Kristol Rips McCain Camp, RNC For Handling Of Palin

Bill Kristol, who has been, perhaps, the biggest Sarah Palin partisan of the pundit class, leveled some harsh criticisms at the McCain campaign Sunday for what he deemed to be a mismanagement of the vice presidential rollout, petty infighting, and leaving the Alaska Governor out on a limb after it was revealed the RNC had paid $150,000 in clothing for her.

Appearing on Fox News Sunday, Kristol said Palin had been "ill served by some of the staff," particularly in light of anonymous aides ripping her as a diva and/or rogue agent in recent news articles.

He chided the RNC for not taking the hit for the clothing that was purchased on Palin's behalf.

"Why wasn't a staffer out there saying, 'you know what, I made the mistake'?" he asked. "Since when do the staffers go into hiding and let Governor Palin be the one who has to explain it? It's a total disgrace the staff has ducked responsibility for this mistake, which was not her mistake. Whatever people's criticisms of Governor Palin, no one thinks she lives high on the hog in Alaska, shopping at Neiman Marcus... I think the staff has ill-served her."

And he bemoaned the McCain campaign's media strategy, which, he claimed, had prevented Palin from taking on more of a profile in the press. Informed by host Chris Wallace that the Alaska Governor would not appear on a Sunday news show before the election, Kristol said the problem was not hers, but rather one of clearance.

"It's McCain's staff which bottle her up for the first part of the campaign," he said. "The staff has not served her well by hiding her and not having confidence."

The latter charge, of course, seems as much an indictment of Palin as of the McCain campaign itself. After all, who, beyond John McCain, has to sign off on Palin going on national television?

Nevertheless, chalk up Kristol's appearance as another conservative pundit entering the circular firing squad that has become the GOP presidential campaign.

Comments

[marinemomof3]

Ha Billy Boy....take responsibility???

Ha Ha Ha.....when YOU, KING GEORGE AND THE REST OF YOUR ILK
take some, maybe than a staffer will too.

Karma, Billy, Sweet Karma......on November 5th, IT WILL be where the sun
does not shine for YOU!

Semper Fidelis
Billy, that means 'always faithful'........
not to 'a man' or 'a party' or the almighty 'dollar'!

Shame, shame shame ON YOU!

[dadw5boys]

Kristol like so many RNC Communist has never held a job that produces anything of value. Just like McCain since he left the Military has done nothing but work in Politics.

Time for these people to get a job !!!!!

Produce something of value !!!!

NO MORE CONSERVATIVE LEACHES !!!!!!!

[truthforme]

The clothes are irrelevant. The woman is unfit to lead.
'nuff said

[feeba]

Voting Deadlines

Most of the states require an absentee ballot request to be made by October 24th. You can click on this link and request your absentee ballot.

www.StateDemocracy.org

Check your States Deadline Date at http://bostonnewsdesk.blogspot.com/2008/10/apply-for-absentee-ballot.html

[mervr1]

I'm tired of theses conservative pundits now trying to come to the rescue of Sarah Plain. First, she knew from the beginning that she was not qualified for the position and should never have accepted. Second, as the Governor of any Alaska she should have spoken up and demanded respect from the McCain campaign and not allowed herself to be turned into Pinocchio.

So who should feel sorry for her....No one. She brought it all upon herself.

[GenXer]

That and has Bill ever been correct on anything?

[Soulsurfer]

Exactly. How does this guy keep his job? He's never right about anything, doesn't admit it or apologize, just makes more excuses and/or blames someone else. Amazing, these "responsible" conservatives.

[Kerkyra]

Shaky spin, Bill. It wasn't the staffer who wore the clothes and it isn't the staffer that is the VP candidate. That the staffers are scattering like roaches does, however, bring a giggle.

[partyofone]

The report says that Kristol "bemoaned the McCain campaign's media strategy, which, he claimed, had prevented Palin from taking on more of a profile in the press." Now there's a laugh. She wasn't in the media because she is a demagogue who panders to a narrow, evangelical, hyper conservative, angry base. The majority of Americans don't want to hear it and surely don't want to vote for it.

[radnip]

It's Palin's own fault for knowing nothing about national politics, national government, and McCain's record before being nominated. Most people would know something, enough so the coaching is a review, not a complete high school government and history program in 1 month.

I guess Palin also could not read the clothing labels and did not realize her child's bag with the big VL's was from an expensive FOREIGN desigher. It's often a bad idea when one is dividing American into real and fake to wear non-American labels. It's also probably bad to have had Alaska pay for the whole family to visit fake American New York.

Also, as a politician versed in the myriad rules on donations, to just accept clothes just because someone brought in shopping bags of them from Neiman Marcus and Saks. Or did she not see the price tags and store bags...? I assumed the price tags were still on because the campaign claimed to have returned a bunch of clothes that did not work out (the $150,000 was an AFTER returns number) and Palin mentioned there were unworn clothes in bags in the plane. I'd assumed those were the store bags.

[stayfocused08]

DIDDO you are totally on the money, Pailn should have been the MAVERICk and said NO, I won't take campaign money and make me over. But she didn't now she is trying to fight back. ITS TOO LATE!

[OddManOut]

Palin bought the clothes herself or a staffer bought them for her and they didn't think anyone would notice. Their fault.

The point that someone (a staffer) would throw themself under the bus for her is nonsense - think about the RNC and how they have ZERO accountability and you will see why this happened. They suck.

[partyofone]

If Palin was the populist she claimed, she would have said no no no to the clothing, its not me, let me be me. But instead she said, I want that one and that one and that one, but in blue.

[cindysundancer]

Yes! The shopping spree is so emblematic of the Repub's, who have become the party of ambitious opportunists. They use government positions to feather their nests and those of their corrupt friends.
The leading role model for this is the Bush family, who have gorged themselves at the public trough for decades.

[northstar11]

i think the RNC didnt get the lipstick on a pig stuff

it really doesn't matter how you package ms palin ,she still does not have the right stuff .knowledge , leadership skills, judgement,integrity ,inner strength

and by the way sarah---keep the clothes. it is the least they can and will do for you.
"give them to charity " is a sign of just how empty the RNC tank is.

[MontanaHome]

i think the RNC didnt get the lipstick on a pig stuff

They don't get much of anything, huh.

[stayfocused08]

LOL I thought the same thing she needs to keep those clothes, and that is an insult to say they are giving them to charity. Oh and why is Haselback trying to be the poster woman for Pailn with her thousand dollar threads on. I would feel bad for Pailn if she wasn't so nasty and trying to destriy Obama for no reason, now I'm just laughing at her.

[JenMI]

Oh please Billy........poor, poor, Sarah. This non-stop refrain that neither McCain or Palin are responsible for their own actions, words and campaign is wearing thin.

[Two Three Four]

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[PT6]

McCain PLAYS GAMES and GIMMICKS While the World's Markets BURN!

Nero playing the fiddle while Rome burned!

Asian markets extended their slide Monday on fears about a U.S. recession and global economic slowdown and Hong Kong and Shanghai fall on decelerating corporate earnings growth.

CONFIDENCE must be restored and Bush and McCain can not do it!

We need Obama and his team ready to work on this to help restore Confidence in American Markets!

[LiarLiarIraqsOnFire]

I just can't wait to see who Kristol starts talkin' up for RNC Chair. Maybe if Mitch McConnell isn't busy after the election. lol

[Tulka2]

What perfect symmetry! The right-wing finds their perfect Ayn Rand heroine just as Ayn Rand's dear Allan Greenspan flies Capitalizm in to the side of history. I hope Kristol appriciates the irony.