In his column today, George Will begins by flaying President Obama for being too meek to propose a health care reform that would transition workers out of employer-sponsored health care:

President Obama is making good on his pledge, first put forth in the State of the Union, to reach out to Republicans on health care reform.

In a CBS News interview with Katie Couric that just aired, Obama announced that he's inviting Republican leaders to the White House this week to put their ideas on the table--and then holding a public forum to discuss them.

Let’s talk seriously for a moment about Sarah Palin. Now. Now. No eye rolling. Last week brought us word that the good ol’ gal has signed on to serve up some of that common-sense commentary on Fox News, and, like fellow veteran of the ’08 presidential melee Mike Huckabee, she will almost certainly take to the job like a lip-sticked pig to slop. Indeed, by year’s end, I expect Palin to have a show of her very own. (Basking in the love of devoted viewers a la Glenn Beck is so much more fun than the punch-in-the-face, knife-in-the-back life of a politician.)

Anderson Cooper was one of the first reporters to arrive in Haiti after last week’s massive earthquake. According to a Los Angeles Times account, the CNN personality raced to the airport upon hearing the news and caught the last flight out of New York. Unfortunately, the flight he caught deposited him in the Dominican Republic, not Haiti.

Another funny aspect of that bizarre Commentary piece by Jennifer Rubin castigating Jews for spurning Sarah Palin is its timing. The article, naturally, contends that Palin is far more intellectual and informed about politics than the Jews understand:

Sarah Palin’s autobiography Going Rogue doesn’t have an index. Why? Well, I’m not exactly sure. But it sure makes finding gems in the text--such as the defense of that $150,000 clothing bill, the petty attacks on Katie Couric, and Palin-isms like “maverick” and “dang!”--a pretty tough slog. So, here’s an index. A really, really long and thorough one. Want to know where Palin celebrated one of her baby showers with her gal pals? It’s in here. Want to know how she feels about the ACLU, or Ashley Judd, or Steve Schmidt? In here, too. Want to know how many times she mentions God, or Ronald Reagan, or Tito the Builder? Yep, here. It’s worth reading the whole thing. Here are some of the choicest selections, just to whet the appetite. The full index is here.

Baby shower at a shooting range 76

Beer, first chug of 38

"Cleavage Czar" 354

Iraq war

Palin's informed perspective on 214

Media's skewing of Palin's informed perspective on 238

"Holy geez!" 171

Biden, Joe                    

On liking to hear himself talk 288

Sarah Palin accidentally calling him "O'Biden" 289

Should Palin call him "Joe" in the debate? 289

Showing up late to debate 296

Weirdly stretching before debate 296

Hair plugs of 297

Joe the Plumber 304-307, 401

Joe Six-Pack  299, 315

Kerry, John, as "elitist loon" 181

Moose

Hunting of 16, 31

Love of eating 18

Sightings of 20, 113, 188

Dressing of 31

Holding eyeballs of 32

Chili made of 133

Antlers of 300

In SNL sketch 309, 311

Sarah Palin’s autobiography Going Rogue doesn’t have an index. Why? Well, I’m not exactly sure. But it sure makes finding gems in the text--such as the defense of that $150,000 clothing bill, the petty attacks on Katie Couric, and Palin-isms like “maverick” and “dang!”—a pretty tough slog. So, here’s an index. A really, really long and thorough one. Want to know where Palin celebrated one of her baby showers with her gal pals? It’s in here. Want to know how she feels about the ACLU, or Ashley Judd, or Steve Schmidt?

I'm about three-fourths of the way through Sarah Palin's new book, and it's clear that the woman is convinced numerous conspiracies were launched against her--by the national media, by the McCain campaign, by disgruntled Alaskan loudmouths, by Katie Couric and Nicolle Wallace. But one conspiracy theory in particular sticks out to me for its, well, bizarreness: the plot to undermine meat-eaters.

Well, it wasn’t exactly must-see TV--which was probably good news for both of the women involved as they work to rebuild (a public image in one case, ratings in the other). There was no Tom Cruise-esque couch-jumping moment. No one wept or cursed or called anyone an ignorant slut. Both gals were unfailingly polite. Oprah was gentle with her poking and prodding. Palin neither embarrassed herself nor went after Oprah with a Bowie Knife, exceeding the extremely low expectations that only somewhat justifiably plague her.

Overall, I thought the in-studio bits weren’t particularly compelling. Palin seemed way too amped up, almost manic in her perkiness, and not terribly at ease, especially when compared to the low-key, soothing tones of Earth Mother Oprah.

For those who don’t obsessively follow politics (presumably the bulk of Oprah’s audience), Palin offered up a few new tidbits about her disappointment with the McCain campaign and her ongoing tabloid-rific spat with her grandbaby’s daddy, Levi (and his “aspiring porn,” as she calls his recent Playgirl shoot). She also voiced her annoyance over the double standards to which both she and her family were subjected during the election (that mean old Katie Couric wasn’t nearly so tough on Joe Biden), though none of that will be new to anyone who’s heard Palin open her mouth in the past year. She handled some questions better than others, and at no time did I feel we were seeing beneath the surface of Sarah Palin, Conservative Icon and Self-Styled Rogue. But it was a straightforward, safe, perfectly respectable interview.

Good for Diane Sawyer. And good for Katie Couric for blazing this trail and taking all the abuse that the first solo female anchor was destined to take. Odds are, Sawyer won't face anywhere near the same scrunity--or abuse.

Next step: Finding a woman to follow in Hillary's footsteps and finish cracking that glass ceiling.

David Cay Johnston, who won a Pulitzer Prize for his innovative coverage of our tax system, retired this year as a investigative reporter for The New York Times. He is the author of Free Lunch: How The Wealthiest Americans Enrich Themselves at Government Expenses (and Stick You with the Bill).

Now that the House has rejected the $700 billion bailout, what we have to fear is not fear itself, but fear-mongering--particularly by our leading news organizations.