By John Lyon
Arkansas News Bureau

LITTLE ROCK — In a talk here today, the top strategist for Sen. John McCain’s 2008 presidential campaign defended the decision to pick Sarah Palin as McCain’s running mate and criticized conservative talk radio hosts who opposed McCain’s nomination.

Former McCain adviser Steve Schmidt praised Palin during remarks at the University of Arkansas Clinton School of Public Service, despite having said earlier this month that a Palin presidential nomination would be “catastrophic” for the GOP.

“I believe to this day that had she not been picked as the vice presidential candidate, we would never have been ahead — not for one second, not for one minute, not for one hour, not for one day,” Schmidt said today.

Schmidt said the former Alaska governor has “great talents,” and putting her on the ticket generated enough excitement to transform the race. Other circumstances worked against McCain, however, he said.

“We were three points ahead on Sept. 15 when the stock market crashed, and then the
election was over,” he said.

Asked after the talk if he stood by his recent critical comments about Palin’s viability as a presidential candidate, Schmidt said he did.

“I said what I said on the 2012 (race). … I said what I said today,” he told reporters.

When McCain was running for the GOP presidential nomination last year, conservative talk show hosts such as Rush Limbaugh and Mark Levin lined up against the Arizona senator.
Schmidt said Wednesday that McCain won the nomination anyway because “people who listen to the radio are not programmable when it comes to their vote.”

Schmidt said the Republican Party cannot let the most strident talk radio hosts be its voice. Independent voters are not likely to be persuaded by “angry ranting,” he said.

“The party has to be able to speak seriously to the issues of the day, and it can’t be a voice of anger and resentment,” he said.

Schmidt also criticized politicians who allow themselves to appear subservient to talk radio figures.

“Republican politicians who seek to lead the party, and in fact seek to lead the government, cannot be seen as kowtowing to the emperors of talk radio. If they are, then I think the broad middle of the electorate that decides elections disqualifies them from leadership,” he said.

Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele apologized to Limbaugh in March after saying Limbaugh’s remarks were sometimes “incendiary” and “ugly.”

Schmidt said the Republican Party is well positioned for rejuvenation, thanks to a Democratic president he called the “the most polarizing president ever in the modern era,” but he said the party must make itself relevant.

“The Republican Party is going to have to come up with a jobs program, a spending program, and deal with issues in a way that is relevant to today’s problems,” he said.

American society is changing, and one of the changes coming is acceptance of same-sex marriage, Schmidt said.

“Gay marriage will ultimately be a reality in this country. It is a question of when,” he said.

Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, who competed with McCain for last year’s GOP nomination and has been mentioned as a prospect for the 2012 race, told the Arkansas News Bureau today he does not share Schmidt’s view on gay marriage.

“Same-sex marriage has been on the ballot in 30 states and every one of them, including California, voted to affirm marriage as it is and has been throughout all of human history,” Huckabee said in an e-mail.

“Even Barack Obama campaigned that he believed marriage is between a man and a woman. With due respect to Mr. Schmidt, it’s not the GOP that needs to change on this issue; it’s Mr. Schmidt,” Huckabee said.

Schmidt was asked during today’s talk for his thoughts on Huckabee.

Huckabee “campaigned with a happy face, not an angry face, and I think he’s a hugely important voice in the Republican Party,” he said. “I think he’ll be a formidable candidate, should he choose to run.”

Schmidt also said U.S. Sen. Blanche Lincoln, D-Ark., and U.S. Rep. Vic Snyder, D-Little Rock, are likely to face tough races in 2010.

“This is a state where you can see Republican gains,” he said.