Astonishing. It was a fine convention speech--but, reading the text, no better than very good. What was just sensational, far exceeding my expectations, was the delivery. After the thrashing she has received from press and television in the past few days, knowing what was at stake for the party and for John McCain as she stood at the podium, with a good part of the nation watching and waiting for her to trip, her composure and self-assurance were simply amazing. Who could fail to be moved by this? And it was even more impressive than it looked, because the waves of adulation from the audience kept interrupting her momentum: they did not know it, but at times the audience was making it harder for her. Yet she never looked hesitant or thrown. She paused when she had to and controlled the timing. She actually seemed comfortable. If ever there were a political natural, we saw one tonight.
It was not a safe speech, though at the beginning, when she was talking mainly about McCain, I thought it was going to be. She had a pair of difficult acts to follow, because both Mike Huckabee and (especially) Rudi Giuliani gave terrific barnstorming speeches before she came on. (Let's not dwell on Mitt Romney's bizarre contribution.) She not only touched on her own biography, in ways sure to delight small-town Americans across the land, she also asserted her command, as the governor of an oil-producing state, of the energy debate. Had Democrats forgotten that this is a key issue in the election, and one on which they are trailing the Republicans in public opinion?
I was surprised that she dared to attack Obama-Biden on national security and foreign policy, where her credentials are weak: here she was saying, I'm not afraid of you. In fronting her own executive experience, comparing it favorably (and not without justification) with Obama's, she dared to mock the Democratic nominee. That too was a risk, because mockery easily backfires--ask the Democrats about that tonight--and it paid off. All the barbs--"he has written two memoirs but not one piece of legislation," and so on--went home.
Well, the Democrats have a problem. They had a few days of calling her a clueless redneck, a stewardess, a nonentity, and she has hurled that back in their bleeding gums. (If I were Joe Biden, I'd start practising for October 2nd right now.) Even before tonight's speech, they had backed off the "no experience" strategy, because (as the Republicans intended) that was sending shrapnel in Obama's direction. Their line right now is their default mode, that McCain-Palin is four more years of George Bush. But this too is a completely untenable strategy, since the Republican ticket now looks stunningly fresh to voters, as fresh in fact as Obama-Biden. Where they will have to end up is obvious: McCain-Palin is an extreme right-wing ticket. It is a team that will prosecute the culture war against all that is decent and civilized in the United States: that must be the line.
Aside from further surprises in her biography, this--not her supposed inexperience--is the vulnerability that Palin has brought to the McCain candidacy. We need to hear her questioned on those issues. How unbending a social conservative is she? So much as to frighten the independents McCain needs? McCain is not a culture warrior. That is not the campaign he wanted to fight. At the moment, however, this factor seems massively outweighed in electoral terms by the excitement she has brought to the campaign. The party cannot believe its luck. They want to win again, and suddenly they think they can.
What one next wants to know is how Americans at large react to what they saw tonight. I will be surprised if they were not very impressed.
Update: CNN on why the speech was a problem for McCain: "Well, he has to speak tomorrow night, and as we know, he is no governor of Alaska." Flexibility you can believe in from the best political team on television.
Um no.
From the media bubble she looks like a star. Out here in reality she looked like a pampered princess, in over her head. I was wondering more and more about the mental facilities of the cheering factions in that hall. How dangerously unhinged they were.
No one in the real world who has suffered through these 8 years can possible swallow the absolutely dishonest guff that was hurled tonight. It was chilling to listen to her spout what she knows are complete lies, as if they were conviction.
She's in over her head. All we needed was Rudy to grow a mustache and start flecking spittle out of his mouth, in his obvious anger and we would have been back to the Truman era, except we would be on the other side of the Atlantic this time.
I don't think anyone doubted she could deliver a speech. She didn't write it, of course, and it wasn't well-written. It was red-meat rhetoric with little content, but the rhetoric wasn't even inspiring, or original, or asking how we can be a better country. One liners and sarcasm play to the party faithful in the convention hall and a media that looks for zingers, but Obama in 2004 this was not. But she did spend the early part of her career on television and that came across here.
