Sarah Palin

It's hard not to get swept up in the vitriol currently swirling around the presidential campaign, but my buddy Marni Penning is treating it with a light touch. She happens to bear a striking resemblance to the nation's most famous Best Kept Secret. Marni's a fabulous actress and fine mimic, as you can see, and I hope she gets some work out of this situation.

I can see no other upside to the current, inexplicable swell of positive reaction to Gov. Palin, the country's most famous Moose-Hater since Boris and Natasha. NPR's Diane Rehm led a lively discussion this morning regarding the GOP's masterful (some may say diabolical) manipulation of the media's access to Palin. Go here to listen: http://wamu.org/programs/dr/. One of her guests, "Heather," who is from something called the Independent Women’s Forum, clearly applauded the fact that Palin has been kept from the media, and thus the American public, for weeks

I don't care about Gov. Palin's amniotic fluid, or her unwed pregnant daughter, or her delight in slaughtering caribou. But I do wonder when she will be required to justify her certainty that she is ready to take over as President of the United States at a moment's notice. Apparently she's been using the last weeks to bone up on the issues, clearly signifying that she was not qualified to be a candidate when McCain chose her. Sadly, she will not be given extra study periods to learn her lessons when she is suddenly face to face with Putin or Ahmadinejad or Kim Jon-il or any number of hostile foreign leaders, none of whom will care that she has under-age children at home and thus should be treated with delicacy.

On Rehm’s program today, Ted Kopple lent a voice of reason to which I have to agree. There are less than 60 days until the public must make this vital choice. It is past time for Palin to step forward and answer questions regarding her positions, both domestic (Abstinence Only Education in schools? Any proof that’s working in Alaska?), and foreign (so far, her sound bytes reflect an inclination toward Standing Tough in the World, very similar to the bullying stance of the current administration. Any proof that’s working in the world?).

I never thought I’d hear myself say this, to anyone, but I can’t help it.

Stop hiding, Sarah. It’s time to Man Up.