So the Gloves Are Off Are They

"Ms. Palin, you mentioned today that the ‘gloves are off.’  It puzzles me and I am curious."

"You betcha.  But why would you not get what we’re tryin’ to do?"

"Um, it’s just that, if the gloves were off, that would imply that the gloves were on at some point, right?"

"You betcha.  We’ve taken off the gloves, and we’re not holdin’ back.  We’re taking it straight to Obama.  We’re going to show the American people what we’re made of."

"Oh, okay, so here’s my question.  Did you wear gloves before?  If so, why?  Why were you wearing gloves when it seems the best method you have now determined is, in fact, sans gloves?"

"Well, the gloves are off now.  We mean business.  We’re gonna hit hard with our message."

"But before, when the gloves were on, you must have talked about it, right?  Were you possibly trying to match your opponent’s elevated tactics?  Did you think that it was classless to attempt to smear or ‘swiftboat’ your opponent?  You wanted to run a dignified campaign, rich in real substantive issues?  Did you believe that the road to the presidency was to be found on high not down low?  There must have been something in the merits of the ‘gloves on’ tactic.  Is this new ‘gloves off’ thing an indication that your ‘gloves on’ approach was failing because of a lack of substance?"

"I’m not going to answer that question.  You want me to, but I’m not.  I’m going to take our message straight to the American people.  You see, you’re smart, but the American people – they might just be dumb enough to buy it."