When it comes to some conservatives having a problem with Palin endorsing Fiorina, all I ask is that fairness be applied. If you're going to beat the Governor over the head for this "unforgiveable sin," then please, ostracize these organizations as well, for they too have committed the sin of endorsing Carly Fiorina:
California Farm Bureau
National Right To Life Committee
The California Pro Life Council
Susan B. Anthony’s List
New Majority California
Maggie’s List
Orange County Taxpayers Association PAC
The reasoning behind a Carly Fiorina endorsement is laid out quite well by the California Pro-Life Council here:
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Months ago we were in an enviable position, both candidates were pro-life. Pro-life Assemblyman Chuck DeVore was running and Carly Fiorina, who had made public statements of being pro-life. What remained was assertaining just how real those commitments were.
Fiorina is the former Chairman of Hewlett-Packard and her pro-life comments were in contrast to the typical Silicon Valley 'culture' of monied Republicans. Her pro-life commitment meant she would be risking the alienation of some of her 'pro-choice' Rockerfeller Republican friends. It turned out that Fiorina was indeed genuine and has been endorsed by the Susan B. Anthony List which only endorses 100% pro-life candidates.
Fiorina has since met with National Right to Life Committee leadership and committed to very specific issues of pro-life public policy. Board members of California ProLife also met with her and all have been impressed by her genuine and heartfelt commitment to the cause of Life.
All of the election's dynamic changed when pro-abortion candidate Tom Campbell moved from the Governor's race to the U.S. Senate Race.
Would this create a scenario we've seen too many times before? The pro-life candidates split the vote between them allowing the pro-abortion candidate to become the nominee. We hope not.
The Board of California ProLife has been watching this race carefully and hoping that Campbell would not pose a threat, but now the scenario is requiring incisive action. DeVore has been attacking Fiorina for not being conservative 'enough' because she is seen as competing for his conservative base. And Campbell has continued to gain in the polls posing as a conservative.....
Chuck has had a very hard time demonstrating the ability to raise the funds necessary to compete in a state the size of California, and this has been frustrating to many involved.
Who will have the resources to close the gap on Campbell and then turn around and do the same to Boxer?
While DeVore is indeed pro-life and familiar to us all, Fiorina is clearly better situated to fight an incredibly expensive campaign in the most costly state of the union....
California ProLife Council PAC has added its endorsement as well. CPLC's endorsement of Carly is not a repudiation of Chuck DeVore as much as it is an earnest desire to defeat both Tom Campbell and Barbara Boxer.
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Now, of course more factors went into it for Palin than just the pro-life issue, but the reasoning is sound. The point is that this was to take the nomination away from Tom Campbell. Period.
As Techno so articulately notes:
California Farm Bureau
National Right To Life Committee
The California Pro Life Council
Susan B. Anthony’s List
New Majority California
Maggie’s List
Orange County Taxpayers Association PAC
The reasoning behind a Carly Fiorina endorsement is laid out quite well by the California Pro-Life Council here:
-------------
Months ago we were in an enviable position, both candidates were pro-life. Pro-life Assemblyman Chuck DeVore was running and Carly Fiorina, who had made public statements of being pro-life. What remained was assertaining just how real those commitments were.
Fiorina is the former Chairman of Hewlett-Packard and her pro-life comments were in contrast to the typical Silicon Valley 'culture' of monied Republicans. Her pro-life commitment meant she would be risking the alienation of some of her 'pro-choice' Rockerfeller Republican friends. It turned out that Fiorina was indeed genuine and has been endorsed by the Susan B. Anthony List which only endorses 100% pro-life candidates.
Fiorina has since met with National Right to Life Committee leadership and committed to very specific issues of pro-life public policy. Board members of California ProLife also met with her and all have been impressed by her genuine and heartfelt commitment to the cause of Life.
All of the election's dynamic changed when pro-abortion candidate Tom Campbell moved from the Governor's race to the U.S. Senate Race.
Would this create a scenario we've seen too many times before? The pro-life candidates split the vote between them allowing the pro-abortion candidate to become the nominee. We hope not.
The Board of California ProLife has been watching this race carefully and hoping that Campbell would not pose a threat, but now the scenario is requiring incisive action. DeVore has been attacking Fiorina for not being conservative 'enough' because she is seen as competing for his conservative base. And Campbell has continued to gain in the polls posing as a conservative.....
Chuck has had a very hard time demonstrating the ability to raise the funds necessary to compete in a state the size of California, and this has been frustrating to many involved.
