Now that it’s over we can start kitchen-tabling the future to relieve the postmortem arguments over exit polls, voting fraud, sleazy TV ads and robo calls, the shameful appeals to hatred and ethnic and racial bigotry — all the stuff that has caused people in foreign lands watching us to say, “And they criticize our elections!” One moral to emerge — smear doesn’t pay!

So, to ease my post traumatic election disorder, I will recall some thoughts and hazard a hazy crystal-ball glance at the future.

First, I was impressed by the very comedic appearances on “Saturday Night Live” by Sarah Palin and John McCain. Their performances demonstrated that they truly got it. Their jokes, timing and delivery were excellent. Even Cindy McCain played a humorous cameo displaying necklaces made of “McCain’s Fine Gold,” a play on the controversial McCain-Feingold bill. I think if they tire of politics they could have a future as a great comedian couple.

But that may be a bit presumptuous, because Palin has signaled a preference for a solo act in 2012. “Palin in 2012” T-shirts are said to be selling fast, as are the fun party wigs and takeoffs on her eyeglasses.

Also, I hear credible buzz that there’s a fierce competition among talent agencies to get her signature on a multimillion dollar representation contract. They see fortunes selling Palin fashions, “Sarah’s Pit Bull Lipstick,” Palin sneakers, Palin handbags, “Dude Deodorant,” etc., etc. And she’s a cinch for a multimillion-dollar book contract, speaking fees of $100,000 per, and the golden world of endorsements.

Tuesday’s result aside, McCain surely will have the big book reward as well, and endless lucrative speaking engagements. He also could become a new Senate power center if he decides to show up for votes. His very gracious concession speech reminded me of the old McCain I admired before his campaign was taken over by Karl Rove. But he need not worry about his financial future, what with his wife’s billion-dollar beer business to provide him with an endless supply of six-packs. And surely John McCain has a hard earned and much deserved reservation in the Pantheon of Great American Heroes.

But I’m not so sure that 2012 will be a fix for Palin. I’m putting my crystal ball bet on Gen. David Petraeus. He has been described by former West Point classmates and some Army colleagues as intensely ambitious. It’s also said that his nuanced demeanor leaves little doubt that his eyes are on the presidency. He might be the uber-leader who could put the shattered GOP back together with dignity and give it a face-saving reason to dump Palin and her raucous crowd appeal.

Petraeus appears to have tipped a political hand with his appearances on TV testifying before Congress. He gave a carefully qualified positive view of the disastrous situation in Iraq that, in effect, supported President Bush’s view. There is no doubt that his appearances have made him a conservative fave.

In a recent speech to a conservative audience at the Heritage Foundation, Petraeus joked about avoiding the minefield of politics, which listeners interpreted as a subtle suggestion that he was indeed thinking about getting involved in politics, and that there was plenty of time for him to change his mind before 2012. Also, he has been extolled in glowing MacArthur terms as one of the greatest intellectual American generals, and under the radar it appears Petraeus is being slowly “civilianized” to turn into an Eisenhower-like presidential candidate.

The biggest step in that direction so far has been his appointment as commander of all our operations in the Middle East and South Asia. This has brought him home to the U.S. Central Command’s headquarters at MacDill Air Force Base, in Tampa, Fla. From there it’s a brief trip to Washington, where he is mixing with the political power brokers in social functions for which he is in great demand as an A-level celebrity. He also is accessible to Republican leaders, who might want to discuss his political future privately

Petraeus would be the dream GOP presidential candidate in 2012. Sorry, Sarah. But all those T-shirts could certainly become valued collectors’ items.

Sentinel columnist Bill Seamans is a former bureau chief for ABC News. He lives in Spofford.


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