Why is Chambliss gambling on this "closer"

Alaska Governor Sarah Palin, the most polarizing figure in recent American politics, will be at a Sunday evening fundraiser, and four big Monday rallies for the closing day of Saxby Chamliss' narrowing U.S. Senate race. Is she there to throw red meat to "morans," or is she there to muck things up?

Sarah Palin will spend part of Sunday and most or all of Monday, campaigning for Senator Saxby Chambliss, in his bid to keep his seat from the strong challenge of Jim Martin. This move on the part of the Saxbee campaign is being widely perceived as one to use her ability as a "closer," that is - somebody who can cinch a deal.

Certainly, Palin has proven she can make her base base salivate. And many appearances by herein the Southeast United States during September and October drew huge, enraptured throngs. I'm sure Saxby's campaign will love throwing scraps of red meat out to the crowds greeting Palin. But her rabid stump style might just as well drive undecided voters toward Martin.

No doubt, the group plowing a lot of money into Georgia right now, the National Republican Trust PAC, has sent her the talking points she will use Sunday and Monday:





Her NRT PAC and Our Country Deserves Better PAC handlers have already emailed or faxed the talking points to her. Her Sunday and Monday appearances will combine elements from their material with the disgustingly false strain exhibited in the NRSC ads that began airing Tuesday in Georgia.

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Not only will Georgia voters decide this important race Tuesday, but that day will also see President-elect Barack Obama meeting in Philadelphia with most US governors, at their annual U.S. Governors Association conference. In Anchorage yesterday, Palin's spokeseunuch, Bill McAllister attempted to pimp the possibility Obama might meet with Palin.

If Palin campaigns as negatively as I predict she will in Georgia on Sunday and Monday, it will be one of Obama's most generous gestures yet to the opposition.

We'll see.

Meanwhile, in some pre-Thanksgiving snark toward my turkey of a governor, I posted a thread early Wednesday afternoon at DailyKos http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/11/26/144415/99/644/666510, that asked, "If Obama offers Palin a job in his administration, what should it be?" I'm paraphrasing myself, but the thread turned into an interesting, sometimes hilarious read.