Veep Debate Approaches As Conservatives Abandon Palin

While Sunday pundits offered up a modicum of critique toward some of Joe Biden's gaffiest moments of the week - like inventing the television early for Franklin Delano Roosevelt - stronger concern was directed at the GOP ticket, and the lousy week that Sarah Palin has had. Truth be told, once you got past the Friday debate and the ongoing financial crisis, the next biggest figure on the radar this Sunday was National Review's Kathleen Parker, who, amid a larger call for Palin to step down from the ticket of her own volition, admitted:

I've also noticed that I watch her interviews with the held breath of an anxious parent, my finger poised over the mute button in case it gets too painful. Unfortunately, it often does. My cringe reflex is exhausted.

Parker's been the leading voice of Palin concern - at least this week! The Politico notes a general air of concern among party officials, and there have been rumors of "disastrous" attempts at mock-debates and pretend-press conferences.

Of course, there's the old adage: "If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all," which RADAR's Alex Balk notes is being twisted into something different for Palin: "If you must say something nice, do so on condition of anonymity." That's a trend Palin cannot afford to have continue.

Not to belabor the point, but Fareed Zakaria begins his column on the matter by saying: "Will someone please put Sarah Palin out of her agony?" Naturally, I only object to the "her agony" part.