CNN'S Peter Hamby reports that the conservative group, Americans for Prosperity, has invited a bevy of 2012 prospects to talk about jobs and spending at an April 29 dinner.
Rick Santorum and Herman Cain have, predictably, already agreed to come, while Sarah Palin, Mitt Romney, Jim DeMint, Tim Pawlenty, Mike Huckabee, Haley Barbour, and John Thune have yet to reply.
Monday, January 31, 2011
Conservative summit hopes to lure 2012 candidates
Nebraska 2012: Palin, Obama in dead heat
A new Public Policy Polling survey shows Republicans solidly holding onto Nebraska in 2012, unless Sarah Palin is the nominee. Then, it's up for grabs.
a. Mike Huckabee 51% Barack Obama 38%
b. Mitt Romney 49% Barack Obama 37%
c. Newt Gingrich 48% Barack Obama 40%
d. Sarah Palin 45% Barack Obama 44%
Favorability Ratings:
a. Mike Huckabee 44%/33% for +11%.
b. Mitt Romney 38%/35% for +3%.
c. Sarah Palin 42%/50% for -8%.
d. Newt Gingrich 34%/43% for -9%.
Barack Obama's approval rating in the state is 38%/56% for -18%.
Notes: PPP's poll of Texas last week showed similar signs of danger for Republicans if they nominate Sarah Palin. The state's general election would be a toss-up with Palin at 47% and Obama at 46%. That contrasts significantly with Huckabee's 16% lead over the POTUS in Texas.
And once again -- in the very red Nebraska, all Republicans would win handily in '08, save for Palin.
Evening eats
a. WMUR's 2012 power rankings for New Hampshire.
b. Jon Huntsman is stepping down.
c. Marco Rubio is skipping CPAC.
d. Mark Sanford in a boat; Maria in a bikini..... New pics while Sanford was in office!
e. Scott Brown's got a $7 million war chest.
f. Why Huntsman can win.
g. Santorum adds to his New Hampshire schedule.
h. Gibbs takes a shot at Huntsman.
i. Romney visits with business owners in New Hampshire.
j. Axelrod calls the GOP primary "unpredictable" and "unfathomable."
k. David Blaine on notice.
Palin closes strong
The Hill's Shane D'Aprile reports on each major '12 contenders hauls for the time period, November 23, 2010 -- December 31, 2010.
1. Sarah Palin $275K
2. Mitt Romney $210K
3. Rick Santorum $194K
4. John Thune $69K
5. Tim Pawlenty $48K
6. Mike Huckabee $35K
7. Newt Gingrich $31K
Palin's showing is awfully impressive. Not only did small donors flock to her, but she also pulled in those numbers through her federal PAC only, while Romney drew green from federal and state PACS.
Santorum also raised an impressive amount and showed why he might be on his way to becoming a legitimate 2nd tier candidate.
Huckabee's haul, on the other hand, was fairly weak and indicative of someone who's leaning -- if anyway -- against a run.
Pawlenty calls Administration "confused" on Egypt
While at a book-signing in Iowa, Tim Pawlenty ripped into the Obama Administration's handling of the crises in Egypt.
“The early statements by Secretary Clinton, Vice President Biden and the president seemed inconsistent, bordering on incoherent if you put them all together.
I guess I would say their statements taken as a whole look like they were caught off guard and surprised and confused.”
Mike Memoli accurately notes that that's the strongest criticism levied at the administration's handling of the crisis of any '12er.
Pawlenty: Health ruling a victory for Constitution
Tim Pawlenty immediately issues a statement responding to a Florida judge's decision that a major plank in the congressional health care plan violates the Constitution.
He also reminds folks he was involved in the lawsuit, and implicitly pokes Mitt Romney on the issue of individual mandates (ea).
"Today's court ruling correctly affirms that President Obama and the Democratic-controlled Congress's health care takeover violates the U.S. Constitution.
An individual health-care mandate is an unconstitutional power grab by the Federal government and drags our health care system in the wrong direction. This ruling is a big victory for states' rights, the U.S. Constitution and market-based health care reform.
I was proud to join this federal lawsuit challenging Obamacare's individual mandate and am optimistic that higher courts will uphold the ruling."
Huck: Misplaced concern
In Israel today, Mike Huckabee sounded like Mike Huckabee.
"I think we ought to be more concerned about Iran building bombs than Israelis building bedrooms."
He further fleshed out his view on Jewish settlement here.
"It is inconceivable in many ways that we would have to even argue and debate whether or not Israelis could live in Israel, not just in parts of Israel but anywhere in Israel they wished to live."
Huntsman plans June or July decision
CNN's Peter Hamby:
A Republican familiar with the Huntsman effort told CNN that his advisers plan to survey the presidential landscape at some point in June or July, and then make a recommendation as to whether or not he should seek the nomination.
Daniels wins straw poll of Washington activists
Mitch Daniels has won a straw poll (pdf) of Republican activists at the Roanoke Conference in Washington state, and has done so handily.
1. Mitch Daniels 31%
2. Mitt Romney 34% 14%
3. Tim Pawlenty 13%
4. Chris Christie 8%
5. Bobby Jindal 5%
6. Paul Ryan, Newt Gingrich, Sarah Palin, and Jim DeMint 3%
7. Haley Barbour and Mike Huckabee 2%
8. Mike Pence, Jon Huntsman, Michele Bachmann, and Ron Paul 1%
The conference is comprised of Republican activists, legislators, young professionals, and college students.
Huckabee: World threatened by crises in Egypt
Mike Huckabee, while speaking at a Knesset meeting in Israel today.
"The [Egypt] situation could threaten the world and all those who seek peace and security.
The real threat to Israelis [is] not the bomb but the people behind it; not weapons but the madmen behind them."
Jon Huntsman's entry into the race...
... could be on a motorcross.
If you think that's The Wild One, check out Mitch Daniels.
[Hat tip: The Fix]
Barbour: "I can't deny I'm a Washington insider"
At a Friday forum in South Carolina, Haley Barbour owned his resume.
“I can’t deny I’m a Washington insider, but I think people want someone who can get things done.”
As Chris Cillizza recently wrote, Barbour "virtually invented lobbying," which is a challenge he'll have to overcome as the electorate continues to pine for anti-establishment candidates.
But rather than shrink from it, he's more often embraced it, possibly because he knows various forms of prevarications on stuff like this usually don't work.
Last year, he gave a preview of how he'd spin and embrace his background.
