I don't think either attacking Sarah Palin or playing nice with her is a good strategy.

Sarah Palin essentially represents the same bad old Republican policies, but in a new, shiny, exciting package.

Before the selection of the running mates, if the campaign had boiled down to "Obama or McCain" rather than "Democrats or Republicans", the Democrats would have won.

Now, if it boils down to "Obama/Biden or McCain/Palin", rather than being about issues, I think the Republicans will.

Both focussing attacks on Palin and paying her compliments will lead to people focussing more on that package and less on the contents. And while attacks may tarnish it somewhat, that package is, frankly, newer, shinier and more exciting than any package the Democrats have on offer, I think.

I think that the best strategy for the Democrats (with the obvious caveat that I'm a chaos theorist, not a political analyst...) would be to ignore Palin entirely, and focus on a) the issues and b) McCain, whom we've heard very little about recently.

Sarah Palin's greatest weaknesses are not her daughters pregnancy and her alleged affair - talking about those makes people think about her as a person, which is the last thing the Democrats want, I think. They're her support for Creationism, her opposition to abortion, her positions on Iraq, the economy, the environment and so on.

I think the best way to attack her is to focus entirely on those - to hope that people forget about the package, and focus on the contents. Remind people that they're not voting for Sarah Palin the hockey mum, they're voting for four more years of Republican governance.

McCain appears to be taking a back seat, and letting Palin make the running at present.

check out his panning of McCain's speech too:

http://www.slate.com/id/2199042/

their plan is to keep her in hiding and cart her out Hannibal Lecter style to give a controlled speech here and there

the more we ask about her the more the anticipation builds

I'm with you - let's ignore her

We should target McCain. Only.

This is my virgin post here, so I hope it's alright if I just jump right into the fray.

I agree on point, but disagree w/the ignore factor. Palin is the elephant in the room. Ignoring her won't fly. However, I do agree that attacks or even subliminal jabs at her personal life is playing the Republican's card. That's their style. One of their largest voter bases are the gullible masses (who wouldn't know satire or nuance if it hit them upside the head) but will respond positively & loudly to dirty politic tactics (i.e. name-calling, below-the-belt tactics, etc.) as long as it comes from their beloved Republican talking heads. BUT, they'll lock and load and come out swinging if the same cheap jabs emanate from the so-called "bleeding heart, Lefty liberal Democrats. :mad: **Watch - if you can stand it - any O'Reilly show to see the magic of the double standard in action**

Additionally, focusing on Palin's creationist theories, her anti-choice stance, her "God's will in Iraq" bull, her need for Cliff Notes On How To Be A Vice-President and her penchant to rape the natural resources of her own state because...again..."it's God's will".....will only make the knuckle-draggers dig in their bare heels and intensify their support.

Rather, project that focus on her issues' stance to the hearts & minds of those straddling the fence and especially to those disenfranchised Hillary supporters who seem willing to abandon the ideologies of their former candidate and the Democratic Party entirely simply because Palin has a vagina (**thanks Samantha Bee**), that's where such focus would produce the most positive results in debunking Palin. (BTW: I can say that because I have one, too.;-) )

I do agree with the OP seeing that we need to address her as a Republican continuation with a bad history rather than an individual person with bad qualifications.

Keep it Obama vs. McCain, and will be win. If it's Obama/Biden vs. Palin, we lose.