Palin Spends Precious Campaign Day in Solid Blue California

CARSON, Calif., 4 October 2008 -- This is not typical Republican territory, but Sarah Palin temporarily changed the demographics Saturday by filling the Home Depot Center with more than 13,000 enthusiastic supporters. The unusual location was matched with a surprise introduction by Shelly Mandell, president of the National Association of Women (NOW) Los Angeles chapter. "I'm proud to support Sarah Palin...a woman who will fight for woman's rights, a woman who will fight for the middle class" she said. "Sarah Palin has what it takes to lead [the] charge...This is what a feminist looks like"

Ms. Mandell made it clear she was speaking as an individual and not as a representative of NOW, which has officially endorsed Barack Obama for president. Palin took the stage with a less rigid interpretation, however, as she thanked Mandell for both the "introduction" and "endorsement" from the self-proclaimed life-long Democrat.

It's unclear how the McCain-Palin campaign will benefit from this bit of political theater. With just 31 days to go until election day, what made this event strategically important? With California undoubtedly in the Obama column, the idea of courting the state's women, Independents, or even Democrats likely won't make at a difference. Perhaps the strategy was to generate national TV coverage of cheering fans -- which indeed there were thousands, filled to capacity and overflowing into the adjacent soccer stadium. But Saturday is a typically small news day with relatively small audiences?

Of course one good reason to visit California is fundraising. Obama netted $9 million at an event last month in Hollywood. But this Palin event was free. So why do it, given that the electoral clock is ticking down?

Perhaps it was just for party goodwill, which Palin certainly generated no shortage of today. "We needed CPR, and that lady put the electronic shock paddles on the whole party," enthused Lisa McCain who attended the rally. Debbie Richards, a teacher from Rancho Palos Verdes, was not certain what the next four years will hold, but "I think she's got potential to go far...it could be Palin and Hillary [running against one another for president] in four years."

Democrats may have hoped a poor debate performance would put an end to Palin's political career, but she cleared that hurdle and is now looking ahead....maybe it's 2012 rather than November 4th? With at least 30 days to court supporters and build a political future; why not stop in California and build up her political support structure -- even if it has dubious benefits to the McCain campaign.

Comments

[BrianMac]

Totally sounds like 2012 campaigning on by Palin. Wouldn't be surprised if this was the plan all along, the McCain camp assumption being that they can't win in 2008 so why not start campaigning for 2012 NOW (sic).

[jorge4u]

Has anyone notified, told Palin that California is and will remain blue? By the way, the Home Depot Center a max capacity of 27,000 people. Well, I guess she's not popular here after all. Is she? :-)

[ialex]

There's 2 venus @ home depot - a tennis stadium & soccer. The event was at tennis, which is 13K seats - plus maybe room for 500-1000 standing on the ground level, plus room to stand around the top. Easily 15K+ in the event. The adjacent soccer stadium was apparently used as overflow; don't know how many were there. Safe to bet McCain could not have drawn that big of a crowd on a couple days notice. Or Biden. Up to now Obama is the only one who had that kind of pull (though you're right he probably could have filled the soccer stadium)

[RepublicansHateAmerica]

Motive: Fundraising via donations online, not for attending event. Plenty of low-information voters in CA who are afraid of everthing - so she has an audience. Luckily, cooler heads ALWAYS prevail in CA!

[konaiv]

Oops, I meant WOMAN.....­not women....

[maggsa]

Shelly Mandell is a hypocrite - she is not for woman rights. Sarah Palin is not fighting for equal pay or pro-choice. Then she goes on about Palin supporting the middle class - or Sarah Palin has ever supported was Sarah Palin.

[way2muchsense]

Let's see how long she remains president of the LA chapter of NOW after this stunt.

[KathyinCT]

Palin's out for Palin 2012 while McCain staggers around the stage like Lear. Sharper than a serpent's tooth, indeed.

Much has been written about Steve Schmitt, the GOP attack dog, forcing McCain to pick Palin, when he knew almost notihing about her.

So you kinda (see, I can talk like Sarah) start to wonder . . . . what's Schmitt's real end game? And who's pulling the strings? If the Rovians realized by end of August that McCain was going down, just maybe the deal was cut to bring out the far far right's poster child, dumb-but-trainable Palin, and get her well positioned now. If she makes McCain look like an idiot, who cares?

There's only one reason for her to be in LA, and it sure wasn't getting votes this year.

[DarthVector]

You betcha!

[AmericasMostGangsta]

I'll be dogged!

[way2muchsense]

Does anyone seriously think Gov. Palin has a chance in Hell of getting the GOP nomination in '12? Of course, by then they'll be hard up for volunteers to get their asses kicked by President Obama the incumbent.

[AngryCenter]

Believe it. She will be on the ticket, and the entire race will be as bad as the last few days.

[MaggieCat]

I can not believe that the Mandell woman could support someone like Palin. Does anyone know what the NOW membership is saying about this development? This is insane! Can they fire her?

[CatLadyforObama]

Here's the official statement form NOW and the blog comments/responses from members...

http://www.canow.org/canoworg/2008/10/now-supports-ob.html

[pjburns11]

She'll fight for women's rights as she systematically tries to shackle them.

www.thetruthburns.wordpress.com