The conservative media’s current behavior in response to Nikki Haley’s endorsement is not too shocking, since many had revealed their self-serving nature at prior occasions, such as during the 2010 elections.

Sarah Palin endorsed John McCain in 2010 for the Arizona senatorial seat, and understandably so, since she was his former running mate. In addition, McCain is the individual who launched Palin onto the national stage. Her endorsement of McCain was seen by many as an act of gratitude and doing that which had always been considered basic human decency. Despite the debt of gratitude she owed McCain, there were quite a number of conservatives who criticized her endorsement and even questioned her conservatism because of it.

Nikki Haley’s endorsement of Romney for 2012 can be seen and understood in a similar light. Tea Party candidate Nikki Haley was one of many candidates seeking the governorship of South Carolina in 2010. During her campaign, she came under a considerable number of false attacks. Nevertheless, she bravely fought the attacks and forged forward, and with the support and endorsement of Palin and Romney ultimately won the nomination.

I’ve written two articles against David Frum and rarely agree with him, though I’m beginning to think he might be right for once. Rush Limbaugh, Mark Levin, Sean Hannity may be creating a negative image of and causing considerable damage to the conservative movement. Just to make it absolutely clear, Levin is my favorite talk-show hosts and I listen to him and Limbaugh daily. However, their behavior of the last several weeks has taken a negative turn.

Haley’s endorsement of Romney for the 2012 presidential campaign is an obvious act of gratitude and thankfulness for his support in 2010, and conservatives shouldn’t blast Haley for attempting to pay back Romney for his support during her difficult campaign. Why do some conservatives find it so difficult to comprehend that she owes him a tremendous debt of gratitude and that basic human decency demands one to remember one’s benefactors?

A quick shout out to RealQuiet is necessary, a fellow diarist here at Red State, for straightening the record about Haley’s endorsement of Romney in context of 2010.

When Haley fought to win the governorship in South Carolina in 2010 despite false and harmful allegations, Romney stood by her side and expressed her support while Newt endorsed one of the others. I no longer remember whether the individual Newt had endorsed was a RINO or not, although Newt’s endorsements in 2010 consisted primarily of moderates. Either way, it doesn’t make much of a difference. What does matter, is that he didn’t stand with Nikki.

Why has my favorite talk-show host Levin bitingly bid her goodbye? Why doesn’t he remember that not a single one of the other current presidential candidates have felt it necessary to defend her, the conservative, in 2010? Why was that not enough to say bye to Newt and the others forever? Why are conservatives so eager to throw their fellow conservatives under the bus because they disagree with one single act they’ve done?

Besides, it just so happens to be that Romney’s flip flops are pretty much equal to Newt’s “change of hearts” regarding each and every single issue. Their records on most major issues are strikingly similar, and both of their records are sprinkled with conservative acts. Romney actually carries less baggage than Newt, and I say this not as a Romney supporter for I’ve criticized his flip-flops on many occasions. My original choice for the presidency was Sarah Palin, and since she isn’t running I am currently considering supporting Santorum with Perry coming in not too far behind.

What irks me more than anything else, is how countless conservatives bash Romney and in the same breath bash those who unfairly attack Newt. Since when is criticizing Romney’s record part of the vetting process, yet doing the same to Newt unfair attacks? The disingenuous two-faced acts of these conservatives does not go unnoticed by many of their listeners and readers, and I’m afraid their hypocrisy will lead to the weakening of the conservative message and movement.

Not only does the truth no longer matter for them, but with the free pass they provide for Newt, conservatives will no longer be able to blast a politician for adultery, serial or single. Nor will conservatives be capable of lambasting a president for his big-government solutions if conservatives continue to promote Newt for the presidency. Unless we wish to appear as hypocritical and character-less as the left.

Now, with the waves of criticism directed towards Haley, one can no longer even expect from conservatives to act with basic decency such as returning a favor to a fellow human being.

Abie Rubin blogs at The Thinking Voter and can be followed on twitter.

