Sarah Palin, the Gulf Oil Spill, and Faux-Conservatism

I remain constantly amazed that Sarah Palin somehow continues to carry the mantle of conservatism around this country. With regard to the Gulf Oil Spill, Palin is demagoguing the Obama administration's response to the efforts by BP to handle the gulf oil spill. Her complaint? That Obama is too cozy with BP, which is preventing the administration from getting more directly and precipitously involved in mitigating the disaster and in handling the crisis. And, yet, the Obama administration's response has been decidedly conservative, so much so that he's taking some heat by activist liberal environmentalist groups for not asserting government authority even sooner and more forcefully.

The Obama Administration's reluctance to push BP aside seems to have as much to do with a recognition that it is BP, and not the Federal Government, that possesses the capacity, knowledge, and experience to deal with this. It seems to me that the Obama administration is promoting a responsible position with regard to its involvement in mitigating the crisis. It is a position that is actually quite conservative. In fact, it appears to be even too conservative for Sarah Palin, who is supposed to be the very face of conservatism.

I'd like to know from Sarah Palin what her response would be? If she were President, would she be demanding a precipitous federal intervention in the process, pushing BP aside?

I think Palin's response is rich with irony. And it exposes her unconservative populism. She's supposedly not only the pro-industry "drill, baby, drill" cheerleader, but also the anti-government intervention conservative. What gives? And why do conservatives continue to support her?