It's the generational divide. The grand old masters of the GOP are powerful, rich, but so out of touch that they can't get anyone elected. Think Cheney, Ailes, Rove, Dobbs. The current mavericks like Palin lack the sense of mission [except for money and personal fame] which previous mavericks like Reagan had. The emerging new blood such as Linda McMahon are still newbies. They lack the infrastructure and hands-on experience to actually make it all the way to the White House.
So, the GOP has to just go through the motions for 2012. There's no one who can win. If the party successfully rebrands itelf after looking foolish in 2012, then it can easily return to the White House. The grand old masters will pitch in money but not strategy. They will recognize they're liabilities, no longer assets.
Former newbies will have been roughed up enough to become as astute politicos as the Clintons. Here in Connecticut, it's often said that had McMahon been forced to grovel for money she might have learned plenty quickly enough to beat Richard Blumenthal. Her wealth prevented that progress on the learning curve which occurs when you barnstorm for the bucks.
The most interesting story to chronicle will be this rebranding. The humor will come from observing the heavyweights attempt to maintain control. They will become caricatures of conservatives. Some like Ailes already seem to be.
The genius will be seen in how the emerging players create a fresh ethos of what it means to be a conservative during the second decade of the 21st century. Like Malcolm X, they may tell the former power structure to leave them alone, just send money.
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