The Washington Times reports that Mike McFaul and Undersecretary William Burns are off to Moscow to talk Kyrgyz basing with the Russians. Via Spencer Ackerman, an earlier version of the Times piece had the following paragraph:

U.S. officials said they still hoped to persuade both Kyrgyzstan and Russia that, even though there are alternatives to the Manas base, its continued use would be most beneficial to Afghanistan’s stability. They also said they were open to Russian ideas about how cooperation in Central Asia can contribute to a better U.S.-Russia relationship.

Spencer quips, “expect horsetrading”. Yeah, maybe. If the Russians don’t blow it.

There’s no doubt that the Obamans have extended an olive branch to Russia. Biden went pretty far in his recent speech in Munich to broker good will. “The last few years have seen a dangerous drift in relations between Russia and the members of our Alliance,” said Biden. “It is time to press the reset button and to revisit the many areas where we can and should work together.” 

I’d expect this trip to be more about sounding out just how pragmatic the Russians can be—sort of a trial balloon that Obama feels like he needs to put out as part of his global charm offensive. If the balloon is quickly pricked by Russian intransigence, however, I don’t think this administration will be too keen on continuing down the path of compromise. One shouldn’t forget, after all, that Mike McFaul is no softie on Putin and Medvedev, and has long advocated taking a tough line with the Russians. If the Russians aren’t smart, this will likely be the last time they’re approached in quite so nice a way.

As usual, Reihan is on to something:

The Palin pick is the politicial equivalent of bear-baiting. Yes, ridiculing Palin as a hick and a rube, and devaluing her experience, comes naturally to the kind of people who take Barack Obama seriously as a presidential candidate. Philip Gourevitch discussed the parallels between Palin and Obama — but of course Palin is in many respects the cultural and stylistic opposite of Obama. Obama speaks to the highest aspirations and self-conceptions of a certain kind of urban liberal. Palin, in contrast, speaks to the highest aspirations and self-conceptions of a different set of Americans. That’s why insults and ridicule are counter-productive for Democrats. Why? Because the kind of Americans inclined to like Obama, without the aid of Joe Biden or free factory-reviving supercars, will never vote for a Republican. The kind of Americans inclined to like Palin might vote for a Democrat, particularly this year.

There are at least four pitfalls for Democrats in Palin’s biography: 1) The “experience” charge. As Sonny has explained better than I could, it invites Obamaphiles to give in to their temptation to mock flyover country (not a good strategy to win those Western battleground states, is it?). But this charge is at least covered over by a patina of respectability. The other charges, not so much: 2) The “pandering” charge. To criticize McCain for picking this woman, as if just any woman would do to bring in woman voters, may only serve to remind Hillary’s disgruntled supporters that Obama himself could have chosen a (supposedly) eminently qualified woman but chose not to. 3) The “her family’s too young and too big for her to be VP” charge. Probably not the kind of argument that should be made by a party that has had trouble winning over married voters with children. 4) The “Alaskan secessionist” charge. Admittedly it’s a bizarre one, but not so strange that the Times didn’t see it as fit to print. And as for candidates with associations to fringe organizations, well, at least the Alaskan Independence Party hasn’t set off any bombs.

But that said, I have to part company with the conservatives who are thrilled with the Palin pick and count myself with Peggy Noonan, raw and uncut. The fact that Obama is also inexperienced doesn’t make McCain’s choice of an inexperienced running-mate any less troubling.

UPDATE: I forgot to add that #3 above isn’t a charge that will endear Obama to feminists, either.