin’s loyalty has been noted by many. For example, Governor Nikki Haley noted in her book about Governor Palin’s continued support in the midst of allegations during Haley’s gubernatorial campaign that she had an affair:

When allegations from Folks first surfaced, Haley remembers having Palin in her corner after just one phone call – a contrast to the way another supporter, Romney, had handled the news.

“Sarah goes with her gut, and I love her for that,” she writes. “Mitt’s team [said] they were going to have a ‘Nikki Haley meeting’ the next morning to decide what to do next.”

Governor Palin again stood with Haley in May of 2012 when a South Carolina union leader beat a pinata with a picture of Governor Haley’s face on it. This came even after Haley’s silence when Governor Palin and the Tea Party was blamed for the Tucson shooting. Suffice it to say, Governor Palin’s loyalty is because of who she is (her character), not because of who the others are.

Support differs from complete agreement, however. Governor Palin has expressed disagreement with McCain either implicitly or explicitly multiple times. As she noted in her Facebook post,  Governor Palin parts ways with Senator McCain on ANWR and immigration. She has parted ways with him implicitly too. Her “Let Allah sort it out” approach to Syria is 180 degrees different than Senator McCain’s neocon approach to Syria. In her vintage speech to a Tea Party rally in Iowa in September 2011, Governor Palin mocked Senator McCain, although not in name, for his reference to Tea Partiers as hobbits.

To be sure, Governor Palin has her share of disagreements with Senator McCain, just as some supporters may disagree with her for supporting Senator McCain in this manner. That is the beauty of independence of thought–difference of opinion does negate support. As Governor Palin’s brother Chuck Heath Jr. noted on his Facebook page today:

If I turned my back on every friend and family member who didn’t agree with me 100% of the time, I’d have no friends or family members.

It can’t be said much better than that. We don’t have to always agree, but we all can learn a lesson in loyalty from the one political figure who personifies it.

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Should Sarah Palin Call Out John McCain On Syria? The Tale of Two Rinos (Updated with a New Poll)

 

What are we going to do with John McCain who is helping Obama “save-face” by supporting his phony war on Syria? It is clear Americans do not want to get involved. Like Sarah Palin says, “Mr. President, please give America justification before you spend blood and treasure to intervene.”

Sarah Palin and John McCain don’t have much in common, except being on the same ticket in 2008. They don’t agree on much politically, especially Syria. The Governor does what the Senator is supposed to do, but that is as far as it goes.

John McCain’s transgressions seem to be getting worse by the day, almost out of control.  It has raised questions in some voters’ minds: Should Sarah Palin call him out? She made an example of Marco Rubio when he was caught lying about Amnesty. John McCain is just as sneaky and deceptive as Rubio, only more seasoned at it.  He is not well-liked by most people I know, so it would not be an unpopular move.  In fact, almost everyone I know voted for John McCain in 2008 because of Sarah Palin, not him, and resent him for everything else he has done except that.

To say he has been acting very strangely lately, is to put in mildly. John McCain‘s comportment is questionable at best, and even traitorous, but Sarah Palin should not be held responsible for his actions.  She owes him nothing. She has more than repaid him generously with support over the last five years, and should not be put in the position to either defend or call him out. It is Senator McCain who owes us answers. He has strayed too far this time, and something should be done.  Senator McCain is in a powerful position, not just subjugating our interests to our enemies, but needlessly spending our blood and treasure, like Sarah points out, to do so.

Arizonans need to act. What the South Carolina GOP did to Lindsey Graham could be a start.

Who is John McCain?

If John McCain has ties to Obama and the brotherhood we should know about it. If he has had ties to Syria, we should know about it.  What else do we really not know about him? He has covered for Hillary, pushed Gun Control, fought against Tea Party members against a debt ceiling, and for not only Comprehensive Immigration Reform, but pressuring House Representatives to do the same.

Hopefully this clip will raise some eyebrows, help generate questions and motivate us to demand answers from this long-time RINO and controversial Senator, John McCain.  Ketchup anyone?

 

Please take this poll:

A Message to the Traitors in Power: John Boehner and Barack Obama

This is NOT to ignore support for those who stand in solidarity against on-line censorship, but to continue SHOUTING: YOU WILL NOT SHUT ME UP, FACEBOOK!!!! This is my freedom. It is my first amendment right. You do not give or take away rights, only God above does.

This nation is one nation UNDER HIM, NOT ALLAH, who seeks to destroy and end our Christian-Judeo way of life.  Down with the infiltrators.  Down with political correctness.  Down with those who want to stop us from pledging allegiance to a flag that represents freedom for all in this Republic which belongs to us, not just a political class or an oppressive world governing power.  Down with the United Nations! And “Yes” to freedom fighters all around the globe!

The ten commandments and the Bill of Rights are all we need to live freely and wealthy.  There is nothing wrong with making money, but there is something wrong with those who claim they fight for “social justice” only to seek and stay in power.  Commies use divisiveness and fear to keep us feeling hopeless and oppressed.  What they preach is not what they practice.  It is not sincere.  Look at how lavishly our president lives.  Does he distribute his wealth?  No. He’s a consummate hypocrite. There are some who believe in the ideals of communism and even live by them.  This power maggot we call POTUS doesn’t.

Pray for less government. Pray for more civility among those fighting for less government. Pray for less mass appeal to lowest common denominators.. race and class envy.  No one except real victims of crime or combat should consider themselves victims. For shame on Republicans who insinuate we are racists for wanting to enforce our laws and curb government waste and spending.

It’s bad enough the left panders. The GOP does it behind our backs. They are so ashamed about Amnesty they have to use other terms to fool us, and lie to our faces about not being able to secure the border.  For shame on those who do not protect our sovereignty by passing Amnesty to make a small personal fortune, or because of some misguided notion that we can win Hispanics with this issue. Shame on those who will NOT help DEFUND Obamacare. Cowardly Boehner, Cantor, Ryan, McArthy, McCain, and Rubio:  your job is to protect us, not reaching across the aisle to sell us out or by corrupting yourselves. Priebus: You were touting your horn about winning a debate issue. You picked a battle to fight not a war, like the lightweight that you are. I don’t care what film is made about her, the bottom line is:  The GOP has not convicted Hillary for Benghazi.

BOEHNER, you are an enemy of freedom and the people!  No other politician has squandered more time since the power you were given in 2010. You have not only not led, you have hated on the those who have made your position possible. You have punished fiscal Conservatives and alienated candidates who were elected to effect real change.  You have shirked your duties as Speaker of the House, a house that Sarah Palin built for you with her hard work and optimism at a time when NO one thought Obama could be defeated. She had the foresight. Not you. Not Bush. Not Romney. Not Paul.

For shame, traitor! RESIGN!

Thank you to all in DC who try fight the antagonism as shown by this most traitorous and treacherous Speaker who is against We the People and who relinquishes all power on a daily basis to our enemy. Thank the Lord for blessing us with a few good men and one steadfast, reliable and particularly incredible woman who continues to lead us without title. Amen.

