Kristol has been saying he plays no official role in the campaign, and the NYTimes has been mouthing the same talking points, since its columnists are not supposed to active election players. But this report from Scott Horton suggests Kristol was instrumental in getting Sarah Palin tapped as the VP.

Horton writes:

Kristol is one of the few conservative columnists whose support of Palin has been unflinching. He has used his space as a New York Times columnist to tout her candidacy repeatedly. But in the process Kristol has never bothered to disclose his role in the decision making process that led to the Palin pick. Kristol's Weekly Standard has figured as Palin's chief defender, and its writers have gone after even those who dare to pose questions about Palin's candidacy. Bill Kristol, it seems, has much at stake in the Palin candidacy.