I want a president and a government that is smarter than I (Hey, that isn't asking so much!), I want people with intellect and integrity and far-ranging views in office. With Sarah Palin at the helm (gaaaah! I can't believe I'm saying that), the USA will have more of what we have today- and worse. "Moral Certainty", instilled and supported by Church is worse than what we have today.


"First, let's concede the obvious: Every politician wants to be seen as Everyman or woman. That's why every primary season brings the curious sight of millionaires in plaid shirts wandering through county fairs eating fried things on sticks. It's why Hillary Rodham Clinton hit that bar and Barack Obama went bowling, badly.

"In that sense, Sarah Six Pack is nothing new. The "g" droppin', moose shootin', eye-winkin' hockey mom has plenty of antecedents. But there's a difference. Those antecedents were smart, wonkish people pretending to be one of us. Palin "is" one of us.

"And by "us," I don't mean you, necessarily, or me. I mean the lowest common denominator us, the us of myth and narrative, the us of simple mind, the reactionary, ill-informed, impatient with complexity, utterly shallow us.

"You think that's mean? Go back and look at the Katie Couric interviews again. Or the Charlie Gibson interview. I don't know about you, but I want a vice president who can identify Supreme Court rulings she disagrees with. Or define the Bush Doctrine. Or name a newspaper. Or — heck, I'm not picky — construct an intelligible English language sentence."

Leonard Pitts Column on Palin