Palin’s web army takes Bristol to Dancing final

Despite nine weeks of wooden foxtrots and stilted rumbas, Bristol Palin has amazed everybody by making it through to the final of ABC's ballroom competition Dancing With the Stars, despite once again being ranked last by the judges for her paso doble.

Dirty Dancing star Jennifer Grey and Disney teen star Kyle Massey also made the final, coming first and second respectively in the judges' vote.

Palin's place comes at the expense of singer and accomplished dancer Brandy Norwood, who beat her in the judges' scores, but was eliminated once the public poll was taken into account.

It has been the story of the series. In a survival exercise that makes The X Factor's Katie Waissal look like she's not even trying, Bristol has defied the judges' derision and low scores at every stage of the competition, a fact her critics are marking up to the internet campaigning of her mother Sarah Palin's supporters.

The conservative blogging community has been vocal in its support for Bristol with Conservatives4Palin.com and the vast network of Palin-devoted offshoots posting detailed instructions in how to use multiple voting by phone, text and on the internet to keep Bristol in Dancing With the Stars week after week.

While it seems to be universally accepted that Bristol has no natural dancing talent - she consistently gained the lowest scores from the judges on the show - her popularity with viewers has been helped by her position as the likable underdog.

The Washington Post summed her up as "The Cinderella Girl of 2010 - just like Susan Boyle, only younger, prettier and without the jaw-dropping talent."

After last night's performance – her best so far in the competition, it must be admitted – the writing is on the wall. As the Kansas City Star points out: "Bristol will now go on to win the whole shebang. She doesn't deserve it. Everyone knows it, even, I suspect, the people who keep voting for her." ·