You are quite wrong there. The caricature of Palin created by Fey turned Palin into an unserious object of ridicule for many voters - including many Republicans - much the same way that Chevy Chase's bumbling depiction of Gerald Ford helped pave the way for Carter. You should not underestimate these pop culture influences.
Quite so. The media likes to pigeonhole people into nice neat little categories, for all the talk of “in-depth” interviews and documentaries. Its easier that way, especially on TV, which is becoming faster all the time.
The result is that there are two Sarah Palin’s. The real lady, and the popular image of her. Guess which one most people are familiar with?
exactly right