Newsweek chose the Runners World of Palin in running shorts for its cover, which is clearly a cheesecake type of photo. Oprah Winfrey asked Palin about the choice to use that picture, and Palin said she's thinks it's kind of cheesy. I was thinking about that. Using a cheesecake photo of a woman in politics for its cover does seem a bit cheesy, at first. But, upon further reflection, I think it is the exact right photo. Such a photo, of a powerful woman, highlights sexuality over any other trait, and probably tends to objectify the woman. But in Palin's case, her attractiveness is her defining trait, and is the reason she's where she's at/IdaBlue. More here.

• A false positive is as false as a false negative/f-words
• Twofer: Daily politics brief, and: Thursday morning brief/Treasured Valley
• Muslims, military, and Bryan Fischer/Adam's Blog
• JFK's last public words/Dennis Mansfield
• Bullwinkle steaks?/Fort Boise
• Minnick's balancing act/Political Game

Question: Do you think Sarah Palin would be where she is today -- a media superstar and popular with conservatives -- if she wasn't so attractive?