McCain Battles Palin Backlash

Washington Post: GOP Candidate Defends Her Qualifications, Says Criticism Comes From "Elitist Attitude"

(Washington Post)  This story was written by Michael Abramowitz and Juliet Eilperin.

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Sen. John McCain campaigned across Ohio with Sarah Palin at his side Wednesday, drawing energized crowds of GOP partisans while his campaign dismissed the latest controversy over his running mate as coming from elitists and not representing the opinions of average Americans.

Appearing before a cheering throng of supporters at a high school football field near Akron, McCain and Palin reprised their criticism of Democratic Sen. Barack Obama as a big spender intent on raising taxes and redistributing wealth. But McCain reserved some of his sharpest rhetoric for a round of media interviews, telling radio talk show host Don Imus that he was "entertained by the elitist attitude" toward Palin and attributing criticism of his running mate to the fact that she was not part of the "Georgetown cocktail party" circuit.

"I think she's most qualified of any that has run recently for vice president, tell you the truth," McCain said, citing her experience as a small-town mayor and Alaska governor. He added: "Bill Clinton was pretty well derided when he came out of a small state to run for president of the United States," and he pronounced himself "amazed" at the criticism.

McCain's language underscored the frustration inside his campaign over the wave of negative publicity that has surrounded Palin in recent weeks. When she was first introduced to the country as his running mate in late August, Palin provided a jolt of energy to the campaign, helping McCain consolidate restive conservatives and pull even with Obama in the weeks after the GOP convention. Obama has since opened a lead in most surveys, including a lead of 11 points in the most recent Washington Post-ABC News tracking poll, released Wednesday.

But there is little sign that Palin has expanded her appeal beyond the GOP base, and she has been dogged by a steady of stream of politically damaging news, including the continuing investigation into her role in the firing of a state trooper in Alaska, her struggles in a series of network interviews and comments about "real America" that she later apologized for. The latest controversy involves a report that the Republican National Committee spent $150,000 on makeup consultations and clothes at high-end department stores such as Neiman Marcus and Saks in New York and St. Louis.

McCain aides dismissed the story, first reported by Politico, as of little significance in a period of financial and foreign crises. But some senior Republicans in Washington expressed concern that the disclosure could undercut her image as a "hockey mom" who can relate to ordinary citizens. "Voters are more worried about the economy," said McCain adviser Mark Salter, dismissing the suggestion that Palin had become a drag on the ticket. "She generates big crowds," he said. "She generates excitement everywhere she goes."

Palin has hardly been the only contributing factor in McCain's lagging fortunes. From the start of the general-election campaign, he has run against the headwinds of an ailing economy, an unpopular president of the same party, a GOP brand that is in disarray. Obama, meanwhile, has avoided major missteps and built significant financial and organizational advantages.

Where the selection of Palin was once seen as an asset, a majority of voters now say McCain's vice presidential pick reflects poorly on the decisions he would make as president, according to the Post-ABC News poll. Overall, 52 percent of likely voters said they are less confident in McCain's judgment because his of surprise selection of Palin; 38 percent are more confident because of it. That represents a marked reversal from the initially positive reaction to the pick.

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Several GOP sources expressed anger about the damage the clothing story was likely to do to the ticket, coming just as the campaign is making its closing argument by employing "Joe the Plumber" in an appeal to average Americans. "That's what grates me. We're the party that talks about looking out for the little guy," said one top Virginia Republican, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to speak candidly about the GOP ticket. "Then something like that pops. It smacks of being hypocritical."

Saul Anuzis, the chairman of the Michigan Republican Party, said Palin remains a popular figure, particularly with conservatives in his state. "She has still been a net plus for us," he said.

But he conceded that the national party spending $150,000 on clothes for her was a "dumb political decision" that was not likely to play well among many of his hardscrabble voters. "You're talking to a guy who wears Lands' End shirts," Anuzis said. "I don't even know how you would spend $150,000 on clothes. You can get a pretty darn good men's suit for $300 to $500."

Mike DuHaime, McCain's national political director, called Palin's addition the ticket "a shot of adrenaline to our entire base, and not just our conservative base," adding: "She can appeal to conservative Democrats, to working women, and she can certainly rally Republican voters."

The campaign has continued to deploy the Alaska governor in some of the most competitive areas of the country. "To have a popular, successful female governor who can draw big crowds and who's good on television -- it is good for our party to have a popular woman governor on the ticket," DuHaime said.

