Hate.

The Republicans are back to their greatest weapon.

Hate.

Even Sarah Palin, after telling the minimal story of her own public life, quickly jumped back to hate. She attacked Obama with the lies and half-truths that are being painted as fact by the McCain campaign, tax increases chiefly among them.

If, as Fred Thompson says, this woman knows how to field dress a moose, then I suggest she split her time between governor of a sparsely publicized state and field-dressing mooses. She may even want to jump on one of her husband's boats.

What she definitely should not do --- and what Americans should turn her away from --- is the job of vice president of the United States. Mayor of a town of less than 7,000 people for six years. Governor of Alaska, sparsely populated, but with its own nationwide reverence, for 20 months. Mother of an unwed expectant mother (as No. 2 in the party of family values). Environmental rapist of one of the most sensitive environmental areas in the world.

And, out of convenience and in the interest of offsetting a growing swell of negative publicity, a liar.

Obama equals bigger government and higher taxes? Show me!

Bridge to nowhere? She supported it before she was against it. In Republican parlance, I believe they call that a flip-flop.

Daughter pregnant out of wedlock? Family values? How do those mix, pray tell?

Troopergate continues.

Sarah Palin is a disingenuous enigma wrapped in base conservatism and without any meaningul experience.

But should the Obama campaign try to attack even her asinine opinions on polar bears and the ANWr, we're likely to hear cries of sexism from the McCain camp.

At the end of the day, she's as mean as any Republican. And just as fucking wrong.