Sarah Palin has clearly been thinking about how her name has become embroiled in the discussion surrounding the murders. She responded with a 7-minute video message on Wednesday morning:

I am not impressed with Palin’s message.

Palin seemed a little bit detached, too scripted, too focused on “how we were meant to be” as Americans and “how America is exceptional,” all of which is true and should be emphasized — just not today.

She is right to accuse the left and their media lackeys of creating a “blood libel” (primarily against her, but also against the Tea Party movement), but then moving on to discussions of history is just too philosophical for a time when we’re all watching memorial services and agony on television. (For an interesting comment on Palin’s use of the term “blood libel,” I suggest John Tabin’s thoughts.)

Palin’s missive was perhaps the first time I’ve ever seen her seem unable to connect with people at an appropriate level. Yes, it’s just my opinion, and I’m one of few people who feels basically neutral about Governor Palin. But her strength has always been to be the most “common” of “common man,” a term I do not mean as a put-down. She’s “every woman,” a PTA mom with kids who have problems and issues like many other kids, etc.

Yet today, she struck a nearly academic, above-it-all pose, with her usual warmth replaced by a seeming coolness more typical of Barack Obama than of Sarah Palin. She spoke for too long about too theoretical and historical ideas (again, interesting and good ideas, but inappropriate for today). She completely missed the opportunity to strengthen her strong suit, namely her ability to create an enotional connection with Americans by showing herself to be more or less just like the rest of us.

I don’t think Palin’s performance this morning was bad enough to be her “Jindal moment” (remember when Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal gave a near-career-ending Republican response to the State of the Union Address?). But I don’t think Palin did herself any favors on Wednesday morning, and I continue to believe that I will win my bet that she will not become a candidate for president.