Earlier this fall, Vanity Fair published an error-ridden and badly sourced hatchet job on Sarah Palin. It was par for the course. But it was disappointing nonetheless for anyone who hoped that, one day, the mainstream media would actually take Palin seriously and cover her in a responsible manner.

Well, I’m pleased to report that that day has finally arrived. Anyone interested in Sarah Palin’s future, or in the 2012 Republican presidential race, ought to read Robert Draper’s New York Times Magazine cover story this week. Draper did the unthinkable–he conducted on-the-record interviews with Palin and her team, rather than rely on anonymous quotes from Palin’s enemies. The result is an excellent piece of reporting that treats Palin in a relatively sympathetic manner. The article delves into her decision to resign the governorship of Alaska in July 2009. It provides the best (though still incomplete) glimpse into Palin’s team to appear in a mainstream publication since the 2008 campaign. It testifies to Palin’s political cunning. It hints at Palin’s future as a possible presidential candidate. Read it. You won’t be disappointed.