It is very hard to gauge what is going to happen in 4 years, let alone 2. No matter who the nominee (and I am fully behind Sarah at this point), these primaries have to be closed. The point about Obama being on the DEM ticket in 4 years is a good one. The DEMs will come out in force to vote for anyone on the GOP side who might have a chance of beating him.
Another thing the GOP nominee needs to do IS NOT accept public financing. If Sarah is the nominee, she could probably raise more money (at least legally) as any other candidate, including Obama (unless you count is ILLEGAL $$).
Also agree she would do great in Iowa and other conservative strongholds in the primaries, but it still really concerns me how she is going to play in the general in some of these purple states that the O won. We need a very strong message and principled conservative candidate that will appeal (and not pander as a populist) to the swing voters. I pray often that she is the one that can do it. 4 years is a long time to learn and repair your image. After all we live in a short memory society...
McCain accepted public financing because he new that he could not raise $87 million on his own, much less compete with the hundreds of millions that 0bama could raise. Given the disparity between the 2 in financing, and 0bama’s thousands of media cheerleaders across the country, and everything else going against him, he didn’t do too bad.
I believe Gov. Palin could raise lots of money. Another advantage she will have over all the others who run in the primaries is a strong ground operation, Team Sarah is already closing in on 63,000 right now, and there are a lot of other supporters out there who will work hard for her in every state. Gov. Palin has to beat 0bama at his own game, hundreds of thousands of loyal followers and volunteer workers, and lots of money. She’ll have the media against her, so she’ll have to utilize the internet to speak directly to the American people, through something like Sarah Palin Radio, and youtube videoes.
0bama also utilized thousands of his followers to swamp comment sections of every online paper and magazine with their vile comments, she will have to outdo that also, but her supporters will at least keep it civil.
It can be done, but it will take a lot of organization. Organize, organize, organize.