Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin strongly condemned President Obama's jobs plan Friday afternoon, saying that the president "plays us all for fools."
"I thought the president was very bold in his request for another blank check," Palin said on Fox News, where she is a paid contributor. "I don't consider it a plan at all."
The former vice presidential nominee said she cared neither for the substance or the style of the president's speech, and felt that he was trying to pressure the Congress into passing the jobs package.
"They want to shove something down our throats even though it's inconsistent with economic principles that can work in facing the problems we have with our economy," Palin said.
For it's part, the White House has been trying to emphasize the bipartisan aspects of the bill, arguing that much of the substance of the plan had been previously endorsed by Republicans. White House spokesman Jay Carney said he "welcomed" Republicans who had offered support for part of the bill.
"We don't expect those who are the president's political opposites or opponents to do this because we ask them to," Carney said. "We hope and expect that they will do it because the American people ask that they do it."
But Palin disputed the characterization of the bill as bipartisan, saying Republicans believed that they could not afford the measures, considering the current deficit.
"The president was disingenuous when he insisted over and over again that everything in this package had been endorsed by all," Palin said.
Palin also criticized the Republican field for not having pressed harder on deficit issues during Wednesday's debate.
"It surprised me that some of the political street smarts weren't on display and these candidates weren't able to pivot from some of the questions to answering the questions in the terms of what the voters needed to hear," Palin said.
Still, Palin was elusive when pressed on whether she would enter the presidential field.
"I still believe people will be coming and going … but i don't know if I'll be one of those people," Palin said.
