The rampant over-reaction of the mainstream media and the political left to the nomination of Gov. Sarah Palin has been helping the Republican ticket. It is mobilizing conservatives to work harder. it also is making them chuckle.
One reason is that the critics clearly don't know what they are talking about. Here you have silver screen tough guy Matt Damon saying how "terrified" he is of Palin. He demands to know if she really believes dinosaurs lived four thousand years ago. He doesn't even wonder why he imagines that she does believe such a thing. The poor man supposes that speculations by liberal commentators and Internet hysterics constitute reliable sources for Palin's views.
The daily papers are filled with article after article that seek to find chinks in Palin's armor. Investigative reporters from New York and Washington are helping to elongate the Alaska tourist season as they try find dirt on Palin, or some tundra scruff that can be made to look like dirt. Hostile, sarcastic reporters on Cable TV chastise Sarah for not letting them interview her. They even ruminate that she probably fears they will try to set her up with some gotcha quote ("Who is the prime minister of Uzebekistan?"). That just helps readers and listeners to do some ruminating themselves: "The media really are out to get her!"
Most of all, Damon-like liberals replace factual comment with what is known as "projection". They conjure up the views that would most discredit a conservative and then assume the targeted politico must hold such opinions. They don't have any conservative friends to give them a reality check, apparently, and just let their paranoia run away with them.
Then they are shocked when their public attacks backfire.
Conservatives are finding this almost too good to be true. The media are doing a jujitsu move on themselves.
