Just Say Something!, Part I

After discussing her opinion on the Roe v. Wade decision with Katie Couric this evening on the "CBS Evening News", Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin was asked the following question: "What other [U.S.] Supreme Court decisions do you disagree with?"

You would probably assume that this little Alaskan Einstein would be able to name at least one other recent Supreme Court decision viewed as controversial by the right wing. For example, Wallace v. Jaffree (prayer in public schools), Grutter v. Bollinger (affirmative action) or Lawrence v. Texas (homosexual rights). You assumed wrong...

Palin: "Well, let's see. There's, of course, in the great history of America, there have been rulings there's never going to be absolute consensus by every American. And there are those issues again, like Roe v. Wade, where I believe are best held on a state level and addressed there. So you know, going through the history of America, there would be others but…"
Couric: "Can you think of any?"
Palin: "Well, I would think of any again that could be best dealt with on a more local level maybe I would take issue with. But, you know, as a mayor and then as a governor and even as a Vice President, if I'm so privileged to serve, wouldn't be in a position of changing those things but in supporting the law of the land as it reads today."

If you think that Palin's response to Couric's question was unbelievable, it gets even better. On June 25, 2008, the Supreme Court reduced the amount of punitive damages (from $2.5 billion to $507.5 million) to Alaska fishermen and other residents as a result of the Exxon Valdez disaster in 1989. In a prepared statement, Palin announced that "I am extremely disappointed with today’s decision by the U.S. Supreme Court". Yes, you read that correctly. Even though Palin provided a dissenting opinion against a Supreme Court decision from less than 100 days ago and involving a case in the state of which she is currently governor, this mental giant could not provide an intelligent response to an extremely straightforward question from Couric.