GOP “insiders”: Palin will be a campaign asset next year

The sentence I never thought I’d write: Republican chieftains have a fee-vah and the only prescription is more Sarahcuda!

A solid majority of Democratic Insiders said Palin would be more of a liability [59/38], while a smaller majority of Republicans [53/42] thought she would be an asset.

The GOP responses were probably the most intriguing because they reflect two ongoing debates with in the party. One, of course, is over Palin herself and her future in the party; many Republicans see her as a force, others almost hold her in contempt. The other argument focuses on whether Republicans are more likely to win elections by turning out the base or attracting independents and even a few disgruntled Democrats. Palin, who is practically a rock star to the party base but remains a polarizing figure for many non-Republicans, seems to embody that discussion. Still, she remains one of the most intriguing politicians of the day.

As one GOP insider put it: “Just like the movie with Cameron Diaz, there’s just something about Sarah. Don’t ask me to explain it, though.”

For spice, scroll down and read the “insider” quotes collected at National Journal as part of the survey. Sample: “Is Sarah Palin really the face we want to project to the American people? Jeez, where do we find these people?” Patrick Ishmael made the case a few days ago for unleashing her as a force in the congressional races and I honestly can’t see how anyone would disagree. Sure, her negatives are high, but are they so high that an independent in a red or purplish district who can’t decide how to vote is going to swing Democratic just because she shows up for a fundraiser? It’s more likely that Republicans who’d otherwise stay home or ignore the congressional race altogether will light up when she comes to town. That is to say, what makes Palin a potentially weak presidential nominee doesn’t really come into play in targeted congressional campaigning: Because she’s not a candidate herself, her perceived shakiness on national policy won’t matter, and since she can be deployed to rural districts that appreciate her strengths, there’s less worry of her alienating urban undecideds. All she needs to deliver is charisma and the imprimatur of “true conservatism” and she could do that in her sleep. Which I guess explains how the same “insiders” who ranked her seventh as a potential nominee a few months ago could be gung ho to have her out on the trail in House and Senate races next year.

In the meantime, she’s promising to debut a new Twitter feed soon — one that’s decidedly “less politically correct” than the one she runs now. What could go wrong?

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