Conservative reporter says that the rehiring of Sarah Palin proves that Fox News does "not care about conservatism."

Courtesy of The Week:  

Not long ago, conservatives like myself were thrilled to find out that Fox News, often portrayed as the mouthpiece of the conservative movement, had parted ways with former governor of Alaska (and quitter) Sarah Palin. This was truly a cause for celebration. Those of us devoted to building a conservative movement capable of winning elections had come to view the former governor as the symbol of everything, and I do mean everything, wrong with the modern conservative movement. 

But now, Roger Ailes has rehired her. And in so doing, Ailes has issued a painful reminder that he cares far more about making money than he does about informing his viewers — or even winning elections for the Republican Party. 

To be sure, I admire and recognize Palin's remarkable political ability. Her political instincts are sublime, as evidenced by the way crowds of very honorable and intelligent Americans connected with her during her campaign. But while having good political instincts may well make you a hit on the campaign trail, and might even score you a victory or two in elections, those who are all sizzle and no steak get found out soon enough. And never in the history of the United States has anyone ever been found out quite the way Gov. Palin was. 

Before John McCain nominated Palin to be his running mate in 2008, the Republican Party was already in lousy shape. But Palin was rock bottom. She simply did not know enough to engage anyone on any matter of substance, and that was a highly damning fact that shaped the modern perception of the Republican Party. It plagued us in the last election, and continues to hamper us to this day. Because of Palin's lack of education on matters of substance, and because so many in the movement embraced her in spite of that utter cluelessness, most voters came to view the party as a movement driven by charismatic but uneducated leaders followed by hordes of hero worshipers too oblivious or uninterested to contemplate the sorts of disaster that might follow if someone like Palin were actually elected.

"But Palin was rock bottom. She simply did not know enough to engage anyone on any matter of substance, and that was a highly damning fact that shaped the modern perception of the Republican Party." God I love that! Especially because it is so true.

 Of course I completely disagree with the assertion that Palin demonstrates "remarkable political ability" since she has never really demonstrated any. Instead what she has demonstrated is the ability to identify those ignorant enough to fall for her deceptions and to drain every last dollar out of their bank accounts, as well as the ability to attract attention from the public much like a traffic accident attracts attention from passing motorists.

However I do agree that Ailes putting her back on the payroll indicates that he only cares about using her to attract a few more eyeballs to Fox before the last horny old conservative goat becomes too decrepit to even work the remote control anymore, and does not really care about presenting the conservative movement as a viable political ideology, unless that in some way fattens his bank account.

Personally I think that this is a miscalculation for Ailes. Sure he will get some short term attention, and a few more clicks for this decision, but ultimately Palin's presence will damage the credibility of Fox (Assuming there is any left) just like she has impacted the credibility of the Republican party. (Assuming there is any left.)

But hey, who am I to tell Ailes how to run his network into the ground? He seems to be doing a bang up job of that all on his won.