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Lincoln Chafee Refers to Sarah Palin as a "Cocky Whacko"

Share / Recommend - Comment - Print - Wednesday, Sep 10 2008, 11:57AM

Lincoln Chafee TWN 2000.JPG

Lincoln Chafee was one of my favorite moderates in the U.S. Senate. His common sense progressive realism in foreign affairs was essential during the battle over John Bolton's confirmation. Unlike a number of others who sought higher national office, Chafee voted against the Iraq War Resolution.

I think that now that he has become a political Independent and quit the Republican Party (he told me that he has always voted Republican in every race until 2008 though he said that he wrote in George H.W. Bush in the 2004 presidential race), Chafee is well-positioned to serve in an Obama cabinet or to run as an Independent for the governorship of Rhode Island. I would support him on both fronts.

However, Chafee added a bit of color to his profile yesterday and in a very lucid, lay it all out there talk at the New America Foundation about how he was let down substantively and politically by Bush/Cheney, he expressed some strong views about Sarah Palin.

On the front page of Roll Call's "Heard on the Hill" column, Emily Heil and Elizabeth Brotherton write:

He Said What? Former Rhode Island Sen. Lincoln Chafee is know for being a friendly, mild-mannered guy. But the Republican-turned-Independent's good nature isn't because he lacks the tough-talk ammo, as he proved Tuesday while promoting his latest book, "Against the Tide: How a Compliant Congress Empowered a Reckless President," at the New America Foundation.

Chafee (a supporter of Democratic presidential nominee Sen. Barack Obama) was discussing how GOP vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin's speech at the recent Republican National Convention energized the party's base. While he said it was impressive, Chafee thinks the Alaska governor also energized the left, as Democrats were outraged "to see this cocky whacko up there."

Chafee's comment drew gasps from the audience, who apparently were not expecting to hear such relatively feisty language from the normally genteel former Senator. It even shocked event moderator Steve Clemons, who responded, "Did you just say 'cocky whacko'?"

Chafee just smiled.

Chafee's comments on Palin appear at about 53:00 in this video clip. I also do a shorter clip of six minutes here in which Chafee says of Palin, "she is dangerous for the future of the country" -- and explains why.

-- Steve Clemons

« Previous Article - Six Minutes with Lincoln Chafee on Bush/Cheney Experiences, The Decline of Bipartisanship, Sarah Palin and More
» Next Article - Remembering William Odom For Saying It as He Saw It

Reader Comments (22) - post a comment

Posted by Tahoe Editor, Sep 10 2008, 2:58PM - Link

Maybe he's listening to too much Ed Schultz, who this morning called Sarah Palin a "fascist" 3 times in one sentence and then offered the new moniker of "Moose-olini".

Real smart.

Posted by Karla Elisa, Sep 10 2008, 3:07PM - Link

Way to go Linc! Love to see you in Obama's Whitehouse.

Posted by Bethie, Sep 10 2008, 4:42PM - Link

Steve,

You still want to give Mccain the benefit of the doubt? Take a look at the wolf ad. It took them a while but they got there. They have been playing offense just to get to the ad they have wanted to run since Palin was announced. Hear anything from your honorable friends yet?
It has gone from bad to worse!

Posted by Mary Beaulieu, Sep 10 2008, 5:53PM - Link

Thank you Sen Chafee!

I have never voted republican but, as an ex-New englander, born and raised, I have always liked you because you were very fair and open minded.

It is great to see an ex republican speak to the truth. It is a rare commodity these days.

Way to go!

Posted by PissedOffAmerican, Sep 11 2008, 1:21AM - Link

"Lincoln Chafee Refers to Sarah Palin as a "Cocky Whacko""

Damn, I wish these people would stop mincing words. Why's Chafee cutting the lyin' vindictive bitch so much slack?

Posted by bob h, Sep 11 2008, 6:39AM - Link

I'd also like to see Colin Powell weigh in on this.

