"There's a sort of animal hate against her"

Today's Brain Trust interview, Jay Nordlinger, is a senior editor of National Review. The GOP debate, Mitt Romney, Sarah Palin, and Anthony Weiner were all on the agenda. 


What are your thoughts about the GOP debate tonight?

Well, it's a first look and a first hearing. A lot of Republicans are itching to beat Obama.

I know a lot of people on the Right side in particular...are really, really hungry to get at it.

It seems like Mitt Romney has the upperhand right now. But will the newly-minted term Obamneycare hurt him?

It seems like Governor Pawlenty was waiting to spring that one.

The electorate is pretty hot against Obama's healthcare law.

Romney could have denounced this Romneycare or chosen to defend it. He chose to defend it.

Is Texas Governor Rick Perry in? Or is he just playing the pundits?

It could be a bit of toying.

A lot of people on the Republican side think the field is too small.

These people keep demurring, so there's room.

Rick Perry is an extremely successful governor.

Perry's problem, of course, is that he's another Texas governor.

The media is going after Palin's 24,000 emails she sent as governor. Is this crazy, or what?

Nutty, crazy.

If someone found 24 of my emails, I guess I'd have to retire from life.

If this was supposed to hook or further embarrass her, I don't think it has.

What is it with them and Palin?

There's something about Sarah Palin that gets under people's skin.

There's a sort of animal hate against her.

According to establishment opinion, she has the wrong views.

She doesn't toe a line a lot of people expect her to toe.

It frustrates her that she's pro-life. It frustrates people that she went ahead and had this child with Down's Syndrome.

She seems to have a happy and loving marriage with a union man.

Hillary Clinton is a feminist, but her husband was president of the United States. I believe that Sarah Palin's husband works in the oil fields.

She bothers a good many Americans, not all of them liberal, but it would take a better psychologist than I to figure that out.

We almost made it through the whole interview without mentioning Anthony Weiner. What's your take?

I think he can weather this.

Memories are short. Certain electorates are very, very forgiving.

Bill Clinton gutted it out...the American people didn't seem to mind all the much.

His Democratic colleagues have turned on him.

I take a jaundiced views of voters, sometimes.