Can Sarah Palin survive in the age of YouTube?

The answer to the first question, "I'll get back to ya."

As for the exchange on Russia, perhaps Palin should have used the same answer.  It is a painful conversation:

COURIC: You've cited Alaska's proximity to Russia as part of your foreign policy experience. What did you mean by that?

PALIN: That Alaska has a very narrow maritime border between a foreign country, Russia, and on our other side, the land-- boundary that we have with-- Canada. It-- it's funny that a comment like that was-- kind of made to-- cari-- I don't know, you know? Reporters--

COURIC: Mock?

PALIN: Yeah, mocked, I guess that's the word, yeah.

COURIC: Explain to me why that enhances your foreign policy credentials.

PALIN: Well, it certainly does because our-- our next door neighbors are foreign countries. They're in the state that I am the executive of. And there in Russia--

COURIC: Have you ever been involved with any negotiations, for example, with the Russians?

PALIN: We have trade missions back and forth. We-- we do-- it's very important when you consider even national security issues with Russia as Putin rears his head and comes into the air space of the United States of America, where-- where do they go? It's Alaska. It's just right over the border. It is-- from Alaska that we send those out to make sure that an eye is being kept on this very powerful nation, Russia, because they are right there. They are right next to-- to our state.

Spin? Impossible...

Not even some conservative announcers on the conservative network could spin this conversation.  FOX News commentator Bernard Goldberg, when interviewed on FOX, couldn't even bash Couric.

"It was a legitimate interview," Goldberg began.  "She [Palin] doesn't install confidence when she answers a question like that.  She just doesn't install confidence."

Goldberg said part of the reason is that she's a newbie on the national stage which is admittedly difficult.  He said that although he believes the media has been too easy on gaffe-prone Joe Biden, he couldn't give Palin a free pass.

"I just want to be clear," he said.  "I don't think she is doing herself any favors with these interviews.  She's not doing all that well. "

As for Parker's "she's out of her league" comment?

"I hate to say it, but she may be right," Goldberg said.

The sun will come out tomorrow

Filling the role of "the glass half full" strategist, GOP operative Todd Harris isn't as gloomy as others.  He emails The Vote:

"I think expectations for Palin will be so low on Thursday that it will be difficult for her not to meet them," Harris said. "And debate performances are not graded in a vacuum. It’s not just how she does, but also how Biden does and how he acts towards her, that makes for the ultimate grade.  She could stumble through the entire evening, but if Biden talks down to her, the debate will be a draw."

Biggest fear

One thing is for certain, Harris wasn't spinning when he said expectations are low.

But, if the two biggest fears people have, in order, are death and public speaking, with the spread of YouTube, one wonders if public speaking hasn't just graduated to number one.

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