Palin Smacks New Jersey’s Daggett for False ‘Drop Out’ Claim
EmailSarah Palin was inadvertently dragged into the New Jersey governor’s race on Sunday. My colleague, ABC News’ Teddy Davis, has more: Sarah Palin is chiding Chris Daggett, an independent candidate for governor of New Jersey, for inaccurately claiming Sunday morning on MSNBC that she had urged him to drop his third-party bid. “Despite what candidate Chris Daggett is claiming, I have never contacted him or his campaign,” wrote Palin Sunday on her Facebook page. “I have never asked him to drop out of the N.J. governor’s race. Now, if a politician is going to play loose with facts like this, the electorate needs to know it. “So, to the good people of New Jersey, please know that Daggett’s claims are false,” she continued, “I’ve never even suggested he should drop out of the race.” She then slyly added, “But, come to think of it …” A Daggett spokesman acknowledges that Daggett’s claim on MSNBC was incorrect. “She never contacted us asking us to drop out,” Daggett spokesman Tom Johnson told ABC News. Johnson said Daggett got the incorrect impression about Palin from people on his campaign bus who themselves were mistaken and relying on an unsubstantiated blog item. “Someone wrote mistakenly on a blog that Sarah Palin asked Chris Daggett to drop out of the race,” said Johnson. Kevin Gass, a volunteer traveling on the Daggett campaign bus, heard the incorrect Palin item, assumed that it was true and twittered about it from the Daggett campaign bus. “I could not make this up,” tweeted Gass. “Sarah Palin just asked Chris to pull out of race. Republicans getting scared much?” It turned out that Palin, who endorsed third party conservative Doug Hoffman over liberal Republican Dede Scozzafava in the 23rd congressional district of New York, had not called on Daggett to leave the New Jersey governor’s race. All she had done in an Oct. 27 Facebook post is urge voters to back Chris Christie, the Republican candidate, over Jon Corzine, the incumbent Democratic governor, and to give money to the Republican Governors Association. “It seemed plausible, even though it was inaccurate, because [Rudy] Giuliani and other big Republicans have asked him to drop out,” said Johnson. Johnson said that neither Daggett nor anyone in the campaign knew that the Palin claim was false until the former Alaska governor wrote about it on her Facebook page, prompting reporters to contact the campaign. “We didn’t know it was inaccurate until Palin put this thing out,” said Johnson. “It’s a big ado about nothing,” he added. “We’re getting more attention for this than for our detailed plan to cut property taxes by 25 percent.” This is the Daggett exchange on MSNBC which prompted Palin’s criticism on Facebook. It occurred at 8:35 a.m. ET: MSNBC: “How about the GOP? Have they given you any pressure to step aside? You know, you would think, because it would seem that you’re pulling more from Chris Christie’s camp, as I said, and if the election does go, say, to Jon Corzine, if you have that moniker of ‘spoiler’ put at the end of your name. How do you feel?” DAGGETT: “I don’t worry one way or another about it to be honest with you. And I have had Republicans come in from Rudy Giuliani to Sarah Palin to Christy Mihos, who is running for governor in Massachusetts, to people in the New Jersey Republican Party. And to be honest with you, they don’t understand. I am not running as a disgruntled Republican. I am running as a person who believes that neither party has been willing or able to step up to the issues that face the state and make the tough decisions and we need that kind of leadership in New Jersey if we’re ever going to fix the problems that face the state.”
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“My name is Sarah Palin, and I (blah, blah, blah).”
“The problem with the country is “(blah, blah, blah).”
“My strongest trait is that I am functionally-illiterate (blah, blah, blah).”
“I watch the Russians from my front porch (blah, blah, blah – You Betcha [wink, wink]).”
“Everyone needs to listen to me because I (blah, blah, blah).”
See, now we never have to hear from or read about Sarah Palin again, for her total essence has been listed above.