"I was a lobbyist and a pretty damned good one.
.... And I will tell you this -- the next President of the United States on January 21, 2013 - - is going to start lobbying. He's going to be lobbying Congress, he's going to be lobbying other countries. He's going to be lobbying the business community.
He's going to be lobbying the labor unions, the governors, because that's what Presidents do, and I feel like it's an advantage for me to have the chance to do that."
Americans correctly identify Bloomberg
In a presidential campaign, name ID is always important, and a new 60 Minutes/Vanity Fair poll shows NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg would start in decent shape.
Respondents were asked whether Michael Bloomberg was...
a. A big-city mayor (55% got it)
b. A Washington-based attorney (8% guessed)
c. An author for young adults (5% guessed)
d. A wealthy book publisher (4% guessed)
e. A high-powered fashion designer (0% guessed)
[Hat tip: USA Today]
Mitch Daniels: Some supporters "freelancing" for me
Mitch Daniels has always been careful to avoid seeming too involved in presidential planning -- probably because he's genuinely ambivalent on a run.
That caution extends to his comments on the race to woo money-bundlers.
In an interview, Mr. Daniels said he wasn't actively "feeling anyone out'' for help in raising money, though it was possible that "some folks are out there free-lancing" on his behalf.
The WSJ notes that some of the loyalists testing the waters for Daniels' toes include Republican lobbyist Charlie Black, Al Hubbard, a former economic adviser to Bush, and Chamber of Commerce board member, Tom Bell.
Ohio Senator hopes Pawlenty will run
Ohio Sen. Rob Portman, introducing Tim Pawlenty to an Ohio audience over the weekend.
"You know, I am not endorsing anyone, but I am happy to introduce any candidate who comes here to people like you. B
But I hope Tim Pawlenty will run because he has a great record and a great message."
A lot has been said about the deep bench the GOP holds for a 2016 presidential election, and Portman is one of those whose name will certainly be near the top of the list.
David Broder, who once said the Senator had "startlingly good looks", wrote up his future stardom last fall.
Business people know he does his homework, and Democrats find him approachable.
Except for [Indiana Gov Mitch] Daniels, there are few Republicans who have delved as deeply into fiscal and budgetary policy, trade and health care as has Portman, who notably expanded the Office of Management and Budget’s focus on Medicare and Medicaid, even when Bush showed little interest in the issue.
Since a big part of any presidential election revolves around the veep sweepstakes, it's about time to start covering potential vice-presidential pick.
I'll categorize the posts into separate archives for separate prospects + create one big conglomeration called "Veep Watch."
Huckabee: Let Jews live anywhere in Israel
Mike Huckabee in Israel over the weekend, further burnishing his credentials as a strong supporter of Israel (something I chronicled here).
"It is inconceivable in many ways that we would have to even argue and debate whether or not Israelis could live in Israel, not just in parts of Israel but anywhere in Israel they wished to live," Huckabee added.
"I cannot imagine as an American being told that I could not live in certain places in America because I was Christian, or because I was white, or because I spoke English. I would be outraged if someone told me that in my country, I would be prohibited and forbidden to live in a part of that country, for any reason."
Pawlenty adviser grades progress
Vin Weber, an adviser to Tim Pawlenty, frankly talks to the Wall Street Journal about the pursuit of money-bundlers.
"We are more in the show-and-tell phone phase than we are in the close-the-deal phase."
By the way, read the whole WSJ article -- fascinating and uber-helpful (that means very helpful).
Pawlenty: Obama "chicken" on facing tough issues
Throughout his book tour, Tim Pawlenty has made the argument that strength and record trump sizzle, and his message on Fox and Friends today was no different.
"[Obama's] got all this soaring rhetoric, but the fact of the matter is he's chicken to address the issues."
Another argument he's made is that you can be nice and implacably resolute at the same time.
FOX's crawler in the interview helped advance that notion -- "Tough Talking Patriot -- Pawlenty: Americans are about getting it done."
[Hat tip: Mike O'Brien]
Huntsman expected to run
ABC's Jake Tapper:
White House officials tell ABC News that the Obama administration expects the US Ambassador to China, former GOP Utah Governor Jon Huntsman, to step down from his post in the coming months to explore a possible 2012 run for president.
Huntsman did not respond to a request for comment.
Huntsman is a smart guy, and he certainly knows how steep a climb he'd have in a 2012 run.
Utah's presidential primary won't have any bearing on the GOP nominating contest, but preference there is a good measure of whether Huntsman can go toe-to-toe with Mitt Romney, considering their similar ideology and religion.
In the most recent polling of a Romney vs. Huntsman matchup in Utah, Romney won by 23%, and that, despite the fact Huntsman held an 84% approval rating at the time.
My guess is that any Huntsman decision to run for president would be to raise his national profile in advance of a 2016 bid, when the political environment in the Republican party might be more welcoming to a moderate.
Regardless, this is terrific news for GOP12 in the wake of Mike Pence's loss. Huntsman buzz might not be as loud as Pence chatter, but at least it's another guy to cover.
UPDATE: Jonathan Martin and Alex Burns:
While Huntsman has no direct involvement in it, a group of operatives that could eventually comprise his strategy team has set up an entity called “Horizon PAC” to serve as a placeholder for his political apparatus.
The PAC will be run by Susie Wiles, a Florida-based Republican strategist who recently managed the campaign of newly-inaugurated Gov. Rick Scott.
Mitch Daniels says decision is close
Mitch Daniels, to a newspaper editorial board in Indiana.
"I think I have got to make up my mind fairly soon."
"I don't think that I've waited too long, but I believe I should come to some decision. There are a lot of people waiting and I owe them an answer.
"The country is facing survival-level problems."
He has previously said he won't make a decision until April, when his state's legislative session ends.
In the interview with the op-ed board, he didn't specify if that time-frame still existed.
Palin lashes back at Enquirer
Sarah Palin, responding to The National Enquirer's dubious claims that Todd Palin was involved in a sex scandal with a message therapist.
"Look at this recent b.s. about Todd being all caught up in this prostitution ring in Anchorage.
"Heck. all they needed to do was to ask him, 'hey, Todd, have you been hanging out with hookers in Anchorage'?"
As a rule of thumb, it's a good model of journalism: Hey, John, were you hanging out with Rielle?
GOP county chair in Iowa backs Pawlenty
Jim Kirkpatrick, the chairman of the Fayette County Iowa Republican party, is the first county chair in the state to back a presidential candidate.
