“A poll of GOP insiders suggests that ex-AK Gov. Sarah Palin (R) has little support among the party’s professional class — and maybe that’s just how she wants it.

“In a survey of 109 party leaders, political professionals and pundits, Palin finished 5th on the list of candidates most likely to win the party’s ’12 WH nomination. Ex-MA Gov. Mitt Romney (R) was the overwhelming choice…”

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“At issue is the role of David Keene, head of the American Conservative Union which organizes CPAC. In September, POLITICO reported that Keene asked FedEx for between $2 million and $3 million to get the group’s support in a bitter legislative battle with rival UPS.

“A source close to the Palin camp says that request led to a decision to stay away from the upcoming CPAC conference, calling it a forum that will place ‘special interests over core beliefs’ and ‘pocketbook over policy.’

“‘That’s not what CPAC should be about and people are tiring,’ the source said. ‘Palin is taking a stance against this just as she did in Alaska.'”

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“Palin had a reflexive tendency to refer to Biden as ‘O’Biden,’ Schmidt revealed. He says other people on the campaign staff came up with a solution. ‘It was multiple people — and I wasn’t one of them — who all said at the same time, ‘Just say, ‘Can I call you Joe?’ which she did.'”