Posted by: saftgek | November 1, 2009, 8:05 pm 8:05 pm
It’s no wonder this woman mistakenly believes she is relevant. The MSM keeps treating every one of her inane blogs or tweets like legitimate news. Who cares what someone who couldn’t fulfill her obligations to her own electorate thinks about what’s going on in other regions? Get over your love affair with this loon already and let her concentrate on writing vanity pieces about how ‘rogue’ and ‘daring’ and ‘special’ she thinks she is. At least that keeps her safely away from elected office.
Posted by: Mickey7 | November 1, 2009, 8:34 pm 8:34 pm
how long until tina fey and catie couric will be wearing bags over their heads for having steered the masses in the wrong direction?
Posted by: Mercy | November 1, 2009, 8:35 pm 8:35 pm
Watching the GOP today is like watching a sugar cube melt in the rain, it’s sweet and it’s disappearing.
Posted by: JR | November 1, 2009, 8:35 pm 8:35 pm
Mercy, maybe they will right after Palin starts wearing hers for destroying the GOP.
Posted by: JR | November 1, 2009, 8:37 pm 8:37 pm
Now that Ms. Palin is no longer governor or in elected office why is her opinion even being considered in anything? She is simply irrelevant and that became her choice when she abandoned Alaska for a personal quest.
Posted by: Jim | November 1, 2009, 8:38 pm 8:38 pm
This sounds like a setup to discredit the third party guy. Where did the campaign bus people read this erroneous information. That’s the question people should be asking.
Posted by: lynn | November 1, 2009, 8:41 pm 8:41 pm
How, exactly does no one onDaggett’s campaign know tha Palin didn’t ask him to step down? Someone read a random blog entry, never questioned it, and others passed it on to the press/public, including the candidate that was NEVER SPOKEN to by Palin… Sounds like a bunch of sophomoric mistakes for a serious Gov. campaign.
Posted by: N2vip | November 1, 2009, 8:42 pm 8:42 pm
Reading the comments on this story cracks me up. You guys are SO threatened by Palin that you spend day after day commenting on how irrelevant she is. If she is so irrelevant then stop commenting and blogging about her day after day. Ha
Posted by: Nerrietick | November 1, 2009, 8:48 pm 8:48 pm
Why does anyone care what she says. She quit her job without completing it and is not qualified to judge anyone. The more attention one gives her the more credibility she has. If no one cares or listens or buys her book….she will get the point.
Posted by: talmag | November 1, 2009, 8:49 pm 8:49 pm
thank you Sara you are really helping us again:)
Posted by: bonita | November 1, 2009, 8:49 pm 8:49 pm
keep up the good work Sara the Democratic Party thanks you sooooo much you are the gift that keeps on giving:)
Posted by: bonita | November 1, 2009, 8:52 pm 8:52 pm
The republican party needs to clean up its ranks and be more conservative! Purity above all. You are either with us or against us. Fire up the furnaces!
Those who forget history are doomed to repeat it. I hope the democrats can get out the vote and send limblaugh and the republicans a message.
Posted by: rightbehind | November 1, 2009, 9:05 pm 9:05 pm
Why would she want him to drop out everybody already knows the only reason he is running is to try to get votes away from Christie
Posted by: brent | November 1, 2009, 9:07 pm 9:07 pm
“We didn’t know it was inaccurate until Palin put this thing out,” said Johnson. “It’s a big ado about nothing,” he added. “We’re getting more attention for this than for our detailed plan to cut property taxes by 25 percent.”
And that’s something to brag about?? Geez, did your boy Gass write the detailed plan about property taxes too???
Posted by: Cin | November 1, 2009, 9:15 pm 9:15 pm
“She is simply irrelevant and that became her choice when she abandoned Alaska for a personal quest.”
Yet Obamabots insist on spending hours blogging about someone so irrelevant. Odd, isn’t it? But then that’s why liberalism is called a mental disorder.
Posted by: Stacey | November 1, 2009, 9:34 pm 9:34 pm
Palin posts on Facebook? I didn’t even know she could read. Oh yeah, that’s right — she told Katie Couric that she reads…ALL OF THE MAGAZINES! Maybe she really only looks at the pictures. LOL — She’s such an embarassment.
