As we've seen, when a news network employs both politicians considering running for office and analysts expected to give their honest political assessments, things can get messy. A split is emerging in Fox News between people who think Fox contributor Sarah Palin is qualified to run for president, and those who don't.

Fox contributor Karl Rove recently indicated that he did not feel Palin has the “gravitas” necessary for the presidency. Palin responded by questioning why Rove feels “so threatened and so paranoid.” Apparently Rove has some company among Fox employees.

As reported by Politico's Keach Hagey, Fox contributor Mort Kondracke thinks Jim DeMint and Sarah Palin “are responsible for the fact that the Senate did not go Republican” due to their support of candidates Sharron Angle, Christine O'Donnell, Ken Buck, and Joe Miller. Discussing whether Palin could be the GOP nominee in 2012, Kondracke said that she is “a joke even within her own party” and “the idea that she would be the presidential nominee is unthinkable.”

Kondracke has previously had harsh words for Palin, saying during an appearance on Fox News' Special Report in 2008 that she is “utterly unqualified to be President. She is the Dan Quayle of - she's worse than Dan Quayle. Dan Quayle at least had served as a senator and was, you know, and was conversant with national issues.”

UPDATE:

Here's the video of Kondracke's comments: