(Image source: Wikimedia Commons) 

BY CHRISTINA HARTMAN

You're watching multisource politics news analysis from Newsy

She hasn’t said whether she’ll run in 2012 - but political pundits can’t stop talking about former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin.

“Her approval numbers are down. She's still a powerful figure in the party and a more powerful figure than some of the other Fox commentators.” (MSNBC)

She’s had political tongues wagging since her failed run for the White House alongside Presidential candidate John McCain in 2008. She’s the darling of the Tea Party movement. (RNC VIDEO, C-SPAN)

But now - the debate is over a perceived rift between Palin and establishment Republicans. In an op-ed for The Hill former New Hampshire governor and three-term senator Judd Gregg points out - the New Hampshire primary is less than a year away. Republicans aren’t close to having a clear front runner yet. (VIDEO FROM YOUTUBE)

He writes - that could be good news for Palin -- and bad news for the Grand Old Party:

“...it is entirely possible that ... a candidate who runs second or third in a great many primaries could go into the convention with a sizable block of delegates. … [Palin] is viewed by many as a person worth voting for to make a statement. ... And picking a nominee who it seems would be easily defeated by President Obama might not be the best statement.”

Other prominent conservatives who’ve publicly criticized a Palin nomination include syndicated columnists Charles Krauthammer, George Will, and The Weekly Standard’s Matt Labash.

On MSNBC - Politico’s John Harris explains - Palin’s -quote- “politics of grievance” has establishment Republicans distancing themselves from her.

JOHN HARRIS, POLITICO EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: “Conservatives have typically criticized liberals for always playing the victim and trying to achieve their political ends by playing the victim card and what they're saying is Sarah Palin is doing some of the same things by crying sexism... In fairness to Sarah Palin, she has proven to be a much more effective mobilizer of support than these conservative intellectuals who are criticizing her in this story.”

And a mobilizer of support she is -- according to Business Insider, snagging as much as $100,000 per event in speaking fees. That’s exactly why a blogger for The Lonely Conservative suggests - conservatives against Palin are going after the wrong person.

“Note to Republicans with a microphone, or a keyboard or a pen: You have a big target for the 2012 election ... and his initials are BO. Whoever is the Republican nominee is going to need all the fundraising help he or she can get... People really should think about that before they go ticking her off.”

And The Atlantic’s Joshua Green argues - if anyone’s trying to intimidate Palin out of the running - they’re more likely to get the opposite.

“When has disapproval from establishment Republicans stopped her in the past? … If the goal here is to intimidate Palin into staying on the sidelines, it seems to me the likelier effect is that it will goad her into entering the race.”
 

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