This week I have a cover story on Sarah Palin: is she running for President or to become a right wing Oprah? Certainly, celebrity is a major part of her persona – much as it was with Barack Obama early on. Time was politicians ran for higher office to get famous. Now, fame is a momentum-building tool that greases the tracks to the nomination. If she runs, Palin would be the frontrunner. If she doesn’t run, she would be the Party’s most important kingmaker.
She certainly is sounding more and more bullish on a run. From when I began talking with her about a story more than three months ago till two days ago when I last exchanged e-mails with her, she has sounded increasingly interested in running. And if she doesn’t she’s going to be awfully bored next year: her speaking engagements have tapered off (as with other potential candidates, like New Gingrich, the Washington Speakers Bureau warns clients that these speakers may not be able to fulfill their contracts if they decide to run); her book tour has ended; her TLC series is ending soon. Palin plans a foreign trip early next year, tentatively planned to England and Israel amongst other countries – a must for presidential wannabes. But after that, her schedule, thus far, is clear.
Will she run? We probably won’t know for a while. But, in the meantime, we’re sure to hear more from her on Facebook and twitter. Getting into the limelight has never been her problem.