New York, Oct.3 (ANI): Calling former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin a potentially “catastrophic” choice for the 2012 GOP presidential nominee, John McCain’s former chief campaign strategist Steve Schmidt said today the Republican party needs to look more toward the center.

“I think she has talents, but my honest view is that she would not be a winning candidate for the Republican party in 2012,” CBS News quoted him, as saying.

“Were she to be the nominee, we could have a catastrophic election result,” he added.

Palin, the former Alaska governor and Sen. John McCain’s vice presidential running mate in the 2008 election, has fueled speculation that she could vie for the Republican nomination in the next presidential election with the upcoming release of her new book, “Going Rogue.”

When asked today at The First Draft of History conference in Washington, D.C. how he would be portrayed in Palin’s book, Schmidt replied, “I think it may say I was anti-rogue in the running of the campaign.”

It is not inconceivable Palin could win the 2012 Republican nomination, Schmidt said — but it is inconceivable she could win the presidency.

Democratic strategist Robert Shrum, also speaking at the conference, contended that those independent voters are more likely to seek out third party candidates because of the Republican party’s current dearth of ideas.

Both the Republican and Democratic strategists agreed, however, that the next election is still Barack Obama’s to lose — and whether or not the economy improves will be critical for him. (ANI)