Sarah Palin’s Sweet and Classy Birthday Wish for John McCain

By Gary P Jackson

A few minutes ago Sarah Palin tweeted that Fox News had cancelled her appearances tonight.

I’m sorry Fox cancelled all my scheduled interviews tonight because I sure wanted to take the opportunity on the... fb.me/1Db7xDurj

—
Sarah Palin (@SarahPalinUSA) August 29, 2012

The tweet takes us to a really sweet and classy birthday wish for John McCain:

I’m sorry Fox cancelled all my scheduled interviews tonight because I sure wanted to take the opportunity on the air to highlight Senator John McCain’s positive contributions to America, to honor him, and to reflect on what a biased media unfairly put him through four years ago tonight.

Granted, our honored and esteemed war hero has gone through much more than the liberal media can ever do to him in their efforts to harm this patriot.

I look forward to hearing his words to his fellow Americans tonight more than any of the other convention speeches. God bless John McCain. Thank you for everything. And happy birthday, my friend.

~ Sarah Palin

Sarah Palin is a class act.

While we don’t always agree with Senator McCain, he served his nation well, is a true hero, and recognized the greatness of Governor Palin. For this we will be eternally grateful.

Happy Birthday Senator McCain!

Dick Cheney Misfires Again Continues to Insult Sarah Palin, John McCain and the American People’s Intelligence

By Gary P Jackson

The big talk yesterday was Dick Cheney had “walked back” his idiotic, insulting comments about Sarah Palin and the 2008 presidential race. Well, it’s not much of a walk back, though it speaks to Sarah Palin’s standing in the nation that Cheney found himself scrambling on Fox in an attempt to save face.

He tells Sean Hannity:

It wasn’t aimed so much at Governor Palin as it was against the basic process that McCain used…my point basically dealt with the process in terms of that basic requirement, is this person prepared to step in to be president of the United States when they’re picked? And it was my judgment — I was asked if I thought the McCain process in ’08 had been well done or was it a mistake and I said I thought it was a mistake.

That’s not…meant so much as a criticism of Governor Palin as it is that I just thought it was not — the process didn’t meet the standards I would like to see our candidate pursue when they pick a — a running mate.

Hannity does make a good point, Governor Palin had exactly four days notice, not a long time to wrap one’s head around such a monumental task as campaigning on a presidential ticket, but since then we have seen that Sarah Palin is more than up to the task, at least when allowed to do things her way.

Vice President Cheney speaks about “the process” and says that was his problem, not Sarah, but then he repeats his nonsensical claim that she wasn’t prepared to be president. Now remember Dick Cheney is the man George W Bush charged with finding him a suitable running mate, and after an “exhaustive search”, Cheney decided that ideal candidate was he, himself! What does THAT say about the “process”?

For the record, out of the four people on the presidential ticket in 2008, Sarah, John McCain, Barack Obama, and Joe Biden, only Sarah Palin had Executive experience, and a lot of it. She was more qualified to be President than Obama and Biden put together, and was certainly as qualified, if not more so, than John McCain.

In fact, as we look at her accomplishments as Governor, and her record of great successes in office, she is more qualified, and has a far better record, than the presumptive Republican nominee going into Tampa. And we aren’t even counting her amazing accomplishments as Mayor or her time as the powerful Chairman of Alaska’s oil and gas regulatory agency.

If there was anything wrong with 2008 campaign it was the process McCain used for picking his campaign manager and staff. Steve Schmidt, Nicole Wallace, and company, are the most incompetent group ever assembled in politics. Not only did they give McCain poor advice, they worked over time sabotaging the campaign. And they had no clue whatsoever about Sarah Palin, or how to use her numerous skills.

The vice presidential candidate usually serves one purpose during the campaign. They are the designated “attack dog,” going after the other side, while the candidate at the top of the ticket stays focused on issues and sort of above the fray. You couldn’t have asked for a better choice for this job than Sarah Palin. She had Barack Obama’s number from the start, and has been whipping him like a rented mule since day one. Still is.

Unlike Cheney, Sarah Palin never misfires when going after corrupt politicians. [or bears]

The McCain campaign stopped her from doing her job though. Sarah was effectively vetting Barack Obama. She was pointing out his long associations with domestic terrorists, cop killers, and his America hating preacher of 20 years: Jeremiah “God Damn America” Wright.

For some reason the McCain team lost it’s nerve [that is if it ever had any] and forced Governor Palin to back down. This angered Conservatives, the base of the party, greatly. They turned on McCain. While Sarah was filling stadiums with as many as 60,000 people, McCain was dealing with angry supporters at his much smaller events. This is when he started saying stupid things like “you have nothing to fear from Obama.”

I think history has proven McCain incredibly wrong.

For the record, I respect John McCain’s service to America greatly. He’s a true hero, and has endured unspeakable horrors while serving. Here’s a guy who was a prisoner of war, tortured, and almost killed. Being an Admiral’s son, he could have gotten out of the prison in Hanoi. He chose to stay and be a leader among the men. That takes incredible courage and must never be forgotten.

My problems with Senator McCain revolve around some of his questionable votes, and the way he ran the 2008 campaign. History shows that it was going to be hard for a Republican, any Republican to win, after the horrible mess Bush and Cheney allowed to fester. John McCain had one chance. Her name was Sarah Palin, and his campaign mishandled her, and didn’t use her to her full potential. It was a fatal error.

While Sarah Palin was pointing out that Obama’s closest friends hated America and Obama himself was a Marxist, the McCain campaign was freaking out and trying to stop her. It was campaign malpractice on the part of Schmidt and his lackeys.

Far from what Dick Cheney infers, Sarah Palin was the only one in the whole bunch who knew what she was trying to do. Sadly, she was surrounded by timid, incompetent political mercenaries with a record of losing campaigns.

I asked of ABC’s Rick Klein and Johnathan Karl on Twitter yesterday why someone didn’t just go interview A.B. Culvahouse and ask him if he thought the process used to pick Governor Palin was defective. I received no replay.

For those that don’t know, A.B. Culvahouse is a former adviser to President Ronald Reagan, and now runs one of the most prestigious law firms in Washington. He’s also been vetting prospective vice presidential candidates and Supreme Court appointees for years. He’s the one who vetted Sarah Palin.

In April of 2009 Culvahouse spoke to the National Press Club about the vetting process and described how thorough it was. He noted that he had previous experience with Sarah, as he represented Exxon-Mobil in the Exxon Valdez case before the Supreme Court. Before becoming Governor, Sarah was part of the litigation, against Exxon. He also noted that it came down to three vital questions about national security, the use of nuclear weapons, and killing Bin Laden. Culvahouse says Sarah “knocked it out of the park.”

