George Will defends Sarah Palin... again.

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NewsBuster Noel Sheppard reports that George Will, who had been critical of Gov. Palin in the past, nevertheless defended her Sunday, refuting lefty Peter Beinart's claim that she is somehow the GOP's version of George McGovern:

Beinart appearing on ABC's "This Week" claimed the GOP today resembles the Democrat Party between 1968 and 1972 when McGovern took it over and moved it so far to the left that it no longer represented the views of average Americans.

This ended up harming the Democrats in the long run leading Beinart to conclude, "The Republicans will do great in 2010, but I think Sarah Palin is really the Republicans' George McGovern."

Will smartly responded...

"But eight months ago, the worry was the worst case analysis for Republicans was that the Tea Party energies would be diverted in a third party candidacy splitting the conservative vote in this country. Sarah Palin, think of her what you will, has brought them into the Republican Party, and they are one of the main reasons for what is going to be probably decisive in November and that is the enormous enthusiasm and intensity gap that favors the Republicans this year."

Indeed.

Will also came to the governor's defense in July when he pwned far left columnist Ruth Marcus for the latter's gratuitous and hypocritical smear of the 2008 GOP vice presidential candidate.

Careful, George, lest you succumb to Sarah's charms. Resistance is futile.

- JP

Surprise! George Will defends Sarah Palin

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Though he has been critical of her in the past, conservative pundit George Will came to Sarah Palin's defense Sunday morning when Alaska's first woman governor was attacked by a liberal columnist. NewsBusters Associate Editor Noel Sheppard has the story:

George Will on Sunday used a Barack Obama quote to smack down a predictable attack on Sarah Palin made by the Washington Post's Ruth Marcus.

As the Roundtable discussion of ABC's "This Week" moved to the former Alaska governor's "Mama Grizzlies" video, Marcus voiced her unsurprising displeasure.

"I think it's the same, old, vapid, platitudinous Sarah Palin," said Marcus. "There is not a shred, not a shred of substance in this ad."

When he got his turn, Will tore Marcus apart, "On the vapidness meter, that ranks nowhere near, 'We are the ones we have been waiting for,' which was Obama's way of flattering the self-esteem of his supporters."

For a transcript of the segment, plus Noel's commentary, read his full article at NewsBusters.org.

- JP