The problem for her is going to be interviews where journalists can ask follow-up questions, or her debate. Nothing I saw tonight changed my mind.
And I still think Sarah Palin in the Oval Office would be a terrible, terrible thing.
Patience, I too had a different reaction. She actually seemed uncomfortable to me, not knowing how to handle the constant interruptions. As Nate Silver said, this would have been a fine keynote speech in an Ann Richards kind of way. But in Palin's position, tonight's appearance did little to make her seem like more of a president (or vice-president) than a talking head from the TV punditry.
Looking at it on live television, I actually found the audience creepy. Empty seats flanking the stage, but the area in front of her filled by what reminded me of those fake audiences you see on infomercials, whooping and hollering to convey faux enthusiasm. Goodness, they burst out in applause after she said she’d joined the PTA, as though that was some sort of presidential accomplishment. I doubt this convinced many truly undecided voters that the Republican Party in its current manifestation isn’t under the control of scary, fanatical troglodytes.
She proved she can play a conservative VP candidate on TV.
I'm waiting for her dealings with the press.
Any links to Dems "calling her a clueless redneck, a stewardess, a nonentity"?
I guess if you compare her to Bush II who can't read very well she did just fine, she didn't mispronounce any words..oh wait, they were spelled phonetically on the teleprompter silly me!
Astonishing. It was a fine hack-journalism blog post--but, reading the text, no better than very good. What was just sensational, far exceeding my expectations, was the delivery.
Agreed, patience. A sea of white faces under cowboy hats cheering rabidly for this woman who was just introduced to national politics a few days ago criticizing the first African-American candidate for President because he used to be a community organizer. How does that scene appeal to anyone beyond the GOP "base?"
It all seemed rather ugly to me. Not sure what kind of votes they're trying to win here. The ones they already have?
I was quite appalled at this jingoistic show called tonight's RNC convention. Her speech was long on sarcasm and POW references but short on actual ideas and plans for how the country will be better as a result of their so-called reform.
There will undoubtedly be many people who are swayed by the shameless use of her children as props, the witless barbs directed at Obama (and indeed, at community organizers), her folksy presentation, and the constant references to Sen. McCain's horrible ordeal in Hanoi. I won't be one of them.
I don't think anyone doubted she could deliver a speech. She didn't write it, of course, and it wasn't well-written. It was red-meat rhetoric with little content, but the rhetoric wasn't even inspiring, or original, or asking how we can be a better country. One liners and sarcasm play to the party faithful in the convention hall and a media that looks for zingers, but Obama in 2004 this was not. But she did spend the early part of her career on television and that came across here.
The problem for her is going to be interviews where journalists can ask follow-up questions, or her debate. Nothing I saw tonight changed my mind.
And I still think Sarah Palin in the Oval Office would be a terrible, terrible thing.
Well, Obama-Biden can also go after tonight's convention based on its unrelenting embrace of partisanism. I think the DNC was effective in asking what all of this division has gotten us. It seems that the Republicans think they can continue to win by their same old divide-and-conquer strategy. Frankly, I think most Americans are sick of it. I think that we are also sick of speeches that don't offer any policy initiatives. These people are making all sorts of claims--trying to shirk responsibility for what they themselves have done to this country, asserting they have accomplishments without detailing what those accomplishments are, and promising all sorts of things (eg a balanced budget while losing trillions of dollars in tax revenues) without explaining how they will actually do it.
I'm prepared for a discussion of policy with people who disagree with me. I was truly moved by Obama's speech when he asked that we think about the values that unite us (like how, regardless of where we are on the abortion issue, we can all agree we want them reduced), rather than always harping on these incredibly petty divisions. Why don't the Republicans offer a similar vision? I just don't think this country is as divided as they seem to cynically hope, and if it is, don't we want our elected leaders trying to work to focus us on the larger issues at hand? After all, isn't that the only way things will ever get done in DC? All these years of partisanship have only exacerbated gridlock. Can we really withstand four more years of that with all that we are facing?
