Sarah Barracuda

Palin’s speech was good. It was very good.

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The ability to attack ruthlessly while coming off as being likeable – that is a rare talent. (Biden, actually, is known for this as well.)

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You have to wonder why Palin keeps repeating that she said no to the Bridge to Nowhere. One has to wonder why she explicitly mentions that she is against earmarks. Both of these can be contradicted factually.

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Obama and Biden need to act quickly before the narrative sets in that Palin is a pork-hating reformer. Once the impression sets in, it is much harder to modify. (See Maverick.)

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Palin brings together the disparate coalitions that make up the GOP base and excites them in ways McCain couldn’t.

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Religion and abortion were largely left out of the speech but then again, Palin didn’t need to mention these. The religious conservatives already know she’s one of them.

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Throwing red meat to a partisan crowd is great. The Republicans should also count on an equal (?) and opposite reaction amongst the Democratic base.

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There are more self-identified Democrats than Republicans currently. There is no arguing that the Republicans need their base energized and united, but they also need a larger share of the independents and Democrats if they are to win.

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Obama and Biden should waste no time in highlighting some of the extreme position Palin holds. No abortion, even in cases of rape and incest.

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There are other extreme positions that Palin has espoused, including teaching creationism in schools. But banning abortions sans exceptions for rape and incest -- this is much more effective on moderates, even those that might be ambivalent about abortions.

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Obama needs to send out women and men from smaller states and rural areas as surrogates. Charges of sexism and elitism do not need to distract from the Democrats’ actual arguments.

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Going back to the second point – facts. It’s a sad reflection of the state of our political discourse where facts are dispensable and the politics of personality so much more prevalent.