Stumbled upon this post from Ta-Nehisi Coate’s blog for the Atlantic. It’s putting an end to what he sees as the ludicrosity of the discussion on drinking and political preference. I think it started because many in the blogosphere ran with a study published a few weeks ago that cited Republicans as bigger wine drinkers than Democrats. Yours truly included.

Then Steve Kroft went and pissed off Obama when he asked him why he doesn’t like beer. It was actually Biden who doesn’t drink. But anyway, I digress. If you read the comments on Coate’s post, it stirs quite a bit of emotion in us about race, geography, drinking propensity and stereotypes. One Kentuckian insisted he’s never tossed back a mint julep while a Yankee swears by them. Another joked that Obama better hop on the Manishevitz track if he wants to win Florida. Don’t he know Lafite Rothschild makes a mevushal?

I’d imagine the outside thinks those in the Bay Area take a daily vile of Cabernet Sauvignon intravenously. But I do know one guy who lives here and doesn’t drink wine. Used to, but doesn’t anymore. No reason. And while my father, a proud ethnic Jew, has little desire to visit Germany, he’s been drinking St. Pauli Girl beer for as long as I can remember.

So, the big question: What does Republican VP candidate Sarah Palin drink? How about her 17-year-old daughter, pre-pregnancy? Her baby daddy? Does Alaska make an ice wine? Can I get a palm pump, anyone?