A couple interesting Palin items have emerged recently that are worth noting.

First, a recent Rasmussen Reports survey finds that the notion of Sarah Palin as fringe extremist and Barack Obama as pragmatic centrist may fly with the Obamites in the media, but it's not flying with the country:

Fifty-two percent (52%) of Likely U.S. Voters say their own views are closer to Sarah Palin's than they are to President Obama's, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey.

 

Just 40% say their views are closer to the president's than to those of the former Alaska governor and Republican vice presidential candidate.

Second, former President Bill Clinton has a singular message for his fellow Democrats regarding the former Alaska governor:

"It's always a mistake to underestimate your opponent."

"In the Republican primaries she's very popular with the conservative base.  She gets more people to come out," he told me. "And she hasn't won all of her endorsements, but she's won most of them.  And you know, she's a compelling, attractive figure."

...

 

"I think she's clearly a public figure who is, who speaks well and persuasively to the people who listen to her.  And she's somebody to be reckoned with," he said. "And she's tough."

Finally, a major paper in the UK is recognizing that the notion I posited a year ago (that the notion of Madam President) isn't such a wild idea anymore:

Speculation that she will run for President in 2012 is reaching fever pitch...fans and foes alike warn against the dangers of selling Palin short.

 

"Four years ago, right after she was elected, I was quoted as saying, 'The graveyards of Alaska are covered with the bones of people crossed by Sarah Palin.' While I said crossed, what I meant was underestimated," said Alaska Republican pollster David Dittman. "And that's still true. Consistently, whether it's the local city council in Wasilla, no matter where she's gone - say, on the cusp of achieving something - there've always been detractors that say it can't happen, it won't happen, this is why she won't be successful. That's why I will say, to this day, the political graveyards of Alaska - and other places - are filled with the bones of people who underestimated Sarah. And it's still happening."