Palin Ramps Up Presidential Push

Richard Cohen: Now, ignorance is a virtue

(NEWSER) - HBO's Game Change is aptly titled: Sarah Palin did indeed change American politics, and not for the better, writes Richard Cohen in the Washington Post . Palin aides have confirmed the accuracy of the film's portrayal of an "ignoramus" who was "determinately incurious"; this year's "deluge of dysfunctional presidential candidates" shows that the trend has continued. "With her selection as John McCain’s running mate, American politics lost its way—and maybe its mind as well," he notes. More»

Her many missteps and 'bunker mentality' will sink her in 2012: John Ziegler

(NEWSER) - Sarah Palin has zero chance of winning in 2012, says John Ziegler, the maker of the "very first pro-Sarah documentary." Writing for the Daily Caller , Ziegler explains that despite "being approached by Sarah’s husband Todd only a month ago," you won't find him working on any Palin 2012 campaign—and "I’m pretty convinced she is running." And that's bad news, because her "doing so will damage the prospects of any conservative defeating Barack Obama in 2012." Plus, writes Ziegler, "there is absolutely no way that she can be elected." And he's told her this, "more than once." More»

President's approval fades, Mitt sitting pretty: Poll

(NEWSER) - The raid that killed Osama bin Laden bought President Obama barely a month of higher approval ratings, according to the latest Washington Post / ABCNews poll. The president's approval rating, which stood at 47% in April, surged to 57% in May, but has now dropped right back down to 47%, the poll found. Disapproval of how the president is handling the economy and the deficit is at a high, and two-thirds of respondents say the country is on the wrong track. More»

A dream come true for Barack Obama: Laura Washington

(NEWSER) - The first thing Barack Obama likely does upon waking is pinch himself and ask, "Am I still dreaming, or is the 2012 Republican field really this lame?" writes Laura Washington in a cheeky column for the Chicago Sun-Times . Much-touted would-be competitors are "dropping like tulips in Chicago’s frigid spring," much to the disappointment of comedy writers, no doubt. Trump may have dropped from contention so he could keep raking in tens of millions from NBC. "Or, my bet: He didn’t want to reveal the secret behind The Hair." More»

Palin, Trump, and other favorites weigh in

(NEWSER) - Despite the fact that Osama bin Laden's death means a popularity boost for the man they'd be up against, potential Republican presidential candidates are of course reacting positively to the news. Politico offers a roundup:

• Sarah Palin: "Americans tonight are united in celebration and gratitude. God bless all the brave men and women in our military and our intelligence services who contributed to carrying out the successful mission to bring bin Laden to justice."
• Donald Trump: "I want to personally congratulate President Obama and the men and women of the Armed Forces for a job well done. ... I am so proud to see Americans standing shoulder to shoulder, waving the American flag in celebration of this great victory."