Dick Cheney: Picking Sarah Palin for VP Was ‘A Mistake’

[EveningStar]

:

 

Jonathan Karl

July 29, 2012

 

Dick Cheney has some advice for Mitt Romney on choosing a running mate: Don’t pick another Sarah Palin.

 

In his first interview since receiving a heart transplant in March, Cheney told ABC News, that John McCain’s decision to pick Palin as his running mate in 2008 was “a mistake” — one that it is important from Romney not to repeat.

[pollyannaish]

Sarah Palin was a hail Mary pass that didn't convert. Sometimes it isn't clear whether it was the QB or the receiver that didn't work.

 

I believe that all things considered 2008 was unwinnable. This election is not and is therefore approached with a completely different strategy.

 

I like and respect Palin a lot more than I do McCain. I think either of them would have done a better job than Obama/Biden.

 

I think Mitt and his choice will be better in the economy than any of them.

 

That is politics.

[Argyle58]

Palin provided a rallying point for conservatives. The strength of the support she got (and still receives) from the Party base scared the liberal press badly and prompted the attacks on her.

 

In a way, though, the assault on both Palin and the Tea Party base served to "out" the liberal bias in the MSN and has served to minimalize their effect on future elections.

[logicnreason]

The primary loser in '08 was mccain. Palin, mostly on her own, pulled an unwinable election to a much closer contest than it should have been.

 

The other HUGE factor was the visceral hatred of GWBush - by the entire left to be sure....and lots of folks on the right.

 

Coupled with running a complete loser candidate, it is a wonder the right did as well as they did in that election.

[righteousmomma]

I agree with everyone here's opinion. ( great to see you @Agyle58) and if Cheney really believes that then I am greatly disappointed in him (whom I have always loved and defended)

 

Along with the facts already stated, the biggest factor in 08 was the selling, marketing, promoting and buying of the total Barack Hussein Obama image package.

 

 

[Valin]

Sarah Palin was a hail Mary pass that didn't convert. Sometimes it isn't clear whether it was the QB or the receiver that didn't work.

 

I believe that all things considered 2008 was unwinnable. This election is not and is therefore approached with a completely different strategy.

 

I like and respect Palin a lot more than I do McCain. I think either of them would have done a better job than Obama/Biden.

 

I think Mitt and his choice will be better in the economy than any of them.

 

That is politics.

 

In 2008 Jesus Christ could have come down from heaven and ran as a Republican, and he would have lost.

Did people actually hear what he said? What he said was "But based on her background, she’d only been governor for, what, two years. I don’t think she passed that test…of being ready to take over. And I think that was a mistake.” He did say she was a bad person, he didn't say she doomed John McCain John and he staff did a very good job of that all by themselves, he didn't say she should never run for office, he didn't say people shouldn't listen to her and support her. That's all he said.

 

 

Now I haven't been over to TOS but I'd wager a lot of them really have their panties in a bunch and are calling Dick a RINO, and he should be cast into the outer darkness, and anyone who has ever said anything remotely positive about Dick Cheney should be banned....of course this assumes being banned from there is some sort of bad thing, and a mark of Cain.

[logicnreason]

What - pray tell - is "TOS"?

[Valin]

 

 

 

Now I haven't been over to TOS but I'd wager a lot of them really have their panties in a bunch and are calling Dick a RINO, and he should be cast into the outer darkness, and anyone who has ever said anything remotely positive about Dick Cheney should be banned....of course this assumes being banned from there is some sort of bad thing, and a mark of Cain.

 

I hate it when I'm right.

[Valin]

What - pray tell - is "TOS"?

 

FreeRepublic.com many of us "old timers" are refugees from there.

[righteousmomma]

Thanks Valin. As usual headlines were tweaked and sensationalized.

However he did say that her lack of experience was a mistake.

 

“I like Governor Palin,” Cheney said of the former Alaska governor. “I’ve met her. I know her. . . . Attractive candidate. But based on her background, she’d only been governor for, what, two years. I don’t think she passed that test . . . of being ready to take over. And I think that was a mistake.”

 

Remember how viciously Palin was attacked by the media? Remember a couple of moderate RINOS who used to post here and could not stand Palin?

Inside the beltline also disliked her immensely

Obama had less experience than she at doing anything other than spouting off with eloquent statements as a Chicago community organizer and a radical leftty living Constitutionalist at the Chicago Law School.

 

 

So I can see how Cheney decided his views on this "mistake" but I think we all stand by our conclusions just as we understand why Cheney had support for gay marriage. His gay daughter did, btw, marry her longtime partner.

 

I still love him but I understand his perspectives and why.

[Valin]

@righteousmomma

 

 

The problem I have is how some people who think this politician or that politician has come down from on high, and is the savior of the republic.

We're talking about a politician here....and history if it teaches us anything it teaches us to not trust any of them too far.

[Evad]

The day the democrats took over was not January 22nd 2009, it was actually January 3rd 2007 the day the Democrats took over the House of Representatives and the Senate, at the very start of the 110th Congress.

 

The Democrat Party controlled a majority in both chambers for the first time since the end of the 103rd Congress in 1995. For those who are listening to the liberals propagating the fallacy that everything is "Bush's Fault", think about this: January 3rd, 2007 was the day the Democrats took over the Senate and the Congress.

 

At the time: The DOW Jones closed at 12,621.77

The GDP for the previous quarter was 3.5%

The Unemployment rate was 4.6%

George Bush's Economic policies SET A RECORD of 52 STRAIGHT MONTHS of JOB GROWTH.

