The avalanche of free Palin publicity being generated by the press continues unabated. And that's why Palin and her marketing team must be having a good laugh at the press' expense these days.

Specifically, Palin still has not allowed herself to be interviewed by an actual, professional political journalists this week. Palin has completely snubbed Beltway media elites (the same ones who won't stop writing and talking about her), yet there hasn't been a single murmur of discontent.

In other words, Palin's using the Beltway press to generate free publicity. And then Palin snubs that same Beltway press corps. I'd think that kind of smack-down would sting. But apparently not. I guess political journalists think it makes sense that a high-profile political figure would launch a very political book and begin paving the way for a possible 2012 political campaign and, y'know, not talk to the political press. And I'd also think that a few political journalists might even raise doubts about Palin's future if she's unwilling to sit down with a single A-list reporter and answer tough, detailed questions.

And I'd think that skepticism would be especially strong considering how Palin so famously botched her big-time interviews last fall during the fall campaign. (i.e. She didn't know what the Bush Doctrine was.) Palin bombed in her serious press interviews in 2008. And now in 2009, she's rolling out a new book and what do you know, she's stiffing the serious press.

Instead, she's opting for lifestyle interviews (i.e. Oprah and Barbara Walters) as well as taking questions from her professional enablers, such as Rush Limbaugh, Mark Levine, Bill O'Reilly, Matthew Continetti, NRO, RedState, etc. But nowhere on her press schedule do I see where Palin's agreed to take questions from serious political reporters who might press her on specifics, as well as the contradictions found in her book.

Palin is completely snubbing Beltway journalists; she's going right around them. But they're so busy helping her sell books that they don't even notice. Or care.

UPDATED: And oh yeah, there's evidence that Palin lied about journalists in her book. But pay not attention to that, press corps members. Keep selling more Palin books!