Sarah Palin Stresses Her Electability as a Reason for Presidential Run

Palin stresses her electability as a reason to run for president in 2012

Over the past month, former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin (R) has quietly altered her case for the presidency in a savvy shift of rhetoric.

The lofty goal? Turning the main reason a Republican might oppose her into the primary reason for voting for her. If she can pull it off, the nomination might be hers, but she is up against a tough set of barriers.

Every candidate must have a compelling reason for running, and until one month ago, Palin’s was simple.

In October, she told “Entertainment Tonight” that she would only run if the field were missing a candidate who had “common sense” and “pro-Constitution passion.”

It there were such a candidate, Palin would opt out of a race and be “their biggest supporter and biggest help-mate.”

That answer boxed Palin in considerably, because the field will likely include at least a few candidates who fit those criteria. For example, Palin gave a ringing endorsement to Texas Gov. Rick Perry (R), a possible 2012 candidate, in his reelection bid earlier this year.

“He does what is right regardless of whether it is popular. He walks the walk of a true conservative. And he sticks to his guns — and you know how I feel about guns!” she said of him at the time.

And there are other names closely associated with the Tea Party movement, of which Palin is a prominent member, who might run: Rep. Mike Pence (R) of Indiana, former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum (R) and former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.).

If the economy does not improve substantially and President Obama continues to sink in the polls, Sarah Palin will run for President. But, she will enter the race late. In the meantime, she will do events, raise money and keep in the public eye – on Fox News.

The Big 4 candidates in the race, other than Sarah Palin, will be Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels, Indiana Rep. Mike Pence, Mitt Romney and Mike Huckabee. I don’t think Newt Gingrich will be a factor. In a multi-way GOP primary Sarah Palin will definitely be a top tier candidate. But, the attack ads of Romney and the others might be brutal and sink her candidacy.