"The View" stays in the mix

When is Sarah Palin going to appear on "The View"? That's what I want to know. More than Letterman, more than Leno, the ABC morning gabfest has proven to be a newsmaker this campaign season. Appearances aren't gimmes, for candidates of either party. In the spring, Barack Obama got a fierce grilling on his association with the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, courtesy of Barbara Walters and Elisabeth Hasselbeck. Last week it was John McCain's turn, as Joy Behar raised tough questions about his campaign ads:

Today, ABC announced that former President Bill Clinton will make his first "View" appearance on Monday. And then -- OK, this isn't politics, but it's sure to be fun -- Alec Baldwin will face the ladies on Wednesday.

But, again, it's Palin I want to see most on the show. So far on TV, she's faced a grimly professorial Charlie Gibson and -- last night -- a cheerily partisan Fox News Channel host Sean Hannity, who alternated between economic queries and leading questions about Obama's rhetoric. Walters and her "View" crew would be the most direct stand-ins for hockey- and soccer-mom voters across the country. What would they ask? How friendly or hostile would they be? How would they balance politics and mommydom -- and address the personal questions that have thus far been taboo? How would Palin respond?