In a much anticipated interview with television host Oprah Winfrey that aired Monday, Sarah Palin tamped down speculation that she might run for president in 2012 and took shots at CBS News’ Katie Couric, who conducted a series of interviews with the former Alaska governor in September that seriously damaged Palin’s standing.

Palin’s appearance on Oprah, the first in a media blitz that includes several high profile interviews and an eight-state tour promoting her book, was taped last week and ran just prior to Tuesday’s release of her book “Going Rogue.”

When asked about her plans for 2012, Palin said that a presidential run in two years is “not on my radar screen right now”...

WASHINGTON, DC - Former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee has won the straw poll at the fourth annual Values Voter Summit in Washington.

Of the 1,824 conservative activists who registered for the event, 597 voted in the poll. Huckabee garnered 28 percent of the count (170 votes). There was a virtual four-way tie for second place: former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney tallied 74 votes, Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty 73 votes, former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin 72 votes, and Indiana Congressman Mike Pence 71 votes...

Top Republicans, inspired by President Barack Obama’s recent drop in popularity, are newly optimistic about their chances of challenging him in 2012 and are focusing on some surprising names.

Some major donors and GOP strategists have approached Joe Scarborough, the host of MSNBC’s "Morning Joe,” about a national run, according to party sources.

Former Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole of Kansas, the Republican nominee in 1996, told POLITICO that he would like to see Army four-star Gen. David Petraeus — the head of the U.S. Central Command, which includes Iraq and Afghanistan — run for president as a latter-day Ike...