Family friend and fellow Fox News contributor Greta Van Susteren is the only journalist we've noticed that has much access of any kind to Sarah Palin's inner circle. And this morning Politico pointed to her surprising prediction on her blog: "First, I have absolutely no inside track (despite what some may think) but I am guessing Governor Sarah Palin is running for President in 2012." That seems like a pretty bold prediction for someone without any "inside track."

But, despite Van Susteren's claim to the contrary, it does seem like she would be privy to the workings of a nascent Palin campaign. Remember, she was the only reporter Palin gave much access to while on her family vacation/historical "One Nation" bus tour. And she is the go-to Fox News person for a Sarah Palin interview, so much so that she's had to defend her unprecedented access to the family: Politico noted back in 2009 that she nabbed Palin's "first post-election sit-down, Todd Palin's first interview during the campaign and Bristol Palin's first interview since giving birth." 

Still, the reasons that Van Susteren lists for her "she's running" guess on her blog are pretty thin, and they amount to this: we haven't heard from her since the bus tour (maybe she's planning something), "she has never said no" (maybe she's thinking yes), she seems to be getting a lot of media attention (maybe it's a strategy), she has a lot of volunteers in Iowa (maybe that's her organization) and finally, "Are there any signs she is not running other than that she is not physically in Iowa and has not declared a candidacy?" Well, sure, those reasons could be used to make arguments for and against Palin getting into the race. But the reasoning matters less than the mere fact that Van Susteren made a prediction.

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Erik Hayden