Sarah Palin and the Mayan Prophecy of Doom?

Sarah Palin is one of those characters in American politics who incites strong emotions. It is hard to feel ambivalent about her. Either you like her greatly seeing her as the 'salt of the Earth' or you consider her to be an ignoramus who represents both the degradation of American conservatism and the worst of the nation's low-brow culture and politics.

ibn epu3e Epu3e 19672

Both sides are well armed to defend or defame Palin. her memoirs - 'Going Rogue' - became a New York Times bestseller (part of the liberal media that Palin likes to dismiss) and she now charges speaking fees of $100,000 at right-wing gatherings. Prominent conservative personalities such as Rush Limbaugh and Glenn Beck and Sean Hannity are arch-defenders.

On the other sides: American liberals are always ready to harshly condemn Palin as nothing more than a lunatic who is entirely clueless about policy and international affairs. And cannot not even answer a simple question as to what newspaper she reads. Palin did eventually answer that question and state that she subscribes to The Economist - a highly unlikely fact. These attacks are not unfounded malice. Palin has been reported by her own staff as lacking even the most rudimentary knowledge of history - such as why there is a North and South Korea - and geography - she was confused on the status of Africa and unsure whether it is a country or continent.

And liberals are growing clever in their attacks against Palin by employing humor:

A group of anti-Palin activists have put together a mock ad ridiculing her possible 2012 presidential candidacy by comparing it to the Mayan prophecy of doom.

According to the Mayan calendar, the world will end come December 2012 - a fanciful belief that has encouraged a cult of conspiracy theorists and even a top box-office Hollywood film titled '2012'.

Palin has previously stated that she does not rule out a run for the presidency in the future "if I believed that that is the right thing to do for our country and for the Palin family."

Humor is a better defense since too many serious attacks can backfire because they may be seen as too mean-spirited and actually make people feel sorry for Palin and thus somewhat likely to then support her (if she runs) candidacy.