Posted by: jmb | November 1, 2009, 9:45 pm 9:45 pm
These upcoming elections are going to be soooo entertaining with Palin involved. Gonna really enjoy this.
Posted by: Jim Bob | November 1, 2009, 9:47 pm 9:47 pm
Can’t stand a quitter…especially when she thinks she is still relevant….
Posted by: della | November 1, 2009, 10:20 pm 10:20 pm
What a shame. Fox News uses these tactics.
Posted by: Cindy | November 1, 2009, 11:04 pm 11:04 pm
“Now, if a politician is going to play loose with facts like this, the electorate needs to know it.”
Now if that ain’t the proverbial pot calling the kettle black!
Posted by: WWW | November 1, 2009, 11:55 pm 11:55 pm
My prediction for next Tuesday – Sarah Palin: 3 (NJ, NY, VA) – Obama: 0
Admit it, she has a knack for knowing when and how to insert herself into the discussion to influence political outcomes. It will be interesting to see what direction she takes with her book.
Posted by: Monique | November 2, 2009, 12:02 am 12:02 am
Boy – Daggett doesn’t miss a beat. Caught out in a direct lIE – and he just blames it on some aid mis-quoting a blog entry… riggghhhtttt…. He was trying to play the Dems not liking Palin, in hopes he could take some of their votes. If he will lie about something little like this – what else will he lie about?
Posted by: clr | November 2, 2009, 12:34 am 12:34 am
Can I just say that all of you people are completely stuck on stupid.
A Daggett staffer messes up, Palin corrects the record and you all sit her and bash her by repeating the same, old stale garbage you’ve been bashing her with for over a year.
Take a hate break…You’re losing your ability to assess situations.
Posted by: Maria | November 2, 2009, 1:20 am 1:20 am
I would seriously like to know one thing: would you folks have preferred Palin stay in office in Alaska, crippled from actually governing her state by multiple “ethics violations” charges (entirely fabricated), being flung at her wholesale, every week, every *day*, which she must endlessly address at taxpayer expense…or that she step aside and letting her very capable lieutenant governor take over? The point was to have the state governed. She made the decision that was best for the state. How is this “being a quitter”?
The point of politics is not to stay in, tooth and nail, no matter how corrupt you are or are accused of being. If Rangel stepped down, I wouldn’t call HIM a quitter. And in his case, the accusations are true. But he won’t leave.
Posted by: Angela in Seattle | November 2, 2009, 1:38 am 1:38 am
Hahahaha!
You silly liberals are so funny.
Sarah scares the hell out of you, and she should! You know how she came to power in Alaska? Do ya?
She took down the entire corrupt Republican party, THAT’S how!
You think she’s irrelevant? Really?
Sarah made one Facebook post in support of Doug Hoffman in NY-23 and he went from someone with a snowball’s chance in hell to someone who should win in a landslide on Tuesday, and that’s with ACORN and the union thugs doing their damnedest to steal the election, as usual.
Don’t feel bad though, the GOP “elites” are just as scared of her. She’s going to clean them out like she did the corrupt losers in Alaska, and then when she gets elected in 2012, clean out all of the trash in DC.
She’ll have Obama’s guts for garters!
That’s how she rolls.
Posted by: Gary | November 2, 2009, 1:47 am 1:47 am
Sarah’s supporters are about as nuts as she is.
Nobody is afraid of her people. We’re laughing at you.
Posted by: secondlook | November 2, 2009, 1:53 am 1:53 am
Sarah Palin is the real HOPE and CHANGE.
She will become the first American POTUS, I pormise you this. Liberals and ddemocrats are about 30% of the population but their mouth is the loudest. They are evil inspired people!!
Posted by: Raymond | November 2, 2009, 2:36 am 2:36 am
CIR & MARIA:
I am totally agree with you. Don’t get frustrated with these libs, MSM and democrats. They won’t accept their mistake in choosing a manchurian president who is Obama. They cannot accept the reality that we have a boneless president right now, and majority of us now know the reality. I am an independent who also voted for Obama, and now I felt sorry for it. I promise that I will elect Palin should she decides on 2012. Dems are just 30% of the population but they are the loudest and most talkative, all talking non-sense that are dangerous for American interests.
