Love her or hate her, Sarah Palin has influence. If you doubt this, look no further than former Bush adviser Ed Gillespie‘s appearance on CBS News’ Face the Nation today. In responding to charges that he’s helping to “steal our democracy,” Gillespie resurrected the former Alaska governor’s most infamous malapropism, stating that several newspapers had “refudiated” the claim. Was it a mistake, or the start of a campaign to vindicate Palin by rewriting linguistic history? You be the judge. (h/t Think Progress)

The DNC has released a new attack ad that one might describe as being almost Rovian. The ad accuses Karl Rove and former RNC head Ed Gillespie (Rachel Maddow thinks he’s still running the RNC) of “stealing our democracy.”

In an election season dominated by stories about the so-called grassroots Tea Party movement and its candidates it is perhaps somewhat surprising to hear that the groups wielding the most influence on the upcoming midterms are shadowy interest groups. Okay, maybe it’s not that surprising, but what is surprising is the amount of money these groups are funneling into various elections. Particularly conservative groups.

Retailers Target and Best Buy are under fire from gay rights groups, who are organizing boycotts over both companies’ corporate donations to support Republican Minnesota gubernatorial candidate Tom Emmer, who they say is virulently anti-gay. The donations of $150,000 and $100,000, respectively, were made possible by the Supreme Court’s hotly debated Citizens United decision, which allows unlimited political donations by corporations. This confrontation will test the limiting effect of the free market on Citizens United.

Need evidence that Elena Kagan has shown good judgment? In 1995 she wrote that the Supreme Court confirmation process was “vapid” and “takes on an air of vacuity and farce.” Well Jon Stewart agrees with that assessment, wrapping up last week’s Kagan-mania last night, which he ended by asking “after four days of insinuation, obfuscation and very little illumination, where do we stand?” Well, not only does Kagan seem ready to be confirmed, but we now also have a funny clip for us all to enjoy.

If nothing else at least we can be assured Elena Kagan has a sense of humor. During today’s hearings Sen. Lindsey Graham asked Kagan, in relation to a question about the Christmas Day Bomber, “where were you on Christmas day?” Responded Kagan, to a deserved round of applause: “You know, like all Jews I was probably at a Chinese restaurant.”

There are few things more important to our country, our society, our very way of life than the United States Supreme Court. Therefore, the selection of a new justice is one of the most interesting news stories possible. Every few years, we, as Americans, get to sit back and literally watch history being made in front of our very eyes. We get to see our country’s future being written. We get to- Oh my God! Is Al Franken falling asleep? He totally is!

If one were to judge solely by the tone of Elena Kagan‘s opening statements at the beginning of her confirmation hearings today, it would be easy to conclude the process is going to be friendly and civil. Alas that is like not the reality of what the next few days will bring, however it didn’t stop Kagan from making a gracious start.

Bill O”Reilly and Bernie Goldberg discussed Elena Kagan last night, or more specifically, her brother Irving. O’Reilly thought “the folks ought to know” that “the word in journalistic circles is that the White House is very nervous about Irving Kagan,” ostensibly alluding to a recent story that the White House had denied the NY Times access to Kagan’s family. What’s President is “trying to hide?” asked Goldberg? “Irving is a left-wing radical,” concluded O’Reilly.

Andrew Sullivan, who perhaps has had more to do with the current media furor over Elena Kagan than anyone else, was on The Chris Matthews this Sunday speculating that Kagan’s lack of a paper trail may actually obfuscate the fact she is more radically left than people are presuming.

On Fox Sunday yesterday, host Chris Wallace brought up the Elena Kagan “interview” the White House released earlier in the week. And to make sure his guests knew how he felt, he was sure to use air quotes to signify his disdain. The panel took the bait, especially Juan Williams who said “the idea that you put out your own media now and control images…that’s pretty close to Pravda.” But the White House got a surprising defender in the form of Brit Hume who brushed off the criticisms saying “Americans aren’t stupid.”

Woo-hoo! Elena Kagan is everywhere! It’s Kaganfest 2010! She’s totally debatable as a Supreme Court nominee! She knows Eliot Spitzer! She’s better for a headline than Taylor Momsen! Everybody loves the Supreme Court! That is…now. But in 2008 during the campaign, no one cared.

