On October 2, 2008, Sarah Palin had her big night that had the whole world watching and waiting. Would she fall on her face? Would she say something so stupid that the race would be over? Would Joe Biden be condescending to her?
She had burst onto the national stage about a month before, and more and more information was spilling out every day about her.
Her husband, Todd, belonged to the Alaska Independence Party. Did Sarah, too?
Her daughter, Bristol, was pregnant, which was problematic due to Palin's conservative feelings about pre-marital sex and sex education.
A little to-do was brewing soon to be known as Troopergate, where Palin was accused of abusing power to get her former brother in law fired as a State Trooper.
This was the day we were introduced to The Wink:
I remember almost falling out of my chair at the first one. "What was THAT???"
Then, in quick order, there was the VP phase, the post election phase, the resignation, the first book tour, wildly successful, the second book tour, not so much, the Facebook Pundit phase, the King Maker phase in 2010 (thanks so much for Christine O'Donnell, Sarah), the reality TV star phase, and finally the Fox News Phase.
For four years, we've laughed and cried about Sarah. But my reason for writing this diary, and I'm aware I buried the lede here, is that last night was her last hurrah. Really and truly, the last one.
You may have noticed that we don't hear much anymore about the drivel that comes out of the Grifter from Wasilla's mouth. Her Facebook posts are largely ignored, people aren't chasing her around anymore or even writing exposes or tell-alls.
She doesn't even get much face time on Fox anymore, and when she does it tends to be on Fox Business with Neil Cavuto.
But last night, last night was the Vice Presidential Debate. Sarah was relevant again in one quick burst of Fox attention, because SHE was the last VP candidate for the Republican party. She was the last person to debate Joe Biden.
Four years ago, she was generally recognized as having done an ok job, mostly because she didn't pee in her pants onstage. So it seems she is qualified to comment on last night's debate, because she's been in those shoes.
So, here, for your enjoyment is Sarah's last gasp. She won't have another. As soon as her contract is up, Roger Ailes will kick her to the curb. Her books don't sell anymore. No one wants to see her in a reality series, at least not one where she has editorial rights. No one cares about her political nonsense anymore, no one wants her endorsement.
She's done. And she knows it. You can see it on her face, in her voice and in her mannerisms.
Good bye, Sarah Palin. We will miss you, and we actually kind of wish you well. Not in a grifter kind of way, but in a happiness and peace kind of way. Though you pretty much deserved it, the world has been rough on you in the past five years. On the other hand, you made some good coin off the deal, but please, please, please tell me you saved it, because you're going to need it.
The gravy train has left the station.