I once said that Democrat Stephanie Herseth Sandlin was done. Finished. Had no chance of winning the South Dakota at-large House seat. Was pining for the fjords. Hers was a dead candidacy. She then promptly tied up the race in the polling.

I already have enough egg on my face that I’m genuinely hoping polls like this one hold up, with Republican Kristi Noem ahead, so I can escape without complete embarrassment.

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I once said that Democrat Stephanie Herseth Sandlin was done. Finished. Had no chance of winning the South Dakota at-large House seat. Was pining for the fjords. Hers was a dead candidacy. She then promptly tied up the race in the polling.

I already have enough egg on my face that I’m genuinely hoping polls like this one hold up, with Republican Kristi Noem ahead, so I can escape without complete embarrassment.

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Once in a while, when I want a good laugh, I’ll tune into CNN and watch them bend themselves into pretzels in order to defend the Dear Leader and The Party.  I happened to have switched onto a portion of “Is Larry King Alive” where he was talking midterm politics with Ben Stein, Ari Fleischer, Alicia Menendez, and one of my favorite bomb-throwers, Debbie Wasserman Socialist Schultz, Democratic Representative from Florida.  It was a spirited exchange with Alicia and Debbie making their usual contemptible faces, when an interesting event occurred.  Debbie, obviously channeling Keith Olbermann and her neighbor, Alan Grayson, was trying to make a point of how wonderfully sane, reasonable and moderate the Democratic Party is.  However, she seemed to forget herself and the new and improved Democrat-lingo and almost spoke the truth.  Always dangerous for a Democrat but especially in this election cycle.

Ari Fleischer had just finished responding to the idea the Tea Parties were going to be the death knell of the Republican Party.  He cited Rand Paul’s lead in Kentucky and Debbie tried to change reality with this;

SCHULTZ: Larry, what Ari is saying is just absolutely not born out by the facts. Just look at the very fact that Harry Reid, until Sharron Angle was nominated by the Republican party, a hard right-wing Tea Party supporter, Tea Party essentially representative — until then, Harry Reid was struggling in the polls. Now he’s up in the polls in every major poll.

You have candidates across the country, Democratic candidates, Democratic incumbents who are up in the polls overwhelmingly, and about eight or nine of the NRCC, hand-picked moderate, young guns have gotten beat in Republican primaries and now those nominees, the Tea Party nominees, are down in the polls and will ultimately lose to our moderate, mainstream middle — Democrats, who are pro-business and who have their finger on the pulse of their own constituencies, instead of their finger on the pulse of the people on the hard right. That’s just the reality.

KING: Why do you laugh at that?

STEIN: Because the Democratic party doesn’t have its pulse on the mainstream of America. The Democratic party has its foot on the neck of American business –

SCHULTZ: We sure do.

STEIN: Just like the foot on the neck of the American business, making it very, very expensive for businessmen to hire people, putting through a health care bill that 60 percent of Americans oppose, putting through a health care bill that people in business are terrified because it increases their cost for employees by so much, putting through apologies for America all around the world.

The Republicans would not be in such a strong position in the polls if people thought that Democrats were a mainstream party. They’re not anymore. - Larry King Live Transcript from August 24, 2010.

*****************************

Now, the exchange itself is telling since Ben Stein was hooting with laughter at the idea the Democratic Party is responsive or in tune to anything except the radical Marxist wing of the party.  However, the part I underlined and set in bold, was not the first thing she said.  This transcript is a rough draft of last night’s show.  While watching it I almost fell over.  Debbie actually started to say ‘Prog–er, pro-business.’  She, of course, was about to say that “the Democrats, who are progressive have a finger on their own constituencies,” but of course that word is not sitting too well with voters and normal, thinking human beings.  I clearly heard the being of the word and it intrigued me that a far left whackadoodle like Schultz would bother to mince her words.  After all, progressive, socialist policies are the hallmark of this government.

