by Thomas Craig

I tried to stay quiet on this, I really did.  I honestly thought that this "feud" between Gov. Palin and Dave Letterman would simply pass and we can all move on with our lives.  Evidently, I was wrong.  I can understand why Gov. Palin got upset about the joke, after all, she is a Mother.  Unfortunately, I don't really believe that this is a case of a Mother defending her child as much as it is a case of a desperate politican trying to stay relevant and in the news for the sake of an unrealistic dream of becoming President one day.  I'm sorry Governor, but it's just never going to happen.

We all have our opinions of why John McCain lost the election.  Some Republicans believe that it was McCain's move to the center on many issues which lost him the election.  Others think that he lost because of President Bush.  Then there are many, including myself, who believe that his choice of Gov. Palin as his running mate was the reason he lost.  I don't know if I would attribute 100% of the reason to this but I do think it was a large part.  I truly believe that Sen. McCain's centrist views on many subjects could have won him the Presidency.  American's were tired of the extreme far-right controlling the Nation and the Party.  In a bid to woo far-right Republicans, McCain chose a far-right Governor who completely dismayed any centrist voters who were considering McCain. (And there were MANY!)  The media's portrayal of Gov. Palin did not help but her inability to convey a serious message to the public helped nail in the coffin for the campaign.

Gov. Palin's experience, or lack thereof, was constantly brought up.  While it was mentioned, it was not hammered into the public's mind that she had as much if not more experience than the Democratic candidate for President.  Why this was not emphasized more is a mystery to me. 

Gov. Palin's image, and again, perhaps the media IS to blame for this, was not good to say the least.  She came off uneducated and awkward.  Her Katie Couric interview will go down in history as the gold standard of how Journalists can humiliate a Politician and make a name for themselves. 

Most people I spoke to during the campaign said simply that they could not imagine if something were to happen to McCain and Palin becoming President.  The fact that people were more concerned about the possibility of Palin being a step away from the Presidency over JOE BIDEN being a step away says a lot! 

I have never had the pleasure of meeting Gov. Palin and I sure hope that I have the opportunity to meet her one day.  I respect her as a Governor and I appreciate her rallying supporters just like I admire any politican who can rally support behind them.  I think that Gov. Palin would make a fine political commentator but the Republican nomination for President will never be hers.  It's time to move on to real issues and real debates.  Arguing with Letterman over a stupid joke that nobody would have even remembered the next day had she not started this foolishness, is a waste of time and a ridiculous distraction from the true arguments that the GOP should me making.