Rove "Wrong" About Palin, Steve Schmidt Says

In an interview with CBS' Katie Couric last night, John McCain chief strategist Steve Schmidt takes Karl Rove to task:

COURIC: I want to get your reaction to something Karl Rove told the Washington Post today. He said Sarah Palin was, quote, "not a governing decision but a campaign decision." What's your reaction.

Mr. SCHMIDT: Karl's wrong. She's an exceptional governor, a reform governor in Alaska. Fifty states in this country, she is the most popular governor of any governor of any state. Her approval ratings are 80 percent. When you look at the fact that Congress's approval rating is 9 percent, and 85 percent of the country thinks we're going in the wrong direction, she's doing something right up there.

She's fought the oil companies. She's building a huge natural gas pipeline. She's taken on the corrupt special interests. She's returned taxpayer money back to families in Alaska. She is the future of the Republican Party. She's going to be an outstanding vice president.

The simple fact here is that this is a mom of five children. There's been a private family matter and she's been under viscous assault and attack from the angry left. And we've seen that today. There's a lot of allegations and rumors, almost all of them untrue. The other side is throwing everything but the kitchen sink at her to see what sticks.

American people are going to love her when they meet her. She's an exceptional woman, an accomplished woman; and by any objective measurement, Katie, she is more experienced and more accomplished than Senator Obama. She's a woman who manages billion dollar budgets. She makes decisions every day. One of the most exceptional governors in the country.

COURIC: So you don't think pre--that Barack Obama's experience as a state senator for eight years and then a US senator for four years, how can you compare those two?

Mr. SCHMIDT: Well, Barack Obama was in the United States Senate for one year before he took off, and Senator Graham will talk about that, to run for president full time. When he was a state senator, he had no executive decisions. At 130 times tough votes, he took a pass and voted present. Leaders have to make decisions. Governor Palin makes decisions.

Couric also challenged Schmidt and Sen. Lindsey Graham on Palin's opposition to the "Bridge to Nowhere" project:

COURIC: So do you think Senator Graham, governors are better leaders than senators?

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Sen. GRAHAM: I think governors--having been in the Senate, probably. Governor Palin, I think, really compliments what John wants to do. John has looked at Washington as broken, and it's not nothing--something new to him. I was one of 14 senators who voted against "a bridge to nowhere." I was scared because I knew what was going to come my way. The governor of Alaska said no to the project.

COURIC: But didn't she initially say yes to the project?

Sen. GRAHAM: Yeah.

COURIC: So doesn't that kind of drive a hole into that argument?

Sen. GRAHAM: I think--I have earmarked. I confess on national TV. This has been a journey for Alaska and the country. She's seen what's happened in Alaska. John's seen what has happened in Washington. If you wanted to pick somebody that had a record of change and would tell their own party things they didn't want to hear, she's the best pick John could have made. She's a lot like John.

COURIC: But she did have a change of heart of that bridge to nowhere, correct? I mean, let's just set the record straight.

Mr. SCHMIDT: She did. And let's be clear. She killed it at the end of the day. It's OK.

COURIC: After initially supporting it, that's all. I think we should set the record straight on that.

Mr. SCHMIDT: There's no--there's no--there's no question that that's--that that's the case.

Sen. GRAHAM: Yeah.

Comments

[UnknownSoldier]

What kind of questioning is that, OMFG. Couric failed to ask if McMooseKiller was the first Alaskan politican to come out against the Bridge, and where did the money from the bridge go, was it sent back to DC so that the American Tax Payers could recieve relief.

You can see why they chose to go on her show.

[loball]

Right back into Alaska's budget

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2005/11/17/MNGF5FPI7N1.DTL

[SailawayJane]

Sen. Graham actually said that once the money got there Palin DID NOT send it back.

[newbridge]

Steve "protege of Karl Rove" Schmidt is flat wrong. It will be a long time before he has the political instincts of the traitor Karl Rove. John McCain picked Sarah because he got mad at Rove and "W's backing of Romney. He had a senior moment and to exercise his new independence, he picked "the little girl who can't".

