Palin Remains Defiant

Almost a week after the release of her disastrous Tucson shooting video, Sarah Palin stepped off her usual Twitter and Facebook platform and into the relative comfort of Sean Hannity's softball field. On the Fox News host's Sunday night "Hannity" program, the Wasilla Wonder returned to the public stage to once again deny any culpability whatsoever regarding the toxic political discourse in America today and, more so, how her behavior on the video was justified and appropriate.

In the video, which history will remember as her "I am not a witch" moment, she continued to blame the media for her public relations woes and in a very over-simplified way tried to excuse the "blood libel" reference she made. She was stilted and calculated, and extremely defiant as she vociferously defended her timing of the video, her choice of words, and her ability to denounce who or whatever she opposes.

"I will continue to speak out," a clearly agitated Palin said. "They're not going to shut me up. They're not going to shut you up (Hannity), or Rush or Mark Levin or Tea Party Patriots."

When Hannity asked her to explain her timing of the video's release the same day as the Tucson memorial, and then the use of "blood libel," she came across as a flip 15-year-old who obviously memorized the answer to impress us with her knowledge of the subject matter. It was contrived and insincere.

"I don't know how the heck they would know whether I did or didn't know' the term blood libel, nobody's ever asked me. Blood libel obviously means being falsely accused of having blood on your hands. In this case that's exactly what was going on. And yes, the historical knowledge that people have of the term blood libel goes back to the Jews who were falsely accused back in the medieval European times of using the blood of children and...ya know...(snickers)...The criticism of even the timing of this statement is being used as another diversion."

She then fell into some lame spin about liberals wanting to sidetrack voters from Congress not doing its job to combat the "trifecta" of growing debt, the "looming energy crisis" and weak national security policies. Talk about diversion.

Palin also remains highly delusional about her prospects for 2012. "I am not ready to make an announcement about what my political future's going to be, but I'll tell ya Sean, I'm not gonna sit down, I'm not gonna shut up. I'm going to hopefully be able to help empower others who believe that, one of the things that makes America so exceptional is our right to free speech. Is our right to vigorously yet respectfully debate ideas and intentions in this country. I'm gonna continue down that path, and if that leads to being a candidate for a high office then I will announce that at the appropriate time. But for now, ya know, I want to join others who are saying, no, peaceful dissent and discussion about ideas, that is it what makes America exceptional and we won't allow that to be stifled by a tragic event that happened in Arizona...one that we should all..er... gather around if you will to condemn violence but not to stifle debate in America."

Only Sarah Palin could consider calling Obama a terrorist and targeting Gabrielle Giffords with rifle cross hairs "respectful" debate. She thrives on confrontation and conflict, and then plays the victim card when she's excoriated over it. But if she really believed what she said she'd come out from her social networking web rock, leapfrog over the friendly Fox News, and start talking to the mainstream media, of whom she's clearly terrified.

To be sure, after her self-imploding video performance, Palin has about as much chance of running for president, or winning, as I do. In fact, I'd say my chances are better.