Tensions Flare Between Sarah Palin And Mitt Romney Camps Before Being Defused

Advisers to two potential 2012 Republican presidential contenders have been busy stoking the flames of controversy, albeit anonymously, before official campaigning has even begun. An aide to Sarah Palin responded recently to reported claims that the Romney camp wasn't taking the former Alaska Governor seriously.

"She's not a serious human being," a Romney adviser said of Palin, according to a Time magazine report by Mark Halperin. "If she's standing up there in a debate and the answers are more than 15 seconds long, she's in trouble."

When asked by Politico for a response, an anonymous Palin aide responded:

"It shocks me that anyone would try to do that...You'd think we'd all be working together toward a common goal - that being 2010 - and that should be the focus right now. Those who try to claim the mantle of Reagan would be good to follow one of his most sacred tenets."

"For Washington consultants to sit around and personally disparage the Governor anonymously to reporters is unfortunate and counterproductive and frankly immature."

Romney tried to defuse tensions Friday by tweeting out a reprimand of his unidentified staffers.

TIME says unnamed advisors disparaged @SarahPalinUSA. Anonymous numbskulls. She's proven her smarts; they've disproven theirs.

Looking ahead to 2012, a Romney-Palin matchup could be quite interesting. A recent Gallup poll shows Sarah Palin leading all GOP contenders in party support, with 76 percent of Republicans having a favorable view of a potential 2012 run. Though she also has the highest unfavorable numbers at 20 percent, Romney's unfavorables were only slightly less -- 19 percent -- while only 54 percent had a favorable view of him as a Republican contender.

Romney and Palin have also proven their fundraising prowess, though Romney's PAC topped Palin's by more than $1 million in the second quarter.

Comments

[grandtrunk road]

11:25 AM on 08/17/2010

Palin was never a serious person. She got where she is because way back when, a bunch of aging Washington insider cons, National Review types, ventured to Alaska, where they were wined and dined on moose souffle chez Palin's and had the pants charmed off them. They vigorously championed her selection as VP, and McCain was besotted enough to go for it.

Romney has little going for him except for his "sanity," which is a rarity among Republicans with any national name recognition. He's not an ideologue or a religious zealot, but the personal appeal factor just isn't there. It must be embarrassing for him and his staff to be lumped together with Palin as a presidential contender.

It's hard to believe the Republican establishment is so far gone that they would back Palin as their presidential nominee. They need a dark horse who seems like a regular person and who can relate to the people. My bet is on Obama winning a second term.

[xon fedaa]

11:48 PM on 08/16/2010

"stoking the flames of controversy, albeit anonymously . . . She's not a serious human being,"

then

"When asked . . . for a response, an anonymous Palin aide responded: For Washington consultants to sit around and personally disparage the Governor anonymously . . . is unfortunate and counterproductive and frankly immature."

ROFL!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[centsable]

10:14 PM on 08/16/2010

Why did Romey back off the statement made by an advisor. Hope he doesn't want Failin Palin's endorsement should he win the nomination. Doesn't he know she's poison....wait a minute, never mind.....So how was work today?

[nini516]

07:36 PM on 08/16/2010

In fighting already. Sarah will never be president, she acts too much like a school girl at the water cooler gossiping, and throwing her peers under the bus. She too childish to be president. If she had the guts to be president, she never would have quit as governor.

[nickguillory]

12:21 AM on 07/20/2010

Sarah Palin rockin' the english dictionary like she was/is the author:

http://www.frequency.com/video/sarah-palin/166766

[MiddleRiver]

02:12 PM on 07/19/2010

She has a camp? Is that where kids go in the summer to make pot holders and eat smores?

[Cheryl2]

01:37 PM on 07/19/2010

Sacred tenents of Reagan? He now has a church and a religion?

[jobrien1950]

01:11 PM on 07/19/2010

Someone in sarah's camp refudiated Romney's remark that she isn't serious.

[bordway]

12:07 PM on 07/19/2010

Sarah Palin nor anyone in her entourage deserves to say Reagan's name, not that he was that great a President. It still baffles me why he was so often referred to as "acting President". Maybe it was his film career following him.

The 15+ second answer is spot on though. Notice how the issue was immediately diverted. Sarah Palin is DREADING November 3rd. If she runs, she will be pleading for interviews with the "lamestream media" in order to catch a break from the onslaught of her opponents. For that reason, I'm 80/20 that she won't run.

[Cheryl2]

01:42 PM on 07/19/2010

2 more reasons she won't run: she would have to pay her own legal bills and would not make enough money as president for her fashion accessories.

[liveordie]

11:54 AM on 07/19/2010

This is what the "party of No" has to offer? Palin and Romney? Two rocks bumping their mossy ideology together should be a hoot a minute.

[hallowellboy]

11:28 AM on 07/19/2010

Yuck!

[jchflorida]

11:23 AM on 07/19/2010

In 1963 Kennedy was salivating about the prospect of running against Goldwater . Next year I imagine Obama will feel the same about Palin.

[OneLiberalLady]

09:49 AM on 07/19/2010

So there's a Sarah Palin Camp. Do they teach fancy pageant walking?

[JohnBryansFontaine]

10:05 AM on 07/19/2010

They probably get free courses at Beck U as well;

[Cheryl2]

01:39 PM on 07/19/2010

They study the "sacred tenents of Reagan" and keep their heads bowed.

[songoftherushes]

09:47 AM on 07/19/2010

Romney/Palin 2012. He gives it his best shot. IF he wins, she gets experience (for all the good it will do her). And the next time she gets a shot at it? No?....

God help us all.....Don't tell me it is going to be Romney vs. Clinton...

[Billyguitar]

09:44 AM on 07/19/2010

I can't see why anyone would donate a dime to Palin. It's painfully obvious to most people that she hasn't got a chance. Here's the way her and Mitt's debate could go:
SP: We've got to get out there and take our country back!
MR: Quitter!
SP: Mama grizzlies and shotguns!
MR: Quitter! Quitter!
SP: Hocky moms and conservative values!
MR: Quiier! Quitter! Quitter!
Followed by some fancy pageant walkin' right off the stage.