He's supporting Tim Pawlenty and has birthed the site, "Iowans for Pawlenty 2012", which promises to track T-Paw's progress through the state.
(However, this is old news, although it's being reported by Politico as a fresh development. Actually, FOX was the first to report the development in December).
Nevertheless, it's a sign that some are choosing to take sides with lesser-known candidates rather than wait for the big 4 (Romney, Palin, Gingrich, Huckabee) to make up their minds.
Palin hints at 2012 bid during gun speech
Andrew Romano delivers this extract from Sarah Palin's weekend speech before the Safari Club International annual convention -- a confab devoted to hunting.
After some boilerplate comments about how "local government is the most responsive and responsible to
the will of the people" she paused for a moment and stared out across the ballroom. And then came this: "that's why I think every president should have a run at gaining experience by being a councilmember, a mayor, a governor, a VP candidate, a commercial fisherman, a hockey mom."
As the attendees cheered, Palin made a halfhearted attempt to quiet them down. "No, I'm kidding," she said, beaming. "I try to be funny some times. I'm kidding."
But they hoped she wasn't.
This is yet another example of Palin teasing an audience with the possibility of a '12 bid.
Palin, last November, at a fundraiser for a Christian school.
After an alumnus of the private school, north of Doylestown in Bucks County, finished an uplifting performance of "God Bless America," she coyly asked him, "Would you like to sing that at an Inauguration?"
[Hat tip: Huffington Post]
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Thune's defining message
Larry Kudlow asks John Thune one of the burning questions surrounding his potential candidacy -- what does the South Dakota Senator bring to the table that other candidates don't?
KUDLOW: Is there a pet John Thune issue that you want to raise and get on the presidential agenda in the Republican party?
THUNE: I think that, you know, sort of restoring a belief in American exceptionalism, moving back to some of those core principles and values that have helped shape this country and made it strong.
You know, Ronald Reagan once said that there are no easy answers, but there are simple answers, and I think that that's really true.
And I think Midwestern common sense would be in great need and great demand around here and learning to live within your means. There are just a lot of, sort of, basic principles that we've gotten away from that we need to get back to.
Jill Lawrence thinks he needs to do better.
.... his answer did nothing to set him apart from virtually every other Republican considering a race.
They are all talking about Reagan, American exceptionalism, core values and principles, common sense, heartland roots and living within one's means.
Quiet phones in New Hampshire
Former New Hampshire Senate candidate and influential conservative, Ovide Lamontagne, says '12ers aren't reaching out to key activists in his state.
"You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to figure out who the top 100 activists are in New Hampshire — the people they should be calling if they’re really serious about running for president.
And those calls, to the best of my knowledge, aren’t being made.”
Friday, January 28, 2011
Huckabee: Obama's clear message to Egypt
On Fox News this afternoon, Mike Huckabee addressed the Egyptian crisis.
"One of the things the president is sending the signal today by even suggesting that we're going to suspend the aid and not having a personal conversation with Mubarak, he's, essentially, saying 'you're on your own.'
I mean, he's already said that. That may not be the official diplomatic communication to the Egyptian government, but it is the message to the world that is understood in every capitol around the planet -- that what we've done is, essentially, say 'Gee, whatever happens, happens, and we're not going to fool with it.'
Because, while we're putting pressure on them to keep the internet alive, what do they do? They shut it down. We ask them not to put the military in the streets, and what do they do? They put the military in the streets.
They're not paying attention to us, and we clearly aren't standing with them and paying attention to them."
North Carolina 2012: Huckabee leads
A new Public Policy Polling survey shows Mike Huckabee with a strong lead in a hypothetical 2012 Nouth Carolina primary.
1. Mike Huckabee 27%
2. Newt Gingrich 18%
3. Sarah Palin 16%
4. Mitt Romney 11%
5. Tim Pawlenty 7%
6. Ron Paul 6%
7. Mitch Daniels 3%
8. John Thune 1%
Favorability ratings:
a. Mike Huckabee 70%/14% for +56%.
b. Sarah Palin 72%/22% for +50%.
c. Newt Gingrich 62%/18% for 44%.
d. Mitt Romney 50%/26% for 24%.
Notes: Huckabee leads among both men and women, although his margin of victory is larger with women.
Age: Huck leads 30-45 year-olds, 46-65 year-olds, and voters 65+. He's in a 3-way tie with Newt and Pawlenty amon g18-29 year-olds (I'm guessing a very small sample in that demo).
For Romney, it's another poor performance in a southern primary, especially when considering North Carolina is more upscale and educated than many of its southern brethren.
Last February, Huck also led in North Carolina, although only by 6% over Sarah Palin.
Next week, it gets fun. PPP is releasing its South Carolina poll.
Karger: Lower voting age
Long-shot, gay rights activist and likely Republican presidential candidate, Fred Karger, is calling for an amendment to the Constitution that would give 16 and 17 year-olds the right to vote.
His logic?
Karger said that lowering the voting age would require high school principals and teachers to incorporate politics into their education plans.
For Karger, his bid is all about forcing a discussion of gay issues within the Republican nomination contest, something he might do if he were actually invited to debates.
The Iowa Faith and Freedom Coalition is sponsoring a March 7 debate and has invited 15 candidates, none of whom are Karger.
The group's reason? Karger's emphasis on gay issues.
In fact, the coalition's president, Steve Scheffler, actually sent an email to Karger last year, warning him:
"[I will] work overtime to help ensure that your political aspirations are aborted right here in Iowa.”
Romney meets with Massachusetts activists
Mitt Romney shared lunch Friday with a small-but-enhanced group of Massachusetts Republicans as he sought to build hometown support -- and tamp down potential backyard opposition -- while he progresses toward a second White House campaign.
Romney dashed into the Union Club, a private meeting spot just down the street from the Statehouse, joined by his brother, Scott, former campaign manager Beth Myers and senior adviser Peter Flaherty.
An hour later, he exited, carrying an unfinished, open-faced sandwich, asking reporters if they wanted a bite.
Vid on the offer?
Romney to give "Top 10" List on Letterman
Mitt Romney will celebrate the paperback release of his book, No Apology, by embarking on a mini-media tour.
He'll tape a Top 10 list for Letterman's show, appear on Good Morning America and Pier Morgan's new show, and make what's become a presidential pilgrimmage: a trip to the set of The View.
