Sarah Palin charmed her toughest critics at Gridiron Dinner

Sarah Palin charmed a room full of her toughest critics Satuday night, according to Dan K. Thomasson, vice president/news for Scripps Howard Newspapers and editor of Scripps Howard News Service, a 50-person Washington news bureau:

The very fact she was willing to take the chance of appearing in a room full of her most disdainful critics is testimony to her courage as if that were ever in doubt. But when you're shooting percentage is as good as the ex-basketball star from Wasilla's has been of late, confidence leads one into situations that might otherwise be called foolhardy. Her luck held and she came away with at least a consensus of grudging admiration, having hit several threes and a driving lay-up.

The mere politeness that normally prevails in this setting disappeared in a welter of good will and produced at times the most extraordinary scene of inside the Beltway cynics and their significant others asking for autographs, an event almost as phenomenal as she is. Meanwhile, her husband, Todd, who she recently made graphically clear in answer to tabloid rumors of a pending split was a hunk no woman in her right mind would give up -- "Are you crazy! Have you seen Todd?" -- was the center of similar attention from the ladies.

Thomasson contrasted the good-natured demeanor of the Republican Party's 2008 vice presidential candidate at the event with the other featured speaker, Democrat Congressman Barney Frank, who:

"...sat unsmilingly and obviously uncomfortably throughout Palin's appearance, obviously aware that he was upstaged in star power even in a town where his acerbic wit is celebrated."

In Thomasson's view, although former Gov. Palin may not have convinced any in the assembly of overwhelmingly liberal and Democrat-supporting media types to pull a voting lever for her in a future election:

"...she did, however, pry open the eyes of some of those who have refused to regard her as little more than a jumped up political gate crasher one step removed from a trailer park."

[...]

So as she sat coolly sipping wine and taking a bite now and then and chatting amiably with the Gridiron's gracious outgoing president, Richard Cooper of the Los Angeles Times and the incoming Ann McFeatters of Scripps Howard, she was every bit the remarkably good looking, self assured and determined friendly young woman who no one should take lightly, capable of charming an audience that fashions itself even tougher than she is.

Read Thomasson's op-ed unabridged here.

- JP