To repeat myself, can you give me tangible evidence (links to articles or video) that supports your claim that pundits were/are calling her irrelevant? You can’t just list a bunch a liberals, libertarians, or even conservatives and say “these people said it.” Not to be rude, but it sounds like you either a.) misunderstood what these pundits were talking about (if they indeed used “Palin” and “irrelevant” in the same sentence), or b.) made it all up, especially when you wrap up your comment with this:

“I wonder why you’d question such a description of Sarah Palin, it was pretty widely expressed by many in the punditry following her resignation.”

Well, I wonder why you can’t produce any evidence of it. If it’s so ubiquitous then why can’t I find any substantiating evidence of it?

I agree with what Tyler said, that if the word ‘irrelevant’ was thrown around it was in reference to any 2012 aspirations. I don’t think that any prominent pundit or eminent detractor would be stupid enough to make the claim that she’s now “irrelevant.”

Finally, to counter your entire argument, and to add upon what Noah was saying, CNN released a poll yesterday that revealed that Palin’s favorability has been sinking, especially, and this is the important part, among Republicans and conservatives.

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2009/08/12/cnn-poll-favorable-view-of-palin-dipping/

Arianna Huffington
Keith Olbermann
Rachel Maddow
Peggy Noonan
Jack Cafferty
Howard Dean
DNC Spokesmen
The Daily Kos

Just to name a few people/places that have declared Sarah Palin to be irrelevant.

I wonder why you’d question such a description of Sarah Palin, it was pretty widely expressed by many in the punditry following her resignation.

Conor, I was only referring to the culturally conservative House districts where Democrats have made significant inroads since the 2006 midterms. Take a guy like Bobby Bright, a Democrat who captured a previously Republican-held seat in Southern Alabama. In 2004, Bush carried this district with 67% of the vote (compared to Kerry’s 33%). McCain, a candidate who could not excite the conservative base like Bush (particularly the religious conservatives), dropped to 63% compared to an increase of 3% for Obama. Bobby Bright ended up winning that seat by less than 2,000 votes. I’d argue that had McCain presented a more socially conservative image, his margin of victory would have increased enough for those votes to trickle down to his party’s nominee in the House race that they ended up losing.

I agree that she has the charisma and the ideology to reap some funds for potential Republican candidates, but ultimately this fundraising strategy will be nulled by the fact that the people who donate to her are hardcore supporters anyway and their numbers are shrinking at a consecutive rate. As time progresses you’ll find her making more and more discredited nut-job observations, such as Obama’s “Death Panel,” that will surely make even the most loyal supporters shirk. The South and the Sun-Belt States are turning more blue and the Republican party is contracting, becoming more conservative and exclusive in the process. Let’s not forget that Republicans use tacit racism to get elected (which explains the southern switch from solidly Democratic to solidly Republican after Johnson passed the Civil Rights Act of 1964), and lets remember that America is becoming less “white.” Don’t be fooled by the recent town hall demonstrations as representative of any Republican preponderance.

Finally, the amount she raises is not a show-stopping figure. And it’s less money than that raised by the political action committee of former Gov. Mitt Romney of Massachusetts. His committee, the Free and Strong PAC, recorded more than $1.6 million by the end of May.

I agree with Noah, she’s terrifying.

- Romney & Rudy to hone the economic message in the northeast

- Palin to push traditional values in the South & Midwest

- Up-and-comers like Fiorina and M. Whitman in California.