In May of this year, Culvahouse took to the pages of the Wall Street Journal to talk again about the vice presidential vetting process saying: “I stand by my advice regarding Sarah Palin: ‘high risk, high reward.’”

He goes on to write:

A short list of five to 15 leading Americans soon will be notified that the presumptive Republican nominee for president believes they are serious contenders to be his running mate. They will be asked for their agreement to join him on the GOP ticket if chosen, and in the meantime, to submit to a most intrusive and far-reaching vetting by lawyers and advisers working for the campaign.

No other candidate, not even the presidential nominee himself, is subjected to the same scrutiny.
I have been a lawyer on both sides of the Republican vice-presidential vetting process. I helped potential nominees navigate the vetting gauntlet in four elections, starting in 1976, and I had the honor of doing the vetting on behalf of John McCain’s 2008 campaign. For those of you who’ve managed to steer clear of the revisionist HBO movie about that campaign, I led the team that vetted Sarah Palin, apparently the five most newsworthy days of my life.

For the “vettees,” the process can appear ad hoc, opaque and at times capricious. Having enjoyed illustrious careers in government, they find the unfettered power of the presidential nominee to select his running mate, based on whatever unannounced criteria he deems relevant, as well as the ever more complex vetting process, to be without precedent in their political experience.

In 2008, our team began by preparing vetting reports on a list of more than two dozen individuals who, unbeknownst to them, had been selected for consideration by Sen. McCain. We mined public databases, media archives, political blogs and other sources that allowed our search to remain discreet. Those who survived the winnowing from long list to short were rewarded with the most intimate examination known to politics.

Short-listed potential VP nominees are required to hand over tax returns, medical histories, financial statements, court records, and anything else labeled “private and confidential,” while also answering the most probing questions about themselves, their spouses, their children and their extended family—questions I would not dream of posing in any other context.

Yet, as in all campaigns, if we had allowed good manners to intervene, anything we missed surely would have been dredged up by someone else. In 1976, the Ford campaign’s vetting questionnaire had 16 questions; the one we used in 2008 had almost 80, with multiple subparts. We asked about infidelity, sexual harassment, discrimination, plagiarism, alcohol or drug addiction, delinquent taxes, credit history, and use of government positions or resources for personal benefit. Nothing was off-limits.

The vetting of Sarah Palin was no less rigorous, just compressed. She was a late addition to the short list, catapulted into contention by the campaign’s calculus that a woman would broaden the ticket’s appeal. Our team of lawyers churned out the expected detailed written vetting report—only we packed eight weeks of research into less than one. We pulled information from Alaska-centric websites, including her local critics’ blogs and copies of Wasilla church sermons.

Assisted by the candid information Gov. Palin provided, we identified and reported every issue that subsequently arose (with one exception: her husband’s membership in the Alaska Independence Party).

That includes her daughter’s pregnancy, which the governor raised in a private discussion, and the ethics investigation into the July 2008 dismissal of Alaska Public Safety Commissioner Walter Monegan for allegedly refusing to fire the governor’s ex-brother-in-law, which later became known as “Troopergate.” In fact, we presented the McCain campaign with a six-page analysis of that initial investigation, and in November 2008 the Alaska State Personnel Board found that Gov. Palin had not violated any ethics laws.

Gov. Palin’s responses to my standard hypothetical questions—Was she prepared to use nuclear weapons to defend our country? Would she authorize a strike against Osama bin Laden if she knew that numerous civilians also would be killed?—portrayed impressive resolve and sensitivity.

So, here’s a man who has been vetting candidates for some of the most powerful positions in the world for 36 years. Who’s judgment do we trust more, his, or a man who looked far and wide and ultimately chose himself as the best candidate for the job of Vice President?

I’ve always had respect for Dick Cheney, he’s served his country well, but all of that goodwill has been lost because of his continued idiotic statements regarding Sarah Palin.

I’m not sure to what ends Cheney is doing this. Some of us have discussed that Cheney’s first misfire was timed to harm her reputation, as well as her candidate Ted Cruz, here in Texas, as Cheney was backing the corrupt Establishment™ candidate, David Dewhurst, who got spanked by Cruz. Cheney had also backed Establishment™ candidate Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison in 2010 against Governor Rick Perry, who had the support of Governor Palin.

Palin 2 Cheney 0.

It’s also thought Cheney has a favorite to be Mitt Romney’s running mate, Rob Portman, who was part of the Bush administration. Portman is another Establishment™ candidate and as the folks over at Free Republic point out, would be a complete disaster for the country. Portman is an open borders, big spender, who not only believes global warming is real, he voted yes on starting implementation of Kyoto Protocol. A 100% completely and totally unacceptable candidate.

It’s thought that Cheney’s attempts to belittle Governor Palin is also an attempt to insert himself in the vice presidential selection process and push his favorite.

If anyone’s judgment is to be questioned, it’s Dick Cheney’s.

Let’s also realize that while Cheney is saying idiotic things, he’s not an idiot. He knew exactly what he was doing a week ago when he attacked Sarah Palin. He knew how the media would cover it. He knew the media would attack Sarah Palin with gusto.

Thanks to the really stupid and insulting path Cheney is going down, it’s allowed the haters in the democrat party, as well as the Republican Elite™ to bring back the lie that Sarah Palin cost John McCain the election in 2008, not his incompetent team.

As I pointed out when this nonsense with Cheney started, Greta Van Susteren went through the Fox News polling at the time and showed that McCain was losing to Obama until he picked Sarah Palin, which gave him a huge bump and the lead.

McCain held that lead until the financial collapse and he suspended his campaign. He took off to D.C., with no plan whatsoever, and his poll numbers cratered, and never recovered.

Stacy Drake did a more elaborate study, even correlating the numerous polls with President George W Bush’s approval ratings. She proves beyond any doubt, that the only positive thing about the McCain campaign was the inclusion of Sarah Palin, and it was McCain’s actions, along with the financial collapse that cost Republicans the election.

The Republican Establishment™ have a vested interest in destroying Sarah Palin’s reputation. She is an existential to the entire ruling class. Sarah Palin is a reformer with her sights set on some of the most corrupt people in the world: Washington politicians in both parties.

The continued attacks on her and her record, is nothing more than an attempt by these corrupt politicians to hold on to power just a little longer.

That’s why we see the nasty attacks on the candidates she supports as well. Sarah has been backing true reformers all across the nation. People of great character, and strong moral courage. People who will clean up corruption, and help bring about sudden, relentless reform. This scares the hell out of the corrupt, inept Republican “leaders.” After all, they’ve got to protect their phony-baloney jobs!

Hannity-Cheney interview courtesy SarahNet.

Unbiased Expert: Palin Helped McCain

By Stacy Drake

There are a lot of talking heads who, for various reasons, like to imply that Governor Palin somehow cost John McCain the election in 2008. We know that’s completely out of touch with reality, but it doesn’t stop people from trying to sell the idea.

