The GOP base and many on FR have fallen in love with Palin because of her life choices. She choose life for her dow syndrome baby and she is a hunter. Palin’s life story champions small town America.
Unfortunately, Palin’s small town American values are a turn off to suburbia. With problems in Iraq, housing market, and the stock market, suburbanites now perceive the GOP as a country club for Southern Baptists who care only about banning gay marriage. The media’s focus on Palin’s social conservativism reinforce that sterotype.
In the future, conservatives need to reconnect with surburban voters by proving to them that they can be trusted with solving problems. The coming budget problems facing several states will provide opportunities for our rising stars like Palin, Jindal, Crist, and Sanford to show to the world that being a Republican does not equal dumb hick.
Hammer, meet head of nail.