Another McCain adviser, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said Palin continues to provide critical help in mobilizing Republican voters in GOP-leaning areas of battleground states that will be critical to determining the next president. By sending her to Florida's northern Panhandle, eastern North Carolina and Pennsylvania's "T" -- a region that includes Harrisburg, Wilkes-Barre and State College -- the campaign is helping boost voter turnout on Election Day, the aide said.

"In these regions, she has very strong numbers. We've also seen, because of daily tracking polls, she's had a positive impact," the adviser said. "In these states, we're not at the margins we need to be successful. And in all of these regions, when she's been campaigning, she's been helping."

Palin continues to inspire considerable fervor among Republican activists, who have flocked to her rallies in large numbers.

"I love her -- she's just like me," said Pam Moore, a minister who attended the rally in Green on Wednesday. Moore dismissed the latest reports of the RNC-funded shopping: "They are just trying to find dirt, and it's sad that people are stooping that low."

At the rally this afternoon at a local high school, Palin demonstrated her populist touch as she called out to country singer Gretchen Wilson, who performed her hit song "Redneck Woman" before the GOP ticket took the stage. "I need to get your autograph before we leave," Palin told Wilson. "Someone called me a "redneck woman" once, and you know what I said back? 'Why, thank you.' "

"She's like one of us, just a normal, hardworking person, not someone from D.C. " said Ivan Capps, a Bureau of Land Management records manager who attended a Palin rally in Grand Junction, Colo.

But some of those interviewed expressed hesitancy about the pick. Barb Thomas, 67, a retired insurance administrator who lives near Harrisburg, Pa., said Palin is the only variable that could keep her from punching her ticket for McCain. "If something happened to McCain, I'm not sure she would be a good president," Thomas said. "That's one of the things that bothers me right now."

Eilperin was traveling with the Palin campaign. Staff writer Michael D. Shear and polling director Jon Cohen in Washington contributed to this report.

[sunshine406]

PALIN''S REALLY AN ESKIMO.. PROBABLY THE REASON SHE NAMED HER KIDS THOSE FUNNY NAMES AND THE FAMILY ALL LOOK FUNNY TOO.. NO WONDER SHE AND TODD ARE PART OF THE AIP (ALASKAN INDEPENDENCE PARTY).. THE REASON THEY COULD CARE LESS ABOUT AMERICA JUST AS THEIR FOUNDER BEFORE HE DIED.. AMERICAN COULD CARE LESS ABOUT YOU TOO PALIN..

BYE, BYE OLD DUDE MCCAIN AND LIAR PALIN..

DOES THIS WOMAN EVER TELL THE TRUTH.. SHE''S LIED EVERY SINCE SHE OPENED HER MOUTH AT THAT CONVENTION AND CONTINUES TO EVERY DAY..

[sunshine406]

Thank Goodness McCain and Palin won''t be winning November 4th.. If they run this Country like they run their campaign, we''d all be doomed and worse off then we are Now..

[sunshine406]

Those Republicans are Mean Spirited ***.. Their ticket doesn''t have anything of substance to run on so they take the Low Road by telling "LIES". It ain''t working for ''em because intelligent voters don''t believe their ***!

[oldguy4truth]

As being a true independant who voted for Reagan, and Carter, I guess it is fair to say I use many factors to choose my president. My problem, and fear now is we are going to loose our two party system if the Republican Party "GROOMS" Panin to be their hope of the future. It my lifetime, I have seen the harm all America suffers when we are polarized to the extent we are today. Gridlock abounds, and we are still looking for the answers to the (major) issues such as medicare S.S. Immigration etc.,This happens when we make the extream swings in these elections, and cycles. To get to the point, the Palins and yes, the Barney Franks may have the greatest intentions, but if we shift to heavy either way, we loose. My hope is at some point, as a nation, we become center left to center right, then our polititions will have to wise up.

[Confidential416]

McCain and his supporters are just pathetic - character attacks didn''t work, so now they want to call obama''s plan socialism. Please... that fear tactic has been used so many times before - even back to JFK - it didn''t work then and it won''t work now - so since all the smears haven''t worked - they go after his birth certificate. Honestly, get a grip. The only way McCain could ever win this race is with voter fraud. In Virginia yesterday, they were having trouble with the voting computers. Everytime they selected Obama the system placed the check in McCain - We need to be on our guard - we''ve seen how desperate mccain and his supporters have become - they will cross any line

[misha128-2009]

55% of voters say Governor Palin is not qualified to be president of the United States. Is there a comment that is more relevant than that?