Her supporters, and grassroots Conservatives were there. We know that she energized the ticket and gave people a reason to vote for McCain. She inspired the base, and without her efforts, the Republican ticket would have no doubt suffered a much greater loss.

That said, the Los Angeles Times offered up some strong evidence on Tuesday to support what we already know to be true:

James E. Campbell, chairman of the political science department at the State University of New York, Buffalo, agreed with Gelman about the potential home-state boost, and added:

“As to Palin, I think that, on balance, she helped McCain. He went into the conventions behind and came out ahead. The later drop was tied to the financial meltdown. The evidence of that was that Bush’s approval numbers, as low as they were, dropped further and at the same time as McCain. There is no reason why Palin would have cost Bush approval points.”

Chairman Campbell is absolutely correct, and the data backs him up. Governor Palin gave her speech at the 2008 Republican National Convention on September 3rd of that year. On that day, John McCain trailed Barack Obama by 5 point, with Obama carrying 48% and McCain with 43%. On September 7th, McCain/Palin took the lead in the race by 10 points. That’s a 15 point gain in four days!

Now, let’s take a look at President George W. Bush’s poll numbers from that same time period to verify Mr. Campbell’s assertion:

George W. Bush had a whopping 30.4% approval rating on September 7th, the same day that McCain was up over Obama by 10. If you look closely, you will see he actually got a small bump after the GOP Convention. Oh, the irony…

By October, after the economic collapse had started to take it’s toll on the country. George W. Bush’s already low numbers did as Chairman Campbell suggested, and dropped further, leaving him with an embarrassing low 25.7% approval rating.

According to another LA Times article from 2008:

The most decisive event in this campaign wasn’t anything either of the candidates said at their respective conventions or in any of the debates. It wasn’t a sound bite from a speech or interview, or a memorable assertion in a television commercial or e-mail attachment.

The turning point in this election didn’t happen on the campaign trail but rather on Wall Street. In the last week of September, the race was essentially tied. Then Wall Street collapsed — and it collapsed right on top of John McCain

It certainly didn’t help, as I’ve pointed out many times, that McCain’s campaign was being run by an incompetent lobbyist, who thought it was a good idea to suspend McCain’s campaign for photo-ops at the White House during the financial meltdown. But enough about Steve Schmidt.

As you can see, McCain also suffered from the news and reality of the economy. On the same day that George W. Bush hit his all-time low, McCain had dropped back down below Obama by almost 7 points.

Nobody who reads this website on a regular basis needed this information. We knew Governor Palin electrified the Republican base in 2008. We knew that the people running John McCain’s campaign fumbled the ball on many occasions, and we knew the economic collapse (on top of other matters) had damaged the Republican party beyond repair.

If any two-bit hack journalist, GOPe talking-head, HBO movie, or left-wing Democrat operative tries to push the the theory that Governor Palin “cost John McCain the election in 2008,” you know they’re full of it, not only because you saw it with your own eyes, but the historical data proves what really cost Republicans the White House in 2008. To say otherwise, is a lie.

(H/T: Steve)

John McCain: I’m Proud of Sarah Palin, I’m Proud of the Job She Did, I’m Proud of the Job She Continues to Do!

By Gary P Jackson

John McCain says, in so many words, is opinions are like elbows, everybody’s got one. I would have told Dick Cheney that everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but not their own facts.

A no BS response from McCain:

Video courtesy SarahNet.

For Dick Cheney and His Ilk, John McCain’s Brilliant Choice of Sarah Palin was Bad News!

By Gary P Jackson

Evidently the Republican Elite™ are concerned that Mitt Romney may give Sarah Palin a speaking role at the convention or, God forbid, might actually be smart enough to consider her as his running mate. Enter Dick Cheney.

Cheney was on ABC News on Sunday. He did the old “she’s a nice girl … but …” insult.

Cheney claims choosing Sarah Palin as VP was a mistake. Now I’ll give him some credit, at least he didn’t pull out the lie that she cost McCain the election, but what he did say implies it. Cheney rightly says there is only one real test to see if a candidate for vice president is acceptable: Can they be president? Cheney claims Sarah failed that test. The man is an idiot.

There were four people on the 2008 presidential ticket: John McCain, Sarah Palin, Barack Obama, and Joe Biden. Out of those four, only one person had Executive experience, and plenty of it.

John McCain has been in Congress seemingly forever, but he’s never run a city, never run a state. He was a Navy man, a fighter pilot, a prisoner of war, a hero, and then went to Washington. Nothing on his resume qualified him to be president. Now one can say he had plenty of experience dealing with foreign policy, and he was right on the Iraq war, when Cheney and others were dead wrong. But face it, as far as decision making experience, at an executive level, he had none.

Then you have Barack Obama. He was a “community organizer” with ACORN. That meant he trained rent-thugs to go out and intimidate people, often by violent means. He was an attorney, and worked with terrorist Bill Ayers on a couple of Ayers’ foundations that were set up as fronts to advance Marxism. He became a state Senator, and other than championing legislation that would allow doctors to murder babies that survived an abortion attempt, was of little consequence.

Obama was elected U.S. Senator and was on the job for about five minutes before he essentially abandoned it to run for president, something he had promised Illinois voters he wouldn’t do. Obama had never run a city, never run a state, never run anything as complicated as a lemonade stand, before becoming president. And it shows! Talk about failing the test!

Then you have Joe Biden, bless his heart. I would be surprised to learn this man can feed himself without written instructions. Seriously, other than comic relief, you couldn’t find a more useless human being to sit as vice president. There is no way in the world this man is qualified to be president, I don’t care if he has spent most of his adult life in Washington.

And who can ever forget the truly bizarre interview Biden gave Katie Couric around the same time she interviewed Sarah Palin!

I bet Cheney thinks this moron is eminently qualified to be president. Cheney is an idiot!

Now let’s talk about Sarah Palin. She has nearly two decades of public service, almost all of it at the Executive level. She was a Mayor, the state’s chief oil and gas regulator, and Governor.

Now some may poo-poo the Mayor thing, because Wasilla was, and is, very a small town. But as they say, it’s not the size that counts, it’s what you do with it that matters.

Wasilla was a small, mostly dirt road village. Under Sarah Palin’s management, the town became the fastest growing city in the state, and would become the trading hub for the entire Mat-Su Valley, an area roughly the size of the state of Delaware. Sarah improved the infrastructure, built roads, recruited businesses, and grew the economy. And she did all of this while lowering taxes. This sort of thing doesn’t happen by accident. It takes strong leadership skills and common sense.

In 2008 the Mayor of Wasilla credited Sarah’s 75 percent property tax cuts and infrastructure improvements with bringing “big-box stores” and 50,000 shoppers per day to Wasilla. She left office in 2002. That’s some serious and lasting impact for one person to have.

Last time I looked, Dick Cheney had never run a city. Certainly never turned a dirt road town into a highly successful one with a bustling economy.

