Washington Post: Should Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin run for reelection in 2010?

• Geography is Destiny: Being from Alaska is a HUGE hurdle for Palin's national ambitions from a logistical point of view. Alaska is four hours behind east coast time and takes the better part of a day to travel to or from. That means that Palin, if she is committed to running for reelection, can't simply pop into Iowa or New Hampshire for the day -- she needs to take at least two days away from Alaska (a fact her Democratic opponents are sure to take note of) to do the sort of soil-tilling in these early primary and caucus states that is absolutely necessary for a presidential candidate.

• Not A Good Time to Be Governor: While every politician in the country wanted to be a governor earlier this decade (budget surpluses, a chance to innovate), the political landscape has shifted significantly as the economy has collapsed. Governors all over the country face serious political peril as a result -- with voters almost certain to be unhappy about the measures that their chief executives will need to take to close budget gaps.

• Building a Machine: Palin has begun -- in fits and starts -- to build a national political apparatus of the sort required to run for president. But, she has met with trouble around nearly every corner, with miscommunication between her team in Alaska and her team in Washington as the constant theme. To be taken seriously as a presidential candidate by Washington's chattering class -- a not unimportant part of the "Invisible Primary" process -- Palin must rehab her image, which has taken a serious hit since she was chosen by Sen. John McCain (Ariz.) as his running mate.


http://voices.washingtonpost.com/thefix/eye-on-2012/why-sarah-palin-shouldnt-run-f.html