Here’s why Palin is a front-runner for president in 2012: she fits the now-standard right-wing NeoCon bill to a tee. They started with Reagan, had to allow Bush Sr. because he was VP, but then picked up the ball with Bush Jr., and are now lined up and ready with Palin.

In short: they have someone with folksy, down-home stage-and-screen appeal who’ll whip up the masses, someone on board ideologically, but most importantly–this is the real key–someone who is not all that bright and can be easily manipulated to allow the real show to be run by the NeoCon lieutenants.

I don’t think that Palin’s selection as VP in ’08 was a mistake. Clearly McCain didn’t choose her–it was made by more powerful forces behind the scenes who likely had their eyes on Palin already as the most likely to suit their eventual needs. I think there was an understanding that Obama would win, and that they didn’t have anyone who could really pull it off, not after the horrific mess that Bush created. They even needed a Democrat who they could then use as a punching bag and heap all of the blame for their eight years of misdeeds. So they did what any football team would do in a rebuilding year: they set up future prospects, began to establish strengths for the next season, and began a strategy aimed for that time. If they happened to win in ’08, then great, but I think they knew it was a lost cause.

Palin is the New Bush, who was the New Reagan. The NeoCons have a game plan, it has done well in the past, and they will continue to go by the playbook.