Sarah’s time as the Chairman of the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission is the stuff of legends. Not so much for what she did as a regulator, which by all accounts was top notch, but for what she did to unwind the massive corruption lawmakers and many oil company executives were engaged in. By the time she was done, the state’s Attorney General was forced to resign in disgrace, as was the Republican Party Chairman. [From his job as a fellow AOGCC commissioner] He was also forced to pay the largest civil fine in Alaska’s history.

Sarah was just getting started, as she would take down the sitting Republican Governor, in a landslide, and go on to pass sweeping reforms once in office, as the FBI was still raiding lawmakers’ offices and hauling people off to prison.

Washington may be one of the most corrupt places on earth, and I’ve never, EVER heard Dick Cheney address it’s corruption in any manner whatsoever.

Stacy Drake and Whitney Pitcher put together an extensive listing of Sarah Palin’s accomplishments as Governor. No one in Washington has accomplished anything near what she has. In fact, you’d be hard pressed to find any elected official in the country who got as much done, has a better record on fiscal issues, or maintained a higher approval record among their voters. Sarah Palin had a sustained approval rating in the 90s as Governor of Alaska.

She’s the real deal.

Of course, now that Dick Cheney has decided to trash Sarah Palin, I’m noticing a new-found respect for him among the democrat run media. Useful idiot.

Out of the three men and one woman on the 2008 presidential ticket, Sarah Palin was the only one with the experience it takes to be president. There was a reason why the Obama campaign spent more time running against her than McCain. She was the dominant figure.

I’m sure Dick Cheney thinks Bill Clinton was qualified to be president, he certainly heaped praise on Hillary Clinton for her work as Secretary of State, calling her one of the more competent members of the Obama regime, and said it would be “interesting to speculate” on how she would do as president. Hillary Clinton is incompetent at her job, and has accomplished nothing of substance whatsoever.

For the record, Hillary was First Lady, a Senator, and now Secretary of State. Other than being another member of the permanent political class, what has she done? What makes HER qualified to be president? Cheney is an idiot.

I bring up Bill Clinton, who Cheney no doubt agrees was qualified to be president, as in fact do I, to remind folks of a 2008 Wall Street Journal article noting: “Compared to Bill Clinton, Sarah Palin is an Executive Giant.” The article goes on to explain Sarah sat as one of the most powerful state Executives in the country, and managed a budget and workforce far greater than Clinton’s tiny Arkansas responsibilities.

If anyone in the country is qualified to be President of the United States, it’s Sarah Palin.

But, you know, Dick Cheney might be on to something. Choosing Sarah Palin was a mistake. A mistake if you are a member of the corrupt ruling class, that is.

For guys like Dick Cheney, and the rest of the Establishment, choosing Sarah was an enormous mistake.

*Sarah Palin showed America what an actual Conservative looks like. Something the country hadn’t seen since Ronald Reagan.

*Sarah Palin showed us what fearless leadership looks like. Something that is totally lacking in today’s Republican Party “leadership.”

*Sarah Palin reminded us just how lousy our elected representatives in Washington truly are.

*Sarah Palin proved you can take on corruption, even in your own party, and succeed.

*Sarah Palin proved that you could cut spending and cut taxes, in good times, and still make considerable improvements to your constituents’ way of life.

*Sarah Palin inspired millions to stand up and say “enough is enough!” And that scares the permanent political class, guys like Dick Cheney, TO DEATH.

*Most importantly, Sarah Palin proved that the permanent political class can, and must be defeated.

So yeah, for Dick Cheney and his ilk, Sarah Palin was bad news!

In 2010 Sarah was a powerhouse at the ballot box. She endorsed over 100 candidates for local, state, and federal office. Most won. Thanks to her passion and inspiration, we saw the largest political turnover since Reconstruction, after the Civil War.

In 2012, she’s proving even more powerful. Like most of her supporters, I was greatly disappointed that she didn’t run for president. She would have easily won the nomination, and would whip Obama like a rented mule, but I’m starting to understand the wisdom in her decision not to run.

This election season, Sarah has concentrated on the Senate, and defeating entrenched members of the corrupt Republican Establishment™. So far she is batting 1000 in the primaries, and if the latest polling is any indication, she will have helped defeat one of the Establishment’s big players here in Texas.

So yeah, for Dick Cheney, and his ilk, it was a huge mistake for John McCain to choose Sarah Palin. In Sarah, you have a warrior who will go toe to toe with the GOP Elite and destroy them. We give McCain hell for some of the things he’s done, and is currently doing, but when it’s all said and done, his legacy must include choosing Sarah Palin, as one of the smartest things he’s ever done, and one of the greatest things he’s ever done for his country. For this America will be eternally grateful.

As for Dick Cheney and his bunch, they are directly responsible for destroying the Republican brand. Yeah, the GOP has always had it’s elites. Ronald Reagan fought these same kind of clowns in his day. But with Bush-Cheney, you had for the first time in generations, a Republican President, a Republican House, and a Republican Senate.

Ronald Reagan got big things done, and created one of the longest periods of economic growth in our nation’s history. Reagan faced a hostile Congress. Bush-Cheney had a friendly Congress, and what did they do? They forgot everything the party is supposed to stand for. They grew government, created new entitlements, and spent like drunken sailors. Worse, they didn’t address the massive corruption or out of control bureaucracy. Hell, they added to it all.

Now we all know that being a Republican isn’t the same thing as being Conservative, and that’s the problem. The average voter expects Republicans to be Conservative, and responsible. You know, the adults in the room.

The Bush-Cheney years were an abject failure in this department. And ever single member of the Republican Establishment™ is to blame.

By the time 2008 rolled around, we could have cloned Ronald Reagan, nominated him, and he would have lost. John McCain ran a lousy campaign, thanks to Steve Schmidt and crew, but Bush-Cheney had so damaged the Republican brand, it was almost impossible to think the Republicans could have prevailed.

And yet, thanks to Sarah Palin, her energy, her record, her work ethic, and her ability to inspire others, we damned near pulled it off anyway. Sarah Palin almost dragged the Republicans over the finish line, by herself.

Today, Sarah Palin is a direct threat to the Republican Establishment™. By God I think they hate her more than the democrats.

Democrats hate everybody, so of course they hate Sarah!

The GOP is more vicious though. They are underhanded and ruthless, when it comes to attacking a true Conservative. Look at the pure evil that Ted Cruz has faced here in Texas from his Establishment opponent. It’s as nasty as I’ve ever see,

Those of us old enough to remember the Reagan years, when he was running for president, can attest, the Republican Establishment™ was as nasty to Reagan as they are to Sarah Palin.

I am feeling an urgency to the GOP Elites’ viciousness though. Unlike in Reagan’s time, there is the Tea Party standing behind Sarah Palin. Millions of Americans who are fed up with both parties.

It’s harder for Republican Elites to overcome that.

