Vera is the name of the gun owned by the show's resident badass, Jayne. I miss Firefly with a passion so intense that it's scary. So, there you have it.

Thanks

Dorian

She is neither well read, nor particularly well educated, nor a person with the intellectual curiosity that is a requirement for inspired leadership.

I suggest, though, that only intellectual curiosity would qualify as a matter of temperament. Being well-read and/or well-educated are a function of furthering one's education.

I'll bet she's a hoot to hang around with, and a very nice lady, but those qualitites aren't the same ones that make great national leaders. It's unfortunate because she was and continues to be treated very unfairly by many in the media. A lot of it is the other side of the coin from what HRC caught. As a female politician, you can't be ugly, but you better not be too pretty. You should be really smart, but don't dare be too smart, or you'll come across as emasculating. You can take pride in your appearance, but don't ever be caught actually trying, or buying clothes that regular people can't afford, or you'll look elitist. It's an absolute minefield for almost any woman running for office and probably a reason why more women don't want to even try.

There are interesting and good people here representing many views, and good writers for the articles. We do not over post, as you have noticed, but we speak up when we have something to say. You'll be surprised at the number of substantive discussions and how those who disagree can joke with each other and wish each other well at the end of a spirited debate.

Thanks, Dorian. I've pushed back hard lately against a bad tide, and you're one of those who have not simply responded in a mindless or low-class manner to it, if you object to this or that (examples of which you've not failed to list here and there, I've noticed). More people should read, ugly facts and all.

I actually don't believe there will be any gross federal govt. misconduct here, but it could prove embarrassing, which compounds what already is a problem (the decision to do the trial, and likely reasons why).

Hi Kathy — I really think it's how she is. When used as a ploy for getting attention (or votes), one might expect to see selective outrage, or occasional overreactions. But this looks pretty pervasive to me, going all the way back to reports of how she ran her campaign / office in Wasilla (thinking back).

Nine hours to midnight, and Bambi has got to start getting nervous.

(Opening of firearms season for deer in Michigan is tomorrow. Fabulous weather here in Detroit metro, but little traffic. Guess where else so many people are? Currently, at the outfitters', last moment stops before the big day)

“Her detractors aren't just the looney Left [...] please stop the meme that only the Left thinks shes a 'dumb twit'”

???

That's why I mentioned Ben Stein, who was on CNN, joining a lefty writer for Huffington and a far lefty radio commentator, Stephanie Miller, in criticizing her selection by McCain as Vice President (as well as how badly she did in the campaign, which is where the “lightweight” criticism by Stein applied as well as for Palin in general as a top-level federal official). Regarding Palin's campaign and the disastrous interview with Katie Couric, a failure denied or deliberately under-admitted by the GOP team, Miller (who was far more intelligent and mature than she is on her radio show) said it was comparable to having your small child at a swim meet, seeing the children do very badly and almost drown, yet cheer the child, anyway, and say he or she performed wonderfully. (No, it was a bad performance by Palin, who made the term “unprepared” common currency the following few days, as well as resurrecting “gravitas” in its apparent absence.)

I guess you aren't familiar with Ben Stein or other non-lefty critics I have also named before, as critics of righties, that you don't know who these people are or why they are saying this or that. (There is no mystery what Stein said or why he was saying it.)

* * *

“I think she'd make a great Senator”

That's what was speculated among Palin's critics (as well as the one defender, whose defense was in the light of the nature of so many of the attacks on her). Stein (who likes her personally) believes she'd make a great talk show host or do some other public relations-style work for the GOP, say; at least one other person said she might become one of Alaska's future Senators. Certainly if she was headed for a presidential run (worth looking at, at least theoretically; there was jockeying by GOP people for this role already starting last year, and there already are visits to Iowa expected, this year or sometime next year, don't forget!), it would be logical for her to get a federal role as Senator, the normal springboard federal seat for this (which is why Hillary Clinton got that position years earlier, as many of us knew).

Look at the bright side, I would advise even the biggest critics: It's still someone else other than the likely appearance we can expect in 2012 or 2016 of Jeb Bush.

Question: Do you think that Palin's extreme sensitivity to criticism is because she actually is thin-skinned, or do you think it's a ploy to get attention (which in politics often translates — or at least the politicians who do it think — into votes)? I'm not saying that this is my opinion or position, I'm just wondering; I've wondered this all along. I mean, in the end it may be six of one and half a dozen of the other — the impact on her presidential aspirations is the same whether she's truly offended or just pretending that she is — but I just wonder.

I think she'd make a great Senator.

She made for a great governor, very far from my home state and with minimal to no influence on the Federal Government. Unfortunately she was unable to hold onto that job…

Well, she could always run for New York. They're not too picky about whether you actually LIVE in the state or district you represent.

Yeah, but we have standards, we don't elect redneck morons…

We 'll elect rednecks, we' ll elect morons, but not the combination…