Constant Conservative

Betsy’s got a few ideas that Governor Palin might want to consider:

As for Palin’s future, if she wants to have a try again at national politics in either 2012 or 2016, I have a few recommendations for what she should do. She should subscribe to some conservative magazines and the Wall Street Journal and read them regularly so that she add more depth to her understanding of conservative ideas and policies. And she can continue to call into conservative talk radio. That will keep her name out there among conservatives, but she needs to do more. She’ll have to prove that she can do more than talk to those who already agree with her. She could start writing columns on issues rather as Fred Thompson has been doing. That would keep her name out there in connection with conservative ideas and demonstrate a deeper understanding on a wider variety of issues than she demonstrated during the campaign. In fact, I’d recommend that she get to know Fred Thompson better and find a way to couple her energy with his ability to understand and explain conservative positions. A lot of conservatives were hoping that Fred Thompson would be the candidate who could explain conservatism to the American people, but he just didn’t seem to have the energy to engage in the politics necessary for winning elections. She has the energy; now she needs that gravitas.

[ed: emphasis mine]

The statement in bold is absolutely critical. If Palin is to convince the next generation (politically speaking) that she should be the standard bearer, then she absolutely must prove it. Betsy’s recommendation that she (Palin) take some pointers from Thompson is spot on. I supported him (as much as an Independent could) in the primaries, but he seemed to wash out too soon. One wonders if he didn’t find the politics of it all much too painful, and is simply at his best when expositing conservative doctrine.

Betsy’s got much more than this, so read it all.