That’s why they hate Sarah Palin, and frankly, hate the Tea Party as well. Us plain spoken, average Americans, are a direct threat to the ruling class, and in Sarah Palin we have a champion of our cause. In Sarah Palin we have someone who will fight right along side us.

Sarah didn’t run for president, something that disappointed millions, but currently she is in the process of remaking Congress in her image. I think she understands that she, or any other true reformer, has absolutely no chance as long as there are so many members of the corrupt Establishment in place.

She has a knack for backing solid Conservatives. Men and women who believe in the Constitution, Liberty, and Freedom. Leaders who believe in First Principles, and understand that government is out of control. That we can’t just slow things down, but that we must stop and turn things around. We must go in the opposite direction, or we’ll head over the cliff.

She understands the foundation must be in place for a true reformer to bring about the sudden and relentless reform that is so greatly needed.

This is why the Republican Elite must destroy Sarah Palin. She is a direct threat to all the power they have amassed. She is a direct threat to business as usual.

So many of us stand and defend Sarah Palin, because when the GOP Elites attack her, they are attacking We The People. They are attacking us.

If we allow the Republican Establishment™ to destroy Sarah Palin, they will have destroyed us as well.

Politicians in both parties have made a mess of this country. We can’t fix the democrat party. It’s too far gone. But we can damned sure clean out the Republican Party, and run these elitist bastards out of politics forever. In fact, we MUST run these elitist bastards out of politics forever. It’s the only way our nation will survive.

This is going to be a long, vicious battle. I’m ready for it, and I stand with Sarah Palin

****UPDATE****

Many thanks to Conservatives4Palin for also publishing this, and for the positive reader response.

John McCain was Right, Sarah Palin was a Better Candidate than Mitt Romney and That Had Better Change!

By Gary P Jackson

John McCain, bless his heart, thought he was helping his buddy Mitt Romney when he said that he chose Sarah Palin to be his running mate, not because of problems with Mitt’s taxes, but because Sarah Palin was a better candidate. No truer words were ever spoken, but it’s Romney’s taxes, and other gaffes, that are giving those of us who want to see Barack Obama defeated heartburn.

Back in January, when Newt Gingrich was hammering Romney with the same leftist, class warfare, occupy tactics Obama is using, we called on Romney to release his taxes. Had he done so, none of this current nonsense would be happening. It would have been over and done with, a dead issue. Now it seems like either arrogance or that Mitt actually has something to hide.

At the time I opined that perhaps the reason Sarah was doing everything possible to drag the primary out, like suggesting voters cast their votes for Newt Gingrich, as a way to help toughen Mitt up. I still stand by that notion, as she constantly said she wanted the vetting to continue.

Sarah Palin is a seasoned veteran, having campaigned for her first office some twenty years ago. And Sarah campaigned against some of the dirtiest, sleaziest politicians imaginable. Mitt Romney would have done himself a lot of good had he aligned with her from the start. Sarah knows how to play in the big leagues, and how to win. It’s clear that Mitt is having major difficulties.

It didn’t help Mitt when perpetual screw-up Steve Schmidt contradicted his old boss John McCain, doing so on the self-admitted “extreme left socialist-communist Lawrence O’Donnell’s MSNBC show. Schmidt claims it was Romney’s wealth, not his tax returns that killed his chances, but then ever the fool, Schmidt then says the campaign never actually saw Romney’s taxes. This allowed the far left a chance to not only bash Romney, but Sarah Palin as well as Team McCain. Schmidt has a knack for stabbing former employers in the back and giving aid and comfort to the enemy.

We know the truth about the thorough vetting Sarah Palin got, so it’s hard to believe Mitt Romney didn’t get the same once over. That said, here’s a poster that has been floating around that doesn’t help Mitt at all:

For the record, I, nor anyone but Team McCain, know what records Mitt provided while being vetted for Vice President, but we all know that these days, perception turns into reality very quickly, and it’s impossible to un-ring a bell.

Romney’s problems have been compounded by his wife Ann, who announced to the world last week that they would not be releasing more tax returns. From the Wall Street Journal: [emphasis mine]

Mitt Romney’s wife, Ann, said the Romney campaign won’t be releasing older tax returns in order to block further attacks from President Barack Obama.

“There are so many things that will be open again for more attack,” Mrs. Romney said on ABC’s Good Morning America. “And you just [would] give more material for more attack.”

She dismissed the suggestion – raised in recent Obama ads and web videos – that her husband, the presumptive GOP presidential nominee, has dodged taxes or engaged in other financial misdeeds.

“You should really look at where Mitt has led his life and where he’s been financially,” she said. “He’s a very generous person. We give 10% of our income to our church every year. Do you think that is the kind of person that is trying to hide things or do things? No. He is so good about it.”

She also noted that Mr. Romney took no salary as governor of Massachusetts.

“We’ve given all people need to know and understand about our financial situation and about how we live our life,” she said. “And so the election, again, will not be decided on that. [It] will be decided on who is going to turn the economy around and how are jobs going to come back to America.”

But Democrats – and some Republicans – are still calling for Mr. Romney to release more than two years of tax returns.

Read more.

I’m stunned at the way this was handled. Simply stunned. In her wording, she’s all but said, that those looking, would find something troubling in those returns. She also assumes the American people have all they need to know to make a choice.

We all know that Barack Obama’s first official act as President was to sign an executive order placing all of his records off limits. There are college transcripts, selective service documents, as well as passport information that many have wanted to look at. Many, including myself, feel a lot of unanswered questions regarding Obama’s questionable associations could be answered if we had a look at these documents. No doubt these disclosures would have hurt his chances in 2008.

If Romney was smart, he would have told Obama that he would be more than happy to release more tax returns as soon as we got to see all of his [Obama’s] sealed information. He would have put the onus back where it belongs, on Obama. But Mitt didn’t do this.

Now, instead of simply putting all of this to rest, and shutting Obama down, the democrat run media is doing their own speculating. The left now owns and controls the narrative.

Paul Abrams, over at the Hufffington Post has been working overtime creating a narrative that comes to the conclusion that Romney will NOT be the Republican Nominee. He bases this on the notion that Romney was guilty of tax evasion, hence the Swiss bank accounts, which Abrams claims “evidence exists” Romney received amnesty for having. Again alluding to some form of tax evasion.

No one who has received amnesty for a serious crime, such as tax evasion, can be president. One would think that someone for whom the clear implications are that he has received amnesty, but will not release exculpatory documents, also cannot be president.

As the press has been focused on what we now know as Romney’s “retroactive retirement“, that does not help him escape clear responsibility for his outsourcing strategy anyhow, I have tried to shine a light on the clearest, cleanest, unspinnable, problem with Romney’s finances — amnesty for his Swiss accounts — suggesting that the Republican leaders, who dislike him anyhow, could not abide such a fatally-flawed nominee.