It is over and it is b***s***t!

[savory1]

I cannot believe that the Repubs are trying to say that this woman has more experience than Barack , its a joke. If thats the case, McCain does not have executive experience either.

[shelsay]

thank you, that's what I'm saying.

[SailawayJane]

I think that's exactly what McSame is telling the American people. I don't need a VP, if I have to have one I'll put the most inexperienced person on the ticket. Personally, I feel McSame sold out the American people by selecting this person.

[tomasagee]

Texas has a particularly weak governorship, and W fit the bill.

[pennagirl]

I don't get the following comparison:
Palin is more qualified than Obama because as governor, she has "executive" experience etc., and governors, as we all know, are better equipped to be president. By the way, what was the Great Uniter and Decider before stepping (stumbling?) into the Oval Office? By golly, Governor of Texas.

[ahilpuge]

John McCain has no "executive experience". He should run for mayor of Sedona, rearrange the local library and come to the table prepared. Or, as Sarah's experience trumps all, they should flip the ticket and let John ride shotgun.

[willowbarcelona]

No, not Sedona; only Mayor of Wasilla gives presidential street cred.

[tgoggin]

Yeh, I remember another stumbling Governor named Jimmah "Lust in my heart" Carter who gave us 4 embarrasing years. Thanks for his executive experience.
A few good governor presidents: Jefferson, Cleveland, TR, FDR, Coolidge, Reagan, Clinton. Governors make decent presidents.

[storeyy]

Had we listened to Jimmah "Lust in my heart" Carter instead of the Repuglican talking heads we wouldn't have this energy problem would we? THe repuglican congress voted down his energy inititives­.... Do your homework.

[UnknownSoldier]

Reagan was not a good President and nor was Coolidge

[Anthro]

I rarely comment, but I take extreme exception to dissing Jimmy Carter, a great man by any standard, caught in a difficult time and place when people wanted instant gratification. He was so far ahead on energy issues, and is finally getting some credit I am happy to see. He is the only christian-type I can stand because I admire his integrity to much. There was never ANYTHING "stumbling" about him and wouldn't it be a better world if more men only "lusted in their hearts". It was one tiny quote in an unimportant article, give it a rest. Take a look at what the Carter Center has done since he founded it and then let me know what you think of him! On another note, I have been concerned about too many senators and not enough governors in this race from the get-go. The reps are smart to take this tack because Obama has already chosen yet another "senator" (the latest dirty word to be coined by the Rovies) as his VP. I was also concerned during the primaries that he was just jumping in too damn soon and that his short tenure in the Senate would bite him in the butt. That is mostly why I was pulling for Hillary.

[ricehq]

Where is McSame's executive experience?

Can he buy some?

Perhaps trade in one of Cindy's houses?

[GaryJay]

The last two years our congress, controlled by the Donks has done what?? anything? I know they want to cancel the Bush tax cuts, and spend the money on hundreds of new welfare programs, its what the libs do-----.Ri­ght now they don't have the votes to overide a republican presidential veto, its why they hate Bush so----Now here comes Gov. Palin, a new young "Reagan-esk", and the howls of the liberal leftist is ooooh so sweet----Obama, is a sweet talker, not sure abvout the old dude thats been in the Senate so long he is older than the furniture, that HE picked for a running mate. Now hangs around his neck like an Albatross---the change candidate-­--rrrrrrrr­rightttttt­!!

[research]

Republicans filibuster everything.

[spartacus275]

You're an IDIOT!!!!!!!!