Posted by: Angelo | November 2, 2009, 2:46 am 2:46 am
This is why you should check and re-check your sources before you twiiter, blog or print anything! You shouldn’t believe anything that you read in blogs or anywhere else until you have checked it out! Gass had no business twittering this until he absolutely knew it was true! He should be held responsible! I think it’s time, and past time that Sarah started going after those that print, blog, twiiter, or report anything about her that isn’t absolutely true. In fact she should have done it long ago because there are those who are out to bring her down in any way possible and they don’t care how they do it even if they have to lie and commit libel and slander to do it! She should file charges against them and make them prove what they say about her in court!
Posted by: JimVgirl | November 2, 2009, 3:49 am 3:49 am
To all the people claiming Sarah is irrelevant, you are the irrelevant in this case.
Posted by: KansasGirl | November 2, 2009, 5:09 am 5:09 am
The good people of US of A and in particular those that identify themselves as liberal, democrats etc.. have a little problem which they are unable to solve: Sarah Palin. Any intelligent person would realize that by participating in bashing a person he or she is keeping that person in limelight and all those “irrelevant” come to an endorsement of a simple truth: “Sarah Palin is a danger to their beliefs and if she succeeds they are going to be in trouble”. As a foreigner I can see this very clear, why the people of US of A I mentioned above they cannot?
Posted by: karga | November 2, 2009, 5:26 am 5:26 am
“keep up the good work Sara the Democratic Party thanks you sooooo much you are the gift that keeps on giving:)”
—-
You rant about something Sarah Palin did…I assume relevant to THIS article.
Please explain what mistake did Palin make about this candidate.
She did NOT contact Daggert.
She did NOT contact anyone on his staff.
She did NOT goof at all.
Daggert DID claim that Palin asked him to drop out. Not just contact him at all.
Daggert’s staff stupidly relied on a blog statement.
His staff then told him.
Neither he nor his staff did anything to confirm the blog statement.
Daggert DID claim that Palin asked him to drop out. Not just contact him at all.
So….what did Palin do that makes you so spitefully happy?
Posted by: malcat | November 2, 2009, 6:20 am 6:20 am
Interesting that candidates these days are making such mistakes. Yet despite this mistake, Daggett still seems more honest than either Corzine or Christie, whom both ran smear campaigns and didn’t focus on the issues concerning the NJ people, like me.
If more third party candidates pop up next year and can get their voices out to be heard affectively, there might be chances we will see more Independents getting elected due to a great percentage of the American people are fed up with both the Democrats and Republicans.
Posted by: GWP | November 2, 2009, 6:32 am 6:32 am
The problem with college students today is they think they know more than their professor and the world. Daggett should drop out the race because he can’t win and never will. The guy who made up the story about Palin is trouble and should be fired on the spot. There is a lot of jealousy over Palin because she accomplished what thousands of college students will never do even if they have a masters degree. And many young woman hate her because they can’t compete with her. They don’t have the knowlege.
Posted by: Mariann Pepitone | November 2, 2009, 7:04 am 7:04 am
Maria: You are so right. The bashers hate her because they are jealous of her popularity and that she was chosen as VP. These are the kind of people that will never accomplish anything in their lifetime and even graduating from college. They will be lucky to get employment today because jobs are not available for them. Since most of them voted for Obama they should ask him for a job and good luck.
Posted by: Mariann Pepitone | November 2, 2009, 7:09 am 7:09 am
Sarah Palin is hot. Nuff’ said.
Posted by: lenovo | November 2, 2009, 7:25 am 7:25 am
I find it funny how the people complaining that they’re tired of Palin are the first ones to leave comments in the comments sections of Palin articles.
If the leftist bloggers paid by Obama/Soros hadn’t harassed her out of office she wouldn’t be in the news now. Liberals kept poking at her while she was trying to finish up her term and now they’re whining about her going on the offensive.
