It's Good to be Sarah Palin

Everything's coming up roses these days:

Since stepping down as Alaska’s governor in July, 2009, Sarah Palin has made at least $12 million, according to a report by ABC News.


Let’s see. $125,000 as governor or millions writing a book, doing a reality show and hitting the speaking circuit?


Palin is now a private citizen so there’s no way to get an exact total of her earnings. But as ABC says, it’s pretty common knowledge that she got $12 million for her book, Going Rogue and that the Learning Channel is paying her $250,000 for each of eight episodes of an Alaska reality show she’s doing.


She’s also got a multi-year deal with Fox News and has signed a deal for a second book. In January, Politico said she’s getting $100,000 a clip for each of her speeches, although she did say that the money she was to make for the Tea Party convention in Nashville earlier this year was going to charity.


With paychecks like this why would she want to get back into elective politics? At last weekend’s Southern Republican Leadership Conference in New Orleans, Palin ranked behind former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and Texas Rep. Ron Paul in the group’s 2012 presidential straw poll. They each got 24 percent from the delegates voting; Palin got 18 percent.

I personally hope she doesn't choose to run for president, at least not in 2012. Her value right now is as a conservative motivational speaker and endorser of GOP candidates. She should spend her time traveling and supporting those candidates who share her values and who are running in districts where her support can make a difference. I just don't see her as a viable national candidate right now.

Maybe 2016, but not right now.

Unfortunately, her brand has been tarnished both by the unfair attacks on her intelligence by the media and the left, and by her own actions in leaving the governor's job early. When you examine the fact that as governor she was subject to all kinds of harassing frivolous lawsuits and ethics charges that were costing her a fortune she didn't have (and none of which were upheld), it's easy to understand why she'd want to get away from that and strike while her presence can command big bucks and big crowds. However, many voters don't know the backstory from her days as governor - all they see is a quitter and that won't help her as a candidate. Not now, anyway. Maybe later all will be forgotten and she'll have a different resume with which to work. We'll see.