Huck will meet with Netanyahu on Israel trip
Mike Huckabee has scheduled a Monday meeting with PM Benjamin Netanyahu during his 13th visit to Israel this weekend.
He'll also tour East Jersualem, Judea, and Samaria and address the Knesset Immigration and Absorption Committee.
Of the '12 candidates, Huck has been the most loudest, and arguably, most fervent opponent of the Obama Administration's relationship with Israel.
During his last trip to the holy land (Feb 2010), he accused the POTUS of turning squishy on the alliance.
"There has been a very significant policy shift, not just a shift from Republican presidents, but Republican and Democratic presidents in America who have had a fairly consistent approach to making it clear that any threat to Israel would be viewed as a threat to the United States.
Over the past year that policy has perhaps been, if not abandoned, certainly weakened and is no longer considered a given in the equation."
At a fundraiser for the Progressive Group for Independent Business, he said Obama had "radically" shifted the countries' close relationships.
"The Israelis are concerned like you can't imagine over national security issues, because the policies of the United States have so radically -- and I use that word deliberately -- radically changed in regards to the policies of the Middle East."
In an interview with CBN, he accused the U.S. of "abandoning" Israel.
"I'm especially grieved at what's happening with the policy toward Israel.
We are abandoning the only real ally and friend we have in the Middle East, and we're doing it in order to court really a thug, rogue, terrorist government like the Palestinians who are led by a person who helped clear the finances for the Munich bombing."
He also put things in historical perspective in a HuckPAC post.
President Obama’s unprecedented stance toward Israel doesn’t just contravene the past forty years of American policy, it contravenes his own statements as a presidential candidate.
And he's consistently slammed the idea of a two-state solution, once quipping:
"I don't see anyone suggesting that Washington D.C. be split -- half of it governed by Democrats and half of it governed by Republicans."
All that being said, an Israel Factor panel in January (no, nothing to do with Bill O'Reilly) preferred Rudy Giuliani, Mitt Romney, and Tim Pawlenty to Huck.
Romney schedules call with top donors
Peter Hamby -- who's been on a 2012 roll, as of late -- reports that Mitt Romney will hold a conference call next week with top donors from his '08 campaign.
Spencer Zwick, who served as Romney's national finance director in 2008 and remains a close adviser to the Republican hopeful, emailed key contributors Friday inviting them to join the February 4 call.
.... "As Governor Romney explained in the November call, this will be a follow-up call to provide a brief update on Mitt's 2011 activities."
Michigan 2012: Romney leads
A new Strategic National poll (pdf) shows Mitt Romney leading all other '12 contenders in Michigan, although underwhelmingly, considering his deep ties to the state.
1. Mitt Romney 24.3%
2. Mike Huckabee 18.8%
3. Sarah Palin 17.1%
4. Newt Gingrich 10.2%
5. Tim Pawlenty 3.5%
6. Rick Santorum 1.9%
7. Jon Huntsman 1.5%
8. Mitch Daniels 1.0%
9. Haley Barbour 0.6%
In December, Public Policy Polling surveyed GOP voters in the state and found Romney and Huckabee tied at 22% each.
Romney had the highest favorability numbers in the state, with name ID as high as Huckabee, but not Sarah Palin.
Now here's an interesting phenomenon: Home-state advantages aren't big in this cycle.
Romney isn't enjoying a big lead in Michigan (just 6%, Tim Pawlenty has an underwhelming lead in Minnesota (7%), and Sarah Palin actually loses to Romney in an Alaskan primary.
True reflection of a weak field.
[Hat tip: Mike O'Brien]
Santorum's deadline: Iowa straw poll
Rick Santorum, on his time-frame for making a decision on whether to run for president or not.
"The drop-dead date, if you will, is the straw poll."
Sometime between now and the straw poll, we'll make a decision and we'll go forward. I don't see anybody trying to push down the starting gate at this point and I think there's a lot of reasons for that.
Right now, it's an opportunity for me to get around, talk to folks, learn, listen and get feedback as to whether they think this is a good idea or not. Test the waters."
The Iowa straw poll will take place August 13 in Ames.
He also said he's aware he's near the bottom of the '12 field (something that might explain his frequent attacks (e.g. here, here, and here) on front-runners -- in particular, Mitt Romney).
"You have the big three or four and I don't sense any real passion out there, so I think that's a very encouraging thing for me, as someone who is not as well known and sort of sitting toward the bottom of the pack."
DeMint's Iowa trip
Here are some details on Jim DeMint's upcoming trip to Iowa.
It will be part of a March 26, day-long panel, sponsored by Rep. Steve King's PAC, that includes speakers who are "2012 Republican presidential prospects."
It's unknown which prospects King is referring to, beyond DeMint. The conference will be held at a Marriott in downtown Des Moines.
Huckabee: DHS is failing
Mike Huckabee and former Col. Kenneth Allard pen an op-ed for the New York Post, hitting Janet Napolitano and her Department of Homeland Security for wasting money and failing to address key problems.
Most interestingly, the two authors call the Mexican drug cartels -- and not Al Qaeda or international terrorism -- the country's "most urgent security challenge."
Huck and Allard say the DHS' failure isn't an issue of partisanship but of misguided aims and bloated bureaucracy.
Just as it does elsewhere in the national security establishment, Congress should scrutinize DHS to determine what works, what does not -- and what must be changed to ensure our survival.
If you remember, just yesterday, Napolitano announced that color code terror alerts would go the way of Arrested Development.
Santorum hires more in Iowa
Rick Santorum has hired Iowa consultants, Nick Ryan and Jill Latham, to serve as advisers to his PAC, America's Foundation.
Ryan is the founder of the conservative group, American Future Fund, while Latham is a Mitt Romney alumn, having served as his political director in the state during his '08 bid.
Santorum:
"As I continue to consider a run in 2012, they will play a critical role in helping determine if we are able to build the necessary support to embark on a possible run."
Gingrich: There are three front-runners
Newt Gingrich categorizes them in an interview with the Columbus Dispatch:
"Romney's the front-runner in fundraising, Palin is the front-runner in celebrity status, and Huckabee is the front-runner in polling data.
All three of them should feel pretty good about where they're positioned right now."
Christie: R.I.P. soaring rhetoric
Chris Christie took a veiled swipe at Barack Obama during the Chamber of Commerce Dinner in Washington D.C. last night.
“We’re done with soaring rhetoric.
