Richard Cohen Suffering from Palin Derangement Syndrome

Richard Cohen has an especially vitriolic attack on Sarah Palin this morning in his column at The Washington Post.  Cohen has apparently been sparked this morning by a HuffPo piece which criticizes Palin for taking a "cheap shot" at Michelle Obama.  Both Cohen and Geoffrey Dunn of HuffPo suggest Palin is an ignorant racist.

Cohen also manages to take a swipe at Cindy McCain:

It is Sarah Palin who brings back these memories [of America as an "apartheid nation"]. In her new book, she reportedly takes Michelle Obama to task for her supposedly infamous remark from the 2008 campaign: "For the first time in my adult life, I am proud of my country because it feels like hope is finally making a comeback." Instantly, Republicans pounced. Among the first to do so was Cindy McCain, who said, "I have and always will be proud of my country." It was a cheap shot, but her husband's selection of Palin for the ticket and plenty of cheap shots from Palin ("death panels," etc.) were yet to come.

For all the explanation and walk backs of Michelle Obama's much discussed remark, I still contend that no matter the context, it still means the same thing.  She wasn't proud of America until Barack started doing well in the primaries. 

As much as Cohen chooses to criticize Palin for her failure to "appreciate the history of  the Obama family," it seems to me that Cohen is turning an equally blind eye to what Michelle's comment really meant.  If Palin doesn't appreciate the history of the Obamas, isn't it equally true that Michelle was not appreciative of American accomplishments or American history?

Yes, slavery was a nasty chapter in American history.  Yes, Michelle's ancestors were slaves. Does this preclude her from appreciating anything else about American history since then?  Or before?  According to Cohen, it does:

Why do politicians such as Palin and commentators such as Glenn Beck insist that African Americans go blank on their own history - as blank as apparently Palin and Beck are themselves? Why must they insist that blacks join them in embracing a repellent history that once caused America to go to war with itself?

Nobody is suggesting that African Americans "go blank on their own history."  In fact, last time I checked my calendar, February is devoted to African American history.  In fact, earlier this year Beck did a series on African America Founders to highlight the accomplishments of black founders not normally covered in American History classes.

No, all this comes down to is Cohen displaying his Palin Derangement Syndrome:

Sarah Palin teases that she might run for president. But she is unqualified - not just in the (let me count the) usual ways, but because she does not know the country. 

I'm guessing he isn't voting for Bristol in Dancing With the Stars.

Update:  Powerline concurs.