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Steele Rebukes Palin, Pawlenty
Tom Strickland / AP Photo
Rogue warfare, perhaps? RNC Chairman Michael Steele issued a stern rebuke to conservatives like Sarah Palin and Tim Pawlenty, who immersed themselves in Conservative Party candidate Doug Hoffman’s losing House campaign. “If you don't live in the district, you don't vote there, your opinion doesn't matter very much,” Steele said. "It serves as an important lesson on how we manage an opportunity to win a seat. And how not to mismanage by putting in a botched process.” Steele went on, “I don't see a victory in losing seats. I'm in the business of multiplication and addition. I want more Republicans. I don't buy that we somehow find victory in defeat.”
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hfb1053
Good for Steele. Palin should leave the Republican party if she continues to refuse to follow the rules. She is rogue and needs to be contained. Same for Pawlenty.
HDway1
Yeah, silence talk radio too!
RNC Chairman Michael Steele issued a stern rebuke to conservatives like Sarah Palin and Tim Pawlenty, who immersed themselves in Conservative Party candidate Doug Hoffman's losing House campaign.
Dick Morris is right, Conservatism is too important to be left to the Republicans. I suppose Steel would like the people to only have the opinions and interpretations of the Main Stream Media to rely on. And, if you have a liberal who has a history of betrayal why would you want her?
kdj-kdj
Huh?
ToulouseL
In all seriousness though, Palin does not even know her ass from her elbow. She is backwards, if you pay attention to half the things she says, and then look at what she might say a week or two later, she completely contradicts her self. It wont be good if this, and in her words, "Ya-hoo", takes office. We'd be worse than we are now.
diamondgirl
hfb last time I looked this was a free country to speak your mind anytime and anyplace.
Palin may have hurt the party by speaking out, but as you noticed there is a reaction to every action. The good news is NJ got rid of the governor from hell, in a Democrat state...I am very excited to see what he is going to do...Like you were about Obama when he came into office, but has done little else but raise our taxes, with a stimulus and pork filled budget...I hope Christie doen't follow his lead.
AlanD2
diamondgirl: If you expect lower taxes, be prepared for cuts to lots of your services. In addition to the highest taxes, NJ has one of the highest unemployment rates, which means revenue is way down. States cannot run deficits, and lowering taxes would reduce revenues even further, so something would have to be cut in the way of services.
Plantagenet
Rahm Emmanuel did a great job of finding conservative democrats to run and win in conservative districts, creating the "yellow dog" caucus in the House. Steele wants to find liberal republicans to run and win, but his effort failed spectacularly in New York.
scristanti
steele did not pick this candidate, and if he could of he would never have picked her, she was not even a moderate republican, she was a liberal in disguise democrat, acorn supported her, she was for cap and trade, for card check, and then to endorse the democrat, her husband a union leader, unions were backing her, come on, that is no republican she was more to the left then owens, and who the hell left her name on the ballot, just take away her numbers and hoffman would have won, they said she had half the unions voting for her, well some of those friends of her husband voted for her just to get back at the gop. facts are facts. owens won by the gift she gave him, sickening.
clearthinker
I agree 100%. I would rather have a conservative democrat than a liberal republican anyday.
kdj-kdj
I would rather have an independent than either.
maryfrost2
We don't need another Democrat disguised as a Republican. We either stand for something or we stand for nothing. I stand for limited government, and we don't need anymore Arlen Spector's. As it is now, it's hard, in a lot of cases, to tell them apart.
bgeasyas123
A conservative democrat or a liberal republican are both essentially independents. They are just independents that play the two party game.
CitizenBloggerX
Heres a fact for you !! She was the NRA's pick for a candidate, HAHAHA !!! You just called the NRA a liberal organization !! You should be getting a 2am knock on your door LOL
AlanD2
maryfrost2: If you ever expect Republicans to get back in power, you are going to need a lot of Republicans with moderate tendencies, just as some Democrats have conservative tendencies.
Otherwise you will have a long stay in the wilderness. (Not that I mind, you understand.)
oaklynne
And the Democrats succeeded in New York, thanks to carpet-bagging Palin and her conservative fringe cronies. Does that make you happy, Plant?
maryfrost2
oaklynne, We are proud of Palin. She stands by her principles, and does
not try and "sit on the fence", just to keep everyone liking her. I like a person with gumption and she has IT.
kdj-kdj
Who is "we"?
bgeasyas123
Commenting on an election in a state thousands of miles away doesn't take gumption, nor does leaving an elected post....such as governer. Also, it is not wise to title an autobiography "Going Rogue" when you plan to keep endorsing your supposed party.
