The pre-packaged Republican sound-bite machine.

It seems everyone was really excited to finally see Sarah Palin sit down and be interviewed, to listen to her speak without a script written for her, like at the RNC. Unfortunately it seems many were disappointed.

[interview Part 1]  [Interview Part 2]

Well, that's not to say she didn't meet or exceed the rather low expectations that were put out there for her. It's being tossed around  that she "held her own" or "came off fierce" didn't freeze up with a "deer in the headlights" deal. That's great. She's running on the Republican ticket for the white house, I certainly hope she can handle an interview.

What was disappointing is that she didn't provide anything of real substance in her answers, something to demonstrate to everyone paying close attention to what she was saying that she actually knew what she was talking about and had an interest in what was going on in the world.

Over at the Economist's Democracy in America page, they said it best:

There was something very troubling about the whole affair. The reason why many voters have forgiven Barack Obama his lack of experience is because they have confidence in his ability to think critically about the major issues facing America. Did voters come away with the same confidence in Ms Palin last night? I don't see how they could have.

... Ms Palin came off as a pre-packaged Republican sound-bite machine—the predictable product of a week of cramming with John McCain's advisers. When pressed on specific questions about Russia, Israel, Iran and Pakistan, she seemed to rely on campaign talking points, oftentimes repeating similar phrases in her answers. When those didn't fit, her answers were vague. When, for example, she was asked about cross-border raids into Pakistan, she talked about "building new relationships" and "working with existing allies", but made no specific references to any country or policy.

Ever since her debut, Republicans have been successfully diverting attention from McCain to Palin, focusing the debate over experience to compare Palin and Obama, and saying the comparison is more valid than comparing Obama to McCain. An unfortunate derailment, but this interview has shown that even that comparison is invalid and Palin, even after serious coaching is unqualified to be Vice President of the United States of America.

Then again, I wouldn't mind watching a real life Disney tragedy unfold from a safe distance.

Yeah, I know. Matt Damon, an actor, is highly qualified to comment on the issue. Even if the dinosaur issue was made up by some blogger, he has a point. Palin is a creationist, and wants that "theory" taught in schools. 

If she believes in a literal reading of Biblical creation, then she believes that the Earth was formed ten thousand years ago and that dinosaurs existed around that time.

And yes, she tried to ban books.

What could be worse?

I'm sorry lady, three strikes and you're out (read: a dangerous religious nutjob with no business in public office whatsoever)

Oh yeah. Here's the best part though, she supports her church in its endeavor to "save" homosexual people through the power of prayer. 

Naive? Yes. Intolerant? Yes. Christlike? No.