She's No Longer News, But Now It's Her Turn

Maybe I’m watching the wrong TV shows, but it’s my distinct impression that I haven’t seen nearly as much of Sarah Palin. 

OK, there was the now-infamous segment of her pardoning a turkey for Thanksgiving while another hapless gobbler was being slaughtered in the background. But Palin just isn’t news anymore. 

It’s time now for her to cash in – and I hope she does. Sarah Palin was elevated to a position she didn’t belong in by a GOP campaign team whose judgment must have been on vacation. Did she lose the election for McCain? I don’t think so. For every Republican voter who may have been turned off by her selection as a running mate, there was likely at least one who was inspired by it, so at worst you could probably say it was a wash.

Governor Palin was ridiculed and abused by people like me, albeit people who get paid bigger bucks and have a national audience, for two months. Now, it’s her turn. In my opinion, she has earned a zillion dollar book deal. And don’t forget what she might pull in from endorsing a line of eyeglass frames. If Joe the Plumber is cashing in, she’s entitled to multiples of what he will get.

But the clock is ticking, and she needs to strike while she’s hot. I’d hate to see her go the way of that losing vice-presidential candidate who made those American Express commercials which as I recall, revolved around the joke that you wouldn’t remember him. And I don’t.

As for political capital, well, that’s a whole ‘nother animal. If Sarah Palin wants that, I still think she’s going to have to earn it, serving a term in Congress or the U.S. Senate.

But right now, opportunity is knocking on another of the doors in front of her, and I hope she walks through.

I’m glad she’s not real news anymore – there’s certainly enough of that to deal with. But it’s ching-ching-ching time for Sarah, and I’m really happy for her.

There, now I’ve said it.