[twig221]

Unfortunate that they did not do their homework before picking Sarah. You can have policy differences with people in each party but ethics should not be up for grabs. These people are all in powerful posisitons, how they use that power is the real question. If the democrats were are ruthless as the republicans they would bring up Iran/Contra and John''s invlovement. The issues are more important than mudslinging. If you listen Ayers has been explained as has the tax plan from Obama. Stop talking and listen.

[babooph]

Johns makeup hides his age a lot-but her whaco mind cannot be covered in "EXPLANATIONS".They make no cosmetic for that !!

[asamiller]

McCain and Palin like to blame ELITISTS, the LIBERAL MEDIA, people who pal around with TERRORISTS or are tainted with SOCIALISM. Put the loaded (scarey) word out there and avoid the real reasons why people don''t like Palin: she''s arrogant and ignorant, incompetent, and MEAN SPIRITED. The accusations of POWER ABUSER seem like they make sense given how nasty she is on the campaign trail. For the last 8 years, the Bush Administration has shown the same nastiness: they were elected on fraudulent swiftboat ads, and they have swaggered the country into deficit, two wars, a financial meltdown and a recession.

[hamiltongrad]

This article is just more MEDIA Lefties junk. Why not talk about Biden - his brain is way out of whack ? Why don''t they let him talk to the press ? Where is Biden''s son, the one making millions with the banks ?

He has a screw loose. He was wrong about Iraq. He even voted against fighting to free Kuwaitt ! What a blow hard idiot, and he could be our President.. Shudder

[moxford0]

What McSame and Palin need is simply a good old fashioned waterboarding with dog pee.

[blackyowe]

It sure made me go into hyperdrive. Holly Cow, Batman, we can''t have that halfwit a heartbeat from the Presidency!

[raheem44]

THE EMPRESS HAS NO CLOTHES (OF HER OWN)

[raheem44]

MCCOMA PLUS AILIN'' PALIN PLUS EQUALS ZERO!

[gaye5]

So people are against Palin for supposedly coming from an elitist family, but it is ok for Obama to come from a Muslim family background, and who backed his Muslim cousin with millions of dollars, and was there to help and stand with his cousin campaign in Kenya. There were riots when his cousin lost the elections on the grounds of race hmmm.
America the trouble is that it is ok for you are stupid enough to vote in a controversial man for your President but unfortunately it also effects the whole world.. I have no doubt that Obama will win even if McCain was the real winner simply because from what I have read the left seem to have a mass of vote rigging going on over there, and we had the same happen here in Australia one reason that I now don%u2019t vote the left at all..

[caldwellptr]

An American Evita!

[mrytle2]

palin lies and shes ignorant. she is so power hungry she''ll say anything. shes also not to bright. doesn''t even know what the v.p job is.

[mccainhero]

You must be right -- I just went back through your posts and don''t recognize any innuendo. I don''t know where you''re from, but I''ve never heard anyone use that kind of derogatory term about Obama. I wonder if you''re just throwing it in for some alterior motive. To compare that kind of slur with the comments that have been made about Palin, fair or unfair, is ludicrous. People don''t care if she''s from a small town, or that she''s the governor of a small state. Most people wouldn''t even care that her only experience is as the mayor of that small town (but not as small as the one I grew up in) and 18 months as the governor of that small state. The problem is, when she opens her mouth, without benefit of prepared statements, it''s quite clear that she lacks not only a sound knowledge base but even lacks the mental ability to bluff her way through something she obviously knows nothing about.

[bailmeout1]

Whatever dude - you are too studious and can not recognize inuendo if it hit you on the head. Suffice it to say that this decision has many points on both sides that are good, fair, and debatable. There are also quite a few negatives that fit on both sides.

If I hear anyone call Obama a blackassniggermuslim I straighten them out right away and walk away considering the ignorance shown. Bashing Palin to the degree the left has and for the things that the left has decided are on the table is disgraceful. Right or left, no one can argue that Sarah Palin has done the things she has set out to do and did them in her given environment. To criticize as to ''small town'' ''moose hunting'' ''small population'' ''snowboard event opening'' or the like just gives credence to those that criticize Obama falsely. Why should I defend Obama in those instances given the posts in this thread?

[mccainhero]

BTW, Palin was born in Idaho, and McCain was born in the Canal Zone then spent most of his childhood in Northern Virginia (you know, that area of Virginia that is not the "real Virginia" according to the GOP?). Must be something sinister going on...