Smacking down Sarah Palin must be similar to swatting a gnat sitting on the table with a big "HIT ME HERE" sign on its back. I hate even writing about her, but when the President smacks down her idiocy, it's worth a post or ten.

In his exclusive interview with George Stephanopoulis yesterday, the President was once again asked one of those cutting-edge, everyone-needs-to-know questions, riffing off of Sarah Palin's rant on Hannity's show the day before. For reference, here's Palin's quote:

It's unbelievable. Unbelievable," said Palin on Sean Hannity's program. "No administration in America's history would, I think, ever have considered such a step that we just found out President Obama is supporting today. It's kinda like getting out there on a playground, a bunch of kids, getting ready to fight, and one of the kids saying, 'Go ahead, punch me in the face, and I'm not going to retaliate. Go ahead and do what you want to with me.'"

Leave it to George to ask the question burning in all of our minds:

STEPHANOPOULOS: I want to get to some of those broader issues. Because you're also facing criticism on that. Sarah Palin, taking aim at your decision to restrict the use of nuclear weapons. Your pledge not to strike nations, non-nuclear nations, who abide by the nonproliferation treaty. Here's what she said. She said, "It's unbelievable, no other administration would do it." And then she likened it to kids on the playground. She said you're like a kid who says, "Punch me in the face, and I'm not going to retaliate." Your response?

OBAMA: I really have no response. Because last I checked, Sarah Palin's not much of an expert on nuclear issues.

Undeterred by Obama's non-response, GSteph presses forward:

STEPHANOPOULOS: But the string of criticism has been out there among other Republicans as well. They think you're restricting use of nuclear weapons too much.

OBAMA: And what I would say to them is that if the secretary of defense and the chairman of the Joints Chiefs of Staff are comfortable with it, I'm probably going to take my advice from them and not from Sarah Palin.

STEPHANOPOULOS: But not concerned about her criticisms?

OBAMA: No.

I think the President put Sarah Palin's opinion about nuclear weapons in the proper perspective. But there was a troubling aspect to her remarks for me, as a parent.

I've always taught my kids that the scorched-earth 'beat-the-crap-outa-them-if-they-touch-you' approach is fairly barbaric. There are always better, savvier, less violent ways to handle things. Now that they are adults, or nearly adults, I can say my approach seems to have worked. They've never been beaten up, are able to get along with others without a fuss, and actually have the ability to listen to a point of view which might not be perfectly in line with their own.

So is Palin saying that Republicans think the only way to handle an affront is retaliation? Why is that not surprising to me? Ronald Reagan would even have a field day with her. Please, please, let her keep making her case for national bullyhood so the President can keep smacking her down with a smile and absolutely no violence.

I wonder what the so-called Christians who exalt her would say about her denial of Christ's teaching to 'turn the other cheek'. Don't you love her selective Christian "family values"? I know I do.