Sarah Palin's move to put her mouth to the megaphone that is Fox News is causing a
.
As vice-presidential candidate she was widely criticised, even ridiculed in the press, which was at times marked by its partisan coverage of the US election. Even the conservative safe havens, including her new employers, couldn't help but include some sardonic commentary when Palin's obvious lack of geographical knowledge became embarrassing:
Long after the snickers died down the network was once again dutifully behind Palin and the Republican's message on healthcare. So much so, in fact, that Sean Hannity admitted it had let an "inadvertent mistake" slip into its coverage of her attendance at a rally last November. The network used footage of a rally two months earlier, where far more Republican supporters were present. The inconsistency was aired by The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, forcing this apology:
The motives behind Palin's move to Fox News as a part-time contributor, which will doubtlessly raise her profile and bank balance, have divided opinion among commentators.
After her unexpected resignation as governor in the summer, the question on everyone's mind was what next? Was this a move designed to vault her into a position to run for president in the next general election, as
? Clearly
not according to CNN's Ed Hornick
, however Howard Kurtz of the Washington Post thinks
she could use the added exposure to launch a bid for national office
.
Whatever her designs, she should feel right at home alongside some of Obama's staunchest critics. Her new colleagues, including Bill O'reilly and Sean Hannity, enjoy some of the highest ratings in cable news, the former of which she'll join as a pundit on "The O'Reilly Factor" for her first duty.
