I believe that Sarah Palin's problem is not that she is "miserably uninformed" but that she is perceived to be uninformed. The media has virtually destroyed her on this issue. Saturday Night Live probably more than any other outlet. An uninformed politician has normally not a fatal defect. By way of example, Vice President elect Joe Biden is miserably
misinformed, demonstrably dishonest, and the thief of other man's thoughts, a plagiarist. Nevertheless, he carries the honorarium, "Vice President elect Joseph Biden."
Biden gets away with it for two reasons, the media favors him and sounds authoritative. In his debate with Palin he misspoke numerous times but it affected the race not at all. What counts is how the television shows the individual. Biden showed authoritative and Palin showed nouveau.
Hence, my suggestion that Palin hire a forensic coach to address the perception problem.
I disagree emphatically that now is too early for Palin to make her mark on the energy issue. She must do the spadework and now so that she can speak from a well-established position of authority when these matters go before the Congress. It will be too late then to both gain recognition and persuade. Let her speak now from a prepared text on the full range of energy issues. It is not merely a question of the price at the pump but of jobs in the coal mines and factories and the price of bread and milk for the kids. The energy issue is a gold mine for conservatives. If we wait we will lose the March.
“I believe that Sarah Palin’s problem is not that she is “miserably uninformed” but that she is perceived to be uninformed”
Perceived to be "uninformed" by the media, not by Republicans and conservatives, who are the ones that matter.
If anyone has any more doubts remaining about how Gov Palin energizes the base, they should have those doubts put to rest by the near hysteria that greeted her when she campaigned for Chambliss in the run off elections, and the subsequent massive 14% win by Chambliss, when the RCP average only had Chambliss ahead by 5%.
Remember, this was AFTER McCain had lost the elections. The fervor that Republicans have for her hasn't diminished in the slightest after the elections.
I like Palin, too, but Jindal is simply a MUCH better qualified candidate. My preferred 2012 ticket is Jindal/Palin, which is the best combination of brains and charisma that the Republicans can possibly field.
Sarah Palin does not have a perception problem with the media. The MSM reacted in exactly the same way I predicted they would if a conservative were to be nominated: they went into a foaming frenzy and jumped the shark. They gave Sarah much more free publicity by being so biased against her than, say, Biden got. Sarah gets to use that leverage as much as she cares to.