If more conservatives shared your opinions (which seemed pretty self- evident to most liberals) she might have evolved into a potent champion for her party, for the reasons you mention. Instead, most Republicans simply made excuses and covered up for her, painting themselves deeper into a corner and turning her overnight from a savior to an anchor for the GOP. And it wasn't just on the national scene, Sarah's defenders on this board really made a spectacle of themselves as well, and their opponents loved watching them do it.

I'll be honest with you, when I first saw Palin speak, I figured the Democrats were finished, they didn't have a chance against this very attractive and likeable woman who so easily articulated the ideas of her party. She was irresistable, and paired up with a war hero even I grudgingly respected, I figured my side didn't have a chance, particularly after comparison with the unknown character of Obama and the formidable, but intrinsically unlikeable Hilary.

But instead of recognizing her flaws, and quietly working on them while playing to her strengths, the GOP instead made fools of themselves and her trying to justify or ignore her every mistake and shortcoming. For her admirerers, she simply could do no wrong, when it was obvious to everyone else she was wrong all over. Again, the Right blamed the bias of the media for their own blindness. It became pretty clear that the GOP wanted to be right more than they needed to win. And it also became clear that being right was really nothing more than just a simple failure to recognize the obvious.