But, all I had on my side was logic. Why would he have closed only the Swiss Account when the Cayman/Bermuda accounts are also abusive tax havens, and he left those alone? Why would Romney have bothered to close the Swiss account at all? I deduced that what was special about his Swiss Account was the amnesty program allowed by the IRS. I also surmised that it was amnesty, more than anything else, that would keep him from releasing earlier tax returns.

Now, through investigative reporting, there is highly suggestive evidence that the logic was not wrong. Romney failed to disclose the documents he filed with the IRS in 2010, the year he has already released, that detail his Swiss Account holdings.

Read more.

First of all, Abrams has no evidence, just accusations. If we want to play the qualifications game, I doubt he wants to get into several cases of fraud Obama is said to have committed, including filing for and receiving student aid as a foreigner, and the numerous Social Security numbers both Obama and wife Michelle have allegedly used over the years. Things that Team Romney could, and should be helping expose, by the way.

Again, this is where the Romney campaign is weak and unfocused. The communist-democrats keep pounding him like it’s illegal to have money, and yet all of the big name democrats have actual corruption problems that have been well documented. For whatever reason, Team Romney never, ever talks about it. It’s like they aren’t concerned with massive government corruption. This begs one to ask why.

John Nolte recently pointed out that DNC chairwoman, and Florida Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman-Shultz, who has been one of the loudest ankle biters trashing Romney for his Swiss accounts and “outsourcing” has “outsourced” her money with the Swiss, as well as India, Germany, Japan, and a whole lot more.

Ed Morrissey notes that Former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi made $5 million “outsourcing” her money offshore.

The allegations from HuffPo’s Abrams could be easily put to rest had Romney just provided his returns. Instead of being attacked by the communist swine, Romney could have turned the tables on them. We all know democrats, all democrats, are congenital hypocrites and liars. All of them are “guilty” of doing the same things Romney has done. Not that having money offshore is an actual crime.

Instead of ducking and dodging, Romney should be calling these people out. He COULD be calling these people out, had he made his own records an open book.

Corruption in government is one of the biggest issues that needs addressing. Hundreds of billions of tax payer dollars are lost to various corrupt schemes. Many of these schemes involve cronyism, something we’ve never heard Mitt Romney address. Peter Schweizer has called out Romney over the fact he won’t release the names of his bundlers. Again, this is essential for those of us who want to know who Romney might “owe” something to if elected. The bundlers Peter identified aren’t exactly squeaky clean.

Maybe I’m more used to the sort of politician who gets things done. Sarah Palin made her bones taking down corrupt politicians. From her earliest days as a member of the Wasilla City Council, throughout the rest of he political career she has taken on corruption. She called out corrupt Republicans, including the head of the Alaskan Republican Party, the state’s Attorney General, and Governor, and sent many to prison.

When Sarah was a candidate for Vice President this was a huge positive, and something that drew tens of millions of supporters to her. [even though the McCain campaign didn’t promote it enough] It’s still something that her supporters greatly admire. It shows an integrity that most politicians lack.

Mitt Romney has always had transparency issues though. When he left office, there was a serious attempt to cover his tracks. Politico reported last year:

Just before Mitt Romney left the Massachusetts governor’s office and first ran for president, 11 of his top aides purchased their state-issued computer hard drives, and the Romney administration’s e-mails were all wiped from a server, according to interviews and records obtained by the Globe.

Romney administration officials had the remaining computers in the governor’s office replaced just before Governor Deval Patrick’s staff showed up to take power in January 2007 … Beth E. Myers, who was Romney’s chief of staff, bought her hard drive on Aug. 18, 2006, the same month that she left state employment.

She later became Romney’s campaign manager.

Peter G. Flaherty, who was Romney’s deputy chief of staff, bought the hard drive from his computer on Nov. 3, 2006 … Flaherty later became the Romney campaign’s chief liaison to social conservatives.

That sort of thing doesn’t play well with Americans. Many of us wonder what Mitt has to hide.

Thing is, I’ve always looked at Mitt with an open mind. You read about his career and you can’t help but like the guy. He’s done some truly heroic things in both business and his private life.

I ran photos and video back in January of a sweaty, dirty Mitt Romney helping victims of the San Diego fires. It’s the kind of thing all Americans admire. There are also several stories of Mitt and his sons rescuing drowning boaters on more than one occasion.

We have heard about the heroic efforts to find Melissa Gay, daughter of Bain Capital executive Robert Gay. Mitt closed up shop and some 200 Bain employees hit the streets looking for her. Even hired a private detective. That’s far and above what one expects from an employer.

We also know that Mitt turned around the 2002 Olympics, and did the work for free. Palinistas love the fact that as Governor, Sarah turned down a $25,000 a year raise the legislature wanted to give her, and her Lt Governor, who also turned them down. Mitt took no salary as Governor. Yeah, he’s loaded, but many in his position would have taken the money.

These are the kind of things Americans need to know and the campaign should be highlighting. Instead, the Romney campaign is out there fighting the battles on the democrat’s terms. That’s not how you win elections.

A few weeks ago I wrote that Mitt should pick Sarah as his running mate, noting she would be the steady, senior player guiding the relatively inexperienced starter, much like the Dick Cheney was to George Bush. While I have no delusions that Mitt would actually choose her, he’s surrounded by the same incompetents that sunk the McCain campaign, Mitt would be wise to reach out to Sarah for some advice and help.

This is the most important election in our nation’s history. If these past four years are any indication, I doubt America can survive another four with Obama at the helm. In fact, if re-elected, there will be nothing to hold Obama, who has no regard for Congress or the Constitution, back. It will be a very dangerous time for the nation.

Problem is, Mitt Romney and his team don’t seem to understand this. At least they don’t act like they do. I certainly don’t see the passion one is looking for. I still have memories of John McCain attacking supporters who held candidate Obama in low opinion. At one pint even telling supporters they had “nothing to fear” from Obama, man was he ever wrong!

I was reminded of this the other day as ABC News reported this gem:

Former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney disagreed with an Ohio town hall attendee who called President Obama a “monster” today, saying her son’s business shrunk “because of what this monster has done to this country.” Romney replied, “That’s not a term I would use,” adding that she “had every right to be angry.”

Yeah it’s a tad better than the sort of responses we got from McCain, but not by much. Obama is a monster, a monster hell-bent on destroying the country. He’s using the Cloward-Piven strategy of growing government so large it collapses under it’s own weight.

Back in November of last year, in an interview with Sean Hannity, Mitt refused to call Obama a socialist. I rarely call Obama a socialist either, but for very different reasons.

Mitt was afraid of offending someone, and I know Obama was raised from birth by communists. His mother and father were hard core communists, and his [white] grandparents had moved from Kansas to the Seattle area to be closer to the large Marxist-communist community there. We also know Obama was mentored by communist Frank Marshall Davis, as a youth. Calling Obama a socialist is being too kind.

