DNC: Sarah Palin is "Dangerous"

By: Stephanie Condon
Topics: Republicans

(AP)

With Sarah Palin in the spotlight as she continues her nationwide media and book tour, the Democratic National Committee is suggesting to its supporters that the former GOP vice presidential candidate could pose a real threat to the Democratic agenda.

In a fundraising e-mail sent out Friday, Organizing for America -- the community organizing component of the DNC founded in the wake of Barack Obama's inauguration -- said it is aiming to raise $500,000 in the next week "to help push back against Sarah Palin and her allies."

"Right now, Sarah Palin is on a highly publicized, nationwide book tour, attacking President Obama and his plan for health reform at every turn," says the e-mail, signed by OFA Director Mitch Stewart. "It's dangerous. Remember, this is the person who coined the term 'Death Panels' -- and opened the flood gates for months of false attacks by special interests and partisan extremists."

Palin has managed to draw in large crowds on her book tour, illustrating the fact that she still has ardent political supporters more than a year after losing the 2008 election and months after resigning as governor of Alaska. Mainstream media outlets, as well as both conservative and liberal outlets, have thoroughly covered Palin's moves because of the public's strong interest in her.

It is open for debate, however, whether the DNC truly considers Palin a threat or is simply using Palin's current moment in the spotlight to its own advantage.

"This e-mail is a standard political tactic: use a highly controversial opponent to rally your base," CBS News' Political Director Steve Chaggaris said. "Knowing how strongly liberals dislike Palin, President Obama's political arm sees an opportunity and is trying to take advantage of that anti-Palin passion to benefit its cause."

Indeed, in spite of Palin's success with her new book, polls suggest the Republican star poses little real threat. Two-thirds of Americans said they would not like Sarah Palin to run for president in 2012 in a recent CBS News poll, and nearly two-thirds said she would not have the ability to be an effective president.

Palin's charisma, however, is undeniable. Fox News' Bill O'Reilly told Palin during an interview aired Thursday that she is a "media star, whereas there aren't any other Republicans who are media stars." O'Reilly called her a "threat," to which Palin responded, "Well, OK, whatever. I do know, though, that you are spot on when you say perhaps they fear a voice that's coming from the heartland of America. And I say that figuratively and literally."

Moreover, she has, as the DNC suggests, continued to attack the Democratic agenda. Most recently, she took to her Facebook page to address the new guidelines for cervical cancer screenings and link the matter to Democrats' health care reform plans.

"We need to carefully watch this debate as it coincides with Capitol Hill's debate and determine whether we are witnessing the early stages of that rationed care," she wrote.

The U.S. Army is allowing only limited media coverage of the book tour stop Palin will make at Fort Bragg in North Carolina, citing concerns that the event will inappropriately politicize the military reservation.

More Coverage of Sarah Palin:
Hundreds Line Up for Palin Book Signing
McCain Aide Nicolle Wallace: Sarah Palin's Claims are "Fiction"
Fact Checking Sarah Palin's "Going Rogue"
Marc Ambinder: Palin Needs to Take Herself Seriously
CBS News Poll: Fewer Than 1 in 4 Have Favorable View of Palin
Is Palin Selling Books or Settling Scores?
Exclusive: Palin Accounts Disputed by McCain Aides
Fact Check: Palin Seems to Misrepresent Timeline on Daughter's Pregnancy
Fact Check: Palin Contradicts Her Own Version Of Events With Oprah
Sarah Palin Calls Newsweek Sexist

Stephanie Condon
Stephanie Condon is a political reporter for CBSNews.com.
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by cm4297 November 27, 2009 10:50 AM EST: When I was growing up, my dad warned me about fake civil rights leaders. He always said, "Baby, beware of thsoe who claim to voice your outrage." I always heeded that advice. Sarah Palin seems to voice the outrage of those who feel that their lives are out of control for whatever reason. She represents those who feel downtrodden by Washington and the other "elites." Let me ask you, at these protests, is Sarah Palin ever present (besides just simply working as a headline speaker?)? Has Sarah's safety ever been in jeopardy at one of these gatherings? (This could apply to Glenn Beck, Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, etc). What I see is a woman who is making millions off the victim mentality. Keep something in mind, I fear God, not Obama nor Sarah Palin.; Reply to this comment


