Gratuitously cruel, no Dan? Anyway, let me be the first to suggest that Palin will pull off the biggest political deke seen in quite some time: a fake towards 'empty female vessel' and then sharp cut to 'sorry Senator Biden, not as dumb as I sound and now I'm gonna make a fool of you in prime time'. Not chess, Mr Spock. Poker.

"Governor, I am a loyal Republican and will not publicly comment on your limited intellectual capacities. Pretending that our conversation was adequate will not be among the hundred most important lies I have ever told. But neither will I actually endure any of your prattle. We will sit in silence while I listen to the sound of my own thoughts-- far more interesting than any words you could ever speak."

Kissinger: After all of this settles down, perhaps I could go aerial hunting for wolves with you up in Alaska.

Palin: Great. If it's a clear day, we might even see Russia!

It's not as if Kissinger had to agree to this, folks. the conversation will, no doubt, either be excruciating or superficial. Probably the best thing Kissinger could do for Palin is give her a reading list. And then the conversation might go like this:

PALIN: That's over 10,000 pages, Henry. I've got to give lots of speeches, make sure my make up makes me look perky, and find time to run Alaska and raise my children.

KISSINGER: (A supportive chuckle)

PALIN: No. Seriously. I need something shorter. Like a blog, maybe?

KISSINGER (Supressing an antic desire to recommend Andrew Sullivan): Um, I read danieldrezner.com every day. It's pretty good, as long as you skip the comments.

PALIN: I've heard things about...

KISSINGER: But he has pictures of such hot women...It brings back memories of when it was ok for power to be an aphrodesiac. *Sigh*

PALIN: I don't think I'd be interested...let's move on to shuttle diplomacy. Some tips, please. It'll help me with my kids....

"Yes, that's right. I was Secretary of State when Richard Nixon was President. N-I-X-O-N. Back in the 1970s. The Secretary of State is in charge of American diplomacy. You know, like the Foreign Service. No, it is not full of foreigners, they are all Americans. They work on our foreign policy.

"No, I was not born in this country, and that is very perceptive of you, Governor. By the way, I used to love answering questions from reporters. It was very relaxing. You should try it."

If the respondents above are Democrats, it is that attitude that will get McCain/Palen elected. Seriously, Super K got to where he was by sucking up to people in power. If K wants to have influence in the new adminstration he will graciously answer questions that are put to him.

bob a:

Look -- I don't think Palin is a bimbo or a lightweight. But she has never had to do foreign policy, and, judging by her interviews, she knows so little about it that she almost has no framework to ask intelligent questions, or place whatever wisdom kissinger might impart into her worldview.

I wish, somtimes, politicians would cop to ignorance. In Palin's case, it's actually understandable. But, if they are not going to cop to it, then mocking their pretensions seems perfectly appropriate.

I don't think Gov. Palin is a bimbo, but I do think she is a lightweight. So does the McCain campaign. That's the reason she's in the bubble, protected from press inquiries about, well, anything.

Obviously, McCain's television commercials and fundraising do not emphasize Palin's lightness. They emphasize that she is a victim, a category that does not exist for me. Deer that aren't alert get eaten, bears that can't claim their own territory starve to death, contractors who can't do the job get fired, football players who can't cut it, get cut. Politicians who haven't done anything, who can't even talk about anything, need to either get out of the game or take everything that's thrown at them.

I am aware that there are some American voters who respond to appeals for sympathy, even to the point of wanting to vote for someone who might be placed in command of the most powerful military in the history of the planet because some bloggers have said mean things about her. I think it's a mistake to pander to that kind of opinion, regarding it as borderline unmanly, especially in politics.

I wonder if Palin asked Henry Kissinger today what he thought about bailing out the West Bank.

Kissinger and Palin meet. They shake hands. Kissinger leans in. Palin leans back.

Palin to Kissinger: Back it off buddy.

Photo here: http://d.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/ap/20080923/capt.c42f5e685ccb4bc0a2b285b8a87048d0.palin_leaders_nyha109.jpg?x=266&y=345&q=85&sig=F.Fs1fhfYGnLqucZ77EmvA--

Palin: What’s the difference between a hockey mom and a pit bull, Henry?
Kissinger: …
Palin: Wait for it… Wait for it… LIPSTICK!
Kissinger: We actually put lipstick on a pit bull once. His name was Pinochet, and I
loved him.
Palin: You mean Pinocchio?
Kissinger: Pino…nevermind. So tell me Governor Palin, what do you consider the
biggest threat to American national security today?
Palin: The terrorists! We will get them terrorists! They were friends with Saddam!
They’re communists! They’re Nazis! They sleep with their eyes open! They eat babies and drink Christian blood! Holy war! HOLY WAR!!!!
Kissinger: I am considered something of a terrorist myself in many of the world’s
more… lawless countries.
Palin: Oh really? Like where, Canada?
Kissinger: Argentina, East Timor, Bangladesh, Cambodia…
Palin: ….
Kissinger: Brazil, Cyprus, Vietnam, Chile…
Palin: …oh! I love Chili’s! Me and the First Dude eat there all the time!
Kissinger: Have you ever even HEARD of any of these places, Governor?
Palin: … I can see Russia from my house. It looks like a terrorist.
Kissinger: France! They tried to arrest me in France! You MUST have heard of France!
Palin: Frogs! Surrender monkeys! FREEDOM FRIES!
Kissinger: Well, it’s a start. Speaking of, let’s get lunch. We’re done here.
Palin: Don’t worry, lunch is on me! I just shot a moose! Right down the hall from here…
Kissinger: Uh, I think that was Muammar al-Gaddafi, de facto leader of Libya.
Palin: …I don’t understand a word you just said. But you’re a funny feller, Mr. Kissinger. Smart, too. Someone shoulda put you in charge of somethin’. Maybe when I’m Vice President, I’ll hire you as my assistant. You can be my Second Dude!
Kissinger: I hate my life.

Palin: So tell me, Mr. Secretary, do you remember President Roosevelt on television in 1929?

Drezner: That didn't happen! I didn't hear it and if I do, I'm putting it down the memory hole. We're making fun of Palin here, no one else!