Steve just called for his morning check-in to see how the kids got off to school this morning. Somehow Sarah Palin came up in our discussion. I have no idea how we segued from "the funny thing that Ian said" to Sarah Palin, but there you go. We have an odd relationship, but it works for us.

Anyhoo, Steve mentioned a fabulous line about Sarah Palin's charisma. A couple of years ago, Rich Lowry from the National Review wrote about Palin's "starburst effect."

I’m sure I’m not the only male in America who, when Palin dropped her first wink, sat up a little straighter on the couch and said, “Hey, I think she just winked at me.” And her smile. By the end, when she clearly knew she was doing well, it was so sparkling it was almost mesmerizing. It sent little starbursts through the screen and ricocheting around the living rooms of America. This is a quality that can’t be learned; it’s either something you have or you don’t, and man, she’s got it.

God, I have to stop writing posts about Palin. I'm so Andrew Sullivan this week.