Who will have the resources to close the gap on Campbell and then turn around and do the same to Boxer?
While DeVore is indeed pro-life and familiar to us all, Fiorina is clearly better situated to fight an incredibly expensive campaign in the most costly state of the union....
California ProLife Council PAC has added its endorsement as well. CPLC's endorsement of Carly is not a repudiation of Chuck DeVore as much as it is an earnest desire to defeat both Tom Campbell and Barbara Boxer.
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Now, of course more factors went into it for Palin than just the pro-life issue, but the reasoning is sound. The point is that this was to take the nomination away from Tom Campbell. Period.
As Techno so articulately notes:
If I were part of his [DeVore's] team or a strong supporter I would be furious with Palin as well. And I probably might even post my feelings on right-wing blogs as many Devore supporters have done to voice my anger.
Folks, Sarah Palin is not stupid. She knew that her endorsement of Fiorina would invoke a strong reaction and backlash. She probably thought long and hard about intervening in the primary contest but I believe she gathered the evidence that Boxer is vulnerable in November and that Campbell had a good chance of prevailing if the lay of the land did not change with Fiorina and Devore splitting the right-of-center vote and Campbell coming up the middle with moderates.
Sarah is playing the part of a deus ex machina and with that comes risk which I believe she is fully aware of, but Sarah knows Boxer is vulnerable but also knows Devore cannot win the GOP primary.
Thus she endorsed Fiorina to consolidate the right-wing vote.
She endorsed before the primary to take the race away from Tom Campbell. Period.
They waited to see if Devore would gain enough steam to pull it off, and he didn't.
And there's nothing really wrong with Fiorina, so I don't see what on earth the big deal is.
If Campbell wasn't in it, Sarah might have stayed out of it until after the primary. But he's in it and he stands a good chance of winning the primary, and that's that. And if he wins it, that's bad. Get it?
I haven't been a supporter of Fiorina. I haven't been a supporter of anybody in the race, actually. And yes, Devore might have a chance of beating Boxer. With our country the way it is right now, a tin can might be able to beat Boxer. However, a Chuck endorsement by Palin would have split the vote between him and Fiorina at best and Campbell would have won.
The primary is between Carly and Campbell at this point. Any independents and so forth who might vote in the GOP primary would probably be most likely to choose from those two as well. Some might go for Chuck, but not enough.
Must not let Campbell get it. Period. Therefore, throw support behind whoever can beat him, who, at this point, is Carly.
Now, maybe Chuck will pull off a huge upset. If that happens, great. But I'm not counting on it.
2 comments:
Good article, and a good analysis, and I agree with much of it.
It appears that this election is pragmatic "politics as usual"; i.e., where the best person seldom wins, and money counts.
I think you are missing two important points. One is that had Palin endorsed Chuck Devore, she could have squashed Fiorina, and Campbell, and Devore could have won the primary, and he could have beaten Boxer.
If Fiorina wins the primary, it may be difficult to get Devore's supporters to enthusiastically support Fiorina, and defeat Boxer.
They may not work against Fiorina, but their lack of support may be enough to give the election to Boxer.
Palin's endorsement can be likened with a sense of betrayal; Palin the "true conservative" won't support another "true conservative".
Tea party folks are driven by a sense of betrayal by Republicans, too, and it is no slam-dunk that they will automatically support the winner of the GOP Primary.
Number two, while you believe that there is nothing wrong with Fiorina, the fact is, there are plenty of things wrong with her conservative credentials, otherwise her support would be increasing, and his decreasing, which is the opposite of the truth.
Fiorina has is lots of money. She would not get a second look if she didn't have the money to buy name recognition.
I am not a fan of Palin, and her actions only tend to confirm my belief that she is a light-weight when it comes to politics.
Regards !
I tend to disagree that if Palin had endorsed Chuck he would have won the primary. That would have been quite the feat with only a month to go.
And if it fell through it's almost certain that Campbell would have gotten it. Just too risky.
If Devore had been polling at even 20% the odds would have been much better. But he wasn't and it's done.
Question: Do you also feel betrayed by the organizations I listed above? If not, then you have a double standard.
You know, for someone who isn't a fan and thinks she's a lightweight, you also seem to think that Palin can work absolute miracles.
I somehow highly doubt that Palin's endorsement of Devore would have been enough to take him from 14% to beating both Carly and Campbell.
But I appreciate your wishful thinking. :)
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