The world has passed her by.
She used to be a very talented writer -- but for the last year, she's been losing it quickly, and sounds like most of the punch-drunk mass media writers who could have been "somebody," but failed to keep up with the fast-evolving world of writing.
I think it's mainly that the whole bunch of them stopped growing about ten years ago, whether conservative or liberal -- and are hoping the old style of mass media self-importance and self-indulgence is going to make a comeback -- if they keep on repeating history, as though they knew the future.
So sad. They stopped growing and insisted everybody else has to too -- so they can remain at the top of the heap, in their faded memories of the past. The rest of the public has to contend with Alzheimer's; with people in the media, it's Helen Thomas' Disease. It's fatal but they go on breathing for a long time after the brainwaves have flatlined. Their editors can't tell the difference and go on cutting the checks until the publications themselves pass into history.
Those who are ignorant of history are doomed to making the same mistakes. Then there is, the greatest sign of dementia is repeating the same actions expecting a different outcome.
Hence the Republicans better change their disregard of the base, or risk losing it all.
Your criticism against Ms. Noonan is quite patronizing. I'd like to respectfully disagree, and request that you present evidence as to how Ms. Noonan has become a "punch-drunk mass media writer."