A Middle Ground

I second the opinion aired by co-blogger and best friend Dan that Andrew Sullivan's Palin obsession is a bit unseemly. From the vehemence of his anger and name-calling to his self-congratulation about how absolutely brave and resolute he is to keep at this story to his excessive fondness for Levi Johnston - one leaves his blog with the unsettled, slightly guilty and slightly disgusted feeling one has after avidly reading a celebrity magazine.

That said, Damon Linker takes it a step too far also when he suggests that we simply ignore Palin. She might not be as popular were she not criticized as much by members of the media, but she would be popular. Ignoring people until they leave you alone doesn't work with bullies and it won't work with Sarah Palin. She is a potent political force. And criticism of her can be effective. Look at her approval ratings before and after Tina Fey's devastating impression of her.

Sullivan is right that she lies. He is right that she is incurious and unfit for office. I actually do think, as I've said before, that her pregnancy story, even taken at face value, says something about her fitness to serve, and should be explored. (For the record, I think her daughter's pregnancy, and her daughter's choice of sex partner, does not say anything about Sarah Palin's fitness to serve.) One can point out her falsehoods without insisting she is a pathological liar or that she's delusional. One can point out the oddnesses in her pregnancy story without speculating about a grand conspiracy. One can point out her tendency not to take responsibility, her lack of knowledge, her apparent impulsiveness without histrionics.

With humor, and a bit of exaggeration for effect, Tina Fey merely pointed to what was becoming obvious about Sarah Palin. With a few questions, Katie Couric exposed the gaps in Palin's knowledge. Both were effective at exposing Sarah Palin, without ignoring her, hurling invective at her, or making unfounded speculations about her.