Don't Quote Me

I'm bumping this up to its own post because it's that good.

Here's Palin on Jefferson:

Katie Couric: Thomas Jefferson wrote about the First Amendment, building a wall of separation between church and state. Why do you think that's so important?

Sarah Palin: His intention in expressing that was so that government did not mandate a religion on people. And Thomas Jefferson also said never underestimate the wisdom of the people. And the wisdom of the people, I think in this issue is that people have the right and the ability and the desire to express their own religious views, be it a very personal level, which is why I choose to express my faith, or in a more public forum.

And the wisdom of the people, thankfully, engrained in the foundation of our country, is so extremely important. And Thomas Jefferson wanted to protect that.

I went hunting for the Jefferson quote Palin used to turn the corner and had no luck. This was as close as I got...and it's not even close:

"It is not wisdom alone but public confidence in that wisdom which can support an administration." --Thomas Jefferson to James Monroe, 1824.

Then I discovered chatters in the Sean Hannity forum had come to the same conclusion. There is no quote.

Even the Fox watchers don't trust her anymore.