by vwmania November 26, 2009 6:27 PM EST: IS THE DNC SO AFRAID OF SARAH PALIN THAT THEY HAVE TO PRINT THIS SORT OF ADD.LIKE FOX NEWS TELLS US YOU LIBERALS WILL LET US KNOW WHO YOU FEAR; Reply to this comment

by pennypingleton November 24, 2009 9:20 PM EST

It's a compliment to Mrs. Palin that she generates such hysteria amongst the socialists. Reading this motivates me to go to Sarahpac.com and make another donation!

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by HKB100 November 25, 2009 3:19 PM EST: True Republicans are afraid of Ms Palin - she is eroding the already fragile organization putting intellegence, experience and problem solving second to fearmonging, scare tactics and rhetoric. Palin, Rush, Beck and the rest of the lot have the rest cowering and bowing in fear of being their next target -

and by the way - you may want to think about the old adage "a fool and his money are soon parted" - you give away your money then complain about the economy - LOL stupidity

by pjk12354 November 24, 2009 8:18 PM EST

A question Sarah Palin will not answer is "What is your role in 'The Family'?"

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by pjk12354 November 24, 2009 10:47 PM EST: Check out "The Family" on Wikipedia.


by vwmania November 26, 2009 6:35 PM EST: DO YOU ASK THE SAME QUESTION OF MALE POLITICIANS

by holly6214 November 24, 2009 5:11 PM EST

Boy do I see TEA BAGGERS!!!! The only threat that Palin signifies is her racist comments. She knows nothing about politics so stop trying to make her into a politician. She's self absorbed and greedy. She's a big liar and you know it. The only folks voting for her to run for anything are uneducated, racist, radical and irresoponsible TEA BAGGERS. Period.

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by pennypingleton November 24, 2009 11:48 PM EST: Ring-ring - another donation to Sarahpac.com! Keep it up!


by vwmania November 26, 2009 6:33 PM EST: WOW ANOTHER MAD LIBERAL, SELF ABSORBED,GREEDY, LIAR, RACIST,MARXIST RADICAL,,,......... THOUGHT YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT OBAMA


by Abiyshag November 24, 2009 12:11 PM EST: She poses danger only to herself.
Rogue according to the dictionary, is:
1. a dishonest, knavish person;
2. a mischievous person;
3. a tramp or vagabond;
4. Biology. a usually inferior organism.
5. having an abnormally savage or unpredictable disposition;
6. no longer obedient, belonging, or accepted and hence not controllable or answerable; deviating, renegade.
7. An unprincipled, deceitful, and unreliable person; a scoundrel;
Synonyms:
villain, trickster, swindler, cheat, mountebank, quack.; Reply to this comment


by magnifythis101 November 24, 2009 9:21 AM EST: Omni-Present101 is correct about Bush, but lest we forget that our Treasury Secretary, Timothy Geithner was the CEO of the New York Fed, and was presiding over the major economic failures of: BEAR STEARNS, LEHMAN BROTHERS, BANK OF AMERICA/MERRILL LYNCH BUY OUT FROM BANKRUPTCY, AIG $85 BILLION LOAN, CITIBANK $45 BILLION IN TARP, MORGAN STANLEY/CITIBANK TAKEOVER.......AND GEITHNER IS QUALIFIED?? OH, AND DID I MENTION THAT HE DOES NOT PAY HIS TAXES??? TALK ABOUT THE BLIND LEADING THE BLIND...; Reply to this comment


by sarrab-2009 November 23, 2009 11:10 PM EST: the more I see and hear Sarah Palin the more I like and vote for her if she runs for President in 2012; Reply to this comment


by cadaverine November 23, 2009 9:26 PM EST: Oops, I meant to post that under the "1-in-4" article.; Reply to this comment


by cadaverine November 23, 2009 9:23 PM EST: Polls like this fail to capture the complexities of the electorate. I was on a comment board the other day where dozens of people wanted Sarah Palin to run for president simply because they thought it'd be funny and/or harmful to the Republican party. Would they count in the polls as "favorable" toward Palin?; Reply to this comment