Bernstein: Palin 'Ignorant Demagogue, Flake'

Generations past and present of the Washington Post heaped abuse on Sarah Palin today.  Appearing on Morning Joe, Carl Bernstein called Palin "ignorant," a "demagogue" and a "flake."  Current WaPo editorialist Jonathan Capehart chimed in to second Bernstein's emotion "100%."

Pat Buchanan stepped in to explain Palin's appeal.

CARL BERNSTEIN: I think there's a fundamental problem in the way we have viewed her perhaps too seriously since she was a candidate, when we should have viewed her seriously.

She's a demagogue.  She's ignorant. She's a flake.

MIKA BRZEZINSKI [whose instinct is to give Palin a fair shake]: Oh boy.

BERNSTEIN: And I think there's a kind of obeisance that the conservative movement has paid to this person.  If a liberal Democrat were to be in a similar position, conservatives would run her out of town, as would sensible Democrats . . . [McCain] committed an almost unpatriotic act in picking Sarah Palin because she's manifestly unqualified for high office

....

JONATHAN CAPEHART: I absolutely agree with Carl, 100%. I've been mystified and fascinated by her rise and her presence on the national stage.

...

PAT BUCHANAN: I think that is the beltway wisdom or the beltway prejudice if you will --

CAPEHART: Oh, come on --

BUCHANAN: -- when Jonathan says he is mystified, and what that tells me is they don't understand Middle America. When this woman was picked, as Governor of Alaska about 18 months in, she came down to St. Paul and she was a national sensation. She had something in terms of authenticity, guts, her accomplishments up there against the establishment as a young woman and a governor, raising a family, doing all these things at once.  

The country fell in love with her.  She terrified the Democratic party, Biden was wailing maybe they should have picked Hillary. She had something in those two weeks and demonstrated it.  No other political figure, man or woman in either party, could have done.