Soaring rhetoric feels good for a little while, but if there’s no follow-through, all that’s left is the same problems except bigger because we put them off.”
University cancels Bristol's Sex Week speech
Washington University in St. Louis is canceling Bristol Palin's address on abstinence, originally to be held during the school's Sex Week next month.
The decision comes after some students expressed outrage over Palin being paid with student-generated funds.
.... The advisory committee and Palin decided Thursday night "that the message that they intended on sharing would be overshadowed by controversy," according to a university statement.
Palin would've been paid between $15K-$30K for the gig.
Former supporters doubt Romney
Jonathan Martin has a great read on the defections or near defections of key Mitt Romney-supporters in Iowa, South Carolina, and New Hampshire.
Those problems seem to be the product of one of two forces: 1) doubt about Romney's chances and 2) doubt about his commitment to Iowa and South Carolina.
Telling example:
[Doug] Gross, Romney’s Iowa campaign chair last time and a close ally of Gov. Terry Branstad, was blunt in assessing the situation.
“I haven’t talked to him in a long time,” said Gross, one of the most powerful GOP players in the Hawkeye State, of Romney.
The Iowan said Romney needed to make clear what he intended to do in the state.
“Every day that goes by, you’re losing out because folks are going to start choosing sides,” Gross said. “You’ve got to decide if you’re playing or not.”
Even as he joked that he was “still staring at his phone” waiting for Romney to call, Gross suggested he wouldn’t keep waiting.
“I’m having lunch with Newt [Gingrich] tomorrow,” he said earlier this week.
What swayed Pence
The National Review's Daniel Foster:
[A source] who met with Pence feels his heart was never completely in a bid for president.
Someone close to Pence explains that “the people closest to him, the friends and people he knew best from Indiana, wanted to see him come back to Indiana.”
By contrast, “the support for him to run nationally was in large part from leaders of the national conservative movement” — who perhaps didn’t have the same sway as his longtime supporters.
Pence’s young family — he has three school-aged children — were also a factor in his decision, according to this source.
Then there was the difficult timing and the uncertainty of a presidential run. Because of his relatively low name recognition, the window for Pence to begin a blitz on early battleground states was closing rapidly.
He would have had to kick into high campaign gear quickly — and without knowing whether Sarah Palin or other conservatives might jump into the race and overshadow him in his quest for the Tea Party vote.
Compared with all that, a run for governor seems simple.
If you break it down, this wasn't even a head vs. heart situation.
Both the uncomfortable realities (fundraising problems, name ID issues) and matters of the heart (family, friends, home-state fondness) pointed toward a run for governor.
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Evening eats
a. DeMint makes a promise.
b. Haley Barbour: I'd run a serious campaign.
c. Meghan McCain calls Michele Bachmann a "poor man's Sarah Palin."
d. Gingrich will speak at a.... baker's convention.
e. Chris Christie will travel to DC for a chamber dinner.
f. What SarahPAC's disclosure revealed.
g. George Pataki's daughter was almost mugged.
h. Whoopi sticks up for Michele.
Pence: "We choose Indiana"
That's Mike Pence, in a letter to supporters, confirming that he won't run for president in 2012.
The Indy Star's Mary Beth Schneider:
“In the choice between seeking national office and serving Indiana in some capacity, we choose Indiana,” Pence, R-Columbus, said of himself and wife Karen in a letter being sent to supporters. “We will not seek the Republican nomination for president in 2012.”
.... And he telegraphed his interest in the governorship by focusing on Indiana in his letter, saying his “calling is closer to home.”
He will now “be traveling across the state to listen and learn about how Hoosiers think we might best contribute in the years ahead.”
Romney to New Hampshire for private meetings
The New Hampshire Union Leader's John DiStaso:
We've learned that Romney will be in the state next week specifically for private meetings with a handful of key state Republican activists.
He has no public visits scheduled here at the moment prior to his scheduled March 5 appearance before the Carroll County Republican Committee Lincoln-Reagan Dinner fund-raiser at the Attitash Grand Summit Hotel in Bartlett.
Report: Pence won't run for president
U.S. Rep. Mike Pence has ruled out a run for national office and will tour the state in the next few months, informed and reliable sources tell Howey Politics Indiana.
The sources say that Pence has not made a final decision about a run for governor, keeping open the option of running for reelection in the 6th CD.
So now the field is open for Mitch Daniels, although it's hard to see how the Indiana Governor can find a way to patch together a winning coalition any better than Pence.
I'm wondering if Barack Obama's rising approval ratings and political fortunes had anything to do (at least in some, small way) with his ultimate decision.
Now Pence can run for governor, win easily, and wait for a 2016 presidential bid with both executive experience and the good-will of those backing him this time.
For Pence, it's a smart, good move. For the GOP, which has lost a strong presidential candidate, not so much.
UPDATE: Fundraising was an issue.
"Students for Daniels" to run Pro Bowl ad in Iowa
A draft-Mitch Daniels group, "Students for Daniels", will run the ad on a Fox affiliate in the Des Moines area during the Super Bowl NFL Pro Bowl.
It's also tentatively slated to run in New Hampshire. Check it out, including the nifty ending: "Mitch Daniels did not approve this message... Tell him to."
Palin will speak at Reagan Ranch Center
ABC's John Berman reports that Sarah Palin will travel to the Reagan Ranch Center in California on February 4 to keynote a speech honoring the former president.
Pence to annnounce presidential decision TODAY
UPDATE: Kasie Hunt reports that Pence will make the announcement later TODAY, which will be carried first in the Indianapolis Star.
And National Journal gets the scoop from his mother.
“He will be making his announcement tomorrow,” said Nancy Pence Fritsch, contacted today by telephone at her home in Columbus, Ind.
Asked to confirm reports that she has told her son to make up his mind about whether he's going to run for Indiana governor or president of the United States, the congressman's mom did not deny it.
“What’s a mother to do?” Fritsch said.
As for what her son will announce on Friday -- or where or how he will announce it -- she said “I have nothing more to say.”
It's nice they're still close, but here's a super awkward sentence.
“His mother has told him he needs to make a decision, though,” said Ted Ogle, the GOP chairman of Pence's home Bartholomew County, Ind., in a separate interview.
This is sounding more like opting out of a prez run, which has been the CW for a little while.
California college paying $115K for Palin visit
West Hills College in Lemoore, California will welcome Sarah Palin for a fundraiser.
Palin will get $115,000 to keynote the event, which has already sold out of its $25 and $5,000 tickets.
