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Reality TV Star Endorses Reality TV Star
Sarah Palin, the host of “Sarah Palin’s Alaska” and “Amazing America with Sarah Palin,” has endorsed the star of “The Apprentice” and “The Celebrity Apprentice”:
“I’m proud to endorse Donald J. Trump for president,” Ms. Palin said in a statement provided by his campaign.
“I am greatly honored to receive Sarah’s endorsement,” Mr. Trump said in a statement trumpeting Mrs. Palin’s decision. “She is a friend, and a high-quality person whom I have great respect for. I am proud to have her support.”
In Iowa, where Ms. Palin spent years developing support, the endorsement could be especially helpful.
“Over the years Palin has actually cultivated a number of relationships in Iowa,” said Craig Robinson, the former executive director of the Republican Party of Iowa and publisher of the website The Iowa Republican. “There are the Tea Party activists who still think she’s great and a breath of fresh air, but she also did a good job of courting Republican donors in the state,” he added.
Ralph Reed, chairman of the Faith and Freedom Coalition, added, “Palin’s brand among evangelicals is as gold as the faucets in Trump tower.” It is equally as gold at that calf below Mount Sinai, I presume.
The convergence of Wasilla values and New York values shows just how hard Trump is wooing the religious right. Monday he spoke at Liberty University, where he was given a glowing introduction by Jerry Falwell Jr., who spoke of Trump’s Christlike life:
Falwell lauded Trump’s generosity and worldly success; he called him “a breath of fresh air.” He compared Trump to his father and to Martin Luther King Jr., who also “spoke the truth, no matter how unpopular.” Trump, he said, “cannot be bought—he is not a puppet on a string like many other candidates.” Though Falwell’s comments were, he said, not an endorsement, he repeatedly imagined a Trump presidency as a boon to America. “In my opinion,” he said, “Donald Trump lives a life of loving and helping others, as Jesus taught in the great commandment.”
For his part, Trump boasted about his polls, boasted about his business success, and boasted about his bestsellers, much like Jesus would have done:
TRUMP: I wrote The Art of the Deal, I wrote many best-sellers, like The Art of the Deal, everybody read the — who has read The Art of the Deal in this room? Everybody. I always say — (laughter) — I always say, a deep, deep second to the Bible. The Bible is the best, the Bible. The Bible blows it away. There’s nothing like the Bible.
But The Art of the Deal was about — in fact, there are a few of them right over there. But The Art of the Deal was the best-selling business book, and Obama didn’t read it and Kerry didn’t read it. But we can do things with our country that will be so good. But I’ve always used that word, incompetent, they’re incompetent. Now I don’t care anymore. I don’t care.
We’re going to protect Christianity — and I can say that. I don’t have to be politically correct or…
AUDIENCE: (applause, whistles)
TRUMP: We’re going to protect them, you know? And I — I asked Jerry and I asked some of the folks because I hear this is a major theme right here. But Two Corinthians, right?
A few in the crowd shouted that Paul’s epistle is called Second Corinthians, but forget it, he’s rolling…
TRUMP: Two Corinthians 3:17, that’s the whole ball game. “Where the Spirit of the Lord…” Right? “Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty,” and here there is Liberty College, but … Liberty University. But it is so true … I’m a Protestant; I’m very proud of it. Presbyterian, to be exact. But I’m very proud of it. Very, very proud of it.
Pride is a sin, but forget it, he’s rolling…
TRUMP: And we’ve gotta protect, because bad things are happening. Very bad things are happening. And we don’t … I don’t know what it is. We don’t band together, maybe? Other religions, frankly, they’re banding together and they’re using it…
If I’m president, you’re going to see “Merry Christmas” in department stores, believe me.
St. Donald of Mar-a-Lago was thrilled to get Palin’s endorsement since in 2012 the former Alaska governor, former VP candidate, and former Tea Party darling had endorsed Ted Cruz in his 2012 Senate race.
Over the weekend, a spokesman for Cruz argued that it was in Palin’s interest to endorse the Texas conservative. “I think it [would] be a blow to Sarah Palin, because Sarah Palin has been a champion for the conservative cause, and if she was going to endorse Donald Trump, sadly, she would be endorsing someone who’s held progressive views all their life on the sanctity of life, on marriage, on partial-birth abortion,” he said.
This rather meek advice prompted an ugly response from Bristol Palin that mom dutifully promoted to her millions of followers on Facebook and Twitter:
After hearing what Cruz is now saying about my mom, in a negative knee-jerk reaction, makes me hope my mom does endorse Trump. Cruz’s flip-flop, turning against my mom who’s done nothing but support and help him when others sure didn’t, shows he’s a typical politician. How rude to [sic] that he’s setting up a false narrative about her!
…The audacity to suggest that because she chooses one over the other will somehow “damage” her just shows arrogance.
You’ve also said, “She can pick winners!” I hope you’re right, and that she endorses Donald Trump today for President.
Bristol’s furious response closed with a boldface pitch for readers to buy her mom’s devotional. And the piqued will inherit the earth…
In response to the personal and political slight, Ted Cruz was exceedingly polite:
I love @SarahPalinUSA Without her support, I wouldn’t be in the Senate. Regardless of what she does in 2016, I will always be a big fan.
— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) January 19, 2016
Humility and grace. What a concept.
