Faulknerjr challenged me to point to something noteworthy in Palin's career. Let's take two subjects -- both claims of Palin -- that have received little media attention.

First, she claims that she effectively increased the tax on two major oil companies doing business in Alaska (kind of a Huey Long type tactic, or Mexico Pemex, if you like) -- but then, rather than spend the money, gave a $1,000 plus rebate to the taxpayers. That's apparently one reason they like her so much up there.

Second, she claims she took a stalled pipeline project, got it off the ground (by bringing in a Canadian contractor), and now will be pumping gas through a multi-billion dollar pipeline.

Note: I have not heard the MSM challenge either of these claims.

Now, if we assume these accomplishments are true -- and regardless of the merits, they must be counted as accomplishments -- I allow it is entirely possible that Joe Biden could describe what Palin did more eloquently than she could do herself. But then again, Joe would have to, because neither he nor Barack have any similar accomplishments of their own.

So, electing Palin is not quite the same as electing the person in front of you at the grocery store. Unless that person happens to be shaking down international oil giants for your benefit, and building massive infrastructure projects to lower your energy costs. Of course, you could try to power your life on Obama/Biden hot air instead.

I disagree somewhat that Barack thinks things through carefully. In the Rick Warren Saddleback Forum, he was asked what he thinks about the relative value of pre-viable fetal life. Most everyone I know has a very strong opinion on that. In fact, most people think it has value. The question is a simple one: is it more or less valuable than the woman's right to abort?

Obama said this issue -- a cornerstone of our society and our politics since at least 1973 -- is "above my paygrade." Dumb! Obama knew he wasn't being asked a theological question about whether the fetus has a soul, but a political one about whether the fetus should be protected. In that sense, not dumb, but savvy. He pretended not to understand the question, because he couldn't bring himself (with his Catholic swing vote listeners) to say that fetal life is worth comparatively little in the inevitable political balancing. He was pretending to be dumb as a form of political spin.

Now, some of Palin's interview questions have been similar. Do you support bailing out homeowners? It's hard to say no and not look like a grinch. But you can't say yes, because the whole point of the Bailout is to preserve Somebody's right to collect these high interst loans. If you don't do that, the stock market values -- predicated on collection -- will collapse and your investor class will be unhappy with both parties. Palin's biggest problem here is that she is not used to spinning and B.S.'ing like the pros.

Or, she was asked, do you think your boss McCain should sack his obviously conflicted campaign manager? Honestly, what is she supposed to say? Or, give me examples of McCain's prior regulatory proposals. Totally obscure. I would have been stunned if anyone other than McCain could have answered that question. Palin said: I'll get back to you. What more do you want? Helpful, conscientious answer, I thought.

I accept your criticism of Palin's syntax re: the Afghan situation. But, I also understood her to say fairly clearly that she thinks we should try to follow the Petreus surge strategy in Afghanistan. I guess that means more troops. Not everyone agrees -- I saw an article recently in Slate saying it won't work. But there have been a number of articles lately about an Afghan surge, and Palin is apparently saying she supports it.

Incidentally, how many people know that Abraham Lincoln had almost no input into the operational implementation of the Civil War. George McClellan famously said he would not tell Lincoln what he was doing because Lincoln would leak it to the papers. With Grant in command, Lincoln had to watch the troop movements unfold through the telegram office to glean some idea of what Grant was doing in Virginia.

Point being: the next president will not need to be an expert on Afghan tribal customs. They will, however, need to know whether they are a hawk or a dove at heart, and hopefully have a good leadership sense for surrounding themselves with good advisors. I like the fact that Palin spent more than an hour with Henry Kissinger, when they were scheduled for just 30 minutes (despite the subsequent interview flap re: Iran). I know Henry is controversial, but her interest in him shows good judgment.

Last post of the night for me.

For all of Palin's critics, please see my post on "Palin's Greatest Hits" and then name two substantive accomplishments of Obama or Biden that are comparably impressive, in terms of scope and impact. Don't mention a bill they co-sponsored with one of their co-Congress-creatures which passed without controversy.

As for Alaska and foreign policy, I have to knock McCain a bit for starting this jazz about Palin having foreign policy cred because she lives in Alaska. That is patently ridiculous, as Charles Gibson pointed out. It seems to me Palin is now loyally parroting the boss's ridiculous line, in part because neither one of them wants to start backtracking now and admitting the obvious that she has no foreign policy experience. How could she?

Why not just say: look, I'm a governor, not a State Department interpreter. I'm getting up to speed. If you want to knock the big guy for picking a governor just two months before the election, have at it. I'm doing the best I can.