After last night's attacks on the media, you have to wonder whether the press will continue to ask the hard questions about Palin's public record. Juding by Roger Simon's response, which is well worth reading, they will. Though folks like Ross Douthat have complained about the coverage, I don't see, at least in the MSM and most serious blogs, anything very inappropriate. I wonder what Douthat thinks of Steve Schimdt's cheerful willingness to bring up embarrassing Palin stories that no one has written, or to tout "the simple fact here is that this is a mom of five children" as a qualification, and then act as if reasonable questions about her ongoing ethics investigation is some kind of sexist assault.
On the other hand, I don't expect folks like Sean Wilentz, William Safire or David Broder to criticize Palin (or McCain tonight) for negative attacks or completely lacking substance.
--Tim Fernholz
