Palin to Walters: 2012 'Not on My Radar,' But...

Campaign aims to do the opposite of McCain

(NEWSER) - Team Romney’s rule of thumb: Do the opposite of everything John McCain did in 2008, or so reports Politico in a look at the campaign's strategy. The approach applies broadly, say advisers—focus hugely on the economy, fully engage in fundraising, integrate early with the Republican National Committee—but comes most into play in the search for a VP. The campaign doesn’t want to end up with its own version of Sarah Palin, so it is going to great lengths to avoid anyone who could be seen as unprepared. The goal, according to one official: Go with an "incredibly boring white guy." More»

Oh, yeah, I read about that somewhere, says still-angry Sarah

(NEWSER) - Not one to forgive and forget, Sarah Palin took the opportunity yesterday to kick Katie Couric now that she's down—and exiting as CBS News anchor. Couric famously put Palin on the spot in an interview during the presidential campaign when Palin was unable to name a single publication she reads regularly. Asked on Fox News about Couric's departure, Palin quipped: "Yeah I read something about that in a newspaper." She also mocked Couric's comment that the anchor was leaving her job to explore "multi-dimensional" story telling. More»

Sarah Palin and ... the cast of 'Jersey Shore'?

(NEWSER) - Sarah Palin has now made Barbara Walters' Most Fascinating People List two years in a row. Palin is among the eight names Walters revealed today, People reports. Others include princess-in-waiting Kate Middleton , new mom Sandra Bullock , tween obsession Justin Bieber , universally beloved Betty White , basketball star LeBron James , new American Idol judge Jennifer Lopez , and ... wait for it ... the cast of Jersey Shore . The final two names will be revealed during Walters' special, airing Dec. 9 at 10pm. More»

Her loose-knit organization makes it up as it goes along—effectively

(NEWSER) - Tucked inside a 7-page New York Times piece on Sarah Palin comes this nugget: "I am" considering a run for president in 2012, she tells writer Robert Draper, adding that she will decide after evaluating whether she brings anything unique to the field of GOP hopefuls. Highlights from the piece:

• The 2008 campaign: "Less well known was the Palin who agitated for more access to the media (other than Katie Couric), who was seen more than once passed out on her hotel bed half-buried in briefing books and index cards and whose thriftiness when it came to her wardrobe was so obvious that one senior strategist clucked of the Palins, “These people shop at Dillards!'" writes Draper.
• Inside Palin World: There are a handful of core advisers without titles operating remotely. "The inhabitants of Palin World have loosely defined duties and thus invariably play outside their lanes. 'It’s kind of like if you reach out and for whatever reason someone’s not responding, then someone else jumps in,' " one tells Draper.

'Barack Obama would crush her,' says insider

(NEWSER) - After tomorrow, Republican establishment leaders will shift their focus to another hurdle: making sure Sarah Palin doesn’t get the 2012 presidential nomination. In interviews with advisers to other presidential contenders, Politico found wide-ranging agreement that the former Alaska governor must be stopped. “There is a determined, focused establishment effort to find a candidate we can coalesce around who can beat Sarah Palin,” said one. More»