Republican: Palin is another Huckabee
[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2009/images/07/26/art.palinwave0726.gi.jpg caption="On her final day in office, Republican expressed a range of views about Gov. Palin's political future."]
WASHINGTON (CNN) – It looks like Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin may have one less fan.
On the same day that Palin is set to transfer power to her lieutenant governor, Republican strategist Alex Castellanos said her prospects for national office looked grim.
“’I’ve been a supporter of Sarah Palin - at times,” Castellanos said Sunday on CNN’s State of the Union. “She gave the McCain campaign its best two weeks. But, you know, if we’re going to be critical of Democrats when they shirk their responsibilities, we have do the same within our own house. She abandoned her state in the middle of a term.”
On the national political stage, Castellanos, who worked as a political consultant for Mitt Romney's 2008 presidential bid, likened Palin to former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee. The Arkansas Republican’s long shot bid for the White House in the last election cycle gained traction when he pulled out a surprise win in Iowa’s Republican caucus but then Huckabee lost steam when he could not follow through with wins in other key primaries.
“We’re going to have a division in the Right in the Republican Party,” Castellanos told CNN Chief National Correspondent John King, “We now have two Mike Huckabees – people who have a powerful force in the party but can’t get out of the party in a general election and win.”
Conservative radio talk show host Bill Bennett was noncommittal about Palin’s prospects.
“I have no opinion about this. I really don’t know what’s going to happen with Sarah Palin,” Bennett told King.
Also on State of the Union Sunday, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell suggested Palin has a bright future within the Republican Party.
“Boy, I don’t think we’ve seen the last of Sarah Palin,” McConnell told King, “She excites an awful lot of members of my party. They’re anxious to see what she’s going to do next and so am I.”
“I hope, as a Democrat, Mitch McConnell is right,” Democratic strategist Paul Begala told King. “I hope she’s their nominee because I think she’s the easiest to beat.”
Related: I'm not thinking about Palin's new move, Obama aide says
Begala, Bennett, and Castellanos are all CNN Political Contributors.
Updated: 4:24 p.m.
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you old and status quo REpublicans are so out of touch that you make my butt sore, and I'm a republican.
I wont vote for Democratic Liers or Out Of Touch Republicans.
Bring Back Ross Perot
One of Romney's people is critizing Palin for shirking their responsibilities? In Romney's first and only term in public service, as Governor of MA, he was gone for over 300 days in his final year raising funds and his profile for a run for president.
Romney couldn't even complete 1 term of public service before he got distracted with his own ego, so he shouldn't be criticizing (through his henchmen) Palin, who was mayor before being elected Governor. Romney may be richer than the rest of the republican candidates, but it doesn't mean he doesn't have to do any work anymore.
I don't think she wants to run for President. I think she wants out of public office for that reason: to get out of public office. I do think that she will still be active in the political world and still give speeches for the conservative movement. I think there are a lot of people wanting her to run, but she seems like she wants out. I don't blame her. I have never seen someone be attacked as much as she has, even after she lost the election. Liberals must still be scared that she will run though, because CNN keeps posting about her every move.
CNN hasn't asked any real Republicans in it's zeal to destroy Palin!
Keep an eye on Russia for us...in case it moves or something.
A CONCERNED AMERICAN.
Woohooo! I've been a quitter all my life and it is great to finally see a quitter-leader taking it to another level and inspiring millions of quitters just like me around the country.
Lead us to the white house 2012 Palin where you can just resign a year into your presidency because the media was too mean and critical
And we should listen to Mitt Romney's aides comments! One reason Huckabee had to pull out was money – he was flying coach and using buses to spend his money wisely while Romney is rolling in it!
When will people look at those who are of modest means like themselves instead of voting in someone who claims to be like them but has millions + $. Look at the money that Obama is spending on his vacation in Martha's Vineyard. Does that make you feel like he is one of us, the middle class?
Go ahead, republicans. Run a quitter with a penchant for victimhood as your candidate. No, really, it's a good idea.
another republican who is widly envious of palin, and who doesn't even know what the word Stategist means, and still thinks he can tell Iran how to run their elections.
I think Alex Constellanos is right about this. Palin appeals to the extreme far right. She is unable to win the moderate voters. That was obvious last November.
sarah "the pitbull in lipstick" palin is a quitter, period. she is now out for the money. she couldn't wait 1 more year until her term was up. she wants the money now. she is the biggest joke around. hopefully she will use some of the money to further her education. she thinks money will help her fit in with the snobby rich repugs. they think she's a joke as well. so long sarah. I hope we never have to hear your annoy voice and 3rd grade volcabulary again. I know that is wishful thinking.
She says she wants to campaign for Republicans who are running for office. What GOP candidate would want her to campaign for him/her? Is she that vain that she thinks she can pull in votes with her record? She suffers from delusions of grandeur! Sure she draws crowds, in the same way people come out to see the circus coming to town, or the people in checkout counters stare at the latest story made up about a celebrity! If they have any sense they'll tell her thanks, but no thanks. She is the kiss of death. Ask McCain!
I'm just going to repeat myself.. She is Beautiful no doubt and electrfying.... BUt I feels she is very shallow.. Low on education.. needs to enhance her degrees.. Maybe study some law.. I also feel she is very shallow on a personal level.. If she doesn't like the way you play, she takes her toys and goes home. and it is Never her fault always someone else....I think she qualifies wonderfully to work on Fox...
My god can this woman please go away already! Maybe then we can focus on double digit unemployment and an increasing deficit – things people actually care about.
Maybe she could get a job with Fox network too and only her Republican buddies would watch her.
If Mrs. Palin were to turn to CNN and yell "Boo!", how high do you think they would jump.
Have you EVER seen a news organization so infatuated or who have feared a political figure as much as CNN fears Palin?
She must be PRETTY AMAZING to be in CNN's cross-hairs so often.
GO SARAH, GO!
THANK YOU! A Republican that sees the glaring deception of this move by Palin! The fact that she has so much support from poeple that say they are Republicans despite walking away from her committment, astounded me, yet no one had come forth from her side except to defend her.
So again, thank you!
What? Bill Bennett is lost for words? I'll bet he'll never be speechless when it comes to giving his unsolicited advice of a Democrat. Personally, it is hard to look and hear any comments from Mr. Bennette. It's about time he has no opinion.
Obviously CNN is very much in the tank for Palin. Exactly how many stories are you going to run about this has-been loser in one day?
Go Sarah! Go Mike. Your party needs you because we aren't divided enough.
We don't need a US version of the Taliban and when you want the government to control what individuals do in their own homes, that is what you are pushing.
As expected, Castellanos and other Republicrats who consumed the kool-aid with their soul mate Dems, have totally missed the unstated point of Mrs. Palin's resignation: with her right hand she poked the Dems in their eyes, with her left the Republicans. She parted with both in what I believe will be another path which will lead to both of the former becoming irrelevant. The two parties have morphed into one and betrayed the people, good ridance.
Umm....if I recall correctly, didn't Huckabee come in second place?? He has far more appeal that Mitt Romney. And after RomneyCare has failed, I don't know if Romney even has any support left.
That's right Alex – she's a QUITTER! Even members of the Grand Obstructionism Party don't like QUITTERS that are fellow members!
Thats right let her run.......Obama could screw up from now till the end of 2012 and he could still bet her
You've got to love these GOP-ers. They will hammer away at anything, even their own people.
I would just love to see Sarah Palin as the 2012 GOP Presidental Nominee. I don't think I could be any happier if that was the case.