McCain manager predicts Palin could prove 'catastrophic'
WASHINGTON (CNN) - The man who ran John McCain's presidential campaign warned Friday that Sarah Palin could lead to a 'catastrophic' election result for the GOP in 2012 if the former Alaska governor captures the party's presidential nomination.
"I think that she has talents," Steve Schmidt, the former campaign manager of McCain's failed presidential bid, told CNN's John King. "But my honest view is that she would not be a winning candidate for the Republican Party in 2012, and in fact, were she the nominee, we could have a catastrophic election result."
The comments came during The Atlantic Magazine's First Draft of History Conferece, held at the Newseum in Washington, DC.
"I don't think it's inconceivable that she could be the Republican nominee for President of the United States," added Schmidt - who, among others in the McCain campaign, butted heads behind the scenes with Palin in the weeks leading up to Election Day. "I do think it's fairly inconceivable that she could be elected President of the United States."
Looking ahead to Palin's upcoming book - entitled "Going Rogue" - Schmidt predicted he would be portrayed as "anti-rogue in the running of the campaign."
Schmidt is spouting nonsense. Palin running will guarantee a landslide victory for her and the GOP.
Tell us something we don't know!
And along those lines, why didnt you advise Mr McCain to NOT select this whackjob as a running mate? Now we will be forever subjected to her idiocy until the end of time! Gee, thanks!
If the republicans are dumb enough to think this idiot is presidential material let them! She will lose in a landslide!!
i don't know about this. Every Democrat I know is rooting for her to be the nominee. She's Glen and Rush's big hero, lets put her to the test.
The 0.625 former gov, has to much baggage. She's nobody.
Steve Schmidt is such a slime ball that you'd think he was working for the Democrats. He was the one leaked all the fake bade press about Palin. No one should pay any attention to this fool.
Mr. Schmidt, I humbly suggest, after your performance running McCain's campaign, that you sit back, and have a Coke and a smile.
Don't be another Terry McAuliffe.
He didn't know when to quit either.
Need to know more about Palin as to whether or not I'd vote for her but I do know that this guy, Steve, certainly does NOT know how to run a campaign. SOUR GRAPES!!
The GOP and its' 23 followers, who hail from Florida and Mississippi, are already the laughinstock of the country. Run Palin, in full public view, as your 2012 Presidential nominee, and you will find yourselves the hated laughingstock of the world, If you haven't already accomplished that with your recent out of control insanity, and lack of priniciples.
He may want his opinion voiced but his running of McCain's campaign left a lot to be desired. It was probably one of the worst run campaigns in our country's history or in my life time, I should say. Shame on him for criticizing the only bump the campaign received.
Palin has talent and can be an asset, if properly guided, to Republicans. Currently she is not presidential material. McCain ran a very bad campaign. The U.S. is at a cross roads. The country needs strong leadership. The current administration, Congress and Senate do not have it. The U.S. is facing a crises concerning the leadership of the country. Drastic changes are needed in 2010 and 2012.
Sarah Palin could lead to a 'catastrophic' election result for the GOP
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I believe this already happened in 2008. Now their solution is to offer us a male version of her in 2012 named Pawlenty.
I am going to get my passport renewed just in case Palin is even NOMINATED, much less elected. The thought scares me to death. The fact that we are even having this conversation is absolutely frightful, because it tells me how far toward total lunacy the right has progressed. To think that Palin (or someone of her cloth) would ever be seriously considered for high office, much less President, is an indicator of our national mental health; and it isn't well.
This man, Steve Schmidt, should be considered a hero to the cause of freedom. The fact that he worked for McCain can be forgiven.
ya plain needs to stop making those first grade books
What George Jr. did to the Country is nothing compared to what a person like Palin would do. The Country would be so divided it would take a life time to recover. FEMA should declare her a natural disaster.
Such manure from a McCainiac. Just RINO assassination work. There is no one I'd rather see as President out of the "Republican" Party, as Governor Palin, so far. No more "moderates" (a nice way to describe a cowardly lib). Maybe this year McInsane will be retired.
Maybe this dufus is just worried that if Palin were to run and win that he would be blamed for mishandeling Palin and that he would be blammed for the McCain loss.
what a moose as the US President. She would be an International Embarassment to say the least. She cannot string two legible sentences together and is ignorant to US or world affairs
Wonder what this gentleman is afraid will come out in the book?
Seems like he's doing a pre-emptive attack.
If anything went wrong in the campaign, it is HIS fault and he wants to blame someone else. The campaign mismanaged Palin, McCain and other resources and strength.
As the manager, that is HIS fault. No one else's.
the way Steve Schmidt ran the campaign, even Jesus would have lost the election.
I am no fan of Palin or McCain but Schmidt's negative campaign was the worst I have ever seen.
It doesn't take a genius to figure this one out!
"My honest view is that she would not be a winning candidate...in 2012", said Schmidt. As opposed to the winning candidate he ran in 2008. I'm not sure I put much credence in his perspective of what a winning candidate looks like.
I have long ago stopped caring what the loser has to say. Let's hear from a winner instead.
He is the reason that McCain lost the presidental campaign. It is all coming out now. McCain and this idiot need to go to pasture.
There's definitely a place for Miss Wazilla '82 and that would be back on her front porch keeping an eye out for rogue Russians.
Or maybe she could just pop out another kid or two or three.
It will be interesting– or not– to see if her editors went in and put the letter "g" on her present participles and gerunds in her book. It's okay Sarah– I'm just referring to those little "ing" endings you can't pronounce, nothing more sinister than that.) Is the book in large print? Must be because there can't possibly be enough content to fill more than a short pamphlet otherwise.