Every pundit on the Left desperately wants us to believe that a Sarah Palin presidential run will be devastating to Republicans and hand the 2012 election to President Obama. Don't listen to them. If they didn't fear her, they wouldn't spend so much time and money smearing her. The purpose of their constant badmouthing of the former Alaska Governor is to cast doubts. Period. And among the Republican party elites and strategists, it seems to be working. But keep in mind these folks don't know how to plan for a campaign that doesn't pay lip service to at least some statist Democratic ideas and policies. Trying to win the votes of Democrats, of course, is exactly how to lose an election if you're a conservative.
A Sarah Palin presidential run, contrary to the conventional wisdom of political pundits, is exactly what the Republican Party needs. Here are five reasons why:
1) She's the only candidate with Rock Star Status: As much as I like Tim Pawlenty, he doesn't exactly draw a crowd. Same goes for Newt and Mit. Campaigns, more than any other form of marketing, operate on the basis of a "bandwagon" psychology. Even if Palin doesn't emerge as the nominee, her entrance into the race boosts enthusiasm and expands media coverage to get more people paying attention to conservative ideas.
2) She's relentless and fearless defending conservatism: While a good portion of the GOP field will want to carefully watch their criticism of President Obama's failures and offer measured responses to left wing talking points, Palin won't back down and is the most likely candidate to take her critics on and call their demagoguery out. She has a way of looking strong when attacked and making naysayers look petty. This makes it a lot harder for the liberal media to paint Republicans as being against women, children, minorities, seniors, and puppy dogs. In fact, we might get to watch the Left self-destruct trying to paint her as a monster.
3) Fundraising draw: Her high profile and the media coverage that comes with it should provide GOP candidates down-ticket with more opportunities to raise cash. Her appearance among the tea party crowd is a huge fundraising boost for congressional candidates.
4) Makes other GOP candidates raise their performance: The Left will find this statement laughable, and yet who can they offer (besides Obama and Hillary) to compete with Sarah? Does Debbie Wasserman Schultz realize the beat-down Palin would give her in a head-to-head national election? Palin's entry into the presidential race makes her a top three contender and forces the other top GOP candidates (in my opinion Pawlenty and Romney) to step up their game. This means by the time the general election rolls around, Republicans should be well polished and better organized to take on the Obama/OFA machine.
5) The Win/Win Theory: If Sarah Palin emerges as the nominee, she has built a groundswell of support, survived tough questions, performed well at debates, shed the lightweight celebrity moniker and positioned herself as a serious contender. If she loses the nomination, it's because she was more celebrity than expert and hey, don't those Republican voters look smart and mainstream for not choosing her?
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