If you remember, she was embroiled in a bit of controversy last year when she spoke at another Central Valley university -- Cal State Stanislaus. At the time, neither Palin nor the college would reveal how much she was getting paid for the gig.
Huntsman leaning toward a run
Chris Cillizza reports on Jon Huntsman's impressive inner circle of advivsers and "informal talks" that suggest the ex-Utah governor is leaning toward a surprising run for president.
Highlights from Cillizza's breakdown of Huntsman's inner circle.
a. John Weaver: Formerly of the 2000 and 2008 McCain bids for president.
b. Fred Davis: A Republican media consultant, who also worked on McCain's campaign (and was behind the in(famous) Demon Sheep commercial for Carly Fiorina.
c. Tom Loeffler: Finance co-chairman and chairman of W's 2000 campaign and McCain's 2008 bid, respectively.
d. Richard Quinn: A key political operative in South Carolina.
e. Peter Spaulding: McCain's New Hampshire chairman in 2000 and 2008 campaigns.
f. Susan Wiles: A political operative from Florida who ran Rick Scott's gubernatorial campaign.
g. Bill Stern: Finance chairman for McCain's presidential bid.
Lots of McCain people in there.
West Virginia 2012: Obama losing
A new Public Policy Polling survey shows Barack Obama trailing all four, leading GOP candidates in a hypothetical 2012 primary.
a. Mike Huckabee 54% Barack Obama 36%
b. Mitt Romney 50% Barack Obama 37%
c. Newt Gingrich 49% Barack Obama 39%
d. Sarah Palin 46% Barack Obama 42%
Favorability Ratings:
a. Mike Huckabee 48%/27% for +21%.
b. Mitt Romney 34%/37% for -3%.
c. Sarah Palin 41%/47% for -6%.
d. Newt Gingrich 33%/43% for -10%.
Barack Obama has a -24% approval rating in the state.
Notes: The POTUS lost the state by 13% in 2008, and Huckabee is the only one of the four GOP leaders who builds on that number.
The Palin numbers are surprising, considering West Virginia's penchant for populism. I'd be fascinated to see the demo re: who Huckabee is pulling in that Palin can't.
Armey: Pence could be next Reagan
Leading tea party voice, Dick Armey, on Fox News this afternoon.
"Mike Pence can bring the whole spectrum of constitutional, social, and economic conservatives together.
They will rally behind his candidacy. He's a bright man. He's full of commitment. He's got a servant's heart.
You know, I had always thought I only get one Ronald Reagan in my lifetime. Maybe Mike Pence could be that second one."
Last week, Armey and other, leading conservative voices sent a letter to Pence, urging him to run for president.
Thune: Debate "awfully early"
John Thune talks about the GOP presidential primary debate scheduled for May 2 at the Ronald Reagan library.
"In some ways, it seems like you could push those events back a little bit. It seems awfully early.
And there are a number of events, frankly, that are really early in a lot of the states this year, that if you’re a candidate, you’re probably going to have to participate in. But it does force that calendar to begin much earlier.
And I think that gets, sometimes, tiresome to the American people."
[Hat tip: Mike O'Brien]
Gingrich, Dean to square off
Newt Gingrich will replace Liz Cheney for a Feb 1 debate at George Washington University against Howard Dean.
Cheney cited the need to work with her father, former Vice President Dick Cheney, on his book titled "In My Time: A Personal and Political Memoir," as the reason for her cancellation.
Gingrich said he'll need to be "on my toes" in preparation for the debate.
[Hat tip: Buzz Tracker]
The polls: Mitt Romney and Iowa
Public Policy Polling's Tom Jensen doesn't think it would be smart for Mitt Romney to write off Iowa -- especially if Huck opts out of a run.
If Mike Huckabee doesn't run, Romney would start out tied for the lead in the state!
If you allocate all of Huckabee's supporters to who they said was their second choice on our poll there earlier this month you would end up with Romney and Sarah Palin tied for the lead at 23% each with Newt Gingrich at 18% and no one else with double digits.
This is not a state where Romney would have to be coming from behind.
Earlier today, Reid Wilson reported that Romney's advisers were flirting with the idea of skipping Iowa to focus on states where he's stronger.
Sanford vacationed with Maria this month
Via WJBF in South Carolina, it seems those photos of Mark Sanford with lover, Maria Belen Chapur, were taken just last week during their six-day vaca in Uruguay.
UPDATE: Here's another pic of them, lying on the beach.
Consultant: Haley Barbour's South Carolina meetings go well
At least, according to Chip Felkel, a political consultant who arranged Barbour's meetings in Spartanburg and Greenville, SC.
Felkel said he wanted to give Barbour a chance to build up his network of party insiders, state and local officials and influential businessmen.
"My goal is for people to have an opportunity to meet him."
.... Felkel said he does not think Barbour has decided whether to seek the GOP nomination for president.
"He's certainly considering it," Felkel said. "But he's not going about this haphazardly."
Advisers: DeMint might run in 2012
Earlier today, The Iowa Republican reported that Jim DeMint was headed to Iowa, and now Peter Hamby says that some of the South Carolina Senator's advisers are suggesting he might run for president.
"I think that you can read into it that he sees he has a role in the process and he sees he hasn't completely shut the door," said one DeMint adviser asked about the Iowa foray.
DeMint currently sees his role in the 2012 process, the adviser said, as "setting the bar high" for the presidential contenders when it comes to advocating for a small government agenda.
"He hasn't completely shut the door on running, and if there was a situation where there is a massive void in the group of candidates, who knows what would happen?," said the adviser, who was quick to caution that there is only a five percent chance his boss will run.
Since it's very applicable to the story and moment, I'm reposting an entry I wrote from September 19, 2010 that suggested why and how DeMint might be positioning himself for a run.
And it all begins with "Churchill/Reagan."
---------------------------------------------------
Last week, Jim DeMint listed some '12 prospects that intrigued him, but finished by saying that what he really wanted was a combination of Winston Churchill and Ronald Reagan.
And today, he said the same thing on CNN's State of the Union.
So it looks like this could become his standard response, and it might be a smart one. First, it's funny and deflects attention, but more importantly, it lets him answer the 2012 question by not answering it (a dynamic everyone tries to get right).
Unlike with the top prospects, time hasn't established a tacit agreement between DeMint and the media that, yeah, he's going to run but can't announce it yet. Right now, everyone actually is genuinely intrigued by his ambition.
