The Palin Problem

That problem being the fact that she's unqualfied to be either President or Vice President, is something that her supporters on the right are finally starting to figure out in the wake of poorly regarded interview performance with Katie Couric:

As we’ve seen and heard more from John McCain’s running mate, it is increasingly clear that Palin is a problem. Quick study or not, she doesn’t know enough about economics and foreign policy to make Americans comfortable with a President Palin should conditions warrant her promotion.

No one hates saying that more than I do. Like so many women, I’ve been pulling for Palin, wishing her the best, hoping she will perform brilliantly. I’ve also noticed that I watch her interviews with the held breath of an anxious parent, my finger poised over the mute button in case it gets too painful. Unfortunately, it often does. My cringe reflex is exhausted.

Palin filibusters. She repeats words, filling space with deadwood. Cut the verbiage and there’s not much content there. Here’s but one example of many from her interview with Hannity: “Well, there is a danger in allowing some obsessive partisanship to get into the issue that we’re talking about today. And that’s something that John McCain, too, his track record, proving that he can work both sides of the aisle, he can surpass the partisanship that must be surpassed to deal with an issue like this.”

When Couric pointed to polls showing that the financial crisis had boosted Obama’s numbers, Palin blustered wordily: “I’m not looking at poll numbers. What I think Americans at the end of the day are going to be able to go back and look at track records and see who’s more apt to be talking about solutions and wishing for and hoping for solutions for some opportunity to change, and who’s actually done it?”

If BS were currency, Palin could bail out Wall Street herself.

Parker then goes on to argue that Palin should withdraw herself from the VP nomination, but I think we can state with confidence that it's far too late for that. Had she withdrawn in the first two weeks of the announcement of her selection, then maybe McCain could replace her with someone who might have enough time to make an impression on voters. But at this stage of the game, it would be a crushing blow to the McCain campaign to ditch/lose Palin and have to move on with what to the right-wing is a far less attractive candidate (their unhappiness at even the suggestion is evident.) For better or worse, the GOP is stuck with Palin.