Sarah Palin Can Play Democratic Strategist, Too

Tuesday, former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin joined the chorus of politicians urging for Democrats to put forth a presidential candidate to challenge President Obama. Speaking on Fox News she said, "More and more Democrats are going to realize that if they want to retain the Democrat control of the White House they're going to have to put somebody up in the primary against Obama." A few weeks ago, former Vice President Dick Cheney reflected on the prospect of a Democratic challenger, specifically Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, in an ABC News interview to promote his book. "Maybe if the Obama record is bad enough—and these days it's not very good, given the shape of the economy—maybe there will be enough ferment in the Democratic Party so that there will be a primary on their side." Former third party presidential candidate Ralph Nader also encouraged a Democratic primary candidate, so that the progressive issues that are often "muted and ignored" will be forced to the forefront of Obama's 2012 campaign.


With unemployment stuck at 9 percent, Obama's popularity continues to sink—for the first time in his presidency, less than half of the country views him favorably (47 percent according to a Washington Post/ABC News poll).


Nader, meanwhile, is calling for a handful of Democrats to run against Obama -- not to beat him, but just to attack him for not living up to progressive ideals, which Nader says will somehow rally the base to his side in the general election. He also said Palin would make a good addition to the presidential race because she's started to rail against "crony capitalism" -- sounding like an anti-corporatists, Nader says, as in sounding like Nader.


And Palin reiterated those talking points Tuesday, saying the election would be about ousting people who'd "followedl ike sheep" behind Obama and his "crony capitalism and corporate welfare." Though she admitted time is running out before she runs into the first deadline to get on a primary ballot on October 31, of the current Republican lineup, Palin told Hanity, "I think people are still going to be coming and going because there is still time, and I’m still one of those still considering." When Hannity asked her thoughts on the current "top three" -- Rick Perry, Mitt Romney, and Michele Bachmann, Palin flinched ever so slightly. "Ron Paul may be in front of Michele Bachmann, according to certain polls. Shoot, I’ve seen my own name up there in the top three."


Modestly, Palin granted, "I dont know how legitimate the poll is that I just looked at that said that" -- but notice she said she "just looked at" the poll -- as if it were a current one, not the polls six months ago that put her on top. A new poll from McClatchy-Marist shows Palin 5 points behind Obama in a general election -- after polling 20 points behind him earlier this year. Pollsters attributed the decline to Obama's falling support among independents. As CNN's Paul Steinhauser notes, "The poll indicates that Palin now leads the president among crucial independent voters." Still, he adds, "By a 72 to 24 percent margin, Republicans and independents who lean toward the GOP do not want Palin to run for the White House."


Meanwhile, Obama still sees Palin as a helpful fundraising tool, Politico's Alexander Burns notes. He told fundraisers in New York Tuesday night, "All that 'hopey changey stuff,' as they say? That was real.