Why FOX news is yet another smart move by Palin

Sarah Palin shined in 2009 and has kicked off 2010 with a bang, signing on with FOX News as a regular contributor.

“Governor Palin has captivated everyone on both sides of the political spectrum, and we are excited to add her dynamic voice to the Fox News lineup,” said Senior VP of Programming Bill Shine.

Palin's move to FOX as an on-air analyst is just another smart move for someone who was criticized for stepping down as the Governor of Alaska. Since her resignation, Palin has proved she's a political contender by writing a best-selling memoir, coming in neck and neck with Hillary Clinton as one of the most admired women in America, having over 1.1 million followers on Facebook, and becoming one of the top political names being thrown around as a candidate for 2012.

Since Palin signed the multi-year deal with FOX News, the nation can't stop talking about how this will affect Palin's future political plans. Overall, it seems as if it's just another smart political move for someone who has already galvanized a lot of support.

1. Experience
Palin's new Fox gig may be key to helping her become more media savvy, says Jonathan Capehart in The Washington Post. "Doing TV, Palin will learn how to think on her feet … [and] how to debate other people in a forum with no real ground rules."

2. Keeping up with the competition
Palin is not only joining programs across the network, she's also joining a lineup of pundits that includes fellow conservatives Karl Rove, Newt Gingrich, and Mike Huckabee. FOX, which has some of the highest-rated political talk shows on cable, now has two potential Republican presidential aspirants in 2012 on its payroll.

3. Representing everyday Americans
Palin connects with her supporters because they see her as an everyday American. Palin's new gig contributes to that image, since Palin now has a regular job. In addition, she will host periodic episodes of FNC's "Real American Stories," a series exploring inspirational real-life tales of overcoming adversity throughout the American landscape that will debut in 2010.

4. Another platform
Palin has more than 1.1 million Facebook followers and her controversial pronouncements on healthcare reform and climate change have stirred a media frenzy. The sharp partisan debates Palin creates will continue to boost Palin's image as she now has a larger platform to discuss the issues close to America's heart.

5. Remaining in the public eye
Palin took the world by storm with her memoir, "Going Rogue." Her national book tour brought out thousands of supporters to each signing. You didn't expect Palin to fade away into the distance did you? With her hiring, Palin is keeping herself in the public eye and national exposure never hurt anyone's political ambitions.

6. Communication with her direct supporters
FOX’s viewers are Palin’s potential voters and core supporters.The ex-governor "is taking a page out of the Ronald Reagan playbook," says Republican strategist Leslie Sanchez, as quoted in CBS News. Reagan had a radio show from 1976 to 1980 and, like Reagan, "Palin will have tremendous support. A lot of primary Republican voters watch Fox News. And she's going to be able to hopefully put together some cogent ideas on domestic policy issues, foreign policy. It's a between platform and could lead her down the road to 2012."

7. Expanding her credibility
Not only does FOX News give Palin a platform to discuss her views to her core supporters, it also gives her a chance to speak to her critics, and strengthen her political image. The regular discussion on politics will allow Palin to expand her credibility and defend herself against the regular media scrutiny that follows the former Governor wherever she goes.

No one's certain how this move will affect Palin's plans for 2012. Some see it as a stepping stone to enter the White House, while others see it as a perfect fit for Palin and her celebrity rock-star status. Not surprisingly, FOX couldn't wait to debut their new contributor on the "O'Reilly Factor" Tuesday night and there's a reason why--Sarah Palin's debut was a ratings hit. "O'Reilly Factor" drew 3.954 million total viewers — more than everything else on cable news in the 8 pm hour combined.

Read more of the National Sarah Palin Examiner's articles at Examiner.com