In New York, Sarah Palin found something to talk about with Hamid Karzai:
While being photographed, they could be overheard discussing the Afghan leader’s son, who was born in January 2007. “What’s his name?” Palin asked.
“Mirwais,” Karzai said. “Mirwais, which means the light of the house.”
“Oh, nice,” said Palin, who was seen patting her heart and smiling.
There you go: a statesperson speaks. But I am disappointed that Palin did not build on this diplomatic opening by describing how she named her own five kids. A name-by-name analysis is here, but let’s go straight to Number 5:
Trig Paxson Van Palin is the couple’s youngest child and second son. According to the governor’s spokesperson Sharon Leighow in a statement made shortly after the baby’s birth, Trig is Norse and means “true” and “brave victory.” Paxson is a region in Alaska the couple favors. Van is a nod to the rock group Van Halen; before Trig’s birth, his mother had joked about naming her son Van Palin after the band.
I’d like to see Karzai top that. But if Palin told him that she wants to see victory in Afghanistan, he may have thought she just meant bringing Trig along for a trip.
