Over at The New Republic, Michelle Cottle is very, very impressed with all the amazing things Sarah Palin (aka the “media maven”) has been able to accomplish since she quit her job as Alaska's governor. Specifically, Cottle thinks Palin idea to snub the press and not interact with any independent journalists has “succeeded brilliantly.” (Although I'm guessing that if a Democratic superstar tried to boycott the press like that, TNR would declare a national media emergency.)

But that's fine. if TNR want to cheer the disturbing trend of politicians refusing to speak to journalists, that's its (self-defeating) choice. But I couldn't help noticing while reading the TNR valentine that the magazine seemed to go out of its way not to mention Palin's utterly awful polling numbers and how, despite her “genius” media strategy, voters on both sides of the aisles have consistently told pollsters they don't take Palin seriously as a politician, they would not vote for her as president, and they don't trust her in any kind of position of leadership or power. In fact, based on her sky-high disapproval ratings, Palin's among the least popular figures in American politics today.

But yeah, other than that her plan is working to perfection.

UPDATED: Cottle was also mum about the fact that when a journalist moved in next door to Palin, she immediately smeared the award-winning author as a would-be pedophile and posted a peeping, unauthorized photo of him online. Based on her high regard for Palin, I'm guessing Cottle thinks that move was “genius,” as well.