Politico's Andy Barr reports:
Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Pain is turning down an invitation to speak at one high-profile conservative gathering while accepting another.Keene has said some negative things about Gov. Palin, and CPAC has used her name to promote past conferences that the 2008 GOP vice presidential candidate never agreed to attend. In addition, Keene has been criticized in conservative circles for his dealings with FedEx, and he endorsed liberal Arlen Specter when the Senator was still a Republican over conservative Pat Toomey in a GOP primary.
Palin is declining an invitation to address the Conservative Political Action Conference next month because, a source said, she does not want to be affiliated with the longtime organizer of the traditional movement confab.
At issue is the role of David Keene, head of the American Conservative Union which organizes CPAC.
Gov. Palin will, however, speak at the Southern Republican Leadership Conference in New Orleans in April. On CNN's Political Ticker, Producer Pete Hamby referred to the SRLC as a "higher profile" event than CPAC that "could have implications for the 2012 presidential race":
Palin will speak at the Southern Republican Leadership Conference in New Orleans, a major gathering of Republican officials, donors and activists from 14 southern states, organizers announced Thursday.Politico's Ben Smith says the New Orleans event will be "the first real chance to gauge the interest in her candidacy among the core of Republican activists and operatives." The SRLC press release is here.
"I'm looking forward to addressing conservative activists from across the south at the 2010 Southern Republican Leadership Conference," Palin said in a statement. "This is a great opportunity to listen and speak to those who are helping to set the direction of our party."
A Palin confidante said the governor is not being paid to speak at the event.
Political watchers will be paying close attention, and not just because several potential presidential candidates are expected to attend. The SRLC - "the most prominent Republican event outside of a Republican National Convention," the organization boasts - also conducts a presidential straw poll.
- JP
She seems to be making all the right moves...
ReplyDeletehttp://con-men4palin.blogspot.com/
This is going to put Marco Rubio in a very difficult position if he goes ahead and keynotes CPAC. The MSM is going to play up this rift between Sarah and Keene/CPAC big time. In fact, I think the media may take Sarah's side in this dispute as they dislike Keene/CPAC more than Sarah. I'm sure they will also focus on CPAC's selling a sponsorship to the Birchers to try and further discredit conservatives in general. Their "meme" will be that "this group is so far right that even Sarah Palin doesn't want to associate with them".
ReplyDeleteIf Rubio speaks at CPAC - I'm sure Crist will start to run TV ads linking Rubio to Keeene's alleged corruption and the Bircher connection. Crist will even try to play Sarah against Rubio by pointing out in the ads that Sarah had the good sense to stay away from CPAC while Rubio sold out to this "radical and corrupt wing" of the conservative movement. Afterall, there is no love lost between Crist and Keene/CPAC. Also, Crist is getting desperate at this point and will soon want to go negative on Rubio. This gives him the opportunity.
In the end this could hurt Rubio with moderate Republican voters in Florida big time - if he attends. Rubio has a tough decision to make here. My advice to him would be to boycott CPAC with Sarah - and then have her endorse him. The two of them could then campaign in Florida during the CPAC convention as two principled, reform minded conservatives.
However, if Rubio attends CPAC, I could see Sarah simply staying neutral in the Florida race not endorsing either candidate. Rubio is still a long way from having this race locked up. So he better think carefully about this one.
cooperscopy, I really like your Palin blog. But I'm wondering why, on the masthead you abbeviated "Conservative"?
ReplyDeleteThe only reason I ask is that some of us oldtimers have always interpreted "con-men" to mean "confidence men" -- i.e., snake oil salesmen, swindlers, etc. Now I know that men who support Palin aren't out to hoodwink anybody.
How you run (and name) your blog is your business, of course, but nobody would get the wrong impression if your banner read "Conservative Men 4 Palin" instead of "Con-Men 4 Palin".
I know, I know. Advice is cheap and often worth what is charged for it. Anyway, I have linked to your blog as "Conservative Men 4 Palin" -- hope you don't mind me taking that liberty. Please let me know if it's a problem.
- JP