This weekend’s Sunday shows felt a bit like an hours-long Elena Kagan-fest. For a candidate with no paper trail, and whose views (in so far as they have been revealed) are considered not overly polarizing to the left or the right, she is certainly generating a lot of chatter. The pundits had a lot to say about Kagan (and one or two other things). Here are the highlights from Sunday, click through for video clips.

Former First Lady Laura Bush’s recent foray into the media spotlight has succeeded in making me wish we had heard more from her during her husband’s presidency. Also, that if ever inclined, she’d probably make for a very likable candidate. Fox News Sunday aired a taped interview with Bush this morning during which she took a moment to weigh in on the Kagan nomination and what it would mean to have three women serving on the Supreme Court at the same time.

George Will came to Elena Kagan’s defense on This Week today…sort of. During a a roundtable discussion about the possible challenges Elena Kagan’s confirmation might face Will spoke out against the prevailing issue the right has with Kagan, namely her restriction of military recruiters on the Harvard campus. Said Will: “It is unfair to say that she kicked the military off Harvard’s campus. Harvard did that.” Fear not, he didn’t stop there.

If it’s up to Newt Gringrich the Elena Kagan confirmation process will not be a smooth one. Gingrich took the right’s main opposition to Kagan — namely that she tried to restrict military recruiters’ access to Harvard campus based on her opposition to DADT — one step further, calling for President Obama to withdraw Kagan’s nomination.

The White House is starting to behave as though they have something to hide. Or at least that they have something they think they should hide. After a strong push to keep the focus on SCOTUS nominee Elena Kagan’s upbringing and “real life” story — likely as a way to distract from her paper trail [...]

SCOTUS Nominee Elena Kagan is making the meet-and-greet rounds with Senators this week and it appears that she has already managed to convince Scott Brown that she is pro military. Kagan’s attempt to restrict military recruiters from Harvard grounds when she was Dean of the law school there based on her opposition to DADT has [...]

Last night Bill O’Reilly addressed the rumors that surround the sexuality of Supreme Court nominee Elena Kagan with Washington Post columnist (and certified Beltway insider) Sally Quinn, who blamed the White House for initially insisting that Kagan is not gay. O’Reilly responded “Americans have a right to know if their Supreme Court Justice has an orientation that may or may not dictate which way she votes on a vital issue.”

Always trying to appear objective, the mainstream media has its own brand of bias: an institutional one towards controversy. The moment it became clear that Elena Kagan would be nominated by President Barack Obama, editors simultaneously posed the same rhetorical question: What do we really know about her? What is the dirt? Well the vacuum of controversy is now leading to overt frustration expressed on both sides of the media political aisle.

Man, that’s one helluva “get. At today’s White House briefing, Press Secretary Robert Gibbs was asked whether Supreme Court nominee Elena Kagan would be granting any one-on-one interviews, other than the one conducted by official White House videographer Arun Chaudhary. Gibbs pointed out that the interview is available on WhiteHouse.gov, and that there are no plans for other interviews.

Gibbs was pointedly asked if there would be any interviews conducted by journalists, which might lead you to believe that this interview is a complete waste of time. You tell me.

Is President Obama going to manage to get Elena Kagan confirmed to the Supreme Court without addressing her sexuality? Well, not if Andrew Sullivan has anything to do with it. Sullivan attacked Kagan’s sexuality, or the lack of public mention of it, in a series of posts yesterday, with a ferocity that was reminiscent of his determination to find out the true parentage of Trig Palin. It seems to be working.

When Pete Williams of NBC broke the news at 10pmET on Sunday night that Elena Kagan would be Pres. Barack Obama‘s Supreme Court nominee, it signaled cable news would make the story a focus in the short and long-term.

So what would be Kagan’s “wise latina” – the storyline closely associated with the nominee? We broke down the first 24 hours on cable news.

Last night Rachel Maddow pondered whether SCOTUS nominee Elena Kagan might be the Left’s Harriet Miers in so far as, will Obama be able to muster the support from his own party to confirm her. All signs point to no on this. However, if there were more Glenn Greenwalds in the party she might have something to worry about. Greenwald told Maddow last night her lack of a paper trail is a huge concern.

While the media brings up all the pros and potential cons to the Elena Kagan Supreme Court nomination, one thing the entire media is likely to embrace is her take on cameras in the courtroom.

The media, right and left, has always been a fan of access – and the Supreme Court is one courtroom where no camera has gone before. Maybe Kagan will change that.