The Note
Washington's Original and Most Influential Tipsheet

Rick Klein is ABC News' Senior Political Reporter and author of The Note's morning look at the upcoming day in politics. Throughout the day, ABC News' political team contributes to The Note with the very latest news and analysis from the nation's capital.

To email Rick Klein, click here.

November 2009
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
8 9 10 11 12 13 14
15 16 17 18 19 20 21
22 23 24 25 26 27 28
29 30

« Previous | Main | Next »

Dede's Revenge: 'We're Going to Work Against' Palin and Others

November 10, 2009 10:50 AM

Klein_3ABC News’ Rick Klein reports:

Just when you thought you wouldn't have to spell "Dede Scozzafava" anymore, the Republican nominee in that upstate New York special election is back -- lashing out at Sarah Palin and others who worked against her bid.

In a revealing interview with The Washington Post, Scozzafava, a member of the New York State Assembly who lost her leadership post in the wake of her election loss, talks about what it's like to see her name turned into a verb (Gov. Charlie Crist, R-Fla., is the next candidate in danger of getting "Scozzafaved.")

She attacks Palin, R-Alaska, for endorsing the Conservative Party candidate, Doug Hoffman, even though Hoffman doesn't even live in New York's 23rd congressional district.

"How can Sarah Palin come out and endorse someone who can't answer some basic questions," Scozzafava tells the Post. "Do these people even know who they are endorsing?"

And Scozzafava has this message for the Club for Growth and other Republicans who are vowing to bring down moderates.

"There is a lot of us who consider ourselves Republicans, of the Party of Lincoln," she said. "If they don't want us with them, we're going to work against them."

November 10, 2009 | Permalink | Share | User Comments (59)

User Comments

Feed You can follow this conversation by subscribing to the comment feed for this post.

Yay, Dede! Finally, a moderate Republican grows a spine. I hope she disavows Rush Limbaugh next, then kicks Glenn Beck in the pants.

On second thought, that might save the Republican Party. Never mind.

Posted by: Amy in Maine | Nov 10, 2009 11:18:28 AM

It's really sad to see how uninformed many Americans are. Of course, they are not shy about showing their ignorance.

Dede can count on Palin's cooperation. Palin is her own worst enemy. Let her alone and she will destroy herself and the Republican Party as well. A basic win/win situation for America.

Posted by: Doppelganger | Nov 10, 2009 11:50:53 AM

OK, this woman is not a "moderate." She is a far leftist moonbat who was even more leftist than the Democrat, Owens. Dede friggin' ENDORSED the Democrat, and she wants to call herself a Republican?

Who is she going to recruit to help stop Palin? Palin is already hated by the establishment GOP and the Left. Palin's conservatives supporters are still going to behind her, so it's not like Dede is changing anyone's mind here. This woman is a bitter old prune who's mad that conservatives are rightfully retaking back the GOP from leftists who want to blur the lines and and keep advancing socialism.

Posted by: Brian | Nov 10, 2009 12:38:31 PM

It's a typical meme. Out of touch politician who still smells of smoke from the backroom filled with corrupt party insiders gets taken out by reformer and corruption fighter Sarah Palin. "Victim" joints the anti-Palin movement.

There will come a time when those who have not stood for integrity, principle and good governance will all be in one party and all those who are not will be in the other party. You will be able to tell them by the "I hate Palin" buttons they'll be wearing.

Posted by: ReaganTMan | Nov 10, 2009 12:44:38 PM

Corrected Post:

It's a typical meme. Out of touch politician who still smells of smoke from the backroom filled with corrupt party insiders gets taken out by reformer and corruption fighter Sarah Palin. "Victim" joins the anti-Palin movement.

There will come a time when those who stand for integrity, principle and good governance will all be in one party and all those who don't will be in the other party. You will be able to tell them by the "I hate Palin" buttons they'll be wearing.

Posted by: ReaganTMan | Nov 10, 2009 12:46:12 PM

There are far more dangerous divisions within the Republican Party between fringe extremists and moderates than anything publicized among Democrats.

The GOP and the press play those up, but it's the GOP that is crumbling from within. Just look at the ridiculously named "Tea Party Party" in my state of Florida.

Posted by: Matt | Nov 10, 2009 1:03:32 PM

ReaganTMan

Sarah Palin stands for good government? Really? Where does resigning from your elected office because your job is too hard fall on the good government scale?

Posted by: gary | Nov 10, 2009 1:12:21 PM

The issue is two fold. One you have the people who will say anything and do anything to be elected for their own personal gain (Dede pretending to be a Republican for example) and then there is the hatred for all "others". Others being anyone who does not think like you or me. We need to understand the country must come first and not any indiviudal and it is best to have different points of view. I praise the abundance of ideas and detest the ignorant rants by all sides.

Posted by: Rich | Nov 10, 2009 1:16:33 PM

"Do these people even know who they are endorsing?"

Ironically, a lot of people would say that about YOU Ms. Scozzafava.