[sonwinks]

The irony of your above comment is truly astonding. My mind boggles to know where to start.. but here we go:

2 years in congress by the dems.....a­nd how many veto's (which you mention)..­.making progress quite difficult.
"cancel bush tax cuts" ... are these tax cuts aimed at middle America???­?...no they are aimed at coparations who are taking jobs out of the USA. There has been NO tax relief for middle and lower America for nearly 8 years.,,,a­re you a big Coparation­...that needs tax cuts?
You are questioning Joe Biden's age.....do I really need to point out to you....tha­t Sen McCain is 72 years old...and running for President.­....so if age is a massive factor for you....I really think you should re think your position.
This response does not even include the failures of Sarah Palin...Le­t alone Sen McCain...b­oth who have flip floped more than Sen Kerry ever could....a pharse sarted by the republican­s....they have set the bar....on flip flopping and experience and they can not even cross it.

[BLinCincinnati]

"Mr. SCHMIDT: Well, Barack Obama was in the United States Senate for one year before he took off, and Senator Graham will talk about that, to run for president full time."

Obama took office Jan 2005. He declared for Pres Feb 2007. That's a bit over 2 years.

Since Obama took office in the 109th Congress:
McCain has missed 465 votes. He's only cast a single vote since 3/14/08.
Obama has missed 301 votes.

McCain's missed over 50% more votes than Obama. And he didn't have a long primary to contend with.

[Jeff1958]

In other words, the Repubs are in full spin mode. Imagine that!

[mesmerize]

You are wasting your breath talking behind some of these people. Republicans have now said Sarah Palin has more experience than Mccain. Fred Thompson disregarded his POW status as something that don't qualify you for Commander In Chief after using that story against Senator Obama for over a year. It was 24 years ago when a woman was picked for V.P on a Democrat ticket. Why has it taken Republicans so long to finally choose a women?It's something that makes you go Hummmm. Sarah Palin has come into this campaign and made them flip the script just so they can get women voters. If they make it into the White House, which they won't, they will look straight pass Sarah Palin when it comes to making decisions. It will be to them like she is not even there.

[UnknownSoldier]

This is the smell of impending Victory for the Dems, and you smell the FEAR coming off the Repub Tr0[[s

[sleek]

When can you tell when a Republican is lying? When they're not sleeping.

[KOisGod]

But they lie in their sleep.

Baroom dumb!

[Fireslayer]

Here is a woman who claims to have opposed the bridge to nowhere, but supported it up until was defeated by the US Senate.-

Here is a woman who claims to be a " reformer" and a "maverick"- but was a major fundraiser pitching to lobby groups for the now discraced Sen. Ted Stevens;

Here is a woman who claims to be an environmentalist- but she is a die-hard global warming denier who would cheerfully extinct the polar bear;
Here is a woman who claims to stand up to oil, companies, but is in fact very much in Big OIl's pocket on drilling in the wildlife refuge, unimpeded pipeline construction.

Here is a woman who claims to oppose Congressional earmarks, but became the queen of earmark procurement for her municipality; Here is a woman who boasts her and her husbands Union membership, but dollars to donouts her & McSame do not alter the union-busting policies of Bush

Let us see if Gov Palin's speech tonight mentions that her extreme anti-abortion position only has support of 20% of the American public. Look for her to support privitization of Social Security, support for our greed-based health neglect system, Creationism as a mandatory study and other right-wing positions that place her in the under 30% support range with her hero, Bush.

Once again, the triumph of product packaging over truth is the order of the day for the Republcons

[ricehq]

When will Palin begin speaking in "tongues"?

[dnels14]

Karl Rove told the Washington Post today. He said Sarah Palin was, quote, "not a governing decision but a campaign decision." ...thank you mcrove for definning mcpalin for our democratic party...ca­nt wait till we see some youtube moments with your definning comments..­.served up on a golden platter.

[mesmerize]

I can just see Sean Hannity grilling Karl Rove until he take back what he said. This is why it is bad to lie about a situation because when you are least suspected the truth always finds a way to come tumbling out. I know Karl Rove wishes he could've sucked that statement out of the air as soon as it left his mouth. LMAO

[babyphat4u]

I dont get it. Why is it that the republican allow karl Rove, Rush Limbaugh, and them other idoits have so much uneeded attention. but I think Rove may make a point when hesaid the Palin is a campaign choice only because she was so last minute. It seems as though McCain want to loose the election unless he just want to prove a point to the Democratic Party.

