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

[krocklin]

More lies by the Republcans that go completely unchallenged by the media.

Her approval rating in Alaska is sinking like a stone. When will a reporter point this out?

Has she really "taken on" Big Oil, as McCain also has supposed to have done? Both have pushed for everything Big Oil wants. When is the media going to call them on this?

She is no more an expert on energy than McCain is an expert on security after supporting the Iraq fiasco from day one. And yet these blatantly false and orchestrated claims are being put ot into the media by the Republicans with impunity.

[ENOS]

(In Rove's words) Sarah Palin was, quote, "not a governing decision but a campaign decision."

WOW!!! for once Karl Rove tells the TRUTH!!! hahahh... how funny!

[TSSword]

Why has McCain surrounded himself with all these thugs like Steve Schmdt and Rick Davis? Now they're turning against Karl Rove?

All McCain has to do to win is just keep telling the story of his life. If Schmdt/Davis want to help McCain, they should write a speech for Palin in which she graciously withdraws from the nomination. Not a doubt in my mind that she will be dumped within ten days.

[DRaymond]

Simple question Steve...if she was such an obvious choice why wasn't she on everybody's shortlist? How come everybody said 'who' and had to cram a year's worth of investigation into a weekend to be ready for the start of the convention. When folks kept saying 'Romney, Pawlenty, Lieberman' nobody said 'What? no Sarah Palin?'

And lets cut the bogus comparisons of experience. Obama spent 11 years in the state legislature of an large and complex state and in the Nation's third largest city. He has had to deal with complex and urban issues that never even show up on the radar in Alaska. For reasons neither good or bad expecting that transfering a limited experience in Anchorage to Washington just doesn't fly.

[ohiodem250]

As Democrats, it might be effective to push a highly sarcastic video ad claiming that Sarah Palin has more executive experience than Sen. McCain and ask why she isn't at the top of the ticket and he the VP.

[krocklin]

Another blatant falsity unchallenged by the mainstream media - that Palin has more executive experience than Biden and Obama. This lie is being put out by the Republicans in an orchestrated way.
Of course she has more executive experience; just as they have more legislative experiences. They come from different branches.
How ignorant are the media and the electorate?

[Egalitare]

If you say an untruth often enough and loud enough (read that as paying for sufficient media placement) it becomes Conventional Wisdom.

[PLDChicago]

Unfortunately, most Americans don't have the brains God gave a billy goat. They can't seem to separate fact from fiction. Media people, unfortunately, are no longer objective in reporting news. We saw the lack of objectivity begin during George W.'s presidential run.

It is up to us, the people of America, to wrest our country away from the lunatics in the White House. Let's just say that they are extremely dishonest and belittle people with their spin. And, sadly, Americans can no longer relie on our media to tell us the truth.

[Synergist]

Just like Cheney had more experience only she's younger and will be a great successor to Pres..

[AlwaysFairDem]

Rove is a criminal who gets away with everything. Citizen's arrest is the only way we can put him behind bars. Of course, he is always wrong for America. Are you just realizing that morons?

[strength]

but but but! well yes, she was against it before she was for it, but its OK< she is like john, only with lady parts...

[GSMRaleigh]

Hey, was McClueless ever a govenor? Does he have executive experience?

[DeeDeeDaGumby]

I have not seen anyone bring out the point that this bonehead we are getting ready to say goodbye too was the Governor of Texas.. Look what good that did our country...­..God Help Us if more people do not step away from that poison kool aide we are being offered,,,

[deb123]

I recall reading in two Alaska newspapers that Palin's approval ratings had dropped substantially from what is quoted here.

[reliant1]

it only went up briefly following a 1200.00 per citizen rebate check. she's in the 60"s and falling.

[Jim281]

Mr. SCHMIDT: ..."she is the most popular governor of any governor of any state. Her approval ratings are 80 percent."

There are at least 19 CITIES in the lower 48 that have larger populations than the entire STATE of Alaska. So how PEOPLE actually approve of her performance?

With only 1.1 person per square mile, maybe we should acknowledge it's "a different world" outside of Alaska. Maybe we need a leader who understands our nations issues - outside of hockey, hunting, and pipelines.

[Gryffindor Hero]

Quote: ------------------
SCHMIDT: She's a woman who manages billion dollar budgets.

End Quote ----------­----------­-----

The state of Alaska always has had a surplus. It is no big deal to manage any surplus budget. Simply copy last year's budget, add a few programs to make people happy, as long as it does not burn a hole in the state's pocket. Given the spike in oil prices, the royalty payments from oil companies to Alaska have also gone up.

Anybody can do this. Why is she special?

[the964kid]

Steve Schmidt: "American people are going to love her when they meet her."

Hey Steve, we're getting to know a lot about Palin right now - and none of it is good news. Plus what is it you think we're going to 'love?' Her positions on the issues are extremely far right, where only the most socially conservative people are. Most of us want leaders closer to the middle, so they are not only representing some small % of the country's citizens. The more many of us learn about Palin, the more she looks like a lunatic. If there's some other more appealing side of her you'd be start showing it off soon.

[CaptainStormfield]

http://www.andrys.com/palin-kilkenny.html

Im loving her already.

[Egalitare]

Apparently, we were all supposed to be overwhelmed to to the point of acquiescense by her bright smile and cleavage.

[blaqntelligence]

"Apparently, we were all supposed to be overwhelmed to to the point of acquiescense by her bright smile and cleavage."

The Greedy Old Perverts are rubbing their hands together in anticipation of briefings with this "tenderoni­".....

[Faith101]

Okay now we are suppose to believe that Rove is not behind this move? Everybody knows how calculating he can be. It looks like Schmidt wants to pick a fight with Rove to see if he can up one the Rovian architect. Maybe Rove wil show him hows it is done since McCain did not pick Romney

[TheProverbialMan]

Rove and Schmidt got where they are by being as arrogant and ruthless as possible. I smell internal fighting to establish their own dominance. When Karl Rove isn't on your side as a Republican you know things aren't going so well.

The Republican party is about to collapse. Here's to hoping the honest, libertarian wing of the party comes through.

[juevosrancheros]

I'm just thinking here ...

If the McCain camp is touting Palin's popularity in the state of Alaska as a reason to vote for her, we might want to consider the other folks who are also regarded as popular in Alaska ... I dunno ... maybe, for one ... Ted Stevens? Didn't he also do well recently in his party's primary?

Just as long as we're considering not Palin's judgment, but the judgment of the Alaskans ...

[CaptainStormfield]

Travis and Jonathan explain the Palin choice.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-W5IAPK0hbU

[Ockham]

This utterly disgusting "reformer" image that Palin has somehow obtained, that she has "fought corruption and won" is infuriating. She has lobbied again and again for pork barrel projects in the Alaska area and she is virtually in the pocket of major Oil companies. Yeah, she just wants to drill in ANWR for no particular reason... it's not like big oil stands to win from the decision.

This ticket, this farce, has to be stopped. This is tantamount to electing Bush for a third term, but it could be even worse than that: Bush of 2007-2008 learned from his stupidity in the Iraq war. He learned what a sadistic America on the world stage could take away from America's positive image. McCain doesn't know any of this because he is so out of touch with the world. Yell POW loud enough and nobody else can get a word in.