The second reason it's important is that it lets him set an artificially high bar, so he doesn't have to commit to a particular candidate.
If you notice, on both Fox and CNN, he finishes with the Churchill/Reagan combo after listing the usual set of possibilities. It's clear he's implying that he's somewhat dissatisfied, and it's clear that he's been dissatisfied for awhile.
He endorsed Mitt Romney in the 2008 election, but has been hesitant to imply he might again, saying in March: "I want to look and see who else steps up to the plate."
In another interview that same month, he said "some of us were talking about Mitch Daniels"; then said that Jeb Bush would "probably be the best on the list" if he didn't have the Bush name.
That leads us to last week and today when he gave special attention to... Chris Christie. Yeah, Christie's the flavor of the month with conservatives, but by DeMint's standards, he's probably not true-red enough.
So that's a lot of names; yet DeMint hasn't committed to any, or even shown a particular affinity for one. In fact, more often than not, he seems to be throwing out names with caveats.
Yeah, Mitt's great, but let's see who else emerges. Jeb would be the best, but he has a tough last name. And you can imagine the problems DeMint might have with the others.
So let's see if he continues answering "Churchill/Reagan". Haley Barbour jokingly said you could measure his ambition by his
Thune will "fish or cut bait" soon
Senator John Thune knows the time is coming for him to make a decision about whether to run for president in 2012.
He'll "fish or cut bait" soon, he told POLITICO's Jonathan Allen yesterday, adding that recent changes to his fundraising team aren't an indication of anything.
.... Thune said there's room in the Republican field for a candidate with his profile, pointing to 2008 nominees Barack Obama and John McCain as examples of senators who won their parties' primaries.
But he also cited the difficulties in campaigning full time while holding down a job in the Senate.
Crucial final sentence there. He might decide that 2016 is better.
After two terms of a Democratic president, the GOP electorate might be so anxious for the White House that the party will look closer to issues of electability than, say, whether a candidate voted for TARP -- which might bedevil a Thune bid in '12.
UPDATE: He tells Hugh Hewitt his decision will come by the end of February.
Romney: Obama "doesn't know what to do"
On Sean Hannity's show last night, Mitt Romney reacted to Barack Obama's State of the Union speech.
"He is trying awfully hard. The problem is: he just doesn't know what to do. He is misguided.
Almost everything he's done has been the opposite of what he hoped to accomplish, and last night what he really needed to do was speak to two very big concerns that are on the minds of a lot of Americans.
One is: is he going to get more jobs in this country?
.... and the second is: can he cut back on the extraordinary overspending and deficits associated with government? And frankly, he didn't address those issues in a way that convinced people.
There's probably the biggest reality gap we've seen in a long time with the president."
Via Free and Strong America.
Melania Trump: Husband would be "great President"
Wherein Steve Doocy asks Melania Trump if she and her husband, Donald, talk about running for president, while sitting at the kitchen table.
Pence reiterates: Announcement by end of month
Mike Pence keeps to his timetable, and says he'll announce within five days whether he's running for governor of Indiana or President of the U.S.
"We're nearing the end of a process that we've gone through the last couple of months to seek counsel and deliberate, do more than a little bit of prayer, and we're gonna have an announcement about our intentions and our general directions sometime before the end of the month."
[Hat tip: Matt Mackowiak]
Romney might skip Iowa
Reid Wilson reports that the oft-speculated idea extends to the Mitt Romney camp.
After Romney spent millions of dollars and a huge chunk of time in Iowa, only to finish behind former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, his strategists have spoken with potential consultants about the prospect of skipping Iowa altogether this time and launching a campaign from New Hampshire.
That strategy first came up last summer in conversations with several possible advisers. But it’s not clear how far along the planning has gotten, and sources emphasize that no final decisions have been made.
So here's the fascinating thing: If Romney skips Iowa, it will make any Palin win there less lustrous.
But, if Palin skips New Hampshire (as some have speculated), that would make any Romney win there less lustrous.
So does that mean South Carolina is the kingmaker, and does that make Jim DeMint -- (who was often called the "kingmaker" of 2010) -- the kingmaker of 2012, if he doesn't run himself?
Palin: Bachmann's speech "complemented" Ryan's
On Fox last night, Sarah Palin addressed the question of whether Rep. Michele Bachmann's response to Barack Obama's State of the Union Speech undermined Rep. Paul Ryan's official GOP reply.
"I don't see that there is a fundamental division just because Michele Bachmann gave a speech last night that complemented another Republican's speech."
Mitch Daniels skipped State of Union for basketball
Mitch Daniels fesses up that he chose a Purdue vs. Ohio State basketball game over Barack Obama's State of the Union speech.
"You caught me. I didn't watch it. I was watching the Purdue game as long as it was watchable.
Honestly, I've read the accounts. I've got the text of the speech and I'll be reading it between now and the next stop. I think I'll just say that I'm very hopeful that we are going to see changes in national policy."
Vid via WLFI in Indiana:
Governor misses State of the Union, cheers on Purdue: wlfi.com
[Hat tip: Huffington Post]
Palin on Obama: WTF?
On Fox last night, Sarah Palin introduced a crude acronym to the debate over Barack Obama's State of the Union.
"Well, speaking of last night, that was a tough speech to have to sit through and kind of try to stomach, because the president is so off-base in his ideas on how it is that he believes government is going to create jobs.
.... his theme last night in the State of the Union was the 'WTF' -- you know -- 'Winning the Future', and I thought 'Okay, that acronym? Spot on. There were a lot of WTF moments throughout that speech'."
DeMint will visit Iowa
The Iowa Republican reports that Jim DeMint is making the trip to Iowa, March 26, to keynote an event for Rep. Steve King in Des Moines.
The idea that the conservative icon from Iowa (King) will be hosting the conservative icon from South Carolina (DeMint) makes this one event that Iowa caucus goers, and of course the media, will not want to miss.
King's office will have more details later today...
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Romney: Nominee should have private sector experience
Mitt Romney says he doesn't have a time-frame for a decision on a 2012 bid, but pin-points the ideal candidate's resume (which kind of sounds like an argument for his candidacy).
"I don't have a specific time-frame, at this point.
We're looking at different dates for making that decision, but obviously -- from my standpoint -- the concern is getting the economy going again.
You know, I don't know who all is going to get in the race, but I do believe that it would be helpful if at least one of the people who's running in the Republican field had extensive experience in the private sector -- in small business and big business, working with the economy."