 

Remember the day... January 3rd, 2007 was the day that Barney Frank took over the House Financial Services Committee and Chris Dodd took over the Senate Banking Committee.

The economic meltdown that happened 15 months later was in what part of the economy? BANKING AND FINANCIAL SERVICES!

Unemployment... to this CRISIS by (among MANY other things) dumping 5-6 TRILLION Dollars of toxic loans on the economy from YOUR Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac FIASCOES!

Bush asked Congress 17 TIMES to stop Fannie & Freddie - starting in 2001 because it was financially risky for the US economy.

And who took the THIRD highest pay-off from Fannie Mae AND Freddie Mac? OBAMA.

And who fought against reform of Fannie and Freddie? OBAMA and the Democrat Congress.

So when someone tries to blame Bush.. REMEMBER JANUARY 3rd, 2007.... THE DAY THE DEMOCRATS TOOK OVER!" Budgets do not come from the White House. They come from Congress and the party that controlled Congress since January 2007 is the Democrat Party.

Furthermore, the Democrats controlled the budget process for 2008 & 2009 as well as 2010 &2011. In that first year, they had to contend with George Bush, which caused them to compromise on spending, when Bush somewhat belatedly got tough on spending increases.

 

For 2009 though, Nancy Pelosi & Harry Reid bypassed George Bush entirely, passing continuing resolutions to keep government running until Barack Obama could take office. At that time, they passed a massive omnibus spending bill to complete the 2009 budgets.

And where was Barack Obama during this time? He was a member of that very Congress that passed all of these massive spending bills, and he signed the omnibus bill as President to complete 2009.

 

If the Democrats inherited any deficit, it was the 2007 deficit, the last of the Republican budgets. That deficit was the lowest in five years, and the fourth straight decline in deficit spending. After that, Democrats in Congress took control of spending, and that includes Barack Obama, who voted for the budgets.

 

 

 

If Obama inherited anything, he inherited it from himself. In a nutshell, what Obama is saying is I inherited a deficit that I voted for and then I voted to expand that deficit four-fold since January 20th.[/indent]

 

[/indent]

 

[/indent]

[righteousmomma]

HEAR, HEAR!!, EVAD

[pollyannaish]

Amen @Evad!

 

@righteousmomma and @Valin

 

I agree with your comments especially about the last election being unwinnable and understanding where Cheney is coming from.

 

That said, I actually agree with Cheney but perhaps for a slightly different reason. It was a mistake because McCain used her too soon, and actually crippled someone who would have been a formidable presidential candidate given a few more years of experience. One more reason to dislike McCain I suppose.

 

 

[Valin]

@pollyannaish

 

I do remember when she walked on stage the electricity was palpable.

[pollyannaish]

@pollyannaish

 

I do remember when she walked on stage the electricity was palpable.

 

Yup. A few more years of executive experience, some inside the beltway exposure (so she could effectively take on the press and political operatives) and she would have been serious top of the ticket material. Breaks my heart.

[Valin]

@pollyannaish

 

I do remember when she walked on stage the electricity was palpable.

 

Yup. A few more years of executive experience, some inside the beltway exposure (so she could effectively take on the press and political operatives) and she would have been serious top of the ticket material. Breaks my heart.

 

 

I wasn't aware she went away.

[righteousmomma]

Well, she didn't go away but she' s lost credibility with many because of the relentless negative reports on her in the media and by her allowing herself to be made into a reality tv star.

 

As for her electricity -- if you'll recall - NCT and I and about 15,000 others stood in line for 3 hours in order to be packed into a hot arena like standing sardines just to see Sarah and Todd in person. This was a last minute barely advertised event to which some of the folks had driven 2 hours just to support her.

 

Oh and I know with some her resigning as governor was a huge negative.

[logicnreason]

What - pray tell - is "TOS"?

 

FreeRepublic.com many of us "old timers" are refugees from there.

 

As was I .... booted from there (or as they say...."zotted"). Guess they'll have to do without my $$ contributions.

 

But.....what does the acronym "TOS" stand for??

[righteousmomma]

@logicand reason,

TOS is "the other site".

Most of us here were either zotted like me who knew I would be for what I purposely posted to some who were surprised to be zotted to those here who have self zotted themselves by choosing to leave TOS. Of course some still post on certain threads there.

 

 

[Saltbag]

I just fail to understand why Cheney felt it necessary to make this comment. What could possibly be gained by this at this point, when he should know the liberal media will take it and run with it?

[Valin]

@logicand reason,

TOS is "the other site".

Most of us here were either zotted like me who knew I would be for what I purposely posted to some who were surprised to be zotted to those here who have self zotted themselves by choosing to leave TOS. Of course some still post on certain threads there.

 

You mean that skinny old guy (I mean slender chronologically enhanced)?

[Evad]

Saltbag:

I thought the same thing at first but....since Cheney is a god to me, I figure there must be a good reason.

He certainly likes Sarah and thinks she has done a lot of good things for the "cause" but I have to think that his remark was addressed at the Romney Campaign Chiefs.

He doesn't want to lose this one, the stakes are too high. The country absolutely cannot afford another 4 years of Bambi. We won't survive it.

He wants to make sure that the Romney folks pick the "right" candidate for VP, whoever that is.

That's my best guess.

[clearvision]

This was a hard one to hear. Especially when you look at the "previous experience" of Obama, Biden, Kerry, Gore.

[Saltbag]

I understand what you're saying, and that's where my head went also, but I think Cheney could get this message to Romney crystal clearly without going through the liberal media and throwing Sarah under the bus. I can only chalk this up to "he screwed up by saying what he thought." Either that or he got a liberal heart, and we need to put him down. (kidding)