Persona Non Palin

Love her or hate her, you have to admit this: somebody as divisive as former Gov. Sarah Palin just isn't a viable candidate for president. I know that's what people said about Hillary Clinton before she became a powerful contender, but look what happened when Sen. Barack Obama's campaign got rolling.

The L.A. Times tells us today what most of us already knew: Palin is that person GOP bigwigs don't want around:

"I am of the strong opinion that, at present day, she is not ready to be the leading voice of the GOP," said Todd Harris, a party strategist who likened Palin to the hopelessly dated "Miami Vice" -- something once cool that people regard years later with puzzlement and laughter. "It's not even that she hasn't paid her dues. I personally don't think she's ready to be commander in chief."

Others suggest a delayed response to last year's shaky campaign performance, now that the race is over and Republicans feel free to speak their minds.

"I can't tell you one thing she brought to the ticket," said Stuart K. Spencer, who has been advising GOP candidates for more than 40 years. "McCain wanted to shock and surprise people, and he did -- in a bad way."

A lot of people will write this off as just another "hit piece" from the "liberal media." Sounds like something Sarah Palin herself would say. However, these aren't anonymous sources or "party insiders" feeding the quotes. The backlash against Palin is real and significant.

It wouldn't take much to derail a Palin candidacy (hint: Mike Huckabee, Mitt Romney). So why even try to run? Palin's most effective role right now is serving as a conservative cheerleader and working the speaking circuit, which she has indicated she will do. She could turn herself into a hipper, kinder version of Ann Coulter -- before Coulter implodes from or chokes on her own hate.

No presidential run, no way, no how. That's a solution the partisans and the moderates can live with.