So, to make sure I heard it right I went to YouTube to listen to the exchange again.  It’s not there.  The other three segments of the interview, as captured by the far left NDN.org website, were present.  This one little segment was not.  So, being a person who is not especially deft at technology, I looked all over.  No one else had that segment.  Hmmm.  Interesting.  It was especially telling as I read the transcript from “Is Larry King Alive”.  That little gargle was ignored.

This certainly does not mean there is a giant conspiracy attempting to keep Schultz’s little faux pas out of the public scrutiny.  I think it probably is a little attempt to deep-six her garbled message.  What is interesting is why they would have excluded that section.  Perhaps its because Alicia Menendez didn’t speak in that segment.  Perhaps it was just a simple oversight.  It doesn’t matter.  What does matter is Debbie Wasserman Schultz is afraid to use the word, ‘progressive’ on a low-rated national program.  Is the nation fed up with their little game of MadLibs?  Are their focus groups grimacing every time a Democrat uses the ‘P’ word?

One thing is for certain, the Democratic Party leaders, of which Schultz is one, (vice chairperson of the DNC), are scared witless.  They have all this money.  They have all this power.  They have the bulk of the media on their side.  And yet, they are seemingly afraid of a word.

It gives one pause that we are still able to fill the Depends of the movers and shakers in the Capitol.  It is beginning to look like a real groundswell.  The primary numbers have been staggering for the Republicans, especially where the Tea Party has worked its magic.  The Democratic numbers have been low and anemic.  They may have money and the union shock troops on their side.  They may be able to payoff local politicians and interest groups.  But our ground game of real Americans talking with their neighbors and families and friends is far more effective.  We’ll see, but to see an arrogant, wise-cracking, bona fide Ruling Class widget choke on her words like they’re dry bread is heartening sight.  Not to mention, hilarious.

As if the big Swingometer update wasn’t enough, I’m not done projecting the House today. Taking a cue from Patrick Ishmael I’m going to simulate today the elections based not just the latest seat-by-seat Cook Political Report ratings, but also on those of Congressional Quarterly’s, the Swing State Project’s, and Larry Sabato’s.

Swingometer right now says R+52 from 2008. Ishmael right now also says R+52, though from right now and not from 2008. I expect these popular analysts still to be too cautious to project a big Republican win, but let’s find out.

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As if the big Swingometer update wasn’t enough, I’m not done projecting the House today. Taking a cue from Patrick Ishmael I’m going to simulate today the elections based not just the latest seat-by-seat Cook Political Report ratings, but also on those of Congressional Quarterly’s, the Swing State Project’s, and Larry Sabato’s.

Swingometer right now says R+52 from 2008. Ishmael right now also says R+52, though from right now and not from 2008. I expect these popular analysts still to be too cautious to project a big Republican win, but let’s find out.

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(Via The Shark Tank) Sarah Palin yesterday has given out a slew of endorsements to female candidates running for office:

Today marks the 90th anniversary of the ratification of the 19th Amendment which granted American women the right to vote. Words cannot express the depth of gratitude we owe to those brave feminist foremothers who struggled and sacrificed, endured imprisonment and ridicule, and fought fearlessly to grant future generations of American women a voice. We stand on their shoulders. Our opportunities are their legacy; our achievements, their monument.

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It’s only 12 Days until primary and the conservative Jason Sager (CAN-R-FL-05) needs your help defeating the progressive-lite Richard Nugent (CAN-R?-FL-05)! This is the important race here in Florida’s Fifth, because the primary is the general election here!

Want reasons to support Sager? Here are just a few reasons:

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Primary update, from Florida’s Fifth Congressional District. It is a race to the finish here and nither candidate is going to give up without a fight.

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From Unlikely Voter: At-Large House races may get a disproportionate amount of attention and polling, but it is what it is. So Stephanie Herseth Sandlin’s polling troubles get the whole country’s attention, while a House incumbent in some other state might barely draw notice.

And the South Dakota At-Large Representative is having serious problems. I just don’t see how she can win this.

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