There’s a good op-ed in today’s L.A. Times about Former Half-Gov Reaganette McNotSoMuch. Let’s start with that:

…Palin has an appallingly and disturbingly superficial knowledge of Reagan’s career and principles. [...] Palin’s version of Reagan simply cannot allow for such nuance. Instead, she uses him to simplify issues and to skip serious thinking. [...]

[H]istorical figures become references not to start discussion, but to shut it down. Which brings us to Palin’s most egregious analogy: that she and Ronald Reagan are alike. [...]

But Palin’s trajectory and Reagan’s don’t match. Reagan used his status as an entertainer to become a politician; Palin is using her status as a politician to become an entertainer. [...]

Reagan couldn’t escape charges of unseriousness. But the truth is, he worked on his content, in addition to his image. On this count, Palin falls disastrously short. [...]

Palin suggested that “it was destiny that the man who went to California’s Eureka College would become so woven within and interlinked to the Golden State.” Reagan’s alma mater is in Eureka, Ill. It was embarrassing, but apparently not for Palin. For her purposes, the details — and a whole lot more — simply do not matter.

Her superficiality precedes her. She has no grasp of facts, of reality, of much of anything except how to pose for cameras, pull in cash, and caricature herself. Also. Too.

Which brings me to this morning’s “news”cast on MSNBC. I came in on the very tail end of a trio of punditiots– the quote I managed to catch was Pat Buchanan’s*– who were Very Seriously Analyzing McNotSoMuch’s new vanity TV show. You read that right, analyzing.

Her vanity show.

As if it were worthy of analysis.

The clip or two I caught sight of followed Reaganette as she skittered and scurried (barefoot) oh so busily (why must she always try to look so busy?), spouting folksy-wolksyisms that sounded like they came from a cat whose tail has been run over by a snowmobile.

She tried so very hard to portray herself as “normal” and with such overwhelming mommytude, dropping Gs from those pesky “i-n-gs”, putting enormous amounts of energy into appearing energetic, and Just Being You… in her pricey frontier mansion.

And then came Pat Buchanan’s comment:

“This shows that she has dimension!”

For a split second I was in total agreement with Pat! Holy mother of Wasilliness! A miracle! And then I realized…

He had said “dimension”. I thought he’d said “dementia”.

*Why is he still on MSNBC again?

UPDATE:

The premier of Sarah Palin’s Alaska attracted 5 million viewers last night, according to just-released Nielsen numbers.

The Hollywood Reporter notes the first episode of the eight-part series was the most-watched program launch in TLC’s history.