It only took a day.
To have Virginia Republicans talking about how whether they want Sarah Palin campaigning in the Commonwealth.
Bob Lewis of the AP nails the story.
For Chris LaCivita, campaign adviser to AG candidate Ken Cuccinelli, it’s a no-brainer.
It’s his kind of politics.
Get her here.
Anytime.
“Hey, I’ll bring in Sarah Palin. You let Steve Shannon bring in Nancy Pelosi.”
Paul Nardo, chief of staff for Speaker Bill Howell, is a bit more reserved, but clearly open to the idea.
“If that would help, I’m sure we wouldn’t be averse to it.”
Ka-Ching!
As Lewis aptly notes, just think of the benefits to the House GOP’’s campaign coffer.
Speaking for Bob McDonnell, Tucker Martin is the tersest of them all.
“There is no announcement of any event with Governor Palin to date. ”
Let’s think this through.
Public Policy Polling just came out with a survey that shows McDonnell leading Deeds 49% to 43%.
Remarkably, McDonnell has a 21% lead among independents at the moment.
Huge.
But maybe necessary.
The survey sample has the electorate evenly divided among Democrats, Republicans and Independents with about a third of likely voters identifying with each category.
Highlighting the critical importance of independents to the race.
Almost all polls toward the end of the 2008 presidential race showed that Palin helped McCain in energizing base Republicans, but was a detriment among independents.
Thus McDonnell’s dilemma.
Blow her off and he risks antagonizing the GOP base, already a tad skeptical after his refusal to take a no-tax pledge.
Could you imagine having her campaign for Cuccinelli but not McDonnell?
Bring her here.
And tie himself to the national GOP?
Let the Democrats rerun 2008 (or maybe 2012)?
Couldn’t she held onto her job for six more months?
Maybe InTrade will start posting odds on Palin visiting Virginia.
Here’s my take.
No Visit- 10% or less
An October Visit- 20% or less
August or September Visit- 70% or more.
What do you think?
I suppose the freak shows make sense when you don’t have anything playing under the Big Top. Groveton, writing elsewher on this site said it better than I can:
“The Republicans have grown unbelievably inarticulate while the liberalized spirit of the Great Communicatior lives on in the form of our current President. Sarah Palin is a side-show. She is noteworthy only because no other Republican is worthy of note. Today’s Republican Party has no center of gravity, no clear articulation of values, no discernible leader. So, instead, the media covers the jesters who would normally be on the far fringe of a real political party. It’s Sarah “oh look, there’s Russia” Palin, Rush “the human caricature” Limbaugh and Mark “please wait for me Argentina” Sanford. What else would you expect? There is no center to the Republican Party. It’s just a swirling mass of oddballs, jim-cracks and gew-gaws.”
What he said! BKD
All Sarah needs is a voice coach, a few courses in history, geography, and sociology, and ten years as a radio host: then she will be ready for public life.
Look for Sarah to visit southern and southwest Virginia. You know, those small towns that she likes to call the “real America,” where Deeds is strong.
I would also add a place like Leesburg or Manassas as well. The voters are in the exurbs and she plays very well in Exurban America.
I agree with you on the odds. I think it’s time enough there to heal any wounds that having her here may cause. But ultimately, I don’t think one apprearance by her here in support of Bob would do that much damage. I see it doing more help than harm.
He really doesn’t need to do much to energize his base and right now he is polling very well with independents, so until something changes, I would stay the course.
Perhaps bring her in for a fundraiser, but I don’t think she necessarily needs to be here for a huge public event.
I’m not sure McDonnell needs Palin to motivate the segment of the electorate (the crazy 20%) that she appeals to. They are already chomping at the bit. Allowing the Dems to tie him to Palin would hurt with Independents.
There’s also the possibility that her appearances would create the same kind of issues they did in 2008- audience members shouting racial slurs or chanting tinfoil hat slogans. That’s not what the new “Moderate Bob” needs.