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Well what more evidence is needed to convince people that Palin is no more than a sock puppet for the GOP? This interview was a sick joke. Even worse than the "ill find some and bring them to ya" line was when questioned for the second time about Rick Davis and his links with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Instead of qualifying her response, she just repeated the answer she gave to the first question. A clear example that Palin is simply rhyming off lines learned during the intensive political schooling she has received from McCain's cronies since her promotion to VP candidate. She hasn't even got the understanding to think on her feet.
Judging from various polls conducted over the last few weeks, many voters are now beginning to smell a rat. She hasn't yet conducted a press conference, her two interviews have been gaffe ridden, everywhere she goes McCain is by her side not forgetting the debacle following the decision not to allow questions from the media or even media presence during her meetings with 'world leaders' in New York.
On these boards and elsewhere many people were proclaiming Palin as a breath of fresh air. Indeed as far as I can remember, John Wright gave Palin a thumbs up on his webpage following her convention speech. I think that John Wright clearly disagrees with her anti-abortion and creationist views. However he felt that she was 'genuinely capable of appealing to the world at large' and 'is as libertarian a candidate as we are likely to get'. As regards the first point, it is fairly obvious that much of the foreign media and public (especially in Britain and Europe) view Palin in a cynical light. They clearly feel her appointment was political, they don't buy the whole 'hockey mom' thing and find her bumbling interviews cringe worthy (though in this respect Biden is also susceptible to criticism). In my opinion, I feel she is a brand perfectly designed for American consumption, but is not capable of 'appealing to the world at large'.
I wonder if John Wright still feels the same about Palin now that some time has passed and we have not really been given the chance to know her better. I wonder how he feels about how carefully she is being managed and if this raises any doubts in his mind.

Sarah Palin is an embarrassment to the Republican ticket. The only group supporting her is the Religious right base, and even they may be questioning this choice, given her performance.
Her nomination was a ploy from the beginning. (She lost me when called Hillary Clinton "gracious" (Ask any Democrat or Republican who ran against her or her husband how "gracious" she is.). Side note: If you want to play for the women's vote, why not build up the Republican women's base by mentioning Elizabeth Dole (who was steamrollered by the Bush money/endorsement machine in 2000) or try and get minority voters by praising Carol Moseley-Braun (African-American Democratic candidate in 2004 ignored by the media. She was Senator from Illinois as well...).)
Most of the goals that a Palin pick was supposed to bring have evaporated. McCain is behind. Women like Barak. The momentum is shifting. However, I'm sure that this may be part of a plan to groom Palin for higher office...that is, if she isn't forced out in Alaska...

kingRupertPupkin- Interesting name!

Yes, I did regard Palin as a breath of fresh air; that's a good way to put it. I tend to think someone more 'normal' is necessary to break the elitism and cronyism in Washington, and I thought it could be Palin. Maybe the only thing worse than someone with no experience in the White House is someone who's actually skilled in the art of spending my money!

You're right, though, to suspect that I may have lost my zeal, particularly after seeing the interview Will posted above. (By the way, did anybody see Tina Fey's brilliant parody of the interview? It contains a whole section of Palin's actual responses, which is SNL's way of saying that Palin does a better job of sending up herself than they could by writing parody. See it .) It was a horrible appearance for Palin, and I'm hoping for her sake that it was just a bad night. I'll reserve some real judgement for the debate this Thursday, where she could really get her 'clock cleaned', so to speak, or come back spectacularly and surprise us all.

With regard to her appeal to America, I'm not sure even that remains. The Daily Kos research tracker has Palin going from +17 around the time I wrote my 'Palin thumbs up' to -10 today. That's a shocking slide in the polls. I have some hopes she'll pull out of it, but really, who wants a VP who has chances of an approval rating not unlike that of the old president?