Posted by RON DEIGHAN, Sep 11 2008, 8:41AM - Link

I HOPE LINCOLN CHAFEE LIVES TO EAT HIS WORDS...I LOVED HIS DAD, BUT LINC IS JUST NOTHING LIKE HIS FATHER.....HIS DAD WAS ONE OF MY FAVORITES AND I AM A DEMOCRAT......SORRY LINC I WILL DO EVERYTHING IN MY POWER TO GET SARAH PALIN IN THE WHITE HOUSE......SARAH HAS RENEWED MY FAITH IN AMERICAN POLITICS.

Posted by PissedOffAmerican, Sep 11 2008, 9:14AM - Link

"SARAH HAS RENEWED MY FAITH IN AMERICAN POLITICS"

Egads and yikes.

Posted by Cato, Sep 11 2008, 11:17AM - Link


Yeah, sure you're a Democrat. They always write all in capitals. I'm going to win the Nobel Prize for Literature too, this year!

I HOPE LINCOLN CHAFEE LIVES TO EAT HIS WORDS...I LOVED HIS DAD, BUT LINC IS JUST NOTHING LIKE HIS FATHER.....HIS DAD WAS ONE OF MY FAVORITES AND I AM A DEMOCRAT......SORRY LINC I WILL DO EVERYTHING IN MY POWER TO GET SARAH PALIN IN THE WHITE HOUSE......SARAH HAS RENEWED MY FAITH IN AMERICAN POLITICS.

Posted by pat schmac, Sep 11 2008, 6:01PM - Link

My oh my, what ignorance. lets look at Obama earmarking then Biden with his son lobbyist Hunter Biden-kettle calling pot black. Sen Obama with the help of Sen Biden son has earmarked millions of dollars. Sen Biden also thousands of dollars for the oyster beds in De. Maybe we will see Dem. switch horses in mid-stream to show how scared they are. Sen Obama now needs Bill and Hillary Clinton. Who is getting last laugh. Remember the old saying when you point your finger at someone 3 are pointing back at you.

Yes today was9/11 and Sen Obama's lunch with Bill Clinton was more important so he had to wait til 4:00 to appear. At least John McCain did his duty and appeared and stayed to visit people in Shanksville,pa. God Bless Him

Posted by randy, Sep 11 2008, 6:14PM - Link

I was always told before I started speaking badly about a person or situation, you may want to look in the mirror and make sure your house is in order and your own closets are clean. That's something ole' Lincoln couldn't do before and cannot do now. Just remember all you left wing nuts that November is not that far away and we will see who wins this one.

Posted by Dr. Mike Merolla, Sep 11 2008, 9:31PM - Link

Lincoln Chafee pretended to be a Republican to take his father's seat. It was Republicans in Rhode Island who took his seat away. Thank heaven.

Posted by lc, Sep 12 2008, 12:51AM - Link

OMG! I just hate it when men get threatened by powerful women, they have to defend themselves by saying stupid things like this fellow said. That's ok, at least this guy wasn't nominated for anything!

Posted by stephen, Sep 12 2008, 3:24AM - Link

Many of us in Canada are watching your election with interest (our own federal election currently going on is quite the snoozer by comparison).

The media frenzy around Ms. Paulin seems like a freakish and surreal circus sideshow from where i'm sitting. It's one thing to be a Christian extremist, really i don't care, but a Christian extremest in the seat of the Vice President of the most powerful country on earth? It's bizzare! I know how much you folks like to mix your religion with your politics, but sheeeesh! Before any job i've been given I've had an interview. Perhaps they are overrated. Where are the interviews, the questions posed and answers given by this woman?

What worries me is that four years ago everyone I know thought, after watching bush for four years, that there was no way, NO WAY Mr. Dumber Than A Sack of Hammers would get relected as leader of the free world. No way. Boy were we wrong! The world is a much uglier place now and it's not funny anymore. There are enough 'tards and sociopaths out there with way too much power in the world talking about how god is on thier side. Let's pray this home spun family gal is allowed to really open her mouth and say what is actually on her mind. Hopefully then she'll go the way of Anita Bryant.