Another point: what is wrong with using earmarks for you state (depending on what it is) maybe they can be reconstructed into financing things that will produce something meaningful, safe, and health to citizens. I think using earmark/pork barrel spending for a bridge is VERY neccesary.­..look at what happened in Minnesota.­.....

Can you imagine

[LiarLiarIraqsOnFire]

"Her approval ratings are 80 percent." - WRONG (or lie, you choose), he approval rating USED TO be in the 80's, not so much anymore. The fact that she recently cut $1200 checks for the residents of Alaska can't hurt those numbers either

"...Congre­ss's approval rating is 9 percent...­" - Because they haven't done nearly enough to reverse the Bush administration's grievous policies.

"...and 85 percent of the country thinks we're going in the wrong direction.­.." - And John McSame's policies are more than 95% in LockStep with the policies that have taken us in this direction.

Now you know the rest of the story.

[Synergist]

Wow, looks like troopergate is on its way out. The trooper former brother in law did make threats.

And the guy she said she fired for another reason confirmed that she was justified in firing him and it was not related.

More left wing media spin to keep Obamabots occupied comes unspun.

[research]

Why do you believe these new reports? Wait till they have been verified.

[gopindrag]

Boring. You should have put this in your bathroom journal, next to the captain's log.

[Burkelbile]

Nice try. Everyone knows the guy was a bum. That's not the issue.
The issue is the attempted coverup and the lie. In the words of Richard Nixon (someone who oughta' know) - "Its the LIE that gets you." Let it play out until the investigation is complete.

[Scarllatti]

If you keep your garbage dump open, the moose will stick its head inside it. What do you expect, you fool?

[LittleRedHenSez]

Where did you get this information? I saw an interview with him where he said he had emails showing pressure put on him to fire the trooper and he in no way indicated she was justified. As for the brother-in-law--if he made threats, you call the cops like everyone else and go thru the review/court system. You don't go thru the governor's office to get him fired. It may unspin but certainly not just because you wish it would.

[RobVA]

I don't want to discredit Palin on her achievements. I am keeping an open mind, but I find it really insulting how everything in politics is spun up. It happens on both sides. As for being the Mayor of Wasilla, AK. Has ANYONE out there ever been to Wasilla? For God's sake, it's like driving through Breezewood, PA. There's a reason why anyone with motivation and drive could become the Mayor of Wasilla. Headlines in the daily paper range from start of Salmon seaon, to new regulations for hunting season. Alaska adamantly dislikes the "Lower 48", and tries to remain out of touch with mainstream US. It's cultural (and wonderful). Go there, spend one week in Wasilla, and then I would like to hear ONE person explain how making an executive decision in Wasilla, AK qualifies you for anything on a global level? This is somewhat comparable to Bush, and Texas being the epicenter of the world? Look where that got us.

[mesmerize]

I'm more upset that the Republicans are giving the voters just a little over 2 months before the election to get to know Sarah Palin when they've been telling us we still don't know Senator Obama after seeing and hearing from him for over a year. Why do some voters pretend they don't know Senator Obama, whom they do, and Sarah Palin, whom they don't?

[research]

"She's fought the oil companies. She's building a huge natural gas pipeline."

As if the Oil companies weren't the Oil and Gas companies. WOW.

[Synergist]

That's great. Our people can use more and more relief economically by using our own resources.

We need to get all vehicles on flex fuel. Start converting stranded gas into methanol. Get busy with all the offshore drilling in new locations right away like Norway and other green countries are doing. And of course re-instate any that have been inactive.

I heard Texas is the largest wind power provider in the world. These giant things are popping up daily.

And of course Anwr having enough oil, equivalent of the worlds oil needs for 7 years. That will give us more time to upgrade technology and more fuel alternatives. Plus the drilling location is about the size of a postage stamp on a football field so it won't have hardly any effect on the environment.

