This is perhaps the most insightful article I've read about Palin and the election so far -- and I'm a raving liberal, feminist, and former dominatrix myself.

The article isn't about Palin, it's about the men who are slobbering over her. If I had a dime for every guy (including liberals) who've mentioned how hot she is... Salon didn't portray Hillary as a dominatrix because there weren't countless men drooling over that particular picture.

This election will not be about issue. McCain's campaign staff has openly stated as much. As long as the Dems persist in wonking on about policy, and failing to fight fire with fire, they will lose...again...as usual.

Maybe Obama's best hope is that women will be jealous of all the attention their men are paying to Palin and vote against the ticket out of spite.

"It is imperative that the Democratic party shows that they can be empathetic to the multiple cultures of America."

But why don't Republicans ever have to show this? Why doesn't anyone ever complain that McCain & co "just don't get" well-educated, cosmopolitan, urban voters? And heaven forbid any politician should ever express sympathy for atheists.

What percentage of the country lives in small towns these days, anyway? Millions of us have left that life to seek education and opportunities in urban centers. How did it come to pass that we became "not real Americans"?

"I've reached the point where I honestly don't care. I moved to a big city to get away from people like that, and have been very successful."

There’s something to this…

Most of the people I know who’ve left small towns and the ‘burbs to seek education and opportunities in cities are doing pretty well compared with those who stayed behind. Typically, we have reasonably good jobs with adequate (or better) salaries and healthcare. Our houses, for the most part, aren’t being foreclosed in large numbers. We get around by public transit or bike or foot and don’t need to worry about whether putting gas in the SUV to drive to Wal-Mart is cutting into the food budget. And god knows it’s not our sons and brothers and boyfriends being used as cannon fodder in the latest war. Hell, if McCain wins, some of us might even get a tax cut.

So why are we the only ones worrying?