I don’t understand a politician who is afraid of offending those who will never respect them or vote for them anyway. Calling Obama a socialist, when his policies are straight out of the Marxist handbook, is just telling the truth. We’ve shown over and over that most democrat members of Congress are members of the Socialist Democrats of America, the Communist Party USA, or both. It’s not like this is some fairy tale!

Mitt exhibits a weakness and timidity that most Establishment Republicans do. He, or at least his team, share the ability to attack Conservatives, while palling around with liberals, that all of the GOP Elite do. These antics don’t help Mitt with the base of the party. In fact, they don’t help him with voters in general.

Obama must go, but if that is going to happen, Mitt needs to learn how to be a serious candidate. America’s future depends on it. Sarah Palin is much better at this, and if Romney is smart, he’ll reach out to her. He needs her experience and leadership ability. I’m not holding my breath though.

Was Steve Schmidt Qualified to Be McCain’s Campaign Manager?

By Gary P Jackson

Those who were paying attention during the 2008 presidential election know of John McCain’s campaign manager Steve Schmidt, and his equally incompetent cohort Nicole Wallace. We also know that the Schmidt’s many failures during that election were so strong, and so damaging to his already dubious reputation, he, and Wallace, looked for a scapegoat to pin the blame on.

In fact, as John Nolte reported on Andrew Breitbart’s Big Hollywood a memo was released that proves the attempt to “save” Schmidt and help rewrite history in a way to make him look good, and Sarah Palin, the only bright spot in that campaign, look bad.

Schmidt has consistently lied about the facts of the campaign. Many of those lies ended up in the failed HBO movie Game Change. As Stacy Drake pointed out, HBO’s own graphics department helped prove the lies, as they had a “time stamp”” on one scene, describing an incident that never occurred, but was depicted in the movie.

As Stacy proved, at the exact time Schmidt and company alleged Governor Palin was having some sort of mental breakdown, she was in fact out at a campaign event and having a damned good time! Stacy even includes video backup of the events!

Many in the GOP are repeating the lie that Sarah wasn’t vetted, something completely debunked years ago by none other than A.B. Culvahouse, the former Reagan adviser turned high powered D.C. attorney, who vetted all of the prospective vice presidential candidates for John McCain. It’s their objective to repeat the lie long enough that it becomes accepted fact.

With that said, Whitney Pitcher wonders why no one has taken time to vet Steve Schmidt. Had the McCain campaign done their due diligence, and vetted this petty little man, Senator McCain might just be President McCain instead. As Whitney points out Schmidt’s entire résumé is cluttered with failure upon failure. Add in the fact he has no problem dumping on his former employers rather than own up to his own inability to perform, and you start to see where the problem with 2008 truly lies.

Here’s a taste of what Whitney writes for Andrew Breitbart’s Big Government:

In a recent article at the National Review, John McCain’s failed 2008 campaign manager Steve Schmidt is quoted as saying “it will be a very long time before questions about capability and preparedness are not a part of the process.” The implication is that former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin was neither “prepared” nor “capable” to be vice president in the 2008 cycle, and that now hangs over the current vice presidential selection process.

In his comments about the VP selection process, Schmidt indicates a pretty simple concept– “capability and preparedness” are characteristics that a presidential nominee would seek in his or her running mate.

However, Schmidt’s comments indicate that the selection process and the entire campaign he was involved in during 2008 did not consider such factors, which leads one to ask, “did Steve Schmidt have the ‘capability and preparedness’ necessary to perform his role as campaign strategist?”

In other words, let the vetting of Steve Schmidt begin.

The 42 year-old New Jersey native’s campaign experience started with work for four failed state and national races during his mid to late twenties—ranging from the Kentucky Attorney General’s race in 1995 to working as Communication Director for Lamar Alexander’s 2000 presidential bid. He also managed failed Lt. Governor and Senatorial bids in California in 1998.

Schmidt later worked in a few Republican party positions before becoming both a part of the Bush White House and the Bush re-election campaign in 2004, working with Karl Rove and overseeing the re-election “war room.” In fact, he was often called a “Rove protégé,” playing a senior role in the Bush 2004 re-election and later working for the Bush administration on Iraq media communication and with the confirmation processes of Bush Supreme Court appointees . He later worked on Arnold Schwarzenegger’s re-election campaign in 2006.

Steve Schmidt was picked up by the McCain campaign in December of 2006 as a senior adviser to Senator McCain’s presidential campaign-in-waiting. Schmidt was later given “full operational control” of McCain’s presidential bid, amidst some dissatisfaction with the campaign’s trajectory.

[ …. ]

In short, Schmidt was in control of the political and messaging operations of the campaign. Two messaging strategies proved to be costly for the McCain campaign—the handling of both McCain and Palin in general and the error of suspending the campaign in the midst of the financial crisis. The campaign was criticized for waiting nearly two weeks between Governor Palin’s introduction as the VP pick and her first interview with Charlie Gibson.

E-mails of Governor Palin’s obtained by the Anchorage Daily News in January of 2009 noted that prior to being selected as the VP candidate, Governor Palin was slated to give interviews to Newsweek, NPR, Fox News and a host of other outlets at the RNC convention as a McCain campaign surrogate. Yet after she was picked as VP, she was silenced and kept from the media.

This poor campaign messaging approach and shackling of the personable Palin allowed the biased media—including the likes of Tina Fey—to set the tone and narrative of the debate over Palin. Thus, much of the public to this day believe Fey’s words about the proximity of Palin’s home to Russia were instead Palin’s words. The media drove the campaign to be defensive and incoherent rather than assertive and clear.

A third messaging strategy sprouted from the failures of the first two. Leaked memos from the waning days of the McCain campaign indicated that Schmidt and his buddies aimed to protect Schmidt’s reputation in the impending electoral loss. These memos and Schmidt’s desire to deflect blame likely provided the impetus for the anonymous lies spread about Governor Palin’s geographic knowledge following the campaign. The strategy from the leaked memos included reaching out to “influential reporters.” One of these reporters included Game Change co-author Mark Halperin.

Fast forward to 2012, and Schmidt is still attempting to save face by projecting his failures as an incapable strategist onto the Vice Presidential candidate he helped choose and who provided the only spark in an otherwise exceedingly dull campaign. This is why Schmidt played an admitted instrumental role as one of the sources for Halperin’s book and in the HBO adaptation of the book, which fallaciously disparaged Palin while painting a sympathetic image of Schmidt.

For example, the film adaptation of Game Change, whose premiere Schmidt attended, misrepresented the Troopergate scandal [Or as Sarah calls it Tazergate ~Gary] of which Palin was exonerated. Palin’s legal counsel at the time, Thomas van Flein, recounted his first interaction with Schmidt.

Whitney has much more on Schmidt and this attempted rewrite of history, including how he failed to vet Obama properly, or highlight Sarah’s incredible record as Governor of Alaska. Click here to read it all.