The Truman Show

THE TRUMAN SHOW.... Towards the end of 2006, George W. Bush decided he's just like Harry Truman, who was unpopular while in office, but whose stature grew with the benefit of hindsight. Last night, Sarah Palin decided she's like Truman, too.

Josh Marshall asked, early on in Palin's speech, "Is Sarah Palin really comparing herself to Harry Truman?" Why, yes, yes she was.

"Long ago, a young farmer and habber-dasher from Missouri followed an unlikely path to the vice presidency."A writer observed: 'We grow good people in our small towns, with honesty, sincerity, and dignity.' I know just the kind of people that writer had in mind when he praised Harry Truman."

I'll just let Eve Fairbanks take it from there:

Palin pointed to Harry Truman, who had small-town experience growing up in Independence, Missouri. Well, I don't mean to be credentialist, but Harry Truman also served heroically in World War One and was a U.S. Senator and the nationally-known head of the Truman Committee before becoming FDR's running mate. He took a long road from his small town to the vice presidency -- a lot longer than Sarah Palin's.

Governor, we know Harry Truman, Harry Truman was a friend of ours, and you're no Harry Truman.