Naomi Wolf on Monday accused former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin of being part of a "cabal" involving George W. Bush, Dick Cheney, and Karl Rove.

The feminist author and political consultant made this accusation on CNN's "Larry King Live."

Fortunately, former Bush adviser Mary Matalin was there to contest Wolf's absurdities:

[T]his is why people think liberals are such fringies. I mean you -- you run around saying that she's such a dope, but you were all duped by the dope. That's what you've said about George Bush, too.

In the end, the paranoia on display, as well as the unchecked hatred for Palin, was nothing less than remarkable -- but Matalin was there to bring some sanity to the discussion (video embedded below the fold with transcript, h/t Story Balloon):

LARRY KING, HOST: Naomi Wolf, somebody said today that they don't remember a vice presidential concession speech.

Anyway, you want to comment on what she said?

NAOMI WOLF, FEMINIST: Yes, I personally have no idea whether it's traditional or not. I don't think tradition should matter that much. I think what's more important is what I keep hearing -- the refrain I keep hearing from people is, you know, oh, we should have rolled her out more narrowly, she's genuine, I like her, she's got all these kids, she speaks from the heart.

You know, all of those are lovely in a neighbor or in a co- worker. But what people have to remember is do we really want to hand our country over to consultants like -- like my colleagues on other side of the aisle on this panel, with all due respect, who seem to want to roll her out like a product.

And let's look at what she was fronting for. She wasn't just doing what the McCain team wanted. She was carrying water for policies of Rove and Cheney and Bush, including policies on torture.

(LAUGHTER)

Bear with me.

And it -- history has seen plenty of examples of a cabal -- a group of people who get into power. And then she is a telegenic, charming, Evita-type front person to kind of lure the masses...

KING: All right, let...

WOLF: ...while the same old guys remain in power with some very dark and negative policies...

KING: All right, Mary...

WOLF: ...that our country is still recovering from.

(LAUGHTER)

KING: All right, you worked with -- you want to...

WOLF: I'd like to hear what you have to say about that.

KING: Do you want to respond, Mary?

MARY MATALIN, CNN POLITICAL CONTRIBUTOR, REPUBLICAN STRATEGIST: I don't know where my friend, Naomi, who was the third wave leading feminist and has turned into a Grassy Knoller. There is no Cheney/Rove cabal. Sarah Palin a grass...

WOLF: There's no Cheney-Rove cabal, huh?

MATALIN: See, you've got -- I don't -- this is why people think liberals are such fringies. I mean you -- you run around saying that she's such a dope, but you were all duped by the dope. That's what you've said about George Bush, too.

She's just a mainstream American. And if you read this book and the framework of her philosophy of government, it goes all the way back to the founders -- what's the role of government, can we afford this?

She has a very timely philosophical framework. And to put her in some kind of cabal...

WOLF: Mary...

MATALIN: ...says more about you guys than...

WOLF: Mary...

MATALIN: ...her.

WOLF: Mary, I admire you and I like you and you're...

KING: All right.

Katrina?

(CROSSTALK)

KATRINA VANDEN HEUVEL, EDITOR, "THE NATION": Yes, I was going to say...

(CROSSTALK)

VAN DEN HEUVEL: I was going to say, you know, Sarah Palin today spoke of "united we stand." Her friend, "Joe the Plumber," spoke of mobilizing people to be part of the government.

I mean Sarah Palin, at the end of the campaign, traveled this country, Larry, at a time of unprecedented economic pain and hurt and fomented rage and anger, talked about President Obama palling around with terrorists...

WOLF: Terrorists.

VAN DEN HEUVEL: ...who are targeting our country.

WOLF: Yes, that's right.

VAN DEN HEUVEL: This -- this is not about united we stand. And these are people who hate government. They are government bashers at a moment when we need government for the common good.

So I'm not sure -- I'm all with Joe, by the way, we don't need more experts in our government. We need people who care about using government for the common good.

But this is not what Sarah Palin...

KING: All right, Nancy...

VAN DEN HEUVEL: ...stood for on the campaign trail...

(CROSSTALK)

KING: Nancy...

VAN DEN HEUVEL: ...or what she stands for now.

KING: All right. We're running close on time.

Nancy...

NANCY PFOTENHAUER, FORMER MCCAIN CAMPAIGN ADVISER: I find it...

KING: Nancy, quick questions for you.

Do you think she wants -- Nancy, do you think she wants to run in 2012?

PFOTENHAUER: I think that she's considering it. And I think that she's done -- from the standpoint, that standpoint, stepping out and being able to go out and -- and basically raise some money, raise her profile, etc. All -- all makes sense.

However, the idea that candidates are not rolled out is point blank laughable. And if you're worried about the direction of the country, maybe we should be talking about the 10 percent unemployment rate, the two wars...

VAN DEN HEUVEL: Certainly we should.

PFOTENHAUER: ...that are still going on and etc. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: That's true.

PFOTENHAUER: We didn't -- shouldn't be ascribing poor motives to other people who want to engage who just happen to disagree with you.

VAN DEN HEUVEL: Nancy -- Nancy, bear with me...

KING: All right, guys...

VAN DEN HEUVEL: She supported torture.

KING: We've got another panel coming.

Thank you.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Thank you.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: All right.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Thank you.

KING: We'll have you back.

—Noel Sheppard is the Associate Editor of NewsBusters. Follow him at Facebook and Twitter.

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