Politico has a big piece today about the fact that four of the GOP's potential 2012 presidential candidates also happen to be getting paid as talking heads on Fox News.

Those would be Sarah Palin, Newt Gingrich, Rick Santorum and Mike Huckabee.

Politico asks: "How does a news organization cover White House hopefuls when so many are on the payroll?"

For one thing, it takes them off the payroll as soon as they officially become candidates. Fox assured Politico that "once any of the candidates declares for the presidency he or she will have to sever the deal with the network."

But it's not so cut and dry:

It’s such a lucrative and powerful pulpit that Palin, Gingrich, Santorum and Huckabee have every reason to delay formal announcements and stay on contract for as long as they can.

That fact alone has sparked buzz in political and media circles, particularly as it applies to Palin, a major ratings draw. Can she remain on Fox’s payroll if, while not formally a declared candidate, she’s visiting early primary states and assembling a presidential campaign in 2011? Or will Fox at least relax its exclusivity provision to let the candidate appear on other cable or broadcast networks?

Read more at Politico >>