You can see the bizarre arguments this leads to: she’s “one of us,” but she’s supposed to be some kind of Russia expert via geography, because her own handlers are absolutely embarrassed by the entire exercise and feel the need to make excuses for the very thing that is supposed to make her “one of us.” She’s folksy, but she’s less parochial than you snooty New Yorkers, but don’t expect her to be able to talk about the rest of the world in any detail because…she’s folksy! Arggh! According to her defenders, when you ask her to talk about Russia, don’t expect any of that book learning expertise, but her exposure to the rest of the world–by her own admission–is through book learning. It’s completely insane.

However, as Freddie points out in another thread, if Palin can pull through the debate even remotely within the vicinity of a satisfactory performance, it will doubtless spark a shrill, celebratory round of “I told you so’s” and renew the Red State’s efforts to have Kathleen Parker banished to France.