Washington (CNN) - Sarah Palin issued a warning to Mitt Romney Saturday, calling on the former Massachusetts governor to do a better job explaining his record to conservatives or risk dampening voter turnout in November if he wins the Republican presidential nomination.
In an interview with CNN and The New York Times before her speech to the Conservative Political Action Conference in Washington, Palin said she was confused by Romney’s declaration here on Friday that he was a “severely conservative Republican.”
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“I wasn’t quite sure what the word 'severely' meant,” Palin said.
She said Romney and his two main rivals - Rick Santorum and Newt Gingrich - should be given time to explain the flaws in their record until the Republican National Convention in August, when she said the nomination fight could ultimately be decided.
But Romney may have the hardest sale to make, she said, asking him to explain his “shifts in ideology” since he left the Massachusetts governorship.
“You have to have the tea party patriots enthused and energized in order to win this nomination, and more importantly in order to defeat Barack Obama,” Palin argued.
If conservatives are “dismissed and they are marginalized” by the Republican establishment, “they are going to be much less enthused and much less willing to put it all on the line for the GOP candidate in the general election.”
“We can’t afford to have low voter turnout in the general election, and that is all the more reason for Romney to really start connecting more with conservatives,” she said.
Though she has spoken warmly about both Gingrich and Santorum, she said she was still making up her mind about which candidate to support.
Her Fox News contract does not prohibit her from weighing in on the presidential race, she said.
Palin said she would not encourage any of the candidates to drop out of the race, saying it’s “not yet” time for Gingrich to step aside and allow Santorum to rally the conservative vote.
She also welcomed the possibility of a brokered convention in Tampa.
“I don’t think that it would be a negative for the party, a brokered convention,” she said. “And people who start screaming that a brokered convention is the worst thing for the GOP, they have an agenda. They have their own personal or political reasons for their own candidate, who they would like to see protected away from a brokered convention. That’s part of the competition, that’s part of the process. And it may happen.”
From CNN Politics
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Sarah who? Wasn't she once the mayor of some town in Alaska? Nice to see someone who couldn't even make it into the primaries doling out advice.
There are still people listening to this broad?
Palin = Quitter, Liar, Mooch
Was going to leave a post, but really, she's not worth it.
Sarah Palin? Please go away. You can make a fortune being a television preacher. As it is, you are the woman who lost the presidential bid for Senator McCain. I thought he would have been a good president, but you were a heartbeat away, and the devil always gets his due, which meant you would end up as president and the United States would probably have been vaporized at some point in your presidency. The Jubilee, you know? Give it up you stupid cow, only the true mindless sheep give one flying *%#)( what you think.
Oh shut up, woman. Your opinion on anything doesn't matter in the least. Hopefully you are not aiming at becoming vice president...again.
God bless the "tea party patriots" and their O2 tank affixed rascals that make them ambulatory!! For they ensure the re-election of President Obama!
The reason Barak Obama is president, is because John McCain picked her as a running mate. Still cant figure that one out.
you people have me locked in moderation. i believe tea partiers are actively "reporting" those posters who don't agree with tea partiers. unlock my account, you are censcoring me in a public forum, you are violating my first amendment rights!
Sarah Palin. Where have I heard that name before....? Sorry, can't remember.
The absence of this woman over the last few months has made my life so much happier, who let her back out of her cage?
I suspected the heifer would reappear after Giffords got the boat named after her. Palin is likely peeved nothing was named after her. I'd recommend naming the latrine at a base in Afghanistan or maybe a pig farm waste disposal site afer her.
Pali is the epitome of an empty vessel making the most noise that only she believes
The fascist quitter from fox is a real commander. Mittens follow her lead into battle. She hears the voices and babels her tongue. Her struggle is self righteous and gloriously profitable. All CPAC must bow.
WARNING. Listing to this woman for more than three seconds may result in extreme bowel disruption.
And no one remembers that four years ago Willard was considered the Conservative alternative to McCain! Oh, how the mighty have fallen, to be reduced to a chastening target by the Quitter. Someome above mentioned she may be looking for the Veep spot on Willard's ticket. Ain't gonna happen. The Party learned their lesson four years ago about her.
Gurgle...gasp...Raaaaaalph!!!
Sorry. "severe" nausea. Where was I. OMG!! She has an authoritative position on something again?
Why? Please...somehow please make her stop (fall on the floor bawling).
It's one thing to give credit to Palin for being a "cheerleader" for the Republican part (that's as close as I can come to a compliment for her) but to say she should have ran for the presidency (which some were saying on the T.V. today) is down right stupid. She just plain isn't knowledgeable enough. Not a chance. Republicans don't need a cheerleader they need a solid candidate to take the general election this fall and I don't know if I see one.
I understand how people can have more conservative views than my own. What I don't understand is how they can think Sarah Palin has anything to offer their side. What do they see in her? Seriously. I don't like to insult anyone, but how is Sarah Palin a good spokesperson for the conservative cause? It amazes me that anyone could sit and listen to her speak, let alone consider her some kind of conservative oracle or, God forbid, a potential leader. What are conservatives thinking? Maybe they have stopped thinking.
I wish people would stop calling her Governor. She only served a half term at best before she quit. Seems like she gave up that right. As I recall, she said she quit because she could not do her job with all the law suits that were being filed against her. she bankrupted the town and didn't have a thing to show for it and was mired in scandal.
She's like a bad penny. Just keeps showing up. Most don't care what she says and some are becoming very annoyed.
The quitter, loser, numbskull is warning others to work harder? Oh, that's rich!
I still say she is barely qualified to be an Old Navy Mannequin.
Yeah Sarah; about as hard as you worked as Governor for only 2 years;
I hope Mitt & his compet.ition will heed Sarahs advice.... so we can continue to have an inclusive, thinking adult in the White House!! Obama/Biden 2012!
I think McCain should have worked harder.... in picking a running mate
I'm a conservative and I have a message for Ms. Palin... Please, Please, Please go away. Read the blogs girl. Everyone feels the same way!