A few words on Palin's energy speech, which I finally forced myself to read.

I don't really have words to express how bizarre this is. Where to begin?

Why do a policy speech at this late date? Why is this better than a rally? Who is this supposed to be directed to? The base, who loves Palin, already knows the campaign's energy strategy, and is on board. Independents and swing voters, according to every poll on the planet, hate Palin and deem her manifestly unqualified. Is this supposed to convince them that she's a serious person who knows policy?

And if that's the goal, why not deliver a speech that contains some serious policy analysis or new proposals? The speech is 80 percent hemming and hawing about the need for energy independence and 20 percent the same old McCain/Palin energy shtick: more drilling, more nukes, more "clean coal," and some perfunctory handwaving about everything else. It's not an iota different from what they've said in speeches dozens of times. It could have been read straight off their website.

So what was the point?

And above all, the transcendent question: If you're going to deliver a speech focused on old, dirty energy, why do it from a solar panel plant? Honestly. Can anyone answer that question?

The tendency of political observers is to try to discover hidden strategy behind every move campaigns make. But I suspect a great deal more than most people appreciate is simply the result of disarray, poor planning, ignorance, and crossed wires.

My guess? Palin's ego is bruised by her poor reception, which she blames on a "poor rollout." She's desperate to position herself as a real candidate and not McCain's Historic Flail. So she wants to do policy. But she doesn't know sh*t about sh*t, so she delivers the campaign talking points. What a fiasco.

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