Some of the passionately feminist critics who attacked her personally
deserved some of the backlash they received.  This means that not all
of the "passionately feminist critics" who attacked her personally
deserved backlash, and those who do 'deserve backlash" deserve only
'some.'  But aren't such attacks simply despicable in nature, and so
to be condemned categorically?

K. Parket describes the "Palin Problem" as this: "Quick study or not,
she doesn't know enough about economics and foreign policy to make
Americans comfortable with a President Palin should conditions warrant
her promotion."

So, the problem is not one of substance, but perception (comfort with):
But if she is a quick study, she can learn.  And if she has the
essential traits of character to be a leader in our nation, she
certainly will, and her supporters (who consider her to be not only
genuine, but genuine sterling) obviously should support her as she
strives bravely if not manfuly to do so.

The problem described is not "not knowing enough about economics and
foreign policy" in itself, since this can be cured, especially by a
quick study; rather, the problem is "to make  Americans comfortable
with a President Palin"; but this is why she is in the arena.  This is
her battle, win, lose or draw.  And if she enters it under the
Incredibly extreme pressure of the entire weight of the media -- very
sophisticated, malicious, articulate, unscrupulous, pseudo-objective,
and takes a few shots in the early going -- so be it.  This in itself
is a trial by fire, which if she survives will not only help to temper
her for the most difficult task imaginable; moreover, in winning
through she would be improving the comfort level of those same
Americans noted by Ms. Parker (only some of them, to be sure).

Just think, one month ago she was just a high-energy whiz bang gal
governor of a a huge but sparsely populated state with an 80 %
approval rating and a genuine verve that is rarely seen in public life
-- and now this Great Gal from Wasila, Alaska is scorned and mocked
and taunted, and hated, passionately HATED not only by "passionate
feminists" but the most powerful voices in washington, new york, los
angeles, san francisco; presumably, as you put it, some of these
deserve some critisism for the personal attacks on Gov. Palin.
Yet, she still stands.
Ms. Parker's sage advice is especially odious to us who wish Gov.
Palin the fortitude to continue to stand in, to survive some of these
shots the like of which she could never have dreamed of in a
nightmare, and to emerge stronger, and then to go forward.  Got a
feeling she will, and that she won't take your advice.

Finally, as for the condemnation Ms. Parker states that she faces for
"swimming downstream, away from Sarah Palin," that is because it's
just a mediocre thing to do.  Anyway, is it not likely to win her
kudos from certain quarters, or at least acknowledgement?
Robert McGuigan, NJ