If continuing to act like an idiot takes gumption, then I agree, she has it
oaklynne
maryfrost, does quitting as governor and becoming a Facebook princess count as one her "principles" of which you are so proud? I do agree that she has gumption insofar as she believes that her opinion matters or is relevant; although I would have perferred that you substitute the word "egomania" for "gumption."
Glenda1976
Oaklynne,
Dems succeeded because the RNC decided to waste $1 mil on a Dem instead of a Repub.
ukeman
how's that workin for ya maryfrost ? wink
whipmawhopma
kdj-kdj - maryfrost2 is speaking in the royal 'we'. She's obviously a monarchist who wishes Sarah Palin was the Queen of America, the dictator who can fix all wrongs and won't create any new ones, who will deliver government (tax payer) paid benefits without ushering in the dreaded socialism that is the first step towards communism, who will put all those foreigners in their place, especially the ones here illegally, rid the streets of crime and likewise bedrooms occupied by consenting adults, and restore a delusion pride to the USA in place of those things we should actually be proud of, like a supreme court not controlled by the executive or legislative branches. Or something like that.
It's unfortunate that we don't have access to one of the parallel universes where the McCain - Palin ticket won the 2008 election, so we could learn from observation that in the end all presidents seem to disappoint their followers and confirm what their anti-followers thought all along.
AlanD2
maryfrost2 said: "We are proud of Palin. She stands by her principles..."
You mean like quitting when the going gets tough?
Never mind. Palin for President in 2012 - the Democratic dream!
empressaw
Finally, some words of wisdom from Michael Steele. At least he can see what a detriment Sarah Palin is to the republican party and all politics. Of course, the more she opens her mouth and supports a cause or a candidate, the better it is for Democrats and Independents who work against her and the republican agenda. Keep up the "good" work, Sarah!
pclayton
I guess there is a good side to everything--even Palin's role in "politics" when it serves the Democratic party. I still believe we should ignore her so her and her ignorance will "go away." She is an embarrassment to all women who have a functioning brain.
maryfrost2
I disagree with your statement above, but I'll take TRUTH AND HONESTY ANYDAY, over being able to give a great speech and intelligence. Palin has COMMON SENSE, and I'll take that anyday.
kdj-kdj
LOL!
Frosty is funny!
bgeasyas123
That has got to be the best post I have ever seen on any article on this site. I think we should start a TDB wall of comment fame and mary's comment should sit at #1.
oaklynne
Maryfrost, please enlighten us: what is the COMMON SENSE you claim Palin displays? My dog has COMMON SENSE, but I wouldn't want him running for office or endorsing a candidate.
dwood7219
mfrost: Amusing you cite your high regard for truth and honesty and then laud SP for her common sense only. I guess you do believe in honesty and could not, therefore, write the words "Sarah Palin" and "truth and honesty" in the same sentence. As for her common sense as they say, it is all in the eye of the beholder. I am just glad nothing that woman has to say will ever in any way impact my life because while I certianly see her as common, there is nothing sensible about her.
diamondgirl
You have plenty of them in your own party, every time Biden opens his mouth he spews nonsense. Obama is a socialist and he is not liked by half the country for the direction he is taking this county in...Thats how we won yesterday!Wake up and smell the revolt Pin Heads
Superfancy
And tomorrow Michael Steele will go on Rush Limbaugh's show to publicly apologize for having said something sensible.
crymeariver
EXACTLY.
whipmawhopma
lol
OOOWWW
Here comes the civil war.
Popcorn anyone.
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n--Y--squareyellowpaperkdj-kdj
I think he meant a GOP civil war.
djanimaequeen
Extra butter please!
PinkoLefty
I can't wait!
I'm sure Steele has already received his summons to appear in Rush's kangaroo court.
Club for Growth rocks the house. Keep up the good work guys.
co-intheknow
Scoot over - I'll share my pepsi!
