Contender Sarah Palin's first gig on the 2012 Campaign Trail

By Mona Goldwater

with Pablo Fanque (research and analysis)

Ex-Alaska governor Sarah Palin's decision to attend and give a speech at the Southern Republican Leadership Conference in New Orleans in April, 2010 transmogrifies the gathering into the first beauty contest of the 2012 Presidential campaign. Saran Palin announced Thursday that she would attend. And she will not be attending an earlier Beltway conference (CPAC), mostly due to its far right connections (The John Birch Society, amionf others).

She'll show up at the SRLC as one of eight featured speakers (along with the usual heavy contributors, up-and-comers, and high level party hacks.

Governor Haley Barbour
Governor Mitch Daniels
Governor Bobby Jindal
Governor Tim Pawlenty
Ex-Governor Sarah Palin
Ex-Speaker Newt Gingrich
Ex-Governor Mike Huckabee
Ex-Governor Mitt Romney

So far unannounced (or weaseling) are possible candidates like Ex-Governor Mitt Romney (the GOP establishment pick for President), South Dakota Sen. John Thune, and Ex-Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich.

I bet we also see Ex-Governor Jeb Bush emerge as a contender. He may not be photogenic or possess much of a Q rating, but he's smarter and craftier than most of the field. It wouldn't shock me if Ex-George Pataki floated a trial balloon or two. Why not?! One pol who will not be testing the waters is the man eager to become Ex-Governor of California, Arnold Schwarzenegger, who, alas, was born an Austrian, and who will soon rejoin the movie business. Maybe Ex-VP Dan Quayle will give it one last hurrah, just in case lightning strikes.
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