Sarah Palin, Wink, Wink

Andrew Sullivan highlighted the following love letter from the National Review's Rich Lowry regarding Sarah Palin's debate performance:

I'm sure I'm not the only male in America who, when Palin dropped her first wink, sat up a little straighter on the couch and said, "Hey, I think she just winked at me." And her smile. By the end, when she clearly knew she was doing well, it was so sparkling it was almost mesmerizing. It sent little starbursts through the screen and ricocheting around the living rooms of America.

Never mind that the right began this campaign complaining about Barack Obama's celebrity and cried foul when Chris Matthews described a similar excitement at hearing Obama give a speech, the truly amazing implication of Lowery's review is that male voters should be swayed by a candidate because she's got a pretty smile and openly flirts with us.

And, yes, you're right to be suspicious and think that those winks were a premeditated gimmick. As friends in St. Augustine, Florida pointed out to me today, Palin began the debate by asking Biden if she could call him Joe. Then, with all the spontaneity of a campaign suspension, minutes later she trotted out the line, "Say it ain't so, Joe!"

You see, the fix is in when it comes to Palin's candidacy. And Lowry is only too happy to indulge the sexist fantasy. Whatever gets you off, I guess.