There is much speculation about whether or not Sarah Palin will enter the 2012 Presidential race. Some of the naysayers base their opinions on the assumption that time is running out for her to put together a nationwide organization.

Well, I’m no fancy-dancy political pundit, but it occurs to me that some of these royal smart people may not be considering a few 21st century political realities…

Starting right after the 2008 election, Sarah made the first of a series of political investments that she can cash in over the next 14 months: Saxby Chambliss, Georgia Senate runoff. In 2010 she made 64 similar “investments” all over the country:

In the real world of politics, favors count. Sure, not all of those candidates won – but even the losers got thousands, and in some cases millions, of votes. Every one of them can most certainly be counted on for a little quid pro quo, as it were, when the time comes. Go play on the interactive map. Take a look at some of the people who owe Sarah, at least in part, for their current jobs: Rick Perry, Michele Bachmann, Rand Paul, Marco Rubio. Could be some valuable “quids” there, huh?

Notice how many states she’s already campaigned in and where she’s probably made contacts with some of the highest profile political leaders in both the TEA Party and the Republican Party. Gosh, how many phone calls do you think she’ll have to make to round up a few “important” endorsements in a few key primary states? Then realize that her two book tours, her various non-campaign speaking engagements, and most recently, her “One Nation” tour have earned her a whole lot of political capital. A whole lot. Gazillions. She is the Warren Buffet of political investors. And those investments have already paid off big time by earning her millions of supporters who have seen her in one or more venues or are regular posters or visitors on one of the more than 100 blogs and websites dedicated to supporting Sarah Palin. That’s even better than money in the bank – that’s votes in the ballot box.

Sarah has almost 3 million Face Book friends, and nearly 500,000 followers on Twitter right now. Mitt Romney, by contrast has just over 1 million friends on FB, Michele Bachmann is close to 500,000, and Rick Perry barely passed the 100,000 mark. I’m sure they have Twitter accounts and the number of followers is growing daily – but Sarah’s been “investing” in this stock for a lot longer. The announced field of candidates is seriously lagging behind Sarah in these assets.

When it comes down to push or shove, a successful campaign needs a huge network of leaders and followers, organizers and volunteers, generals and soldiers – in all 50 states. Sarah has that force ready and waiting – they just need the call to action. She has spent the last two and a half years carefully, quietly, wisely investing in her candidacy for President.

At the end of the day – or more appropriately, at the end of the primary season, who will have the most committed delegates at the convention? My money is on the candidate who understands the economics of the political world; the candidate who can see the immediate opportunities and the long term objectives and act accordingly; the candidate who has knowingly invested her time and efforts in promoting and supporting a better, stronger America for the past three years. Because that’s an investment that will pay real dividends. Sarah Palin isn’t the lightweight the LSM makes her out to be. Check back here this time next year and see how her stock is doing as we head into November, 2012.

For those of you who still think Sarah won’t run, just watch this…

Just over a year ago Rick Perry was in the political fight of his life facing establishment favorite Kay Bailey Hutchinson in a Republican primary in the Texas gubernatorial race. Most pundits – and voters – agree that the turning point in the campaign came when Sarah Palin threw her support behind Perry. Asking an enthusiastic crowd the key question, Palin queried – “I want to hear Texas, what’s it gonna be: the way they operate in D.C. or the way y’all get things done in Texas?” In the end Perry won the primary by 20 points and the general by more than 12.

This is an example of “classical” politics versus “popular” politics. To paraphrase one of my favorites humorists, Dave Berry, classical politics (as in “classical music or liturature”) is that which is not popular. Twenty-first century American politics is definitely tuned to popular – the classics have been relegated to the elite few and snubbed by the masses for both Republicans and Democrats. We saw that in 2000 when Al Gore tried for a third round of the Clinton administration and in 2004 when a retread John Kerry generated even less enthusiasm than Gore had four years earlier. This trend was supremely defined in the 2008 Democrat primary when classic liberal politics in the person of Hillary Clinton was tossed unceremoniously onto the trash heap of history by the fresh, new, popular candidate. The same response was seen in the Republican race when same-old – same-old John McCain livened up his campaign with a rockin’ hot and exciting hockey mom from Alaska and revived a boring old “classical” race.

All indicators seem to be that the electorate in 2012 wants to be charmed by new once more. The classicists keep trying to shove Mittens Romney at the Republican faithful – or as alternatives, they’ve trotted out Newt Gingrich, Tim Pawlenty, and other assorted has-beens. Good guys – just not popular reading this summer.

Ever since the rumor mill started churning out the story about Perry’s imminent entry into the contest, there’s been an undercurrent of excitement that was not only noted in the press, but almost welcomed with a giddiness that isn’t normally seen in Republican circles. What, pray tell, is driving this dither you may ask.

