Sarah Palin’s social media presence was thrust back into the spotlight yesterday when she compared herself to Shakespeare on Twitter after coining the nonexistent word "refudiate." The Nation‘s Ari Melber, who wrote a widely discussed piece last week on the realities of Palin’s "Mama Grizzlies" video viewership, appeared on MSNBC today to discuss the former Alaska governor’s over-hyped Web presence.

"When it comes to the idea that every tweet or every Facebook status update is actually reaching her people," Melber says, "It seems like it’s [only] reaching those of us in the media." Palin’s political effectiveness lies not in her social media networks, but in her support of candidates—particularly those in the Tea Party. "Especially in small races, where a dose of media coverage is all somebody needs to clear out of a pack of say, three or four primary candidates."

—Carrie Battan