Palin Pans President, Praises Steele

From Politico:

Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin praised Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele as "bold and courageous" late Tuesday while knocking President Barack Obama as "predictable as Alaska's winter snow."

The governor issued a statement highly critical of the president for a bankruptcy plan which would have General Motors sell its healthy assets to the federal government:

Palin said "change" in the president’s administration "has meant rapid movement toward massive government growth, huge tax burdens on future generations, and an unprecedented reliance upon foreign countries."

"We are now witnessing actions that will lead to a monumental shift away from free market capitalism and the strong work ethic that built this great country," she said. "Government should not be in the auto industry business."

Gov. Palin pointed to Steele as a counterbalance to Obama and praised his speech to an RNC meeting Tuesday in Maryland:

"Today, we have a friend in RNC Chairman Michael Steele and his bold and courageous speech defines his leadership goals that will guide us all through this most difficult time for our nation."

The admiration is mutual. In his introduction of the governor at an Indiana right to life banquet last month, Steele said that prior to the announcement last summer that she would be the GOP vice presidential nominee, he was hoping that she would be named:

"On that Saturday when she was announced... I was one proud Republican. I was one very happy Republican. And like so many in this room, I watched this party light up. I watched activists - Democrat, independent and Republican - tune in and pay attention and listen. I watched her take the world stage by storm. She's just begun to write the chapters of this country in its history books and its future."

Gov. Palin's full statement is here.

Update: My update to this post took on a life of its own. See here.

h/t: wisetrog

- JP