Talbot, you need to start offering some solid proof - hell, ANY proof - of whay you're accusing Palin of having done. I don't want her or McCain within a hundred yards of the White House, but these more-or-less baseless accusations - always made by sources who do not want to be named - in article after article need to STOP.

You are giving an endless supply of ammunition to the McCain/Palin Campaign. All they need do is come up with a few folks, who are willing to be named, to simply refute these charges in their own words. Most Americans, believe it or not, are not quite as stupid as you think. They'll believe the people who are willing to come forward before they'll believe the people in the shadows.

"Don't tell me about earmarks," snorts a borough official. "Because of Palin's ego, she couldn't stand the idea of sharing an emergency dispatch operation with Palmer, which has been Wasilla's town rival ever since her high school basketball days.

This sounds like poorly written fiction? I can't read that without thinking this story veers into full on parody.

I know, I know, we're not supposed to talk about Sarah Palin.

And the Republicans (who have now led our country onto the precipice of economic ruin and want 4 MORE years) keep insisting that she's the world's biggest asset.

Why then is McCain sinking in the polls? Look when Governor Palin, was propping McCain up I was more than willing to give her the credit. (And ignore the fact they just had the convention.) Now that McCain is falling in the polls, are they still trying to argue Palin is working? Should the govenor, and the never-ending string of scandals coming out of Alaska due to her own criminal mismanagement, take absolutey none of the blame?

Is it not just possible that after the initial glow, the American people are growing just a tad tired of Palin and the myriad scandals that always seem to erupt around her?

Today Carly Fiorina, one of McCain's chief surrogates and most enthusiastic supporters, even admitted Governor Palin isn't qualified to run a company, let run the country.

The office makeover is old news. Why is this getting the top story position?

These are verifiable facts. For Sarah Palin or any other governor. Facts don't simply disappear around Governor Palin. Although some would like them too.

She took $27 million in earmarks for Wasilla, a town of 8,500 people. That's roughly $4,000 per person. That's a lot of money.

Governor Palin took more earmarks, per capita, than any other state in the union when she was governor. Alaska is the largest per-capita recipient of earmarks requesting $750 million over two years. That's a fact too. Sorry but it is.

Palin supported the bridge to nowhere before she opposed it. That's what happened. Sorry again.

I know some would like to suspend reality for Governor Palin. I know some wish the truth were not the truth. But it is.

We can argue about whether or not this is helpful until the cows come home. And it might not be. But we cannot suspend facts or change reality merely for Sarah Palin's benefit. It's too costly.

That's what the country has spent he last 8 years doing for George W. Bush. I'm not willing to do it again.

I was very pleased to log onto Salon today and find a lead article on a very important issue: population (a so-so article- but addressing the subject was a good start). Four hours later the lead was replaced by another article on Palin.

Since this is the umpteenth time in the past two weeks that Palin has haunted the headlines on Salon I think you should just make it official and rename the site ‘Palinmania.com’ or perhaps ‘Palin24-7.com’.

The editors here at Palin-o-rama.com spill a hell of a lot of ink railing on a candidate that is anti-science and espouses bad policies but then cheats it’s readers by sacrificing good articles about policy and science at the expense of this sensational trash.

thank you david talbot for spending so much time here in the matsu valley doing research, and providing articles to a wide audience that alaskans can read and recognize.

for those who are witnessing this spectacle with alarm in the lower 48 (outside), this is a very very small town. the entire state is a small town. rules are different here, and vengeance is a real concern for the people willing to speak to mr talbot and other reporters. whether she wins or loses, sarah will be home, with considerably improved power and skill.

please try to remember that, as you will continue to read articles with nameless sources. get used to it. yeah, i wish it were different, but it isn't.

vote obama!!

The voted to support and fund the war.

They should remake the Capitol building to look like a Bordello too. - It would be far cheaper and far more appropriate.

/war hos

They voted to support and fund the war.

They should remake the Capitol building to look like a Bordello too. - It would be far cheaper and far more appropriate.

/war hos

Does Sarah Palin really need glasses? Or are they a fashion accessory? An intelligence-appearance-booster? Anyone see that telltale line of refraction? I don't....

Really? First I'd heard of it, but then I try not to consume too much news product.

The uncovering of the dirt and muck is warranted because, holy crap, this woman could be and might be a heart beat away from being the POTUS.

Think about that for a second, McCain kicks the bucket and we have -- Sarah Louise Heath Palin, President of the United States.

That's a frightening and quite disturbing thought, and you should be scared. If Sarah Palin is ever POTUS, she's going to make George Walker Bush look like Einstein, Churchill and Roosevelt all rolled into one.

BTW, the neo-cons and far right fringe look forward to Sarah Palin being POTUS on the simple premise that their mission isn't to make government work, but instead to destroy it. Who better then a mayor from a small town in a state with 650k population to do this? Yeah, be scared.

Keep up the muck raking Salon...the possibility of Palin in office warrants it.