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I think there is a wing of the Republican party that is distinctly liberal. Therefore, they wish to discredit a promising conservative candidate before she has a chance to build a strong following. They may be too late.

There is also the issue of shallowness. Most people are shallow in some areas. I have not known many people I can regard as leaders - but the few who meet that standard share some attributes. They are smart, of course; in addition, they have solid knowledge in a number of areas. However, the important aspect of character is their ability to work through others, and to bring out the best elements of subordinates. Thus, it is less important that a leader know the details of NAFTA than that she find and use good people who do. It seems to me that Sarah Palin could be a good and effective leader.