Palin's picks display pragmatism, stirs 2012 talk

JUNEAU, Alaska — Sarah Palin the political pragmatist? Go figure.

With a few surprising endorsements in recent Republican primaries, the self-styled rogue of GOP politics has reaped an angry response from some of her own supporters and a fresh round of speculation about her own presidential ambitions in 2012.

"Man, what a terrible choice in Iowa, Sarah," Meghan Swella wrote on Palin's Facebook wall after the former Alaska governor announced her support for Terry Branstad in last week's gubernatorial primary.

"I guess you got co-oped by the milk toast moderates. I thought you were better than that," she scolded.

In choosing Branstad, Palin skipped over businessman Bob Vander Plaats, a tea party favorite, in favor of a former governor with a strong chance of returning to office — and wielding political power when the Iowa presidential caucuses roll around.

"She's playing her cards, and trying to set herself up" for making a push, should she run, said Dante Scala, an associate professor of political science at the University of New Hampshire who is watching to see who, or whether, Palin endorses in his state.

Palin also backed former Hewlett-Packard chief executive Carly Fiorina in last Tuesday's California Senate primary, and got a backlash on Facebook, a preferred way for Palin to communicate with supporters.

To critics who said Fiorina was a Republican in name only, Palin countered: "Most importantly, Carly is the only conservative in the race who can beat Barbara Boxer. That's no RINO. That's a winner."

For some conservatives, that's also a problem.

Shelby Blakely, executive director of the Tea Party Patriots' online publication, New Patriot Journal, said Palin's endorsement has become "so undependable, it's marginalized itself."

While she once thought highly of Palin, Blakely said that over the past two years the "Going Rogue" author has gone more establishment, and Palin's failure to criticize her own party is bothersome. "There's room for criticism (all around)," Blakely said. "If you're not willing to call it where you see it, that's useless."

Blakely said she believes Palin will endorse the most conservative candidate she can. But when there's a party establishment candidate in the running, or one who had some ties with the McCain-Palin 2008 ticket, "she'll go with that," Blakely said. She points to Palin's pick of Fiorina — who is "not conservative" — as an example.