Sarah Palin is not riveting

Writing for Newsweek, Howard Fineman suggests that Sarah Palin's performance tonight will be riveting, because we'll have a complete unknown in a situation where she will sink or swim and nobody knows what to expect.

I know what to expect. She'll be coached that she doesn't need to capture the right wing, which is hers already, so she'll use the opportunity to talk about silly things and make herself more human and appealing. None of this will have any real bearing on her ability to lead the world's largest economy, nor will it truly reflect anything that would be likely to result from her eventually becoming president. Remember the W. ran as a compassionate conservative, only to turn out in reality to be just another frothing-at-the-mouth fascist. Likewise the lovely Sarah, regardless of what sugar-coating she applies to her scanty resume in the speech.

Someone has remarked that Ms Palin is probably the first national candidate ever to know how to dress a moose. I can't speak specifically about moose, but I'll wager that some of the early 19th century candidates knew how to handle a knife to dress game. It was once an important qualification for dealing with life.

She may, however, be the first candidate for national office for whom that ability ranks high on the list of qualifications to hold the office.