If you asked me 8 years ago, I honestly would have said that I thought McCain would help in this endeavor. Now he seems to have totally swallowed the pill of cynicism, mockery, ridicule, and fear tactics that the Republicans have been pushing since the Bush years. It's terribly disappointing.
What I saw tonight were capable performances, but no real sense of the issues facing us (except for vague specters of terrorists) without addressing how this party plans to improve our country. I'm sick of pitting neighbor against neighbor. Shouldn't we get past these culture wars--of big town versus small town, real values versus elitism, ad infinitum--and have honest conversations about the direction we want our country to go in?
This is so funny....reading these emails and watching CNN's so-called unbiased "jounalists", including Larry King, absolutely freak out at the most refreshing, real, straight-forward, gutsy perons...who just happens to be a woman...explodes on the political scene. The last time I was so absolutely captivated and motivated by a "politician" was by Ronald Reagan. I am watching CNN as I write this and it is just hilarious watching the reaction of Democtratic operatives, including Larry King, just absolutely REEEEEEEAAAAACCCCCCHHHHHH to find something wrong with Sarah Palin. CNN should just make it public that they are a Democratic party machine and not a news organization.
CNN is a JOKE!!!!! SARAH PALIN ROCKS!!!!!!
From the responses here, I can tell that the Democrats did not like the speech. Gosh, what a surprise.
From a non-rabidly partisan point of view, she was very impressive. She is a very talented speaker and will undoubtedly be a star in the Republican party.
I do want to hear details of the Republican platform, though, and those are sadly lacking. Of course, the Democratic platform is thin too, although they have provided a bit more meat. These candidates are going to have to start talking about some real issues eventually.
Sarah Palin can deliver a speech just as potent and powerful and poised as Senator Barack. They are both quite talented and assured in that area. Wonder what they made in Speech 101? Bush was out snorting coke during that class. haha I laughed out loud at the joke she told "What's the difference between a hockey mom and a pitt bull? Lipstick." That was a good one. Jokes aside, yeah she's cool, but what I want to know is HOW, SPECIFICALLY, are these two people going to change MY life - if at all. What about drilling? I'm not clear whether they will or they won't. I want a public apology from Sarah for George II's behavior the last 8 years. I want her to assure me that John McCain is not a little George II robot. I want a public apology because I voted for that sucker twice. Now I'm broke. I want her to tell me how their policy is going to bring down the prices of EVERYHING including groceries, my electric bill, and my gas to take my son to and from football practice and games (she's big on being a hockey mom, well help me out sister.) I want to hear Mrs. Sarah and Mr. John tell me that they realize Bush has ruined my life, my bank accounts, stocks, credit, etc. I want them to tell me how they will fix it and promise on the Bible not to do it again. I didn't hear any of that. They need to acknowledge Bush's total failures instead of embracing McCain's military service. I would actually prefer it if Palin were running for Pres. rather than McCain.
"Thanks, but no thanks."
I only heard the speech on the radio so I can't speak to her performance. I was disgusted by how negative the speech was. There were so many half truths is the speech-congress took away the earmark for the bridge to nowhere not Sarah Palin, although Alaska did keep all the money; that Sarah Palin has more legislative experience then the other three is true but the experence is mostly from a town of less than 7000, she won the election with less than 1000 votes and as she said it wouldn't be hard as she only has 53 employees and a 6 million dollar budget.
Let us all remember that this is a woman who would force a 12 year old to give birth even under the circumstances or rape or incest. She is scary
I see the Obama kool-aide drinkers are out in full force tonight! You people and your typical propaganda are totally laughable!
I agree completely with the author. From an independent's point of view, this was a stunning speech! I actually believe that she is a true outside, one of us. She is going to be a force to be reckoned with.
In the early part of the century, Europe was plagued with exciting speakers who pit one part of the population against another. Remember the "International Zionist Conspiracy?"
THAT worked out well. There are different lies this time. The script is the same. If they get away with it again, Crooks apparent slip of the tongue will have proved prophetic:
"It is a team that will prosecute the culture war AGAINST all that is decent and civilized in the United States...."
