What Is She Up To Now?

After a string of recent departures, the Republican field is starting to look a little bare. But have no fear, because Sarah Palin might be coming back. The former Alaska governor and vice-presidential nominee just bought an 8,000 square-foot home in Scottsdale, AZ. The house is walled, gated, and sits on over four acres of land in the middle of the desert. It would seem like an odd choice for a commercial fisherman from Alaska, along with his wife a former sportscaster, and their five children, right?

But it would make just the perfect place to set up headquarters for another presidential run. The timing certainly couldn’t be better. Mitch Daniels is out. Donald Trump is out. And perhaps most importantly, Mike Huckabee, the saving grace of evangelicals, has decided not to run, leaving a vacuum that few besides Palin can fill. In recent days, Palin rehired a pair of logistics aides who she had previously dismissed, and according to some who know her well, is planning to ramp up her public exposure. As if that weren’t enough, a full-length film detailing her life as governor is in the final stages of editing by conservative filmmaker Stephen Bannon.

Of course, Palin and her staff aren’t saying anything just yet. But with the Republican field as it stands, Obama’s reelection is a pretty sure-fire thing. If Palin runs, it might not help the GOP, but at least it will make things more entertaining.

—Thomas L. Hauch