Political Wire

Palin Slams GOP Health Care Bill

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In an interview with Breitbart, Sarah Palin slammed House Republicans’ healthcare proposal, predicting that President Trump “will step in an fix it.”

Palin began her interview dubbing the bill “RINO-care” and saying it still had aspects of “socialism” about it.

Said Palin: “Remember this is government-controlled healthcare, the system that requires enrollment in an unaffordable, unsustainable, unwanted, unconstitutional continuation of government-run medicine, and even in this new quasi-reformed proposal, there is still an aspect of socialism,” said Palin, a Trump ally. That’s the whole premise here.”

Where Is Sarah Palin?

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USA Today: “As the Conservative Political Action Conference kicked off just outside of Washington this week, there was one name noticeably missing from the roster of speakers: Sarah Palin.”

“The former Alaska governor used to be a rock star at the annual conservative gathering. But this year she wasn’t invited to CPAC.”

Palin Shuts Down Her PAC

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Sarah Palin has officially shut down Sarah PAC as of the end of 2016, the Washington Post reports.

“What the closure of Palin’s PAC — and the remarkably small amount of spending on actual candidates for office — makes clear is that a) her time as a national leader for Republicans is over and b) Palin’s prime interest was never really anything other than promoting her own political brand.”

Palin Blasts Trump Over Deal to Save Indiana Jobs

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Sarah Palin called Donald Trump’s deal to save roughly 1,000 jobs at a Carrier plant in Indiana “crony capitalism.”

Wrote Palin: “When government steps in arbitrarily with individual subsidies, favoring one business over others, it sets inconsistent, unfair, illogical precedent.”

She added: “Republicans oppose this, remember? Instead, we support competition on a level playing field, remember? Because we know special interest crony capitalism is one big fail.”

Trump Considers Palin for Veteran’s Affairs

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Donald Trump is considering tapping Sarah Palin as his secretary of Veterans Affairs, Politico reports.

“Palin was an early endorser of Trump, throwing her support to him before the Iowa caucuses, making her one of his highest profile backers at the time… Palin, who, like Trump, has been a lightning rod for liberal criticism, campaigned for Trump through the campaign’s final days, including in Michigan.”

Palin Stands By Trump on Immigration

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Sarah Palin said she’s not worried that Donald Trump has gone soft on immigration, saying the GOP nominee “didn’t garner a lot of enthusiastic support by being soft on anything,” Politico reports.

Said Palin: “Donald Trump understands that enforcing the laws and building a wall are paramount to what the will of the people is. Thank God he’s still preaching that, because if he were not, then there would be a huge erosion of support.”

Trump Explains Palin’s Absence from GOP Convention

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Sarah Palin isn’t included in the official list of speakers for the Republican National Convention next week, and Donald Trump suggested to the Washington Examiner that her absence is because she lives too far from the venue.

Said Trump: “She was asked. It’s a little bit difficult because of where she is. We love Sarah. Little bit difficult because of, you know, it’s a long ways away.”

Lawyer Vetting for Trump Also Vetted Palin

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Washington Post: “The contenders under the most serious consideration, such as Gingrich and Christie, have been asked by attorney Arthur B. Culvahouse Jr. to answer more than 100 questions and to provide reams of personal and professional files that include tax records and any articles or books they have published.”

“Culvahouse, a former White House counsel who is managing the vetting for Trump, was the lawyer who vetted then-Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin for the GOP vice-presidential nomination during the 2008 campaign.”

Palin Compares Brexit to Declaration of Independence

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Sarah Palin wrote on Facebook that Britain’s vote to exit the European Union reminds her of the Declaration of Independence.

Said Palin: “The U.K. knew — it was that time. And now is that time in the U.S.A. The Brexit referendum is akin to our own Declaration of Independence. May that refreshed spirit of sovereignty spread over the pond to America’s shores! American can learn an encouraging lesson from this.”

She added: “It is time to dissolve political bands that connect us to agendas not in our best interest. May U.N. shackles be next on the chopping block.”

Sarah Palin Hands Her Party to Donald Trump

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Jonathan Chait: “Donald Trump appeared on the national political stage almost eight years ago. Only then he was called ‘Sarah Palin.’ The circumstances of Palin’s ascent came very differently. While Trump nurtured his fame for decades in the New York media spotlight and won the Republican nomination after a protracted nationwide campaign, Palin was plucked in her political youth from the most remote state in the union and presented to the party as a fait accompli. Having no chance to consider or debate her selection, Republicans defended her unreservedly. What critics saw as dangerous ignorance buttressed by anti-intellectual resentment, conservatives defended as populist authenticity, a noble victim of venal coastal elites.”

“The actual Palin, transparent to her handlers behind the scenes, was even more horrifyingly buffoonish than the public version.”

Quote of the Day

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“I don’t often make a comment like this. But she was treated terribly by what we know as the mainstream media and that’s the only thing I will ever resent about my presidential campaign is her treatment by the media. It was disgraceful.”

— Sen. John McCain (R-AZ), quoted by CNN, saying he was still proud of picking Sarah Palin as his running mate in 2008.

Palin Will Work to Defeat Ryan in Primary

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Sarah Palin told CNN that she will work to defeat House Speaker Paul Ryan by backing his primary opponent in Wisconsin.

Said Palin: “I think Paul Ryan is soon to be ‘Cantored,’ as in Eric Cantor. His political career is over but for a miracle because he has so disrespected the will of the people, and as the leader of the GOP, the convention, certainly he is to remain neutral, and for him to already come out and say who he will not support is not a wise decision of his.”

Palin Suddenly Cancels Trump Appearance

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“Sarah Palin will not be appearing as a surrogate for Donald Trump at the Wyoming Republican Party convention this weekend,” Politico reports.

“According to a release on the Republican Party of Wyoming’s website, the Trump campaign said she would not be attending. It provided no explanation for the last-minute cancellation.”

About Political Wire

goddard-bw-snapshotTaegan Goddard is the founder of Political Wire, one of the earliest and most influential political web sites. He also runs Political Job Hunt, Electoral Vote Map and the Political Dictionary.

Goddard spent more than a decade as managing director and chief operating officer of a prominent investment firm in New York City. Previously, he was a policy adviser to a U.S. Senator and Governor.

Goddard is also co-author of You Won - Now What? (Scribner, 1998), a political management book hailed by prominent journalists and politicians from both parties. In addition, Goddard's essays on politics and public policy have appeared in dozens of newspapers across the country.

Goddard earned degrees from Vassar College and Harvard University. He lives in New York with his wife and three sons.

Goddard is the owner of Goddard Media LLC.

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