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n--Y--squareyellowpaperThis user is no longer registered.
n--Y--squareyellowpaperJustAJoe
This was a safe Republican seat with the kind of moderate Republican candidate it takes to win in New England. Then these "National Leader" such as Sarah Palin and Fred Thompson and their ideological litmus tests got involved and the election was lost. You might notice these "Leaders" are best known for running poor campaigns, giving embarrassing interviews and losing elections. Ideology is basically all they have to offer.
unclelew
Well said, Joe.
clearthinker
scavafava was not a "moderate republican". The state republican offices screwed up with her nomination to begin with. I predict this seat will get overthrown when they have primary elections.
maryfrost2
clearthinker, SHE-however you spell her name, was a liberal person, calling herself a Republican.
maryfrost2
I was happy that McCain did not win the presidential campaign mostly because
of his liberal views, but calling himself a Republican. I say that we should stay true to our conservative beliefs, or we go down fighting.
OffenbachStutz
Please, by all means, go down fighting!
AlanD2
maryfrost2: I agree. I would much rather see Republicans go down fighting in 2012 rather than see a moderate Republican (with a real chance of winning) run for President.
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n--Y--squareyellowpapermaspring
Few things are as certain about the District 23 results as the fact that a bunch of moderate Republicans switched side to vote for a Democrat, most obviously Scozzafava herself. Some will never switch back.
Before Palin and the rest joined in the Republicans had a pretty seat in the House. Now they got nothing.
I don't know how much clearer it can be. You kick out the moderates your party gets smaller. Smaller parties just get less of what they want.
Any moment now either Plant or Reardongalt may show up to try to explain how Steele is wrong. But it's a simple fact: you kick out your moderates you got nowhere to go but down.
kdj-kdj
The closer to the center you are, the closer to reality you stay.
clearthinker
I agree with your assessment to a degree, but I disagree that Scozzafava was a "moderate". She believes in right to choose, cap and trade, health care bill, and she supported the stimulus package. What Republican principals does she stand for? Does she believe in the 2nd amendment? Scozzafava was NOT a Republican or conservative. If it looks like a fish, smells like a fish, swims like a fish...then its a fish. She was a liberal and would not have helped the Republican party.
AlanD2
clearthinker: As Scozzafava was supported by the NRA, I think you can quit worrying about the 2nd amendment.
Had Scozzafava been elected, she would have voted with Republicans most of the time (as do all of the few remaining moderate Republicans). So you believe that having fewer votes in Congress helps Republicans?
politicalpam
Michael Steele is correct when he states that his job is about addition and multiplication for the GOP. There is an ideological struggle within the GOP. Palin and company have made it clear that their loyalty is not to the GOP but to their movement. They will leave and form a third party. The Palin crowd, 912ers, Teabaggers, etc will continue to lose an eventually wear themselves out and go away. GOP leadership fully understands that the survival of their party is at stake. The leadership should have recognized after their 2008 debacle that this was coming and should have chosen to develop a more inclusive platform as well as some concrete ideas to offer the public. Instead they hoped to once more capitalize upon their base and do nothing more than be the party of no. They all deserve a share of the blame. Again, a big thanks to Gingrich and Rove for valuing winning more than substance.
GateKeeper
Palin didn't have to do what she did..but she did and WHY and for what substantial reason? I'll tell you why..so someone would notice her power of what she thought would be an influence..it backfired..
I see understand WHY the McCain PPL treated her the way they did AFTER his concession speech losing the election to obama... Palin wanted to make a concession speech as well...they turn her mic off and started flashing the lights in the building.. the mCCain message ( forget it palin this ain't about you we are going HOME.. you should too..Lol).
..and so.. if you believe what Palin did had no bearing on how the election resulted in NE?.. you are kidding yourshelf.. palin is ABOUT PALIN and nothing else..and I hope the PUBS remember the nite and the reason NE loss congressional seats..PALIN PALIN PALIN..
Spartann
Tina Brown .... What's just been reported and posted above is sooooooooo outta context its laughable.... This morning I watched the Michael Steele interview this rag has selectively cropped and pasted together above.
For starters, Steele was only referring to his duties as RNC Chairman and to those who work for him at the RNC when he said outsiders needed to stay out of any local GOP organization's selection process.,... He then followed up by saying, no one outside of the RNC is at fault when they comment on any candidate at any time...any where ...any place. The rest of the so called quotation you've posted above is also taken outta context.
