THE MAGPIE:REGULAR READERS of Magpie will know how fond we are of Sarah Palin - birds of a feather, and all that (did you watch her last night/early this morning? Magpie is bleary-eyed . . .)
The attraction is, well, as they say in the US, she is easy on the eye, very easy. But part of it is also the magnetic attraction of watching a disaster unfold before one's very eyes - it's why motorists, whenever they come upon overturned vehicles and blue flashing lights, slow down for a good gawk: it's a ghastly mess but they can't resist the temptation to rubberneck.
And so the whole Palin circus has been a hoot. Much mirth may be found in the way the conservative right in the US has turned on La Palin, their darling of just a few weeks back.
Take, for instance, Kathleen Parker, a National Reviewonline columnist and a former Palin supporter, who has now decided that the vice presidential candidate is "clearly out of her league".
"No one hates saying that more than I do," lamented Parker. "Like so many women, I've been pulling for Palin, wishing her the best, hoping she will perform brilliantly. I've also noticed that I watch her interviews with the held breath of an anxious parent, my finger poised over the mute button in case it gets too painful. Unfortunately, it often does. My cringe reflex is exhausted.
"Palin filibusters. She repeats words, filling space with deadwood. Cut the verbiage and there's not much content there. Here's but one example of many from her [radio] interview with [Seán] Hannity: 'Well, there is a danger in allowing some obsessive partisanship to get into the issue that we're talking about today. And that's something that John McCain, too, his track record, proving that he can work both sides of the aisle, he can surpass the partisanship that must be surpassed to deal with an issue like this . . .'
"If BS were currency, Palin could bail out Wall Street herself." Oh dear.
But the greatest damage to Palin is probably being caused by two comics who have made her a laughing stock - certainly in metropolitan America.
Katie Couric is an anchor with CBS News who did a lengthy interview with Palin that has since been parodied to devastating effect on Saturday Night Liveby two comedians, Tina Fey (as Palin) Amy Poehler (as Couric).
In the real interview, Couric asks Palin whether it would be better to spend the $700 billion Wall Street bailout helping families cope with rising household bills, instead of giving a bung to irresponsible bankers.
Palin answers: "That's why I say I, like every American I'm speaking with, we're ill about this position that we have been put in where it is the taxpayers looking to bail out. But ultimately, what the bailout does is help those who are concerned about the healthcare reform that is needed to help shore up our economy, helping the - it's got to be all about job creation, too, shoring up our economy and putting it back on the right track."
"So healthcare reform and reducing taxes and reining in spending has got to accompany tax reductions and tax relief for Americans. And trade, we've got to see trade as opportunity, not as a competitive, scary thing. But one in five jobs being created in the trade sector today, we've got to look at that as more opportunity. All those things under the umbrella of job creation. This bailout is a part of that."
Er . . . what's to parody? (Go hunting on YouTube for the Tina Fey stuff and laugh yourself sick.)
Meanwhile, life - raw, real and right there, as they might say on Fox News - goes on in Alaska. Last Friday, Juneau International Airport had to be evacuated because of an accidental discharge of . . . anti-bear spray.
Fire chief Eric Mohrman says the spray spread through the building via the ventilation system.
And finally this week, a songwriter in Cambria County, Pennsylvannia, has penned a musical tribute to Palin. Gerry Stanek, of Hasting, said Palin had "re-energised" the Republican party and perhaps even his own career. Why? 'Cos he's written a country and western-style song, Sarah Palin. "I think the song is good at showing people it's okay to lighten up about the election," said Stanek. "I've gotten great response from Republicans and Democrats."
It has aired on conservative radio stations across the US. Gerry doesn't hold back. "I'm in love with a girl named Sarah Palin . . ." is the refrain. Wanna listen yourself and head into the weekend with a smile? Y'all click on http://www.wjactv.com/news/17598868/detail.html
Sit back and relax.