“I don’t think Sarah’s outta the picture yet.”
No one else is in the picture. She is it. Accept no substitute.
Well, I don't know about that, but I will say that the rumors of Sarah's demise (related to the McCain Senate campaign) have been greatly exaggerated.
And no one else can get in the picture. It's too late. We're one year from campaign liftoff for the major players. If Palin doesn't run, it'll be the establishment candidate, probably Romney. It is impossible for fractured conservatives to unite around another candidate. JMO.
Coming out of 1976, Reagan had a huge advantage and had 4 years to further coalesce conservative support. It was STILL touch and go for him to get the nomination right up until the NH primary in 1980. People may not remember how close George HW Bush came to running Reagan out of the race.