*At Liberty Pundits, Melissa Clouthier explains why she thinks Gov. Plain has signed a letter which is being mailed out, along with a survey, to the RNC's donor list soliciting contributions for the committee's nationwide GOTV efforty known as Victory 2010:
Sarah Palin has finally recognized her friends in D.C. They ain’t the NRSC or the NRCC, that’s for dang sure. Palin’s endorsements have been in direct odds with the NRSC’s and NRCC’s more often than not. Moreover, the NRSC and NRCC have worked overtime to undercut Michael Steele both publicly and privately and then gone to donors and asked them to donate there. This insanity is self-destructive, of course, because the RNC has the mechanism to get the vote out. The leadership in the House and Senate, though, are more about accumulating power and rewarding buddies than transforming the party. In fact, party transformation and reinvigoration, would probably hurt their incumbent arses, so what’s the motivation to change?Dr. Clouthier makes sense. Though we have expressed our own frustration with Steele, it's important to note that Gov. Palin has been nothing but supportive of the chairman. The pair seemed to share a mutual respect and genuine liking of one another when they appeared together at the Indiana Right to Life Dinner in April of 2009.
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In short, Sarah Palin has far more in common with Chairman Michael Steele than she has with the leadership on the Hill, and, I might add, more to gain, personally, by befriending the RNC. Should the RNC start raking in some money, it may well help some of the grassroots races the Tea Party folks so passionately care about.This, of course, runs counter to conventional wisdom. Hating on Michael Steele has become a sport these days.
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Anyway, a partnership between Sarah Palin and Michael Steele could be a win-win. It seems they have both made a decision–really, neither one have anything to lose. Both are pretty much loathed by establishment Republicans. Why not unite her fund raising and star power with the RNC’s network and ability to organize?
Another possible factor: Beyond Steele and Fred Malek, Sarah Palin doesn't have that many friends among the GOP establishment, and it stands to reason that she would want to strengthen and increase those ties. If signing on to this fundraising effort garners her support in the committee, it will only help her should she run in 2012. Plus, Gov. Palin is committed to replacing as many Democrats on Capitol Hill as possible with Republicans in November. To avoid letting defeat be yanked from the jaws of victory, it's important that the RNC raise as much money as it can to help GOP candidates. The governor realizes that, and she's showing that she can contribute more to the party's efforts than just making endorsements and spreading her own PAC money around.
This is smart politics on her part.
- JP
The reason why Steele is being hammered is because RINOs want to get rid of a Palin ally from the leadership position. After he won, Steele went out and got her blessing. He has struggled, I concede but no more than previous RNC members.
ReplyDeletehttp://teamsarah.ning.com/photo/palin-steele-signed-bible?context=user
ReplyDeleteIt's really quite simple why she is doing this. Sarah sees the huge tidal wave that is developing for the Republican Party that will sweep them into control of the House and possibly the Senate. This tidal wave is happening not because of the actions of the Republicans or even the Tea Party. It is mostly a severe backlash against Obama and the Democrats.
ReplyDeleteWhen it happens though, everyone will try to take credit: the RNC, the RNSC, the RNCC and the Tea Party Movement. The media will continue to discredit the Tea Party movement and will give the credit to the Republican establishment. If Sarah stays "outside" the establishment, she will be given little credit for these victories and the media will continue to try and marginalize her contributions. However, by now joinig the RNC and helping them raise money, it will be hard to argue that she did not play a major role in these victories. This in turn will help her for 2012.
Cloutier is right. I'm sure many in the RNC, RNSC and RNCC are furious that Steele brought Sarah into the "tent". I'm sure they wanted her to stay outside the tent so they could marginalize the role she played in these overwhelming victories in the fall. If the RNC can now raise funds, Steele will be stronger for reelection in January and Sarah will be stronger for 2012 - a win for both of them.
Again, it just shows her political smarts. Being able to read what is happening politically, and properly positioning herself to gain politically from it.