Sarah Palin joining Fox as a contributor should surprise no one.Partisan politics aside, it’s quite impossible to state, with seriousness, this move is destined for failure.  From a ratings standpoint, having Palin join the network was a brilliant on Fox’s part, mainly because Palin has inspired both loyal adoration in her fans, vitriolic hatred from her opponents and curiosity in the rest of the populace. Whatever their motivation, people will be watching her.Then there are the benefits awaiting Palin herself.The move probably won’t bolster her political career, but Palin’s new job will serve to improve her public reputation by giving her equal footing with her gleeful critics.Between her resignation from governor of Alaska and her new career move, Palin’s chief dialogue with the public was rather unconventional, as it relied heavily on the social networking sites Twitter and Facebook to filter its way into the public.Though her virtual commentary was periodically quoted by news organizations and late-night television personalities, key points in her messages were often trimmed, which is hardly surprising as they passed through the obligatory media filter.Additionally, any person who followed Palin closely enough to bypass the traditional media filters was likely to be a loyal supporter, meaning Palin was preaching to the choir rather than cultivating a growing fan base.Having a foothold in a more traditional and pervasive media outlet will change this. It will give her the opportunity to respond easily to her critics and give them less opportunity to pick her to pieces from a safe distance. But improving her public image in this way can only be realized at the expense of any political career she may have hoped to establish.Directly engaging in fisticuffs with the media will erode her political capital. Public officials, while accountable to the media, lose esteem once they acknowledge criticism outright.The controversy surrounding Palin is even more petty than usual. Her opponents usually resort to ad hominem attacks, forcing her to respond likewise in defense.It looked bad when President Obama made his off-handed quip about Rush Limbaugh and looked worse when his administration deliberately picked a fight with Fox News.As it is, the level of the banter we’re witnessing with Palin merely brands her as a celebrity, rather than establishing her as a serious political candidate.Certainly Palin, now a part of the news herself and engaging more directly in the controversy, was aware of this fact and how it would affect her as a politician. If she is aware of this, it is an indication she will not run on a 2012 ticket as some predict. If she is unaware of the repercussions, she is not politically savvy enough to run regardless.But given that she is likely to become cemented in this role, her political career hardly matters. In function, all she needs to do is concentrate on her strengths, which are evident in her style of speaking. Palin has a tendency to harp on conservative rhetoric, but never engages in dialogue concerning the details of the rhetoric’s realization. She is at her best when she speaks in sweeping nonspecifics.This trait is not useful in the face of critical voters, particularly when a federal level position is at stake. But her cheeky rhetoric will fit in very well with typical pundit dialogue, especially given she will coupled with the likes of Bill O’Reilly and Glenn Beck, personalities able to fill in the gaps where she does not excel.Linnie Leavines is a 19-year-old mass communication sophomore from Central City. Follow her on Twitter @TDR_lleavines.——Contact Linnie Leavines at [email protected]