Yes, Palin is a babe. Yes, she stoked the far right (including racists) with lies. But the assertion that her defiiciencies in foreign and domestic policies can be overcome fails to recognize that those deficiencies require a level of intellect that Palin has not exhibited. She couldn't even address a question about the Republican platform with James Dodson, a friendly right-winger without sawing off a limb linguistically and logically. The truth of the matter is that she has just enough "smarts" (cunning) to have skated through the minor "management" requirements as mayor of Wasilla, but has already demonstrated her weaknesses as governor (high absenteeism from the legislature, cronyism, a sagging state budget after giving every Alaskan a $1200 refund and more charges of ethics violation ahead, beyond Troopergate). This so-called experience points to two inherent weaknesses that we don't need in Washington: a lack of vision and ideas, and a lack of moral character. We want more. YES, WE CAN.

Yeah, I'm not so sure. Believe me, I don't like her any more than you do, but I don't think she's a total idiot. I just think she's been horribly incurious most of her adult life. She can learn the policy basics, at least enough to appear acceptable to a lot of people. She can be trained to avoid phrases like "also too." Don't get me wrong -- I'm not saying she can ever learn enough to be a good president. But she can learn enough to win an election.

Remember, there are already 46% of the people who voted for her and McCain. If you add some people who might be alienated by a perception of Democratic overreach in the next 4-8 years ... Again, I'm not saying these people would be right, and I certainly would never vote for her. But the math could be there for a reeducated Palin to win at some point.

Underestimation is why it's not President Gore.

Sarah Palin is most certaily capable of riding the low expectations of others into the Republican Presidential Nomination, and possibly the White House.

She starts off with a guaranteed 30% of the (Evangelical) electorate. Add to that the fact that, no matter how much "secualr" Conservatives such as George Will, claim they will jump ship if the Radical Right takes charge, they can always be counted on to be loyal Republicans, and they will.

So no Republican, no matter who (s)he is or what (s)he says, can go any lower than 40% of the electorate. No matter what.

From there we only need a "viable" Ralph Nader, or a Democratic President who makes even the slightest error in the campaign (with a right-wing meaid ready to pounce) and we can easily have a President Palin in our future.