Posted by: Titletown | November 2, 2009, 7:29 am 7:29 am
Yes! Yes! The conservatives must strive for purity! Sarah is right. Your either with us or against us. Fire up the ovens.
Those who forget history are doomed to relive it.
Posted by: rightbehind | November 2, 2009, 7:38 am 7:38 am
Well, if he was to drop out and quit, she is certianly the one to look to for advice.
Posted by: Jim | November 2, 2009, 7:44 am 7:44 am
Palin should be ignored and forgotten.
Posted by: cregis | November 2, 2009, 7:45 am 7:45 am
Sarah Palin is a breath of fresh air. As a Democrat in the centrist mode, I am disgusted with the Democratic party and its current leftist tilt. Every comment made of her irrelevancy shows me that she is indeed relevant. I’m ashamed at the highbrowed Democrats who continually attack this lady because she speaks her mind and doesn’t follow their elitist positions. I’m truly sorry for blindly supporting the Democratic party for so many years. Their “leaders” are nothing special. George Bush was bad, but Barack Obama and the Democratic cabal of today is even worse. It’s time for a change, and it won’t be found in the Democratic or Republican parties. I’ll be very pleased when a new, centrist political party rises from the disaffected political masses, and governs by doing what is right, and not by what is expedient. Democrats will spend themselves out of office, and for that, they’ll deserve big losses in future political races. Their “solutions” are tired, worn out, big spending pipe dreams. I may not agree with everything about Sarah Palin, but I admire her desire to shake things up in our moribund political culture. I trust her more than any major Democratic party leader other than Bill and Hillary Clinton. But if the Clintons continue to throw their lot in with the current Democratic party idiots who are running (more like ruining) the country, then my support for them will evaporate.
Posted by: Joe Democrat | November 2, 2009, 7:56 am 7:56 am
So this clown lies & claims that big, bad Sarah wants him to drop out. He gets caught.
Another lying pol, another inept campaign… where’s the news here?
And good for anyone (including Palin) who doesn’t like being lied about & calls out the liar.
Posted by: Mac819 | November 2, 2009, 8:07 am 8:07 am
Daggett’s presence in the race is the only thing keeping Corzine from being trounced. Who is bankrolling this guy anyway? Corzine and his egregious tax and spend policies (while paying little taxes on his own vast fortune) deserves to lose. Who cares what Sarah Palin thinks. Let’s focus on the abusive governance of John Corzine.
Posted by: bct | November 2, 2009, 8:16 am 8:16 am
stick with politics George and leave the job at GMA for Chris Cuomo. I think Palin endorsed him.
Posted by: TJSDC | November 2, 2009, 8:19 am 8:19 am
I had to go back and see what news service I was reading. There is so much hate spewing on Fox by the liberals I thought I was there. The good news is: The liberals are on Fox because they know it’s the only place to get real news. Too bad they can’t come to grips with the facts. A recen poll showed that Democrats are far behind Republicans in their understanding of the facts. I’m sure that’s just one more fact that drives you crazy.
Posted by: Bob in Hartford | November 2, 2009, 8:27 am 8:27 am
Amazing, the so-called compassionate Democrats are mean spirited and Palin bashing even after she has stepped down from her office. How about doing something constructive with your lives, like helping out at your child’s poorly run schools, volunteering at rehabilitation centers for veterans or at a down’s syndrome development center? Oh, yeah I forgot you hate people who do that. Get over yourself and stop being such ugly haters.
Posted by: Republican | November 2, 2009, 8:37 am 8:37 am
“Now, if a politician is going to play loose with facts like this, the electorate needs to know it.”
==================================
This is like the class bully saying the little kid started the fight!
Posted by: The_Mick | November 2, 2009, 8:39 am 8:39 am
Mariann… Just because Daggett can not win, does not mean he should drop out of the race. People should vote for who they think is the best person for the job, not because a candidate is winning in the polls or because of party. Your vote is your voice, telling others who you believe is the best person for the job.
