Romney allies sabotaging Palin for 2012?

[Mr. Morden]

Already posted this in a thread in the 2008 forum, but I figured I'd mention it here.  There are now a bunch of rumors suggesting that the anti-Palin stories from the McCain campaign (e.g., not knowing that Africa was a continent) are from Romney loyalists who went to work for McCain after the primaries, and now want to see Palin go down in order to make way for Romney 2012:

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[Lunar]

Rumor: Aides and advisers to Mitt Romney are responsible for spreading most of the anti-Palin stories that have been going around; during the campaign, they pressured reporters to look into reports of tension between McCain and Palin factions.

Analysis: As one of the first reporters to sense these ill-winds, I don't see an organized conspiracy.  The first people with whom I spoke had no connection to Romney's campaign whatsoever -- they were longtime McCain advisers and aides... so...they didn't much like Mitt Romney. When Palin was first selected, of the five Romney aides/advisers I remember contacting, three had positive impressions and two had mixed impressions. 

Now, as the campaign progressed, there were people who can be fairly described as being Romney advisers who began to criticize Palin and pass along what their Republican friends were telling them. But so did consultants, strategists and activists representing every potential 2012 candidate.  And other Romney advisers continued to praise her. 

Trendy, self-exonerating flip:  Now -- it bothers Team Romney that this idea has spread so widely. Take the truth out of it for a moment; Palin is the most popular figure in the Republican Party right now, and if you want a future in that party, you can't be seen as spreading gossip about her. 

Metaflip:  Bottom line: Mitt Romney's world is big.  Many Republicans consider themselves to be part of it. That's a credit to their faith in the guy.  But it's not too big; that is -- if the anti-Palin fires were being spread mostly by Romney folks, political reporters would know about it, and they'd write about it. Objection: Many reporters are in the tank and want to protect Romney and their sources:  Overruled: since when are reporters in Mitt Romney's tank?

http://marcambinder.theatlantic.com/archives/2008/11/rumor_patrol_romney_camp_sprea.php

[Keystone Phil]

I totally believe it. What terrible, terrible people.

[Storebought]

I totally believe it. What terrible, terrible people.

I agree. Romney has no character.

[Lunar]

to all four of the previous posts.  Get a clue.

?

I was arguing against this conspiracy theory.

[Keystone Phil]

Get a clue.

Coming from a guy who thinks that Romney would have won the General against Obama this year. Right.

[Sam Spade]

Is the sky blue?

[Eraserhead]

Romney vs Palin... hmm ... could be fun.

[Keystone Phil]

Get a clue.

Coming from a guy who thinks that Romney would have won the General against Obama this year. Right.

Funny, I don't remember saying that.  Oh, oh, oh!  I remember why...I didn't.  We can keep pretending though, because that's more fun.  Like pretending there's any rhyme or reason behind the obnoxious and pitiful hatred of Romney by the followers of the forum.

LOL

Then what was all of this, "Should have went with Romney!" nonsense all about? You would have prefered seeing him go down hard in defeat to Obama?

[Nixon in '80]

Palin doesn't need any help making Palin look retarded.

[TomC]

If I were Romney, I'd be careful when helicopters fly overhead.

[Kaine for Senate '18]

Figures.  Romney and his partisans don't care about the GOP, they only care about Mitt Romney.

[Kaine for Senate '18]

Figures.  Romney and his partisans don't care about the GOP, they only care about Mitt Romney.

Zing!  You're so original.  I love your posts.  What an asset to the forum.

Glad to help

[Eraserhead]

Figures.  Romney and his partisans don't care about the GOP, they only care about Mitt Romney.

Zing!  You're so original.  I love your posts.  What an asset to the forum.

No offense, but did Romney save your child from a fire or something? You seem to have quite the emotional connection with him.

[Keystone Phil]

What I have been saying quite clearly is that if people really cared about the economy and the well-being, regardless of politics, they should have voted for Romney. 

...

So that's your confusing way of saying, "Romney would have won."

