Scozzafava takes on Palin
[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2009/images/09/28/art.getty.palin.waving.jpg caption="Dede Scozzafava, the woman who has become the symbol of moderate Republicanism, is taking a shot at former Republican vice presidential hopeful Sarah Palin."]Washington (CNN) – Dede Scozzafava, the woman who has become the symbol of moderate Republicanism, is taking a shot at former Republican vice presidential hopeful Sarah Palin, the woman who has become the darling of the Republican Party's conservative grassroots.
In a new interview, the state assemblywoman also lets loose on former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, who chose to endorse Conservative Party candidate Doug Hoffman over Scozzafava, her party's official nominee, in the closely-watched race in New York's 23rd congressional district.
The Hoffman campaign and many of his supporters targeted Scozzafava on some of her more moderate views, particularly on social issues.
The growing conservative support for Hoffman, including the endorsements from Palin and other prominent conservatives, eventually led Scozzafava - who had been hand-picked by local party leaders - to drop out of the race just days before Election Day.
"How can Sarah Palin come out and endorse someone who can't answer some basic questions?" Scozzafava told the Washington Post. "Do these people even know who they are endorsing?"
In the interview, Scozzafava - who ended up backing the race's victor, Democrat Bill Owens - sounded a bitter note about how she was treated by members of her own party.
"It was organized," Scozzafava told the Post about the attacks against her by Palin, other prominent conservative figures, and conservative advocacy groups. "There is a lot of us who consider ourselves Republicans, of the Party of Lincoln. If they don't want us with them, we're going to work against them."
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Good for Scozzaffa! I hate to say this though, but the 'Party of Lincoln' died over a half century ago, and it ain't ever coming back!!!
So whose going to be the first one to sneak into Sarah Palin's "book tour" with a hidden videocamera and let the rest of us know what she was afraid we'd hear?
Conservatism isn't a chameleon-like quality. You either are one, or you are not one. We are weeding out the Republican Party.
Chop chop ... chop chop... one weed gone.... Conservatism is thriving!
You ask how Sarah Palin come out and endorse someone who can't answer some basic questions? Birds of a feather!! She can't answer basic questions Intelligently either!
It's about time more moderate republicans stand up to crazy Palin.
Palin has no idea what Hoffman stood for - she had no idea what McCain stood for– she's a simpleton– 5 colleges in 7 years and the only economics course that she took she receieved an F( all documented). Idiots across America are following her because- well, errrr, they are idiots as well. In a country of 350 million you are bound to have several million ill informed losers who have no idea what the issues are– it's a lack of education and simple brain power(try really reading about the issues).Unfortunately their mindlessness affects all of us in the nation. Get informed People– to be aware is to be alive!
And so it begins, finally, the reaction of the moderate conservative dudes against the actions of ultra-extremists ones against them.
Sounds pretty typical of Palin then doesn't it? Since Palin quit as gov of Alaska, who now takes care of her child since she seems to be doing a lot of traveling lately? Her hubby?
Are you listening, Republicans? The only way you're going to return to power is by taking back your party from the right-wing extremists who have hijacked it away from you! It is so hypocritical that Republicans call Islamic extremists "terrorists" while the so-called Christian extremists like Palin and Limbaugh are regarded as your leaders.
Moderate is NOT a 4-letter word.
Good! Moderate Republicans should be embraced by the national party, but evidently the national party is now under the control of the right-wing nutjobs i.e. Palin, Bachmann, Rush Limpbag, Glenn Blech, and Michael Steele is their tool. He's going down soon. Watch them go after (R) Joseph Gao of Louisiana next. Let them form a new party, the Teabaggers, and see how far that gets them against the true Republicans. If the infighting keeps up, the Democrats will continue to win over and over. Fine with me.
As the ole' cowboys would say...'dem der fightin' words'....be gentle, you'll have better results
I only hope that a socially liberal/fiscally moderate third party emerges from all this and the modern GOP falls by the wayside. The extremist wing of the Republican Party (including most of the leadership and visible media figures) is way to out on the fringe to be in charge of anything.
Shhhhh!!! Don't say anything. Let them keep thinking that alienating the moderates is helping them. Have a nice day!
You go girl! Well said.
This is not the republican party of my youth. I grew up in a republican family who were mostly fiscally conservative, socially moderate. Nowadays they would be demonized by the party leadership. The GOP has effectively driven us all away from the party. The conduct of the GOP is shameful.
"no, there's no in-fighting within the republican party. We are more unified than ever."!
I think she's right. I don't really get how being socially liberal makes you not republican. Republicans stand for a smaller and less personally interested government. Seems to me like an economically conservative but socially liberal person is exactly what the party should be made of.
Come on CNN. You're becoming a tabloid with all of Palin coverage. It's to the point of rediculous.
Mrs. Scozzafava the answer to your questions: ""How can Sarah Palin come out and endorse someone who can't answer some basic questions?""
is actually quite easy, remember back S.P. being interviewed by Charles Gibson? S.P. wasn't able to answer any simply questions or the one with Katie – S.P. couldn't even answer what papers she reads!
This endorsement by SP was like the blind leading the blind.
I'm sorry how your own party has treated you – it seems like woman with 'brains' are not very welcome in your party – so wy don't you change that and become a democrat or independent?"
Dede sounds very bitter.
It's always organized! Wake up and smell the coffee....
The republican party has no resemblance to the party of Lincoln. It has reverted to being a party of bigotry, intolerance and ignorance, that has more in common with the values of the Taliban.than a modern demoratic entity.
It is no longer a secret to anyone that Sarah Palin has aligned herself with the Limbaughs and Coulters to pad her pockets as thick as theirs are. She will do anything and say anything that fits that profitable right wing neocon formula: criticize, destroy, malign, and profit. It may make her rich, but it will never make her president.
This doesn't surprise me remotely. It just proves once more that the "Conservative" portion of the republican party is far more interested in promoting their own narrow ideals than in reaching anything that might be called compromise. And as an Alaskan, I can say this sort of behavior from Sarah Palin is the least surprising of all. I'm glad we got rid of her, but we should apologize to the rest of the country. She's been as big a nuisance to all of you as she was to us.
You go, Dede! Please, please, you and the other sane Republicans must take back your party (if you can!) from the zealots who are dragging it over a cliff of insanity. As a liberal I feel strongly that we need a sane, sensible conservative party as a counterbalance to my own side's view of the world - but the GOP as currently constituted is not that.
Silly, silly Scozzafava! We're not looking for someone who can come up with meaningful answers to complex questions. We just want another dittohead who can regurgitate what Pope Rush says.
Palin/Beck 2010