Well I guess as a recovering lifelong "moderate" Democrat, there seems to be lot of US who will work tirelessly against 'them", the radical leftists who take their cues from a divisive, ultra radical marxist President, and whom YOU Mrs. Scozzafava directly worked for in the last election. Now you stand there proud of your bald-faced betrayal and making threats????

Posted by: fish story | Nov 10, 2009 1:31:05 PM

For Dede and her supporters: You can support abortion rights and still be a Republican. You can support gay marriage and still be a Republican. However, when you support anything other than small, limited government and fiscal conservatism, you are no longer a Republican and should not run as one for political office. This is true of many Republicans these days and Dede is no exception.

Posted by: Dave | Nov 10, 2009 1:32:20 PM

Gary....Palin never resigned because the job was 'to hard', she resigned to 'pursue' other options.
While on the campaign trail she still conducted work for the state she was recieving pay from. Unlike Obama (that resigned from his State Senate position) that went on the campaign trail for 24 months, continued to draw a salary from his state, and was a 'no show' in his state's responsibilities.
If you don't like Palin then admit it, but don't lie about her.

Posted by: david | Nov 10, 2009 2:01:52 PM

I'm not sure why the Republicans are so ticked off at Dede. She endorsed a candidate of another party for congress from her district. That is exactly what George Pataki, Sarah Palin, Tim Pawlenty and Rush Limbaugh did. The difference is she waited until there was no Republican candidate in the race to do it...

Posted by: Coloradem | Nov 10, 2009 2:21:17 PM

When you're sworn in for a four year term, you don't have "other options". You have a trust with your constituents to complete your term, you don't quit halfway through because it's too hard, or you realize you could be getting rich instead of solving the problems of your state.
If you think those are admirable qualities for a politician then by all means slap a Palin 2012 sticker on your bumper.

Posted by: gary | Nov 10, 2009 2:22:54 PM

Sorry Dede, the "Going Rogue" book title has already been taken. It's funny that liberals refer to Owens' 4-point victory as a NATIONAL referendum on big government health care now, but then when a liberal in Republican's clothing is outraged that Sarah Palin took her down faster than she would an elk in Alaska, she is angered about Demographics?

To all RINOS out there, Palin has the time, the popularity, and resources...and has 100% backing of the conservative majority in this country.

Moreover; she left Governor to STOP the insane liberals in Alaska from filing anymore phony ethics complaints against her - 18 in one year costing Alaskans millions of dollars.

Well, their constant harrassment of Palin is now only backfiring on THEM. Because her power now and choices are limitless and everytime a liberal or feminist (or a not-very-attractive woman like Scozzafava) says something negative about her, I smile even wider.

Posted by: Steve | Nov 10, 2009 2:27:03 PM

Palin resigned because she and her staff had spent every waking moment fighting ludacris ethics complaints. Also, there were numerous others lined up by liberal groups determined to destory her. They were never going to end.

She felt that it was a terrible use of the taxpayer's dollars to continue, so she stepped down. Imagine, a politician who actually says they are acting in the people's best interest...and they really are! This woman became gov and fired the private chef and sold the private jet, she is NOT your typical politician.

Meanwhile, barry in chicago was making back alley deals with tony rezko to secure a 2 million dollar mansion for himself (rezko, obama's former senate campaign organizer is now a convicted felon). BO is truly 'change we can believe in'. America needs to wake up.

Posted by: Dave from KC | Nov 10, 2009 2:30:27 PM

Gary

I actually have a Palin 2012 bumper sticker. Do you really believe what the obamamedia is telling you?

Palin sold the private jet because she said it was too "over the top", she fired the private chef because she said the service was "unneccessary", and now sylists from her VP campaign have come forward saying they had to remove price tags on clothes before giving them to her because she complained they were "too expensive".

Given all that, you think she suddenly became overwhelmed with greed? It doesn't add up.

She could be the next Ronald Regan. Given the left's hatred of her coupled with the media's treatment of her the 2 appear to be more similar every day.

Hang on liberals, it's about to get interesting.

Posted by: Dave from KC | Nov 10, 2009 2:54:02 PM

What? John Clavis, methinks YOU are the empty head. Regan had more intelligence than your entire party contains!
Take your flame bait and try spreading it over someone that might believe it.
It's really an interesting ploy that you have there. Take all the adjectives that apply to you and your ilk and try to make them stick on the opposition. Sounds a lot like Alinsky to me.
Keep spinning. It's the only thing that will keep you warm next November.

Posted by: Medbob | Nov 10, 2009 3:01:25 PM

A Palin candidacy would guarantee the reelection of Pres. Obama. You really think someone who couldn't answer softball lob questions from a lightweight like Katie Couric, or for that matter out-debate a moron like Joe Biden, is qualified to run the country?

Posted by: gary | Nov 10, 2009 3:23:17 PM

"a terrible use of the taxpayer's dollars"

The taxpayers didn't save anything when she resigned, since the lawyers and staff who were defending her are all still Alaska state employees.

Posted by: gary | Nov 10, 2009 3:24:44 PM

Bring it on DoDo.

Posted by: KansasGirl | Nov 10, 2009 3:44:48 PM

Post a comment