Did John Thune Just Confirm The Obvious About 2012 And Sarah Palin?

I think that if she were to get into the race, it would clearly change the equation for a lot of people.

~ Senator John Thune

Well, yeah. I bet it would!

If the obvious is that no one can beat Sarah Palin in 2012, we think the answer may very well be yes, Thune just confirmed it. Andy Barr over at POLITICO gleaned this interesting little morsel from an interview Senator John Thune had with CNN on Thursday:

Sen. John Thune said Thursday that Sarah Palin’s decision whether or not to run for president will "change the equation" for him and all other potential Republican contenders.

"She is someone who has a tremendous following out there, particularly in some of the early states," the South Dakota Republican said in an interview with CNN's "Situation Room" that will air later Thursday.

"This is not a campaign where you start out and you run nationally right away," Thune said. "It's all sequence, and you have to get through certain states. She has a big following."

Thune said that he will make his decision about running sometime early next year, but he conceded that the possibility of a Palin run will be weighing heavily on his choice.

"I think that if she were to get into the race, it would clearly change the equation for a lot of people," he said.

It's becoming quite clear that folks are starting to realize just what a powerhouse Sarah Palin truly is. I would imagine her incredible record of winning endorsements has opened a lot of eyes, and made the establishment sit up and take notice. And if that hasn't, her successful mission to rid the Republican Party of dead wood, and squishy establishment elites, RINOs, most certainly has.

Sarah's game changing involvement in Alaska and Delaware has shaken the GOP elites, the Country Clubbers, to their very core.

With that said, we hope there is a robust field of Republican candidates in 2012. As Sarah herself says, competition is great. Strong competition brings out the best efforts from everyone. It makes everyone, especially the winner, even stronger.

It's more satisfying too. As a racer, those wins always tasted sweeter when I faced off against the best.

A good competitive primary will be a nice workout for Sarah as she readies to take on Barack Obama. (If indeed Obama is the nominee) Past that, the last thing anyone wants is a coronation, the perception the win was just handed to her.

Thune is a fine man, but more establishment than Conservative. Not exactly Mitt Romney 2.0, but enough of a Statist to cause some concern.

One thing about it, 2012 is already shaping up to be an interesting contest.

You can read my take on the latest statistical analysis that says Sarah is the odds-on favorite for 2012 here.

One final thought: While all of this is interesting, let's not lose sight of the fact the election is a mere five weeks away, and we all know how time flies. Get out there and knock doors, man phone lines, and do whatever you can to insure a great Conservative victory on November 2nd.