Yeh But No But Yeh But You Betcha

As Little Britain in the USA airs on TV, the Republican Party's own Hockey mom has taken a knock to the ankles. Troopergate - complete with compulsory suffix - may be the final KO blow to this strawweight's attempt to win a heavyweight crown. Still, the pre-fight claims and counter-claims continue:

• After the mixed-verdict report was issued, Mrs Palin’s spokesman Bill McAllister said it vindicated her for acting "within her constitutional authority" to remove executive employees such as Mr Monegan who served at her pleasure.

Vindicated? Is this really what Investigator Blanchflower was saying?

• And in a complicated 263-page ruling, Mr Blanchflower concluded that Mrs Palin was in violation of a state ethics law prohibiting public officials from using their office for personal gain – in this case, pursuing her family’s grudge against Trooper Wooten during his messy divorce with her sister.

We'll just have to wait until the fireworks and await the November 4th results. I was up for Portillo, up for the Florida chads, and I'll be there - glass in hand - for McCain's telephone call to Obama.

Caveat: if this is read post-election and I counted too many chickens, my spokesman will point out that I feel vindicated in any case.