Palin to Launch National Tour

Sarah Palin has as much or more name recognition than anyone in the field. Waiting untill everyone is sick to death and dejected with the pathetic field of candidates on the Republican side and then jumping in late is brilliant strategy in my opinion.

Palin’s plans are sure to roil a Republican presidential field that had appeared to be taking shape. Her appearance with Rolling Thunder, a gathering of Harley-riding veterans, appears designed to cement her ties with blue-collar voters and underscores the threat she poses to other candidates who had hoped to appeal to the same conservative-leaning constituency.

Among them: former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, who officially launched his campaign this week; ex-Sen. Rick Santorum, R-Pa., who has set an official campaign launch for June 6, and Rep. Michele Bachmann, R-Minn., who raised $240,000 just over 24 hours on Thursday before heading to Iowa, where she will headline a Friday GOP fundraiser. Bachmann had to cancel plans to attend another Republican Party dinner in Des Moines on Thursday because of a House vote. She has said she will announce her presidential intentions in June.

Crawford indicated to National Journal that any announcement about Palin’s plans may be months away. Last week, in an interview with Fox News, Palin said that her timetable will be dictated by legal filing deadlines, the first of which falls in October, when Utah requires candidates to file for its presidential primary ballot.