You sure can. When you accomplish more than most Governors do in less time, you are successful. Highly successful. When you leave your state with a huge surplus of money,in the billions, while 48 others are in the red and begging for Federal stimulus money, you are successful.Just on this issue alone anyone would admit her administration was highly successful. All anyone has to do is take a look at her long list of accomplishments as Governor to see just how successful she was.
I’d put her accomplishments as Governor up against any of the pretenders running against her.
Let's say argumentum that she was the most successful 29-month governor in the history of governors. Do you think mildly curious independents and downright disengaged moderate Republicans and Democrats - the people who actually elect presidents in this country - are going to give her record the careful examination that you believe it deserves, or do you think that they'll just see a lady who quit her day job to host a reality show and write a couple books?
The optics of how this will be portrayed are clear to anyone with just a passing interest in politics. The opposition's campaign commercials will write themselves, and they'll be devastating.
58% of the country didn't say they'll never vote for her for no reason - her quitting was one of the reasons, and her success as governor, however great it may have been, will be lost in the political narrative.
That's her political reality.