Palinography

One assumes that the Washington Post carries some influence in our nation's capitol. So you would expect it to have an op-ed policy that calls for submissions that elevate discourse, bring some expertise to a subject, raise little known or surprising viewpoints, illuminate a current debate, etc., albeit with strong doses of the various writers' own biases. Other than on that last point, evidence shows one's assumption would be wrong.

The Palin op-ed is like a caricature of an op-ed submission. "Written" by someone with absolutely no credibility on matters of climate change, science, reading, the English language, or involuntary breathing, what is the point of it being published?

Oh, I know, because Fred Hiatt shares a hobby with many on the right these days -- do something only because it will, supposedly, piss off a liberal. Not a good way to run a newspaper.

UPDATE: Ambinder annotates.