Posted by: GWP | November 2, 2009, 8:42 am 8:42 am
Dagget,… wasn’t that a robodog on BSG? This guy sounds just like Obama, he should go far,… blather a bunch of unsubstantiated stupidity in the “gotta twitter and text every second all day long” media, and when he’s called on his half-assed intelligence, throws an aid under the bus. Basic problem with the entire left, clueless. The only answer for such inflated self-delusion is for their reality balloon to be pierced with high velocity metal objects.
Posted by: Capt D | November 2, 2009, 8:42 am 8:42 am
Capt D… Are you from New Jersey? I am. So far, niether Corzine or Christie has ever bothered to stay focus on the issues, thus each keep attacking each other with negative campaigning that gone way too dirty. Daggett during the NJ governor debate was the only one who stayed on the issues while Corzine and Christie duke it out like children.
So how could a voter like me choose between the Democrats and Republicans when neither one currently are favorable? Despite this mistake he made with Palin, least Daggett is honest. I know he will not win, but he sure is breath of fresh air in a campaign that is very fowl and dirty.
Posted by: GWP | November 2, 2009, 8:50 am 8:50 am
Sarah Palin is right again. Maybe Daggett voters shoulod switch to Cristie.
Sarah proved in NY-23 that she’s a REAL LEADER and she is right about NJ.
I can’t wait to have President Palin provide the leadership this country and the world desperately need.
Posted by: Debbie | November 2, 2009, 9:37 am 9:37 am
Debbie… Are you from NJ? Can you tell me why I sould cast my vote for Christie when he had not ever focus on the issues? Neither party is in good light in this state as of now due to the mudslinging. I’m one NJ voter who votes with his brain, not because of party or popularity. I recommend to let the people of NJ decide who they vote for, not because Palin said so.
Posted by: GWP | November 2, 2009, 9:52 am 9:52 am
There really is nothing more entertaining than to watch a liberal go on about Sarah Palin.
It’s why she’s as popular as she is, and it is why she can get these kind of results like this.
It’s an inevitable force of good that’s stronger than the loudest liberal with the worst breath. She’s got it, and they never will.
Posted by: Steve | November 2, 2009, 10:16 am 10:16 am
GWP, I am a former NJ resident who has lived in Florida the past three years. As a Democrat, I agree with you concerning your take on both the Democratic and Republican parties. Since Daggett doesn’t have a snowballs’ chance in hell of winning, I would think that NJ voters would hold their noses and vote for Christie to send Corzine packing. Corzine is a horrible governor, and the prospect that he may retain the governship when he doesn’t deserve to should give people some concerns.
Posted by: Joe Democrat | November 2, 2009, 10:23 am 10:23 am
And how would voting for Christie help the state? That’s why I do not like to vote for a candidate because I’m against the other. If Christie is just as bad as Corzine with the mudslinging and did not focus on the issues, voting for him would be like voting for another Corzine anyway. :(
Daggett may not win, but if any of the people in the state have any brains, they wouldn’t vote for either Christie or Corzine.
Posted by: GWP | November 2, 2009, 11:05 am 11:05 am
Palin is irrelevent huh? Tell that to Owens in NY 23. Tell that to scozoffava in NY 23 too. I wonder how irrelevnt they think she is.
You dems are so laughable and predictable!!! My side is hurting from lauging at you so much!!!
Posted by: PIN News | November 2, 2009, 11:47 am 11:47 am
Doesn’t seem to be anyone who comments on this blog who is smart enough to figure out that Palin was smeared by the legacy media. Having a caricature of your enemy in your head is a dangerous thing.
Posted by: Buford Gooch | November 2, 2009, 12:30 pm 12:30 pm
For someone irrelevant, you sure get in a lather whenever she speaks.
Posted by: jay | November 2, 2009, 12:33 pm 12:33 pm
Sorry all you Palin-haters… she absolutely IS still relevant… and you are helping to make her so. If the press and the bloggers would “ignore” her… might be a different story…
I don’t get her… but there’s still something I like…
Posted by: Jilly | November 3, 2009, 12:44 pm 12:44 pm
sarah keep up the good work
Posted by: ray | November 5, 2009, 12:22 pm 12:22 pm