John Podhoretz suggests it might be more William Blatty than William Shakespeare:

Most people outside Texas know very little about Perry, but given his standing as a kind of amalgam of George W. Bush and Sarah Palin and Mike Huckabee, he may soon occupy an unprecedented position in the imagination of liberals and the Left—perhaps the most frightening specter of anti-liberalism since Ronald Reagan precisely because he is electable. The conservative boogeyman is back.

How “soon” did the liberal talking heads start exploding? Less than 24 hours since Perry’s announcement and the LSM, together with it’s puppet masters in the DNC and the White House, have all been predictably reactive in focusing the attacks on Governor Perry. David Axelrod, Debbie Whatshername-Schultz, and the WH spokesman all came out with the official talking points aimed directly at Perry. Nary a mention of Michele Bachmann who won the Iowa straw poll yesterday. Or Sarah Palin whose Friday appearance at the Iowa State Fair attracted huge crowds of supporters and reporters everywhere she went.

So exactly what is Perry’s role in this popular plot? Is he the real hero or just the next character introduced to move the storyline to its eventual climax?

Well, if this is a contemporary piece, there’s probably another twist in store before we get to the last chapter.

We all know who the Boogeyman really is and it’s not Rick Perry.

What’s left to discover is who the hero of this story is – Captain America or Wonder Woman? My money’s still on Wonder Woman – and I don’t mean Michele Bachmann.

There was a bit of a dither aboard a Delta flight bound for Atlanta today when a bat hitchhiked a ride on Atlantic Southeast Airlines and scared the holy beejeepers out of the paying customers. The incident ended without loss of life for either species of flying mammal.

Senator Fred Thompson, however, gets the last – and best – word:

Some people just have a knack for doing or saying something at exactly the right time to get the maximum impact. Sarah Palin has taken that “knack” to a whole new level with her new video and the announcement that her “One Nation Tour” will be kicking off in Iowa on Friday.

She not only steals the spotlight from the other Republicans who are on the ground for the Iowa straw poll this Saturday just by being there, she totally knocks the wheels off Obummer’s bus with her one-line comparison between the two adventures: “Unlike next week’s Obama Bus Tour, taxpayers aren’t funding our tour…” Ba-da-BOOM!!!

Whether or not she decides to run is immaterial. Sarah Palin is a force of nature. She will defeat Obama in 2012. She has his number and she isn’t afraid to call it anytime, any place. He is so toasted.

I expect the trolls to start foaming at the mouth momentarily.

Guest Post by Loki

The Democrats are sinking as if they were in quicksand. Obama’s reelection looks dimmer than a burnt out 15 watt bulb. He reaches into his nearly empty bag of tricks to throw class hatred of the rich. Hateful rhetoric has become the weapon of choice and last resort. Stoking the flames of hatred they call all that oppose them extremists and terrorist. Backed into a corner with no record, no ideas and no leadership they are lashing out demonizing conservatives.

Through years of creeping social programs this country has become a nation of young who think they are entitled to feed at the public trough. Just like in Greece and Europe our young think they are owed a living and the ‘Constitutional Right’ to a full toy box of electronics and vehicles.

And when those perceived ‘rights’ are trimmed they ignore reality and throw temper tantrums trashing the rights of those the ‘progressives’ have told them to blame. In Europe they are rioting for toys and to get back at the ‘rich’.

In the USA we have race riots that are ignored by the liberal media to protect their nominee for president. They ignore what would have been front page news were a republican president. ‘Progressives’ show there true regressive colors calling for censoring those that question their destruction of our country and the economy. Anything to protect their collaborators in social engineering for fairness.

The only question that remains is when the extreme violence of Europe will bleed across the Atlantic. And how much violence we will see in our own streets. For it is not a question of ‘if’ but ‘when’. And will the media blame Republicans?

Having recently completed an online training program dealing with a subject that some would call dull as dirt (others would say “boring as hell”), I have an appreciation for the challenges that such endeavors must overcome. Not only are you charged with delivering pertinent, if not vital, information, you must somehow convey said information in such a way as to render the victim student conscious throughout. This is not an easy task. It’s not about the information – it’s all about the delivery. Sorta like childbirth.

Can you imagine having to create a “fun” instructional video for the Transportation Security Administration targeted to the flying public about going through airport security?

Yeah, that’s going to be a popular video.

Actually, yes it will be. At the behest of the CEO of Glacier International Airport, three eminently talented guys from the Flathead rose to the occasion with this unbelievably entertaining infomercial. This one’s going viral.

Without further ado – The Singing Sons of Beaches…

H/T to my Evil Twin.