Limelight

I don’t believe that Sarah Palin is a stupid person.

Woefully inadequate to be vice-president (or God forbid, president)? Hell, yes. But not stupid.

Yet considering how badly Palin has responded in media interviews—a whopping total of four in the past month, including People Magazine—since her debut as John McCain’s running mate I sometimes wonder.

Truth be told, Palin is now languishing under the same condition that some claim hurt Al Gore in 2000 – that is, too many consultants filling Palin’s head with too much advice.

And the results could not be worse for Team McCain.

In her most recent interview with Katie Couric, Palin shared her rambling worldview of a globe beset with “good guys” versus “bad,” and America assuming the role of town marshall. Plus, when given a chance by Couric to backtrack on her public joke of a claim that Alaska’s proximity to Siberia gives her foreign policy experience, Palin happily reaffirmed her imaginary status as would-be ambassador to Moscow (not that she’s ever met with Russian officials).

Given all of the above, it’s no wonder that Palin’s handlers are shading her from the media, as they did while she panhandled for foreign policy tips at the UN this week. As a result, some conservative columnists are openly suggesting that Palin quit, and go home.

(And on Newsweek, Fareed Zakaria is seconding the motion).

Nevertheless, her next big task is to prep for her debate with Joe Biden next week – which I think Palin will hold her own in. Yet by the same token, you can’t tell me that Team McCain won’t be chewing towels backstage, and praying that Palin won’t mortify the public and her boss. The GOP convention may have cast Palin in the minds of many Republicans as a conservative superhero, but in the weeks after, her invisible jet has shown disturbing signs of vapor lock.

Yet no matter what happens in the VP debate, one thing is certain: barring a killer “You’re no Jack Kennedy” moment, both sides will leave claiming their man did a magnificent job – even (or especially) if it’s a fucking lie.