George Conway Says Trump Turned GOP Into 'A Mob Organization' and Sarah Palin Was MAGA's Canary in a Coal Mine

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

George Conway believes that an authoritarian MAGA mentality existed in the Republican Party before Donald Trump — and some of the clues lie with Sarah Palin.

During Wednesday’s “Mehdi Unfiltered” podcast, Conway, a former Republican and The Lincoln Project co-founder, discussed with host Mehdi Hasan the through-line from Palin to Trump and the MAGA signs that existed back when she was tapped to be John McCain’s vice-presidential running mate in 2008.

“Barack Obama once said that there’s a straight line from Sarah Palin to Donald Trump,” Hasan said. “The appointment of Sarah Palin – that was a precursor to Trump.

“I think it was one of the canaries in the coal mine,” Conway agreed.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/medhi-hasan-says-gop-wasn-231614403.html

[SalamanderSleeps]

1. I miss Mehdi.

When MSNBC cuts loose Paramount I hope he'll be back on the roster.

[calimary]

8. I do, too. What's he doing now?

[not fooled]

11. Zeteo

https://zeteo.com/p/welcome-to-zeteo-559]

Welcome to Zeteo
A new media organization from Mehdi Hasan, where independent and unfiltered journalism is making a comeback.
Team Zeteo
Feb 27, 2024

Mehdi Hasan’s brand new media company is here.

Zeteo will deliver hard-hitting interview shows, engaging podcasts, provocative essays, and more to audiences across the world. We’re a new and completely independent media company that hopes to challenge the status quo by boldly seeking answers to the questions that really matter in today’s world.

In the coming weeks and months, you’ll see content anchored by Mehdi Hasan and his sharp-edged journalism, the kind that takes the power of the media as a public service seriously. You’ll also see original content from an array of high-profile contributors: award-winning journalists, New York Times best-selling authors, Hollywood celebrities, and others.

[Dr. Shepper]

2. Absolutely

With her real Americans bullshit.

[Quakerfriend]

3. Prior to Sarah Palin was Whitewater and then the GOP's attack on

Bill Clinton & the $ 70 mil.investigation into his sex by Ken Starr. And, let’s not forget that it was the very same Ken Starr who years later helped Epstein get off with a cushy deal and no real punishment.

Hillary has been right all along- “the grand right wing conspiracy “, his “basket of deplorables”, “Putin’s puppet”.

Edited to add- George Conway was, at that time, fully on board with the attacks on Clinton.

[Midnight Writer]

4. I see a straight line from Ronald Reagan to Donald Trump. Is that just me?

[at140]

5. Reagan was just a 3rd rate actor

Trump is far more dangerous to democracy.

[leftstreet]

6. But Palin made it okay to be openly racist

homophobic, sexist, ableist, etc

Right up to Bush Jr, they had to use dogwhistling and nyuck nyuck code words to signal their base

Not now

[JustTooMuch]

10. Before Reagan

I really see the direct line beginning with Goldwater.

[twodogsbarking]

12. Good point. Reagan and Trump both milked the Hollywood fame. For Trump it is just a means to his (our) end.

[homegirl]

13. Goldwater delivered the

GOP ultimatum to Nixon...

[markodochartaigh]

15. I'm no fan of "in your guts, you know he's nuts" Goldwater.

But, here is a quote from him: "Mark my word, if and when these preachers get control of the [Republican] party, and they're sure trying to do so, it's going to be a terrible damn problem. Frankly, these people frighten me. Politics and governing demand compromise. But these Christians believe they are acting in the name of God, so they can't and won't compromise. I know, I've tried to deal with them."

On economic issues Goldwater was certainly allied with LiBeRtAriAn, Austrian School economists that the techbros and Corporate America™ love so much. And, if push comes to shove, this faction of the Republican party is OK with authoritarianism.

But I don't think that Goldwater would be so aligned with the White Christian Nationalist 80% of the Republican party who actually have been salivating for decades about seizing total control of the US.

I think that the true, modern beginning of authoritarianism in the US started, as Jeff Sharlet's great book "The Family" shows a century ago.

[JustTooMuch]

16. Goldwater

Goldwater was a wink wink nudge nudge in bed with the John Birch Society. He peddled hate. He hated federal government and tried, don’t remember I’d he succeeded, to enroll his wife in food assistance to show it was corrupt. My parents were livid by his bigotry.

[harumph]

19. I think Goldwater famously decried the possibility of religious fundamentalists in the party...

[leftstreet]

7. DURec

[Figarosmom]

9. Yeah i remember whe she was campaigning

How she whipped up the crowds with dangerous lies and the press said nada...

[BurnDoubt]

17. Actually, they made BANK!

The grift that keeps on grifting. Gibberish and Drivel dished-out in ever more deplorable (Yes! DEPLORABLE) doses. Day after Day.
Two-Hundred-Eighty-Five Million experts, doing their own research, half of which will still be stuck in the weeds when they finally die, challenge any notion of "Facts" or "Truth", 'til the notion itself becomes quaint.
Fox profited so well they were able to buy the whole Government. Do your own research. How many "on-air personalities" are in the Cabinet. holding a gun on some immigrants or "woke pussies"?

[misanthrope]

14. I completely agree

It was obvious to anyone with eyes.

[BurnDoubt]

18. Until the advent of AI.................................................................