Published in Religion & Philosophy
I always thought Trump was a buffoon, and was dumbfounded that he stayed in the Presidential race more than a month. But every snotty article I read nudges me toward him.
yep
Not closed, she just didn’t make the entry cutoff. The birthday entry cutoff…
Yah, show us how wrong we are!
Sarah Palin was treated very poorly by the Republican party leadership. So if she opts to throw an entropy grenade into their Easter basket, I don’t blame her.
I heard Trump’s comments at Liberty University. His book is the 2nd best ever, right behind the Bible. Got it, Donny T:
The Bible is the best book ever written. It tells you how to save your soul.
The Art of the Deal is the second best book ever written. It tells you how to sell your soul.
This is a very simple purpose for why Palin is doing it.
Her star is fading, and she knows it. Also she is used to a certain lifestyle that is not sustainable. This is a long-shot try to fix both
I don’t think the CoC makes a difference – it is an “attack” on two “individuals”, of course, not to mention “gossipy” and “rude.”
Certainly more of an attack than pointing out JL is being deliberately obtuse or that JJ has gone by the names JT and PA in the past.
Certainly his OP isn’t ‘boring, repetitive or tense’ but if this isn’t a personal attack, than neither are the others.
Couldn’t disagree more. I’ll bet dimes to dollars that she knows exactly what the costs of her “lifestyle” requirements are. I’ll bet her and Todd already paid off the house, the acreage, the vehicles and boats and banked enough that they can pay the maintenance costs and property taxes in perpetuity.
Nope. I see this endorsement as a straight up Joe Pesci “FM? No, FY!” moment.
What BM said.
And the long slow slide into irrelevancy has happened. Oh well. Her endorsement when it mattered didnt matter that much. Hope she is well compensated. But she sold out everything she ever believed in for her star.
If snotty articles about Hillary begin making a regular appearance, will you become sympathetic to her?
Your title says it all. Pop culture once again screws America. Huge news out from the IG about Hillary’s emails and we have to hear about these two attention whores. Shoot me now.
Exactly. It’s sort of a reverse logic. Kind of like “Rubio must not be a conservative because ‘the establishment’ likes him so much.” huh… or, maybe this whole ‘establishment’ thing is a bit overblown? nah… we’ll go with the reverse logic. That seems to work.
Ricochet has always differentiated between political figures and private ones. I thought my article was quite mild; far harsher (yet still CoC-compliant) language is regularly posted against other public figures (Obama, Jeb, Hillary, the GOP establishment, etc.).
Indeed, if we held to a standard that forbade criticism, we couldn’t post excerpts of Trump’s speeches since he relies more on personal attacks than any candidate in my memory (with the possible exception of Alan Grayson). I believe in Christ and I believe in conservatism; thus, I responded strongly to actions that I believe oppose both.
Oy vey.
Yes, there is a double-standard regarding how public figures and fellow members are treated on Ricochet. Years ago, it was agreed that this was a reasonable interpretation of the CoC – the founders wanted a place where members would treat each other cordially, but what would a political site be without the ability to mock public figures?
So yes, personal mockery of public figures is treated differently from personal mockery of fellow members.
If they don’t like it, said public figures can join Ricochet as members.
Exactly!!!
Certainly I believe that “Save your breath, JL is being deliberately obtuse” and something along the line of ‘funny coming from a person formerly known as JT and PA’ is equally mild. Doesn’t matter, however.
I understand TPTB have spoken and thus table my objection. Just as well, my point is made.
Between that and a daughter with two children born out of wedlock I’m surprised the SoCons aren’t calling for her head.
It’s a great line, and even funnier if you’ve lived in Lynchburg where there has always been debate over whether the Falwells’ god was represented by a cross or a dollar sign.
Stop expecting logical consistency from Trump’s supporters, remember:
You use the term “Religious Right”?
Awesome.
Its time to face the fact that Rubio isn’t going to win. And that it is very likely Trump will win. I saw the speeches today, and they embarrass me. But regardless these are the correct political principles that have brought prosperity and freedom in the past and will continue to do so in the future.
Principles, not people.
I’m with Jojo – the snot caucus holding forth on the main feed is pretty unappealing. There’s something off-putting about using Biblical references as sarcasm.
I love Sarah. If anyone could get me to consider voting for Donald in the NH primary, it’s her. I’ve pretty much decided to vote for Carly, though.
i have almost tuned out from this primary cycle because of this insanity. Trump is as conservative as my socialist uncle. It amazes me that the right, including people who I have the utmost respect for like Palin, Rush and levin have fallen in love with this guy. From guns, abortion, taxes, eminent domain, Putin, donating to Emanuel and Clinton, obamacare, and the crudeness….HE IS NOT A CONSERVATIVE!!!!! I am not Christian but even I know the Corinthians verse….seriously people does immigration trump everything and I do mean everything we stand for! Good luck with all of that.
“[W]e can do things with our country that will be so good.”
Trump’s slogan “Make America Great Again” is getting a little stale. With the quote above, I think Donald has come up with a replacement. It’s pithy. It’s catchy. And it illustrates a big difference between Trump and the other Republican candidates: They are clearly not interested in doing things with our country that will be so good.
Donald will do those things. With our country. That will be so good. Because he said so, and I believe him. I’m not certain exactly what those things might be, it’s true. But I have faith that they will be done with our country. Furthermore, I am quite confident that they will be so good.
My favorite Bible book is still Corinthians 2: The Wrath of Khan…