In some respects, her timing was worse than her choice of that one phrase. Others were also accused, and they very ably pushed back against the Left's crap. The public relations battle had largely been won.
Palin was like a firefighter who arrived late to a structure fire and, upon seeing only smoking embers, threw gasoline to revive the flames rather than water to cool the embers.
What would have been the correct time for her to defend herself against the invective hurled against her...in your opinion...???