Sarah Palin Fans Love Her, Don't Know Much About Her

President Barack Obama took a lot of heat for his celebrity status, his "cult of personality." Some of it is deserved, of course. He did seem to come out of nowhere. And many of his supporters went overboard. Still, it could be argued that after eight years of the Bush Administration, some enthusiasm for someone totally and utterly different was warranted. But the McCain-Palin campaign tried to turn "celebrity" into a bad thing. The right-wing radio yakkers, FOX "News" and their followers played up this angle, and continue to.

So, whither Sarah Palin? She is no doubt a celebrity. There is also certainly a Carrie Prejean/Joe the Plumber "famous for being famous" air about her. Her fans are devoted in a way that rivals a cult. But they can't exactly say why they love her so much. She's "real" and she's "honest" is about the best they can do. Which is strange, since to me she seems utterly phony and has only a passing familiarity with the truth. Oh well. . .