[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2009/images/04/14/art.mccainpalin.cnn.jpg caption="McCain left off Palin's name on his list of future GOP leaders."]
(CNN) - Did John McCain snub Sarah Palin during an appearance Monday on NBC's The Tonight Show?
That's what some pro-Palin bloggers and other political observers claim after the former GOP presidential candidate left out his former running mate when naming five governors who he thought were in position to lead the Republican Party.
"We have, I'm happy to say, a lot of voices out there," McCain told host Jay Leno before listing Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, Utah Gov. John Huntsman, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, and Florida Gov. Charlie Crist.
"There are a lot of governors out there who are young and dynamic," said the Arizona senator.
McCain then quickly joked, "I've left out somebody's name and I'm going to hear about it."
Criticism of McCain's comments are particularly fierce at TeamSarah.org, a blogging Web site for Palin supporters.
"McCain, who screwed up his campaign by not voting against the bailout, can't mention Sarah's name on Leno? It hurts the party and it makes him look bad by dissing her a 3rd time," wrote one blogger. "Maybe it's a good thing he didn't become president."
McCain has said in previous interviews it is too early to say whether he will support Palin should the Alaska governor run for president in 2012. His daughter Meghan made similar comments on CNN's No Bias, No Bull last week. (Video below)
McCain has also praised Palin since Election Day, saying late last year of the Alaska governor, "It's one of the great pleasures I've had to get to know her and her family, and I think she has a very bright future in a leadership position in the Republican Party."
The Repubs still don't get it. McCain is talking about young and dynamic. We are not interested in young and dynamic. We're interested in government that serves not the far right, or the wealthy, but the average people who were hurt by the last Republican president.
McCain is entitled to his opinion. And just because he picked Palin once doesn't mean he's stuck with her forever. He realizes how devisive she is; it doesn't mean he doesn't like her or appreciate her or even support her. But obviously he doesn't think she's in a position to lead the party- and I think that there are a LOT of people who agree in large part because of the way that she divides the party. But let's all go ahead & say nasty things about McCain & Palin anyway because it's just so much fun & gets so much accomplished doesn't it? *facepalm*
*rawr* Sarah Palin *rawr*!!
Really? I'm sorry would anyone put Sarah Palin (beyond her disillusioned supporters) put her in the top 20 governors without laughing? I'm sorry but really are we supposed to care? I don't find it coincidental that McCain was leading in polls until he brought Palin in... not to mention everything went down from there.
It's McCain's own fault. If he had chosen an expert on economics like Romney, he might have won. Instead he chose an expert on nothing.
Palin is not a member of my party. She's a caricature, definitely not a true Republican. I'm sure sensible democrats feel that way about Hilary.
Whenever a representative of the GOP speaks, we all see how hard it is to talk with a foot implanted in your mouth. Republicans are the party of hypocrites, all you have to do is look at Palins family who has a high school aged child knocked up, unmarried, and all the while Palin preaches Christian values. Hypocrites HOP not GOP.
It's about time. Palin is not qualified for much of anything, other than killing wolves against her constituents wishes, and preaching abstinance when she didn't practice it herself.
I have never believed that he EVER supported her –I think he was desperate to try something new (a woman), and then he was just stuck. Naturally, he did talk nice about her, after all, he did pick her. but he simply knows more now and understands she could never be presidential.
It was choosing Sarah Palin that lost him the election. She's a terrible candidate for the presidency, all five of the people he listed are far more qualified for political work than she is.
I'm sure he's looking back at the election and kicking himself for putting her on the ticket. Good for him!
I cannot even believe that the GOP is actually a certified party of govt. that is taken seriously in this country.
McCain simply realized she is a joke. I PRAY she runs in 2012...a dogcatcher could beat her.
I am still waiting for a rational explanation of why she couldn't name one newspaper she'd read lol
To all the GOP supporters railing about the "liberal media" consider this: If she did not come off so incredibly stupid during the campaign, do you really think the press would still be bothering with her? She's tabloid fodder, plain and simple.
The teamsarah.org blog site is a poorly set up and run as her campaign. Sarah's 15 minutes are just about up.
Obsess much. John Edward, your vp choice and pres wantabe didn't get 1 tenth the negative coverage and he was cheating on his cancer stricken wife.
If Palin is so terrible, why the endless obsession. Is it just a desire to demonize anyone who threatens you. If your trying to isolate bad politican why do you never have negative stories about Dodd, Frank, Pelosi, Reed, Murtha. Talk about useless politicans. Oh, but only Palin fits your agenda.
Kevin in Ohio,
If McCain gets on a national show and doesn't mention Palin and then laughs about it himself, how is that the liberal media's fault?
You guys really need to give it up or get some creativity going with your posts.
You and every other right wing poster always say the same about every topic: it's the liberal media's fault; liberals are afraid of Sarah; Obama is doing a lousy job. Booooorrrrrring.
He didn't win, and she never will......
Nice. McCain finally got some of his common sense back. It is just frightening that there are groups who are so clueless that they are actually campaigning 4 years in advance for this completely incompetent woman to become POTUS.
McCain did not mention Obama either for 2012
The Palin supporters don't need to look very far to find plausible reasons that she has slid off McCain's list of high-potential governors. Since last November she has shamelessly (and sloppily) sought the media spotlight, fought with her own state legislature about accepting bailout money, picked a tabloid spat with the teenage father of her grandson, and even hosted a photo op debacle that featured a turkey being slaughtered.
She whined last fall about how the McCain team kept her quiet during the campaign. If she had genuine insight, she'd realize that they did her a service since, on her own, she apparently can't get anything right.
Never thought I would be saying this but – GO MCCAIN 🙂 Snub away....
Big surprise. Even McCain knows she is just an icon.
However every Republican should be thanking her. Had she not been on the ballot many Repulicans would have stayed home, and many close races would have been won by Democrats.
I HAVE TO LAUGH HA, HA, HA...
John McCain know's that Palin is nothing but controversy since the truth about her came out during the election's.
Now he's afraid to even mention her name !
THANK GOD THESE TWO DID NOT GET ELECTED!!!
McCain is no dummy, he always thought Palin was a joke. The gop put her up for VP to try and get the Hillary people to come over. lol Palin is No Clinton. I find it hard to believe that plain could even broadcast sports news coherently. The GOP is so tone deaf and out of touch.
Looking halfway decent in a bikini and knowing how to shoot a gun does not qualify a person to be elected to high office. Uttering nonsense like "we got some fixing ta do in Washington" is a sure sign that people will assess you as an intellectual feather weight. Both are true of Palin.
Who out there really thinks that Sarah Palin will run in 2012? There are no indications that she will run at this point. And, given her less than stellar performance in 2008 I think her political career on the national level is over. Her recent family drama has not helped out the situation either. I think most conservatives, like myself, would be perfectly happy to see her sit on the sidelines.
Also, just for the record...the Utah Governor is Jon Huntsman not Jim Huntsman as stated in the article.
So Palin's political attack-dogs go after McCain with insults? Great way to win the hearts and minds of Republican voters. If Palin didn't spend so much time attacking other Republicans (and Levi Johnston) maybe she could do something productive for her state during the current economic crisis regular families are experiencing.