Palin Lights Match at the Republican Bonfire: Margaret Carlson [View All]

[DainBramaged]

For those who wonder what former vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin is doing with her newfound freedom from the rigors of governing -- aside from writing a book in record time -- please do a Google search for NY-23. That’s the congressional race in upstate New York that Palin has decided to insert herself into.

Rather than endorse the Republican nominee, or just keeping quiet, Palin trashed Dede Scozzafava in favor of an independent, conservative Doug Hoffman, potentially handing the seat to a Democrat for the first time in about a century.

Hoffman couldn’t answer the simplest questions on local economic and transportation issues posed by the editorial board of the Watertown Daily Times, whining that they were “parochial” and should have been given to him in advance. In my parochial school that was called cheating.

Palin, who resigned as Alaska governor in July, didn’t have to leave home to toss her grenade. She did it from the privacy of her laptop. I guess she also can see upstate New York from her front porch.

While Palin’s favorable ratings have fallen since she debuted on the national scene in 2008, the Palin effect is powerful. The sleepy New York off-year special election -- a Republican congressman from District 23 resigned to join the Obama administration -- has almost eclipsed the hot races for governor in New Jersey and Virginia.

Early October saw Scozzafava in the lead. She now trails Democrat Bill Owens. Hoffman is within a few points of catching her.

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601039&sid=aJIxyHXzS7V8