The XX Factor: What women really think.

A lot of liberal bloggers are crowing this morning about Sarah Palin's concession to Katie Couric that the Constitution protects a right to privacy. I don't think that's nearly the monster gotcha they seem to believe. Couric asked "Do you think there's an inherent right to privacy in the Constitution?" Palin responded "I do." Chief Justice John Roberts, at his confirmation hearings, also agreed that the constitution protects a right to privacy. So did Justice Samuel Alito. (And in strikingly similar language!!!) What Palin said to Couric is hardly a dramatic departure from that line. Nor does it open the door to any kind of wobbliness on choice (see also, Roberts and Alito). That said, I can't agree with Ann Althouse that Palin handled the court questions with any real degree of skill. I found the segment to be yet another painful instance of the Palin method-acting approach to interviews: rote repetition of blurry talking points, fused with blurry confusion over issues to which she has not given any kind of serious thought. Nevertheless, I don't expect Palin to collapse in a verbless heap at tonight's debate the way she has done for Couric. The McCain campaign has already set up moderator Gwen Ifill as a "hater."  So long as Palin can keep her cue cards straight and twinkle intermittently on cue, she'll likely battle Joe Biden to a draw.