>>>>If it's Palin vs. Obama in 2012 just give her a cigarette and a blindfold. He is about a thousand times smarter than her.
>>>
>>>Since you are the arbiter of bad writing you know it should be "smarter than she".
>>
>>Smarter than her is correct - the alternative is smarter than she is!!!!!!!
>
>I don't agree. I do understand that in usage it is common, but "He is smarter than" is then followed by a noun clause in the comparison where the subject cannot be in objective case, no? The "is" is therefore implied.
>
>It is certainly the way I was taught in school ( and taught it in school ). Is there a reason to believe than her is correct ? Perhaps it is one of those things where there is some controversy among grammarians but if there is I'm unaware of it.

She is smarter than is followed by the accusative - in this case her - the 'is' is never implied

The only exception is when you follow the object by a verb - then you use the nominative - in this case she is - this is my preferred expression

So to quote the words of the song (slightly modified to make the point)

You can do anything better than I can

You can do anything better than me