Sarah Palin Slammed By Former GOP Governor Christie Whitman As Not Presidential Material

Former New Jersey Governor Christine Todd Whitman (R) explained her belief this weekend that Sarah Palin couldn't contract wide enough support among Republicans and independents to actually win a presidential race. In Whitman's view, Palin's decision to step down as governor halfway through her first term displayed a somewhat selfish "attitude."

After outlining a situation in which Palin could take the GOP nomination based largely on her popularity in the key primary states of New Hampshire and Iowa, Whitman said that she believed Palin's White House hopes would end there.

"I don't think she'll win nationwide, but she certainly will -- when she went on the ticket with John McCain -- energize the base. But the base isn't big enough and Republicans should have learned that," Whitman said. "You've got to start competing for the center. And so far, I haven't seen a lot of outreach on the part of Sarah Palin for that. She's more concentrated on that base and energizing them. Which is fine, but it's not going to win you a general election."

Asked by Zakaria if she'd support Palin if she were to win the Republican nomination, Whitman expressed little confidence in her fellow former governor:

"She'd have to show me a lot more than I've seen thus far, as far as an understanding of the depth and the complexity of the issues that we face. I mean I don't know her personally so I can't comment on that, I mean she was a governor, but the fact that she left office before even completing her first term, it's just not an attitude that I think is necessarily in the best interest of your constituents, rather what's in your own best interest."

WATCH (via ThinkProgress):

Comments

[onecrazyprogressive]

09:05 AM on 12/16/2010

Sarah’s Lust for Attention – How Low Can She Go?
http://aksyrin.wordpress.com/2010/12/15/sarahs-lust-for-attention-%E2%80%93-how-low-can-she-go/

Sarah Palin’s disgraceful photo-op visit to Haitian cholera victims is a new low, even for this shameless publicity hound. Sarah Palin is obviously eyeing the highest levels of politics, quite possibly the presidency. She has spent the last two years building her image by keeping herself constantly in the public eye. Whatever credibility she may have achieved just got wiped out.

This Haitian fiasco shows how unfit she really is to hold public office. The nation doesn’t need this s ociopath in the White House..

[Matt Corbin]

08:45 AM on 12/15/2010

Quite a bit of GOP rebranding going on now that the 2012 season is underway. Seems like every other story like this is highlighting how the GOP on large is now backing well away from Sarah and the tea party in general so that, in two years, they can plead momentary insanity.
 
The sad part? People will fall for it.

[Shadow Weaver]

08:50 AM on 12/15/2010

anyone with 1/12th of a brain should have backed away from - or just plain ignored, and continue to - her.

[grf67]

05:35 AM on 12/15/2010

Presidential material? Who are they kidding. She is not even very good mother material.

[lizipoo]

02:30 AM on 12/15/2010

I think we should tell lil sistah there is no 'make-up' allowance for the POTUS position nor is there a tanning bed.   She'll need to truck in her own.
 
 
http://www.celebrity-gossip.net/celebrity_gallery/image_full/226429

[Barbie and Ken forever]

01:32 AM on 12/15/2010

"I mean she was a governor"

- That's it right there. That's one of the problems. A lot of people just assume that because you're on tv or you win public office, you somehow can't possibly be $tup!d. You must have some credibility. In reality, that's a no. Anyone, and I mean anyone, can go on tv and become an elected official

[Hakumen]

11:01 PM on 12/14/2010

The methodical GOP takedown of Sarah Palin is well on its way. The GOP establishment do not want her as the nominee at any cost.

[cardiaccare]

07:30 PM on 12/14/2010

This is news? Hardly.

[huffyISaHottie]

07:25 PM on 12/14/2010

$arah and her people know she could never win a presidential election...does'nt matter...she will run just to keep herself relevant...if that's possible....it will keep her speaking fees really high..it's all about the $

[bronceye]

06:49 PM on 12/14/2010

Just exactly who, except fox employees and one senile old guy from Arizona, has said that she would be a good president????????

[TitaniumAvatar]

06:34 PM on 12/14/2010

Full Governor slams Half Governor. I must have missed this Cage Match.

[Nel Pineda]

05:28 PM on 12/14/2010

Vivid is always on the lookout when you done touring the REAL AMERIKA.

[LLeGrande]

05:07 PM on 12/14/2010

Makes no difference whether Ms. Palin, the half-term quitter governor, is presidential timber.

The TEA Party will lover her. The populists with simple visions and solutions to everything will love her. The Republicans will love her. And, of course, Senator McCain loves her.

How many million votes will she get? That's a telling tale of the United States in the 21st Century.

[Barbie and Ken forever]

01:33 AM on 12/15/2010

Teabaggers are not populists

[gje1234]

04:57 PM on 12/14/2010

Wait a sec, Sarah! Do ya think you can quit bein' the president like ya quit bein' the governor? Do ya? I betcha! What does The First Dud (notice the dropped e?) have to say 'bout that, ya hockey mom, ya? Betcha sumthin!

[rainkitty]

03:48 PM on 12/14/2010

She's joke material. Nothing else.

[sgraham59]

06:26 PM on 12/14/2010

the whole family is

[Denise Ketterer Eavers]

03:31 PM on 12/14/2010

Why does the media play into this woman's hands? She has nothing to offer, she's a fraud, a bully, and she is as unpatriotic as the day is long. She is not a leader and lacks the skills. She is merely playing the public for her own personal monetary gain and doing quite well. She has demonstrated that she cannot learn, comprehend, and coherently and logically discuss fiscal, foreign, or domestic policy in

[Barbie and Ken forever]

01:34 AM on 12/15/2010

Exactly