Tancredo plain not feeling Palin as presidential

Colorado right-wing warrior and former GOP Congressman Tom Tancredo told Dutch paper Handelsblad Sunday that he didn’t feel Sarah Palin was exactly president material. He said she’s not a big issues thinker and probably just doing good career business by “staying in the mix.” That was the nice part. Then he called her a “Republican.”

tom tancredo

“I really don’t have this feeling about her as being presidential,” Tancredo said. “I don’t know what it is exactly. I don’t know if the issues really are that difficult for her or not.”

He questions if she has what it takes, and whether she really wants it. “As governor of the state of Alaska, she doesn’t have all that kind of experience. She can get better. But I don’t know if she is really looking to do it.’’

It could all be a commercial thing, just a way to sell books?

“Sure. Make a lot of money and stay in the mix. I think that’s a great idea.’’

John McCain has brought over his former running mate to campaign for him in Arizona, where the Tea Party movement is challenging his seat in the Senate.

She will campaign against J.D. Hayworth, a friend of yours who is on your side in the immigration debate. What does that tell you about Palin?

“That tells me she is a Republican. I am not. I mean, I am a member of that party and that will always stay that way. But to me it’s only a mechanism, a way to get on the ballot and all that. But she is a real Republican.’’

Tancredo is echoing his assessment of local GOP U.S. Senate candidate Jane Norton– “McCain’s Jane,” as he has effectively put it. Tancredo has loudly criticized Norton for her ties to McCain, whose backing Tancredo has said was a main driver in Norton’s decision to run. Tancredo has also suggested Norton subscribes to McCain’s “soft” amnesty approach to illegal immigration.


Hat tip to Weigel!

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