Hello.

Okay, maybe I’m snarking just a tad. After all, no one could have predicted that an enormously popular Republican ex-Governor would end up as a pundit on Fox News. It’s not as though it’s ever happened before! Yes, get ready, America – it’s Sarah Palin, on the teevee!

Former Gov. Sarah Palin of Alaska has signed on as a contributor to the Fox News Channel. The network confirmed that Ms. Palin would appear on the network’s programming on a regular basis as part of a multiyear deal. Financial terms were not disclosed.

Ms. Palin will not have her own regular program, one person with knowledge of the deal said, though she will host a series that will run on the network from time to time…

(snip)

Many suspected that when Ms. Palin retired as the governor of Alaska last summer she was doing so to pursue some sort of career in television. The Fox News deal, however, would not seem to be all-encompassing, and would appear to give her room for other pursuits, as well.

The deal was formally announced on Monday afternoon. Robert Barnett, Ms. Palin’s lawyer, did not respond to a call for comment. “I am thrilled to be joining the great talent and management team at Fox News. It’s wonderful to be part of a place that so values fair and balanced news,” Ms. Palin said in a statement.

My gawd, this woman is a natural for television; she’s a sound-byte generating machine. Just think, in two measly sentences she managed to perfectly work in the Fox News Network’s famous slogan!

I always thought she’d be a perfect co-host for her fellow former Republican Governor and fundiegelical teevee host, Mike Huckabee. Maybe she’ll get there after a few months. We know she’s a quick learner, don’t we?

I just hope all those “PUMAs for Palin” aren’t totally heart-broken that she isn’t, after all, running for President. As far as I know, running for President while appearing as a television pundit would violate the law; for example, Fred Thompson quit Law & Order before deciding to run (okay, hobble) for President in 2008, and that wasn’t even a political show.

As for me, I wish Palin all the best. I certainly won’t be watching. I’ve had enough Republican soundbytes from both parties to last a lifetime.

In other news, Massachussetts Senatorial hopeful Martha Coakley, after reversing her stance on the Health Whatever bill in order to curry favor with the National Party, has officially been thrown under the bus, Both Ways Barack style.

President Obama has no plans to travel to Massachusetts to campaign for Democrat Martha Coakley in the home stretch in the special election to fill the US Senate seat held by the late Edward M. Kennedy.

Presidential press secretary Robert Gibbs said today in response to a question at a briefing in the White House that the “president doesn’t have any travel plans to campaign in Massachusetts,” because “it’s not on our schedule to go to next week.”

Coakley represents the critical 60th vote that Democrats need to pass the president’s health care overhaul. Coakley’s opponents — Republican Scott Brown and independent Joseph L. Kennedy — have both said they would vote to block the health care bill.

The president did, however, send an email to supporters today imporing [sic] them to help push Coakley over the top.

“We all need Ted Kennedy’s seat to be filled by a champion for change — and Martha Coakley is that champion,” Obama wrote in the message.

“The stakes are high. Time is short,” he added. “And your role is essential.”

L.O. Freaking. L. Is he kidding?

Let’s see if I’ve got this right.

If Martha Coakley doesn’t win this seat, the Health Whatever monstrosity will have to face a Republican filibuster. Gadzooks! A filibuster supposedly makes the bill impossible to pass according to the “60 votes needed” framing, which as we all know is bullshit – there’s no way the Repubs could filibuster forever, is there – but that’s what the Democrats and the media have all been saying for years. Given those circumstances, you’d think this extremely critical election would warrant a visit from the head of the Party, our President, Barack Obama, wouldn’t you? Isn’t health “insurance” reform the jewel in his crown? Isn’t this what all the Democrats are going to campaign on in 2012? Isn’t this supposed to be the change we could all believe in, timed to pass at Christmas, like St. Nick’s biggest and best present to America?

Alas, such an effort would require Obama to take some sort of a stance, to exert himself, to show a little initiative,  a little energy. He doesn’t do that. That’s YOUR job, Obama fans. You do the work; he golfs, vacations and takes the credit. Remember?

Obama highlighted health care, the economy, and financial services reform as reasons to support the attorney general in next week’s election.

“We’re so close to passing health reform — finally realizing Senator Kennedy’s life’s work,” Obama wrote. “But we cannot get the job done without Martha Coakley in the Senate. And that means it may well all come down to you.”

Get it now? If she doesn’t get elected, it’s all your fault. As for him, campaigning for Coakley…isn’t on the schedule. That’s Robert Gibbs’ story, and he’s sticking to it.

QUESTION: On politics, there are indications that Massachusetts Senate race is tightening up. The DNC sent a top staffer there today. Does the president have any intention of going up to Massachusetts to campaign on behalf of Martha Coakley?

GIBBS: The president doesn’t have any travel plans to campaign in Massachusetts.

QUESTION: Robert, why isn’t the president going to campaign for Martha Coakley? It’s a tight race, very important to (inaudible) essentially?

GIBBS: It’s not on our schedule to go to next week.

QUESTION: And why is it not on the schedule?

GIBBS: It’s just not on the schedule.

The press can’t believe what it’s hearing, so the “reporters” try to get more details any way they can.

QUESTION: Is he — is he concerned — is there concern that his popularity — I mean, it just doesn’t make any sense that he wouldn’t go up there (emphasis mine). Is he concerned that his popularity ratings…

GIBBS: Not that I’m aware of.

QUESTION: … if he goes up there, that he might hurt her campaign?

GIBBS: No. No. No.

QUESTION: So just — just not on the schedule. It seems the scheduler actually who has decided not to send him.

GIBBS: All I can say was, you didn’t ask me that. We just — it’s not on the schedule as a trip the president’s going to make.

Well, all righty then. This here Health Whatever kabuki just got a lot more interesting, didn’t it?

This is an open thread.