As a leader, I think Sarah Palin is ...

The Frink Panel is a diverse group of local people in their 20s and 30s who share their thoughts on current events and local topics every week in Ink.

On Tuesday, Sarah Palin’s much-anticipated memoir, "Going Rogue: An American Life," was released.

The book, along with her appearance Monday, Nov. 16, on Oprah Winfrey’s program, fortifies Palin’s position as one of the best-known Republicans on the planet and raises new interest in her political prospects going forward.

"What the book does is give her the freedom to explore whether or not she can actually be a viable presidential candidate," said Kansas state Rep. Arlen Siegfreid, an Olathe Republican.

That Palin is receiving so much attention for the book is sparking speculation about what her future might hold, just as Gen. Colin Powell’s book in 1995 fueled talk that he would seek the presidency the next year.

"I don’t know that the book will make that much difference one way or the other," said University of Missouri-Columbia political scientist Jay Dow. "I honestly just don’t think it’s very easy to come back after a losing campaign."

Publication of an autobiography may not paper over Palin’s chief problem in 2008, which was her lack of readiness, said University of Texas political scientist Bruce Buchanan.

"I still think she has a preparation problem," Buchanan said.

Palin will tour for about three weeks in a bus painted with the cover of the book to places where she can expect friendly receptions: Roanoke, Va., Sioux Falls, S.D., Sioux City, Iowa, Noblesville, Ind., Washington, Pa., and Fort Bragg, N.C.

No stops are planned in Missouri or Kansas, although Palin is expected to appear in Salina, Kan., in February.

At 413 pages (with color photographs adding 16 more), "Going Rogue" already ranks as the top-selling book at Amazon.com.

Read Steve Kraske's complete story here.

As a leader, I think Sarah Palin is ...

Candis Crain

... a joke.

Look. Her problem was her lack of experience. How does quitting political office help?

I don't think writing a book will improve her chances. She would fare better as a FOX personality, lobbyist or activist.

The Republicans can find several, more qualified, spunky women with hunting experience to run next time.
Jody Evans

... a joke.

I believe she is a national embarrassment and I am insulted that if her party thought they had to pick a female running mate, she was the best they could come up with! Scary thought!

Who can consider any person that is disrespectful to others, rude, speaks without facts and lacks basic foundational skills on what it means to be an adult human and so much more?

A person like herself is deadly to things like peace, togetherness, love, caring and positive energy.
Travis Wilson

... in need of some more polishing.
Jeromey Bell

... a joke.

I remember watching the Republican National Convention last year and thinking "What were they thinking??"

If she makes it to the ticket in 2012, beliefs will be confirmed that Republicans are truly whacked in the head.
Aaron Thacker

... a joke.

Maybe I'm not seeing the reality but wasn't Palin's five minutes up a year and three months ago?

No interest in reading her book. I can only imagine the long-winded explanations crammed into this literary masterpiece.

I'd like to know is the size of the focus group needed to timely complete this project. Is she gone yet?
Hassan Al-Rubaie

... a joke.

She may be a nice person, she may be relatable, she may be a good mother, she may be easy on the eyes, but none of those things make her qualified to be the leader of the free world.

In my opinion, she consistently put her foot in her mouth during the election and even since then.

The problem is that I have no faith in the American public that they won’t actually elect her if she were to run for the office again.

Just do a search on Sarah Palin quotes and then tell me again why she should be my next president?
Aaron Lerner

Sarah Palin is just what the Republican party needs to go from being endangered to becoming fully extinct.

It would be too easy and Republican-esque of me to simply point out examples of more bigotry, hypocrisy and a lack of intelligence to prove my point.

But for people to think (with a straight face) that Sarah Palin is going to save a party of gun-totin', Busch Light drinkin', Monster Truck watchin' haters is sad, pathetic and pitiful.

Why not fit Rush Limbaugh in a little clown suit and parade him around the country as he pops pills and spews venom from a bus?

Look, all I hear about is how broke everybody is, and how this is the worst economy since the 1930s, and then some Alaskan bear-grappler pulls out a box of Crayons, scribbles out 413 pages, and all the sudden a bunch of people who can't read, much less define the word "Rogue," decide their gonna buy their first book and make this a top-seller.

Hilarious, sad and so ridiculous that I think I'm gonna get started on my own best-seller.

Keep those necks red, suckers. I think you just bought Obama another four years!
Bridgette Lipscomb

... just what the Republican party needs.

I am saying this only because she fits right in with the Republican party. They are such jewels, you know!

I am a liberal and all I have to say about Palin is that at least she is entertaining! I may even read her book.
Mike Silverman

... a joke.

As a Democrat, I think that Sarah Palin is just what the Republican Party needs, insofar as she would doom the GOP to a sure loss in the next Presidential election.

But taking off my partisan hat, I think the only proper answer is "a joke."

Sarah Palin is a proudly ignorant caricature, with about as much thoughtful leadership skills as Rowdy Roddy Piper. To even talk about her as a serious candidate is a joke.
Will Moulthrop

... just what the Republican party needs.

Out of 15 minutes of fame, she's reached about 14:45.
Lindsay Compton

... a joke.
Alissa Jensen

... a joke.

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V Holecek @ 7:45pm November 22nd, 2009

Sarah Palin is functionally dead from the neck up. Let's be serious on this, kids, there really is no such thing as "going rogue" as a government employee that doesn't constitute you being a threat to national security, or at the very least gets you fired. To claim otherwise is an insult to even the average person's intelligence.

Sure, its all a pompous charade, but I don't really think its been anything else for much longer than Palin has been on the scene. She just gave the whole travesty a designer look...