Ross Douthat on Sarah Palin and her admirers:

But there’s a sense in which the apologists for her performance are getting something right: In the process of performing very, very badly on national television, Palin is holding up a mirror to the rest of the political world, and revealing how the mix of talking points, bluster, obfuscation and BS that nearly all national politicians traffic in as a matter of course sounds when it’s filtered through someone who isn’t practiced in it, and isn’t ready for the spotlight. Her performances reflect badly on her readiness for the vice presidency, no question – but they reflect badly on our whole compromised, spin-happy political class as well.

It is true that much of what her opponent Joe Biden has said–aside from the gaffes–is pure bunk. Patriotism and tax rates aren’t related. The partition of Iraq was an awful idea. And we sure do want coal development and domestic oil and natural gas development. But people are convinced Joe Biden is ready, or more ready, to be VP because he has a reservoir of basic knowledge on national and international issues–even though the judgment he applies to that knowledge is often faulty.

Is this fair? Perhaps not. But that is why elevating someone with no national experience is a risk, a big one. They have to present themselves as fluid — or able to become fluid — on issues which they haven’t dealt with at length. That’s really the challenge for Palin tonight: to make the case that she can learn the things Biden knows. Not an easy task.