I think McCain had the worst campaign advisors ever to sully a candidate's reputation. His concession speech reminded everyone of the man he was at the beginning of the campaign - a man nowhere to be seen during the campaign. So yes, I do feel sorry for him.

Sarah Palin is not stupid, not is she particularly intelligent, IMO. I do think she is very cunning, quick to grasp the main direction of the groups she associates with, and very self-interested. I also think she is very narrow-minded and has very little sympathy for or understanding of people outside of her own cultural subset.

She is certainly undereducated. The record of running from college to college indicates that she was barely able to tolerate academia (although she was able to do the work ably enough when she had to, it seems), and only did so in the end in order to have a degree to hang on her hat. She seems to lack interest in learning; doesn't read, makes mistakes out of not bothering to learn anything she doesn't absolutely have to.

But she blew this enormous opportunity as a result of being out of her depth and being a pawn of McCain's campaign. It happened too fast for her to adjust, I think. I do feel a bit sorry for her, though I don't think I'd ever like her as a person.