[Fmr. Pres. Duke]

It may be Romney's men who are doing this, but if Palin is the de facto choice for the GOP in 2012, it may be for the best.

[Keystone Phil]

What I have been saying quite clearly is that if people really cared about the economy and the well-being, regardless of politics, they should have voted for Romney. 

...

So that's your confusing way of saying, "Romney would have won."

...

No.

Then you're just giving a total half assed answer. You want to have it both ways - Romney would have won...if people really cared about what 60% of them said they cared most about.

Double speak from a Romney supporter. Shocking!

[paul718]

What I have been saying quite clearly is that if people really cared about the economy and the well-being, regardless of politics, they should have voted for Romney. 

...

So that's your confusing way of saying, "Romney would have won."

I think he's saying that, whether people would've realized it or not, Romney was the best choice for the economy.  That doesn't necessarily mean that people would've realized it though. 

[War on Want]

Wow I can't believe I am saying this but I Romney compared to all other Republicans besides McCain. I actually wouldn't mind some of his policies if he was president.

[TomC]

I liked Romney when he was a centrist governor of Mass. I really should still like him as a Republican but there's just something about him I find kinda faux 1950s. I don't think I'd vote for either, but I find Palin more authentic, a more dramatic player for the stage. I'm not sure who else has it.

We've seen she can hit pretty hard on the trail. What do you guys think is the worst she can do to Romney? Too east coast, not a tried and true conservative- (and almost imply he's not a true Christian)? Could Romney go after her experience having been a 1 term governor? I don't think so. I think she's better and both throwing and taking punches than Mitt.

[Mr. Morden]

We've seen she can hit pretty hard on the trail. What do you guys think is the worst she can do to Romney? Too east coast, not a tried and true conservative- (and almost imply he's not a true Christian)? Could Romney go after her experience having been a 1 term governor? I don't think so. I think she's better and both throwing and taking punches than Mitt.

If Palin is actually going to run for president in 2012, she's going to have to do interviews and give press conferences and such.....and do a passable job of it.  (I just can't imagine a candidate going through the entire primary campaign without doing so.)  She'll have to show that she can actually do these things before I'm willing to buy her as a serious contender for the nomination.

[Lunar]

Everyone who doesn't want to see Palin elected or even run in 2012, which is a good portion of the organizational elites, is sabotaging Palin.  Also, some of it might just be people bitter working with here antics behind the scenes.

It's dumb to pin it on Romney.  If Romney were outed as the guy behind this, it would be a huge political blow.  Hell, Palin's people might be starting the anti-Romney rumors to diffuse the attacks, who knows.

[Mr. Morden]

It's dumb to pin it on Romney.  If Romney were outed as the guy behind this, it would be a huge political blow.

It doesn't have to be a big conspiracy, with Romney commanding his minions to spread the rumors.  The idea is simply that people in Romney's orbit might be badmouthing Palin because they want Romney to win in 2012 (or even just because of resentment over Palin getting picked for VP rather than Romney).  Romney himself wouldn't have to be involved, or even know it was going on.

[Lunar]

But why Romney and not Huckabee's people?  I mean, if we're assuming the candidates themselves aren't getting involved, Huckabee's staff (Rollins) are no angels.

It would seem Huck would have more to gain than Romney from Palin not running again in '12.

Not to mention I think there's a good amount of the Republican establishment (Frum-types) that really want Republicans to drop Palin and fast - viewing her as antithetical from where the party needs to be to regain majorities.

[Mr. Morden]

But why Romney and not Huckabee's people?  I mean, if we're assuming the candidates themselves aren't getting involved, Huckabee's staff (Rollins) are no angels.

It would seem Huck would have more to gain than Romney from Palin not running again in '12.

So?  Again, this wasn't necessarily some well thought out organized effort.  Could just be a handful of people who had previously worked for Romney who decided to do this.  Just because Huckabee might have more to gain doesn't automatically mean that his people would do it.  Could also just be that more Romney people went to work for McCain after the primaries than Huckabee, or just more of them who came into contact with Palin during the campaign.