Don't know much about geography

I've noticed a particular criticism popping up here and there among the rantings of those poor souls in the grip of advanced Palin Derangement Syndrome: that's she's the governor of a "small state".

Small state? Alaska?

For those of you who didn't make it through the third grade, Alaska has the distinction of being the largest state in the union.

I know, I know. They're talking about Alaska's sparse population, of course:

Alaska is still the 47th most populous state, and is larger than North Dakota, Vermont, the District of Columbia and Wyoming.

So when Democrats and the press say that Palin is unqualified for VP because she is governor of a "small state", wouldn't it be fair to ask how then they justified supporting Howard Dean for president when he was the governor of an even smaller state?