Maybe you’ve heard about this already during the holiday weekend but recently Sarah Palin said on her whirlwind book tour of America’s backwater locations that she was open to the concept of pairing up with radical right conspiracy theorist Glenn Beck for the 2012 election.

From TPM:

Palin told Fox News she “got a kick” out of the idea of them running together. She went on cheerfully, “He probably thought it was just a hoot too. I don’t know, we’ll see.” Palin told Newsmax she could “envision a couple of different combinations, if ever I were to be in a position to really even seriously consider running for anything in the future, and I’m not there yet.” She added: “But Glenn Beck I have great respect for. He’s a hoot.”

Beck pushed back harshly on his radio show the next day:


BECK: I don’t think things are hoots. I don’t. I don’t think it’s a hoot. I would never use the word hoot, and I respectfully ask that every time my name is brought up she would stop using the word ‘hoot.’ [...]

No, no I’m just saying — Beck-Palin, I’ll consider. But Palin-Beck — can you imagine, can you imagine what an administration with the two of us would be like? What? Come on! She’d be yapping or something, and I’d say, “I’m sorry, why am I hearing your voice? I’m not in the kitchen.”

Wow. One of the reasons Palin is popular among conservatives is that she appears on the surface to offer some modernity — a young, confident leader who happens to be female and a mother. She can bring home the bacon, fry it up in a pan….and never ever let you forget you’re a man as the old perfume jingle used to go.

Beck’s egotistical sexism cannibalizes one of the GOP’s best base energizers. Palin is popular precisely because she represents an updated party, yet it’s clear that even within the Republican mouthbreathing bigot base, she’s controversial and not just because of her stupidity — because she’s female. That’s no way to draw in independents and women. This statement makes him a dark horse for 2012 before he’s out of the gate.

Then you’ve got the Draft Cheney 2012 movement. Republicans must surely be desperate for leadership if they are thinking of bringing back the most unpopular member of the previous failed administration, an administration whose incompetence was only exceeded by its power-thirsty corruption. Cheney, to his credit, has been discouraging (CNN Political Ticker):

“Draft Dick Cheney 2012″ officially launched on Friday and unveiled a new Web site. The group hopes to follow up the on-line launch with a more formal structure, which they say will include building a database and reaching out through social networks like Facebook and Twitter.

So what does Cheney think of the push to motivate him to seek the White House?

“Why would I want to do that?” he replied. “It’s been a hell of a tour. I’ve loved it. I have no aspirations for further office,” Cheney said in an interview with Politico.

My hope: Cheney-Palin — now that’s a great ticket for Obama to run against. Ahhh…perchance to dream.

Finally Mike Huckabee apparently commuted the sentence of Maurice Clemmons, a career criminal and child rapist, allowing him to be freed on parole. Freed to kill 4 cops execution-style a couple of days ago. 2012 is a long time from now so he might be able to recover. But chances are, his part in freeing a cop killer might be tough to overcome in debates and attack ads, potentially dimming his 2012 chances.

Who will be the winners for the GOP 2012 primaries? Only time will tell. But at this point, man, it looks wide open. Or narrowed down to re-animating Ronald Reagan’s 101-year corpse (via @baratunde & The Onion).

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