[research]

So you are all for deception?

[research]

"In 1998, the USGS estimated that between 5.7 and 16.0 billion barrels (2.54×109 m3) of technically recoverable crude oil and natural gas liquids are in the coastal plain area of ANWR, with a mean estimate of 10.4 billion barrels (1.65×109 m3), of which 7.7 billion barrels (1.22×109 m3) lie within the Federal portion of the ANWR 1002 Area.[15] In comparison, the estimated volume of undiscovered, technically recoverable oil in the rest of the United States is about 120 billion barrels (1.9×1010 m3). [22]"

7 years? About 1 month.

[JiminNC]

Gotta read this - http://my2bucks.wordpress.com/2008/09/02/a-letter-from-someone-who-has-known-sarah-palin-since-1992/#comment-416

A little home cooking from Wasilla

[research]

Everyone should read it!

[Synergist]

I love it. Dems scampering scared of Palin. LOL. She's a great pick and Lieberman's support is whip cream on top. She has more executive experience than both Obama and Biden. LOL. And a recent news story just showed how she did what it took to get over 12 million for her city, which means she makes it happen. And the Obama/media bashing her daughter means desperate. Wow she has a real American family and is more like the majority of us than all the Potomac fever poll-iticians. Oh yeah!!!
Now compare to the opposite of MLK, Obama who never did anything but avoid casting his votes in important matters so he would not be accountable and refused to say the pledge of allegiance and wear our flag until pressured. Like a reed shaken in the wind. "Convince a man against his will, and he will be of the same opinion still".
The media bias has made me support McCain/Palin more than I could of ever imagined.

[mojojanglesjoe]

Really the media bias??? Get with it, they do that everyone and anyone. Do you think they were nice to Obama. A little hang shake with his wife was scrunitized for days as to what's the interal meaning of that gester. Please.

Ralph Nader would have been a great VP pick or Republican President, at least he's open to public, media, and personal securintity

[acharles]

Maybe you are missing the polls, but dems are rallying to take down Palin.

Read this http://my2bucks.wordpress.com/2008/09/02/a-letter-from-someone-who-has-known-sarah-palin-since-1992/#comment-416

McCain is S*** out of luck!

[cdinardo]

Apparently you missed the fact that KARL ROVE is claiming that she is nothing more than a showpiece choice-which means desperate. I am always amazed at how rabidly delusional the Republican belief system is, and always disappointed at the Democrats' lack of understanding how powerful a thing that fanaticism is.

[lvrplfc4l]

Mr Rove also said the same of Mr Biden that he was a political decision not a governing decision to cover Mr Obama's foreign policy flank. I would hope all this gleeful piling on by the media doesn't come back to bite Dems on the A**. It's one thing to seek out information but some of the gratuitous venom may swing people away. The American voting public tend to have sympathy when they feel the press has gone to far and I believe we are at the tipping point with some of this Mrs Palin rhetoric. It's one thing to point out issues but if voters feel you are attacking a woman, a mother and a person that truly is goodhearted all the truth in the world won't help Mr Obama get elected. Lastly if you truly believe Mr Obama is the right choice why not follow his example and stay above the fray, or is this the it's our time to get some payback? If that's what it is this is a very slippery slope and be careful.

[larazon]

Oh, who caaaaaares|
While your at it, check your facts okay? 0 bama never bashed her daugher. On the contrary he said the candidates families are off limits and anyone on his campaign who resorts to this will be fired.

How much clearer does it have to be. Must be the mud in your eyes that's keeping you from seeing the nose on your face.

For cris_sakes­...speak the truth or st_fu.

[Jeff1958]

Put down the Koolaide. She has more "executive" experience than McCain too. Why isn't she at the top of the ticket? Because her "executive" experience is nothing more than a republican talking point. No more, no less.

[PLDChicago]

What's with this Kool-aid stuff. Is this a new republican drink?

Sarah Palin will be the dog that bites McCain in the.....