Let me finish tonight with Sarah Palin.
The downside for me of having never met her, I lack the full picture. Does she come off phoney or real in person? Can't tell you.
But here's what I can tell you. She's got a dynamite instinct for the stage and I mean that as a real compliment. She knows the connection between the figure up there under the lights and the guy or woman down in the crowd. She can connect back and forth nano-second by nano-second with the audience and "boy" is that powerful stuff. And that goes for television, too. She loves the tube and it loves her back.
Given that, here's how I look at Palin and 2012:
There's no reason in the world why Barack Obama should have so easy a challenger next time as Sarah Palin. We are a great country and should have, at least try to have, great leaders. She should either show us some hard, informed thinking about where the country needs to go or stick to the schtik she's been offering so well -- enjoy the fanfare, collect the bucks and enjoy life from the sidelines.
I want a 2012 where both candidates have the promise to be solid presidents - even if I don't agree with one - or either.
Whatever Barack Obama's degree of success, ultimately, he's clearly got the substance to fill the office. Palin has yet to show she does -- and most people watching right now, - whatever your beliefs about what this country needs to do now, know it.