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鈥淢ama Grizzly鈥� Sarah Palin served up red meat at the Conservative Political Action Conference Saturday, lambasting President Obama and the 鈥渕ainstream media,鈥� sneering at efforts to 鈥渞ebrand鈥� the Republican Party, and telling political 鈥渁rchitects鈥� like Texan Karl Rove to 鈥済o back to the Lone Star State and put their name on the ballot.鈥�

The former governor of Alaska and 2008 losing vice presidential candidate may have no prospects of (or interest in) becoming an elected official again; she may no longer have a high-paying sinecure as a Fox News pundit; and she may be too hot to handle, too tea-party threatening for mainstream Republicans looking to break a string of five losses in the last six presidential popular votes.

鈥淢oderation鈥� and 鈥渁ccommodation鈥� 鈥� ideas the GOP may need to approach if not adopt on issues like immigration and gay rights 鈥� would not be appropriate characteristics to describe Mrs. Palin.

But, boy, can she stir up a crowd 鈥� especially if they鈥檝e been holed up in a conference room for nearly three days listening to what may have been inspiring speeches (some of them, anyway) delivered by lesser mortals. Her stand-up shtick killed.

But will it make any difference?

In a piece headlined 鈥淪arah Palin's next act: Candidate or 'Kardashian'?鈥� Politico鈥檚 Maggie Haberman asked conservative leaders about Palin鈥檚 possible future. Some of their responses:

Weekly Standard Editor Bill Kristol, who backed John McCain鈥檚 picking Palin as his running mate in 2008: 鈥淭here was a ton of potential there, and it鈥檚 conceivable that there could be a second act, but it鈥檚 a little hard to see it now鈥�. She didn鈥檛 run, obviously, in 2012, and she hasn鈥檛 really made herself a leader on any particular issue鈥�. Usually you have to do one of those things 鈥� otherwise you鈥檙e just another pundit.鈥�

Conservative columnist Charles Krauthammer: 鈥淗er act as a celebrity is done. Her act as a political figure is possible 鈥� if she applies herself.鈥�
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听Ed Rollins, who managed campaigns for Ronald Reagan and Michele Bachmann: 鈥淗er moment in the sun has gone鈥�. Being a talking head was not something that sustained her as a viable candidate鈥�. She鈥檚 a personality in the same way the Kardashian family is.鈥�

Matthew Continetti, author of 鈥淭he Persecution of Sarah Palin: How the Elite Media Tried to Bring Down a Rising Star鈥�: 鈥淚 think there鈥檚 no question her influence has waned.鈥�

But for 20 minutes Saturday afternoon, at least, and preaching to the conservative choir, Palin鈥檚 influence showed no sign of waning.

It was mostly one-liners 鈥� her forte 鈥� not detailed policy pronouncements on the economy or social issues, certainly no soul-searching of today鈥檚 Republican state of affairs. Some examples:

鈥淲e don鈥檛 have leadership coming out of Washington. We have reality television. Except it鈥檚 really bad TV, and America tuned out a long time ago.鈥�

On gun sales: 鈥淢ore background checks? Dandy idea, Mr. President. Shoulda started with yours.鈥�

On Obama鈥檚 reelection: 鈥淵ou won. We get it. Now step away from the teleprompter and do your job.鈥�

鈥淏arack Obama promised the most transparent administration ever. Barack Obama: You lie!鈥� It was an obvious reference to when Rep. Joe Wilson (R) of South Carolina shouted 鈥淵ou lie鈥� during Obama鈥檚 speech on health care to a joint session of Congress in 2009 鈥� a breach of decorum for which Rep. Wilson was formally rebuked by the House of Representatives.

To the Republican establishment: 鈥淭hey talk about rebuilding the party? How about rebuilding the middle class? They talk about rebranding the GOP, instead of restoring the trust of the American people. We're not here to dedicate ourselves to new talking points coming from D.C. We're not here to put a fresh coat of rhetorical paint on our party."

Palin may never run for election again. Her experience in office is neither broad nor deep: Mayor of Wasilla, Alaska, (population 8,000), then half-term governor of a state with a population considerably smaller than Fresno County, California.

Alaska does have more bears and wolves than any other state, however, and it鈥檚 the mystique attached to such facts that stirs many tea party conservatives deeply dissatisfied with the political status quo 鈥� including most of those, apparently, at this weekend鈥檚 CPAC convention to whom 鈥淢ama Grizzly鈥� Sarah Palin remains a hero.

And they love her provocative appearance. They howled like school boys at her ribald comment about exchanging Christmas gifts with her husband Todd: 鈥淗e got the rifle and I got the rack.鈥�

CPAC keynoter Ted Cruz 鈥� the freshman Republican US senator from Texas 鈥� notes that he among other new conservative senators (Marco Rubio, Tim Scott, Pat Toomey, Nikki Haley, Deb Fischer, and Jeff Flake) owe their victories at least in part to Palin鈥檚 endorsement.

鈥淚 would not be in the US Senate today without Sarah Palin,鈥� Sen. Cruz told the crowd in introducing Palin Saturday.

If she continues to get receptions like she did at CPAC, Palin may have another electoral cycle or two in which to work her political magic.