Posted by WigWag, Sep 12 2008, 7:39AM - Link

"What worries me is that four years ago everyone I know thought, after watching bush for four years, that there was no way, NO WAY Mr. Dumber Than A Sack of Hammers would get relected as leader of the free world. No way."

That was before the Republicans nominated the most electable candidate they could find and the Democrats nominated the least electable candidate they could find.

Posted by RON DEIGHAN, Sep 12 2008, 8:42AM - Link

OK..OK...SO THE DEMOCRATS REJECTED HILLARY FOR THE VP SPOT.....NOW..THEY HAVE FINALLY REALIZED THE EXTENT OF THEIR MISTAKE. HILLARY SHOULD HAVE BEEN CONSIDERED AND PICKED. BUT...OOPS,TOO LATE NOW, (I GUESS).....SO NOW, FOR THE LACK OF A BETTER IDEA, ALL THE "USUAL" ATTACK DOGS AND POLITICAL "CRONIES" (HANGING AROUND WASHINGTON WITH NOTHING ELSE TO DO BUT COMPLAIN AND BITCH ABOUT EVERYTHING) GO AFTER THE "NEW KID ON THE BLOCK", SARAH PALIN....WELL, SARAH WILL SURVIVE....SHE IS A SHARP, SMART, AND A VERY STRONG AND DETERMINED WOMAN.....A BREATH OF FRESH, CLEAN AIR IN THE POLITICALLY POLLUTED COUNTRY. WHAT IS WRONG WITH "NEW BLOOD" INSTEAD OF THE SAME OLD ROUTINE THAT NEVER CHANGES....I HOPE IT HITS HOME, LINC.

Posted by Liz, Sep 12 2008, 9:05AM - Link

The comment made by Lincoln Chafee are, in my opinion, the level of language that a five-year-old might use. He certainly shows that he has none of the professionalism of his father or of a professor at prestigious Brown University. Particularly when he stated that he opted for the language, rather than using "grown up" words, to give his statement "more pop".

What a travesty for RI.

Posted by jon reiner, Sep 12 2008, 12:26PM - Link

Freed from the shackles of Republican tyranny and hypocrisy,
Chafee spoke freely and hit the moose square in the eyes. Caribou
Barbie is a right-wing religious extremist with less reason than the
animals running from the business end of her hunting rifle.

Keep going Lincoln! You're on to something.

Posted by darren, Sep 12 2008, 1:17PM - Link

Sarah Palin: REAL Change We Can Believe In!!

Chafee is what gave rise to Palin. America is sick of the Lincoln Chafees. They are a penny a dozen. Apparently the left has "progressed" from Bush Derangement Syndrome to Palin Derangement Syndrome.

Posted by Arch Stanton, Sep 12 2008, 2:49PM - Link

A "moderate" calls an demonstrably unqualified and deranged candidate a whacko? OMG!!! The scandal! The invective! Oh the humanity!!!!!

And what an amazingly sophisticated level of discourse. The way this is going, even the Weekly World News will have to disavow itself from this campaign. A pygmy marmoset with a pair of pliers tied to his tail would have a better chance of erecting a new American century. This is the kind of mature and insightful attitude that will work wonders with Europe, Russia and China. You can't say you weren't warned.

Posted by tammy dixon, Sep 12 2008, 3:34PM - Link

Bravo, Mr. Chaffee! I am a reformed Republican/turned Democrat from Ohio. I think his description very apt. The Rovian Republicans have taken over McCain's soul. I have also heard her described as Cheney in a Gidget Costume. Although, I guess she is a better shot. Look at it this way, if she ends up in Washington, we will have all kinds of money because she won't need the secret service. She can defend herself.

Posted by Sharon Ellery , Sep 20 2008, 9:28PM - Link

Thank you Mr.Chafee! Your description was right on the money! She has upset me so much at the thought of her being one step away from the White House that I became a new volunteer for Obama. There are even baptists who are voting for Obama because they don't like her either.

Sharon

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