Is Tina Fey the most powerful woman in American politics?

Tina Fey may single-handedly lose the election for John McCain.

If you wonder why I say that, watch tonight's latest prelude skit on "Saturday Night Live" satirizing the vice presidential debate, which pokes fun at Palin, Joe Biden, and the debate's moderator, Gwen Ifill.

Each week, the talented Fey's Palin impression, and makeup, gets sharper and sharper. And it gets harder and harder to remember, when watching her, that I one is not watching Sarah Palin, but an impersonation. Of course, it doesn't help matters that often she can just directly quote Gov. Palin, making it that much easier to write the script.

Tonight's debate lampoon also shows that SNL remains as relevant and influential as it was when it started. Kudos to them for convincing Fey to not only appear, but make repeated appearances.

Tina Fey may be, right now, the most powerful woman in American politics. If the Republicans aren't careful, clips of the SNL skit will start to be seen as authentic Sarah Palin. And they should know, better than anyone, how easy it is to make anything seem like the truth when repeated enough times.