If this is how the Beast leads by example, it won't be long before Tina is outted by her own words, selectively arranged to read, "Tina Brown is not only the Queen of Romania, but a daughter of Sapho as well."
escomments
Steele is exactly the kind of Republican that needs to switch parties and join the Democrats! The Dems always have room for more Liberals in their party we don't need them in the Republican party case in point:
If scazafava or what ever her name is, was a Republican, she would have supported Hoffman. Not the enemy. That's a pretty good sign how she would have voted in the House. Probably for Pelosi as Speaker, Stimulas, Health Care Public Option?
How much good would that have done for Republicans?
Answer: Disastrous!
The Dems got what they wanted, A "liberal Democrat!"
There! You see? It all worked out for the best.
The Dems are going through the same thing with the "Blue Dogs" You know behind closed doors, the liberals in the House are just cussing the hell out of those Bluedogs and wished they weren't in the party.
I think the Republicans would be happy to take them.
Michael Steele? WTF are you doing?
kdj-kdj
The enemy?
escomments
You know what I meant. Democrats. It's politics. Wake up and smell the coffee!
kdj-kdj
They are the enemy?
escomments
Do you have the hic-ups?
Yes, any party who decides they know best for the rest of us serfs and want to un constitutionally centrally plan our future as a great big collective, is the enemy of Freedom and Liberty and must be stopped at the ballot box.
I would call them the enemy. Politically speaking, of course.
Why? what are you inferring?
Or are you still making up your mind being the reasonable, centrist, moderate, middle of the roader, independant that you are?
kdj-kdj
I'm just trying to understand what you meant by "enemy."
I see that is was a personal statement that anyone not thinking like you is the "enemy."
If that were a true statement, as applied to the rest of the country, everyone has more enemies than friends (given the 33/33/33 split of conservative/independent/liberal thinkers in this country).
Is that how you view reality?
escomments
Another News Flash, the country isn't 33/33/33. 40% of the country identify them selves as Conservatives. Believe it or not, I am not. I am Libertarian. I see that you voted for Harry Brown in 2000.
You should be alarmed where this Liberal majority controlled government is trying to lead this nation.
That is reality!
kdj-kdj
es...
It is generally, on average, a 33% 3 way split. This mainly depends on who is in power at the time.
As for your second to last sentence... the conservatives held power for too long. Time for the liberals turn.
escomments
Why did you vote for Harry Brown?
escomments
Do you know why you voted for Harry Brown?
I'm really curious to know your thought process on that.
escomments
kdj-kdj
Okay,
You talk a good game but me thinks you are full of it!
FloridaBoy12
What? Perhaps if the fringe elements of the GOP hadn't back stabbed her she would have supported Hoffman. Perhaps is Hoffman had been local GOP he would have won.
Didn't Hillary can drive up to NY, run for office, and win? Perhaps they just didn't like Hoffman......
escomments
I guess you can say it was a character test and she failed!
Funny how liberals are always failing those character test thingies. LOL
crymeariver
No Republicans believe that your own party should allow them to screw you in the ass and sabotage your campaign. And you should smile and ask for more. It's all those Christian values about treating people the way you would like to be treated.
escomments
Cry me a river!
AlanD2
crymeariver: I think you meant "No, Republicans".
Reefdancer
Steele has no backbone. He will recant just as soon as Limberger cheese gets on his case for daring to criticize the diva
jimbolini
I blame the republican party for Obama's win. You guys put up McCain way to early and then he brings Palin in. What a joke!
Please don't put the born again moose hunter in the spot light!!
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n--Y--squareyellowpaperkdj-kdj
I would have voted for McCain in 2000.
Instead I voted for Harry Browne.
escomments
McCain is a RINO.
Here again, what is the point of having the choice between two liberals to vote for?
The only reason McCain was even the nominee was that Huckabee wouldn't get out of the race and ended up splitting the Conservative vote with Romney allowing McCain to reach a plurality.
If he hadn't had brought in Palin, the base would have stayed home on election day.
I'll bet Romney would have beaten Obama had he been the nominee.
You love to beat up on Conservatives and how they don't belong in the Republican party.
News Flash: If there were no Conservative base of the Republican Party, not only would there be no Republican Party, there wouldn't be a reason for them.
The views that would be left over could easily find a home in the Democrat party.
FloridaBoy12
McCain is a Republican......why would he be a RINO and Someone like Palin not be a RINO? Is it because he isn't "conservative enough"?
By the way, just what does being "conservative enough' entail?
escomments
Are you a Republican?
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