Betting news

Ladbrokes have, at time of writing, Sarah Palin at 5 to 1 for Republican presidential candidate in 2012, joint favourite with Mitt Romney. Mike Huckabee is not far off the pace at 7 to 1. All three are deeply socially conservative, with Palin and Huckabee particularly representing the 'theocon' strand of American conservatism that so many of us are hoping will wither and die after a highwater mark of eight years of having a born-again Christian in the White House.

The Object Of This Blog's Obsession has certainly been keen to promote the idea of a 2012 run, with lots of post-election appearances and her oh-so-subtle talk of going through open doors if God wants her to, etc. But will her massive name recognition, and the undeniable enthusiasm she creates amongst the grass-roots, be enough for the Republican establishment to take a punt on her? Mitt Romney, after all, has stayed out of the spotlight recently, but is still level-pegging with her. Interesting times ahead.

Incidentally, both Palin and Romney are on 16 to 1 to be elected President in 2012. In a sane world, of course, the odds on Sarah Palin ever being US President would be about 50,000 to 1, but there we are.