"Good news is that rural and small-town America still has traditional values, clean water, fresh air, good schools and reasonably well-adjusted people."

... and meth labs, illegitimate babies, rampant alcoholism and open anti-semitism and racism. And firebombed mosques (Murfreesboro, TN). And shot-dead 'liberals' (Knoxville, TN). And assassinated doctors (Dr. Tiller).

For every 'reasonably well-adjusted' rural person, I can find an example of crazy. Let's not get into that. Your image is not in keeping with reality, and I suspect mine isn't so hot, either. This shows the problem with using strawman examples, both good and bad.

What counts is what's inside. Sarah Palin seems to have the knack for extracting money from people who want to be lied to, but has no solutions for the complex problems we face. Is there a Palin Plan for, say, global warming? As an Alaskan, she surely knows about sea ice melting and glaciers shrinking, so it's right up her alley to propose a real solution. I haven't heard one. Just kvetching. She's quick to take umbrage, slow to bring positive solutions.

Let's judge her by her actions, then. So, is she a grifter or 'presidential timber?' When she provides more than just 'mama grizzly' images and grand, empty gestures and phrases, then we can answer that question. Till she does so, though, I'll come down on 'grifter' every time.

Bob