McCain Campaign Email Leaks
I have been a bit exhausted by most of this post-post-postmortem of the McCain campaign, relitigating old divisions that only really matter now on the off-off-off chance that Sarah Palin is the Republican standard bearer in three years. But I do find these old emails, published by CBS News, rather riveting. The whole thing starts when Palin, fresh on the campaign trail, gets upset about the discussion over her husband Todd's past membership of a political party that advocates Alaskan secession. She writes an email to top staff:
"Pls get in front of that ridiculous issue that's cropped up all day today - two reporters, a protestor's sign, and many shout-outs all claiming Todd's involvement in an anti-American political party," Palin wrote. "It's bull, and I don't want to have to keep reacting to it ... Pls have statement given on this so it's put to bed."
Schmidt writes back within five minutes.
"Ignore it," he wrote. "He was a member of the aip? My understanding is yes. That is part of their platform. Do not engage the protestors. If a reporter asks say it is ridiculous. Todd loves america."
Palin won't take no for an answer, responding.
"That's not part of their platform and he was only a 'member' bc independent alaskans too often check that 'Alaska Independent' box on voter registrations thinking it just means non partisan," Palin wrote. "He caught his error when changing our address and checked the right box. I still want it fixed."
Finally Schmidt lays down the law.
"Secession," he wrote. "It is their entire reason for existence. A cursory examination of the website shows that the party exists for the purpose of seceding from the union. That is the stated goal on the front page of the web site. Our records indicate that todd was a member for seven years. If this is incorrect then we need to understand the discrepancy. The statement you are suggesting be released would be innaccurate. The innaccuracy would bring greater media attention to this matter and be a distraction. According to your staff there have been no media inquiries into this and you received no questions about it during your interviews. If you are asked about it you should smile and say many alaskans who love their country join the party because it speeks to a tradition of political independence. Todd loves his country We will not put out a statement and inflame this and create a situation where john has to adress this."
Read the entire CBS, with far more context, report here.
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Ahyuh, Ahyuh...
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Miss the good times sitting on the back of the bus being yelled at by grandpa Mike?
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Too bad they didn't consider "truthiness" when considering other issues...
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Smile. And wink. Also.
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Palin–Bachmann '12 – Ignorance First (followed closely by Bats#!t Insanity) -
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Schmidt is a pretty good writer. It is difficult to subtly convey complete and utter contempt for someone with so few words.
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I know that Palin is a complete moron, but does she actually think these stupid lies would fool anybody for more than 2 seconds? Her husband checked the wrong box? And what about Palin's addresses to the AIP? -
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I was going to give Scherer grief about this, but Schmidt's smackdown is simply too great.
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I mean it's a verbal suplex. -
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If only Sarah could write emails as well as Mark Sanford...sigh...
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deconstructiva –
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¿Cómo se dice "Wasilla" en español? -
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How did Steve Schmidt even end up on the campaign? He seems so sane.....
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And the Taliban "speek" to muslim brotherhood and Nazi concentration camps "speek" to a love of underpopulation... How can anyone spin a concept they don't agree with for someone they don't respect so that that someone can obtain the power to determine the fate of billions. Steve Schmidt?
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If anything could make me pity Steve Schmidt, who certainly has his own share of hypocrisies and lies behind him, it might be the revelation of what he had to deal with in Sarah Palin. It must have been like dealing with a child with ADD, 24/7, while realizing that your boss had chosen to put said child in front of the cameras as his representative across a large swath of America.
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FlownOver -
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I don't speak much Spanish (yet), though yes, that word is used a lot, thus... I'm in architecture; this is wordplay on "deconstruction" which has challenged postmodern 80's stuff. Postmodernism lives on and on and on in "lifestyle" shopping centers. How many brick-clad shopping centers can you build out there? Too many, especially in a recession, it seems. -
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John McCain and his entire campaign staff KNEW Sarah Palin was NOT qualified to be Vice President and they didn't care. They picked a "Hillbilly" Governor with NO exposure or experience. McCain was hoping for a "quick fix" on his losing streak. That's the reason he chose Sarah the "pitt bull" Palin. But they soon realize all they got was a PIG and NO PITT BULL!!!
Sarah Palin herself is an idiot if she honestly thought Americans were too stupid to realize she was a FRAUD and a SHAM. She was NOT and NEVER WILL be qualified to be Vice President. As a matter of fact, based on the poll numbers in Alaska, she's won't be re-elected as Governor any time soon. Folks need to realize that Sarah Palin and Todd Palin are NOT well educated, well-experienced in Foreign policies and politics on a NATIONAL level. It took Sarah Palin 6 Colleges to get a marginal journalist degree. ARE you kidding me? A journalist degree and she still couldn't name ONE newspaper she reads, can't handle the media without putting her foot in her mouth, without sounding ignorant on world news and issues facing our country?
I have NO sympathy for John McCain or Sarah Palin. Like our elders would say.... "you get EXACTLY what you paid for". Americans DESERVE BETTER. Bottom line.
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Doesn't Sarah read all newpapers? If Couric knew this McCain should've too, yes? Sarah could gain foreign experience by landing that Ambassador to Africa job thingy. Whatever happened to her campaign clothes? That aside, I wish McCain staff had taken pics of her in that towel.
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So Sarah can see herself in Washington D.C in a position to promote physical fitness? That's nice. With all the money she's getting for her book deal she can open a gym with a view of the White House. Not too close though, tourists might see her and think she's in charge of something other than a place where hairy guys sweat.
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Just subscribed, thanks for the prod.
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chamorrita:
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That being the case (that they knew), doesn't that still leave them in Dear Dead Nixon's graces, having followered his directive to get more attractive women elected? -
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Remember at the time this was happening that it was only protesters and wacko liberals that even attempted to bring up the Palin's ties to the secessionist and Christian Dominionist AIP. McCain's ties to right wing terrorist G. Gordon Liddy were also off limits.
Obama's un-American bowling scores, choice of orange juice, and travel to elitist Hawaii to see his dying grandmother were, however, perfectly valid topics.
Obama would have won by 10 points if we would have gotten a true representation of how truly radical the GOP characters were. -
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I like this email exchange. It really shows the essence of Sarah Palin's fatal flaw: she can not let go of a perceived slight. Has never been able to and will never be able to, whether from a guy on the rope line, or the father of her grandson, or David Lettermen. Too easy to bait.
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Schmidt must have feared what kind of President she would be...
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And it's interesting that Palin writes as badly as she speaks. I sometimes wondered if she was just very nervous, since we can all stumble somewhat when speaking publicly. But no, apparently even when she has time to collect her thoughts and is under no real pressure she is still stunningly inarticulate. -
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I should make a comment about MS and his coverage of said campaign, but I will refrain.
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Thanks for the post Michael. -
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[...] She’s every mean, pretty girl you ever hated in high school and college, and a comprehensive, serial liar to boot. Nice choice, Senator. [...]
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"even when she has time to collect her thoughts"
Jesus, I work for the federal government, but if I could get a cake job like collecting Sarah's thoughts, I'd trade for that in a minute. How long could it possibly take? -
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sacredh, you're right. Replace "collect" with "form".
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I thought Michael Scherer worked for the McCain campaign? He certainly handed out their talkingpoints here very diligently.
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