Politics

Sarah Palin Endorses El Trumpo, Conservatism Hardest Hit

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It looks like the rumors we reported last night were true.

From the New York Times:

Sarah Palin, the former Alaska governor and 2008 vice-presidential nominee who became a Tea Party sensation and a favorite of grass-roots conservatives, will endorse Donald J. Trump in Iowa on Tuesday, officials with his campaign confirmed. The endorsement provides Mr. Trump with a potentially significant boost just 13 days before the state’s caucuses.

“I’m proud to endorse Donald J. Trump for president,” Ms. Palin said in a statement provided by his campaign.

Her support is the highest-profile backing for a Republican contender so far.

“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.”

Mrs. Palin, who is to appear alongside Mr. Trump at a rally on the Iowa State University campus in Ames late Tuesday afternoon, could amplify the news media-circus aspects of Mr. Trump’s candidacy: Like him, she is a reality-TV star accustomed to playing to the cameras and often accused of emphasizing flash over substance.

But Mrs. Palin, who despite her waning visibility within the Republican Party retains a sizable following, provides Mr. Trump with valuable new currency at a moment when he is being attacked over his conservative bona fides by Senator Ted Cruz of Texas, with whom Mr. Trump is neck-and-neck in the Iowa polls.

Wow. I dunno, that’s pretty YUGE.

Or not. I think this will help Palin raise her profile more than it will help Trump. The Donald is doing it just to grab headlines, but Palin’s importance, relevance and reach among conservatives has been significantly eroded and diminished.

The speculation from last night set off a firestorm when Bristol Palin came out attacking Ted Cruz, and accusing him of having a knee-jerk reaction to the news. Cruz responded with his characteristic politeness. 

So the big question is whether the Paliendorsement will be enough to help Trump pull ahead of Cruz in the all important primary state of Iowa? We’ll have to see…

UPDATE:

Screw it, I’m joining the Trump train.

CONFIRMED: AMERICANS KIDNAPPED IN IRAQ…