Sharron Angle won't rule out presidential bid
Tea Party favorite Sharron Angle of Nevada descended upon the movie premiere of a conservative Christian movie in Johnston tonight, and she wouldn’t say that she was running for president.
But she wouldn’t say that she wasn’t.
“I’ll just say I have lots of options for the future, and I’m investigating all my options,” Angle said before a couple hundred people sat down to watch the premiere of “The Genesis Code,” a $5 million film that aims to present a controversial view on religious freedom and on the balancing act between faith and science.
If you were to put her in a tier, she probably belongs in the Joe Arpaio category, which is made up of just Joe Arpaio and, now, Sharron Angle.
If you remember, Arpaio is the famous Sheriff of Maricopa County in Arizona, who made headlines for a day last September by refusing to rule out a run for president.
So there's the 5th tier and then Angle and Arpaio, which shouldn't really be called a tier, but simply "Angle and Arpaio."
Christie: Romney asked to meet with me
Chris Christie talks about his Monday dinner with Mitt Romney at the New Jersey governor's mansion.
LARRY KUDLOW: You had dinner with Mitt Romney, I read.
How was that, and is he one of your interesting reference points for the Republican nomination?
CHRISTIE: Well, listen, Governor Romney was a supporter of mine when I ran for governor in 2009.
He came in and endorsed me both in the primary and the general election, and he's giving some thought to running for president.
And so he asked if he could come to New Jersey and sit and chat. So we did.
We had a very nice dinner together with some friends of mine at the governor's residence in Princeton, but we're far away from making any kind of decisions about who we might support for president or what we might do on the national level in 2012, in that regard.
But, you know, I consider Governor Romney a friend, and so we had a nice meal together, and we had a good conversation.
More background on the dinner here.
Christie won't run out of "political opportunity"
On CNBC tonight, Chris Christie told Larry Kudlow why he didn't feel he was ready to run for president.
"If you don't believe in your heart that you're ready, then you have no business running.
And just because you see political opportunity, that's not an excuse to run."
That being said, never say "never."
"I do not want to go for national office unless and until I believe that I'm completely prepared in my heart and in my mind."
Kudlow then asked if Christie might be ready in another 12 months.
He answered:
"I don't see it."
Ironclad? Not exactly. I don't think he'll run in 2016, but there's a possibility he could accept a Veep bid. In that case, he'd have to say he was ready.
Evening eats
a. Mitch McConnell praises John Thune (again), but stops short of an endorsement.
b. Jim DeMint introduces his health care repeal bill.
c. Pawlenty to Iowa for the Family Leader Presidential Speaker Series.
d. Iowa and New Hampshire haven't moved much.
e. The Washington Examiner's op-editor plugs Pence.
f. Mark and Maria (photo, at last).
g. Chris Cillizza won't participate in the Milbank Moratorium (which sounds like a movie Matt Damon would star in).
h. A fantastic parody of inside-speak, @DCjourno, debuts on Twitter.
i. "Summer sent a runner through the weather that I'm under for the feeling that I lost today."
Santorum: RomneyCare "bankrupting" Massachusetts
Rick Santorum, unleashed on Iowa radio.
"When Mitt Romney gets up and says ‘RomneyCare’ is OK and Constitutional, he's right -- under Massachusetts [law],” Santorum said.
“Massachusetts can require you to buy health insurance, auto insurance, to buy whatever they believe is in the best interest for the people to do, and it's bankrupting Massachusetts.”
Btw, this isn't the first time Santorum has knocked Romney on his health care program.
Earlier this month, he told The Hill that RomneyCare threatened its author's looming campaign.
"I think it's hard to see a path for him given the 'Obamacare' issue," Santorum said.
.... "It's just hard for me to see how he gets past that [in a Republican primary]."
He said the same thing to National Journal this month.
“I think it makes it [health care] a very tough environment for him,” Santorum said.
“And it’s one of the reasons why I look at the field and say we need some other players in the field.”
Also, interesting to note that Santorum calls Romney's health care program "RomneyCare" on Iowa radio, which indicates some comfort at incorporating what's already part of the journalistic lexicon into the candidate's.
SarahPAC raised $279K in one week
The Caucus reports that Sarah Palin's political action committee, SarahPAC, pulled in $279,000 in the final week of 2010 -- dated December 23-31.
Nearly all of the money raised came from individual donors, mostly in amounts less than $200. Just eight of the more than 600 itemized donations were for $1,000 or more.
[Hat tip: Shushannah Walshe]
Pawlenty's personality
The Weekly Standard's Matthew Continetti thinks Tim Pawlenty should be... even more low-key.
If you're Pawlenty, then, you need a way to separate yourself from the pack.
So you publish a self-indulgent memoir. You release a ridiculous promotional video that looks like it was directed by Michael Bay. You are tempted to make heated rhetorical pronouncements.
One wonders, though, if Pawlenty would be better served not doing such things. Why try to compete with the big fish in the cable-news pond when you could focus instead on building organizations in Iowa and New Hampshire? Voters may come to like your soft-spoken, results-oriented, hockey-loving charm.
The problem is that Pawlenty repeatedly got knocked (or the more delicate word, asked) about his nice-guy image on the book tour as if it were a problem.
The second problem is that when he does project the tough guy aura (e.g. see Continetti's point or, really, just the cover of his book), he's not seen as real.
The best advice, then, is not to be nicer or tougher, but to just be himself and let voters decide if that works, because as FedEx knows -- it's tough to convince someone you're something that you're not.
Gavin Newsom slams culture for Palin portrayal
There's a new documentary out touching on the media's treatment of Sarah Palin during the '08 campaign, and it's not produced by John Ziegler.
Missrepresentation is the brainchild of Jennifer Siebel Newsom -- the wife of CA Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom, the very liberal, former mayor of SF.
The film claims a double-standard in the way popular culture depicts women with influential positions, and includes this plug from Gavin Newsom himself.
"We need a greater sensitivity to the way we portray women particularly in the news media.
To watch the way Sarah Palin was treated -- to discuss whether an elected official or former elected official has breast implants -- is pretty demeaning, and it would never happen to a guy."
His comment on breast implants refers to a brief media frenzy last year over pictures that seemed to show Palin with larger breasts, leading to all sorts of pretty sordid and out-of-line questions that the ex-gov even, ultimately, answered on Greta Van Susteren's show to quell the noise.
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