For my hand rubbing thuggish brethren, thinking "We got the lies! We will poison those liberal inferiors!", I take the novel step of reminding you of something that Christ actually taught:
---------------
Luke 12:13-21
[13] Someone in the crowd said to him, "Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me."
[14] Jesus replied, "Man, who appointed me a judge or an arbiter between you?" [15] Then he said to them, "Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions."
[16] And he told them this parable: "The ground of a certain rich man produced a good crop. [17] He thought to himself, 'What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.'
[18] "Then he said, 'This is what I'll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. [19] And I'll say to myself, "You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry." '
[20] "But God said to him, 'You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?'
[21] "This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not rich toward God."
Very good summary of Palin's speech. I agree that this presentation needed more details on the Republican platform...but there's plenty of time to see those played out.
It's interesting to see how scared her opponents are acting because of a well-spoken, confident woman. Even the reaction on this blog...Democrats are shaking in their boots. Interesting.
HA! And you gotta love that Palin's such a thrifty gal. I'd like HER in charge of my tax dollars, not a left-wing politician delivering empty promises!
Keep up the good writing, sir/madame.
Paul, you may be an independent, but you certainly have some political bias if that speech appealed to you. I am an independent as well and was disappointed by that speech. Huckabee was the only guy that showed any class the whole night. Palin did not. They sent her out to display her family (including her daughter's baby-daddy), exaggerate a bit about her experience in Alaska, swing wildly at Obama and, finally, to repeat, for the umpteenth time, John McCain's POW story. It was all meant to appeal to the "base" and did.
So, you may have convinced yourself that you're an independent, but if that nonsense is what gets your motor running, you just might be a Republican.
WOW!!!!!
It was the best speech I have ever in my life time witnessed.
Amaizing dose of brutal honesty
My husband and I are so excited about the McCain* Palin ticket.
Woo!!
Some of my favorite Palin Quotes:
"When oil and gas prices went up so dramatically and the state revenues followed with that increase, I sent a large share of that revenue directly back to the people of Alaska — and we are now — we're now embarking on a $40 billion natural gas pipeline to help lead America to energy independence."
"To serve as vice president beside such a man would be the privilege of a lifetime, and it's fitting that this trust has been given to me 88 years almost to the day after the women of America first gained the right to vote."
" I fought it hard and I held the offenders to account. Along with fellow reformers in the great state of Alaska, as governor, I've stood up to the old politics as usual, to the special interests, to the lobbyists, the Big Oil companies and the "good old boy" network."
"Well, it's always, though, safer in politics to avoid risk, to just kind of go along with the status quo. But I didn't get into government to do the safe and easy things. A ship in harbor is safe, but that's not why the ship is built.
"Politics isn't just a game of competing interests and clashing parties. The people of America expect us to seek public office and to serve for the right reasons. And the right reason is to challenge the status quo and to serve the common good."
Just WOW!!!
I doubt an independent would have the strongly negative reaction most Obama supporters are having to Palin's speech.
But if your reaction to that speech was "she's one of us," you aren't an independent, regardless of your party affiliation. Good or bad, it was a deeply partisan speech.
I, personally, am concerned that someone one hearbeat away from the presidency, has to ask "Just exactly is it that the Vice President does?" or, how about "I don't really know that much about the war, I'm not really too interested in it." Americans: PLEASE, for once,look past the fluff, check your facts, be an educated voter for a change. Things are not always how they appear - and Republicans have had at least 8 years of who cares if it's true. "Just say it, over and over and over. Sometimes you just gotta catapult the propaganda till people believe you." (George W. Bush) I am truly scared we will let it happen again. Think, study, read, listen and talk before making a decision this important.
"I, personally, am concerned that someone one hearbeat away from the presidency, has to ask "Just exactly is it that the Vice President does?" "
Congratulations, you fail Rhetoric 101. If you had ever bothered to read this whole quote in context, you would plainly see that she was speaking in concrete and specific terms rather than the general job description of the VP.
She was saying, OK, you think they might pick me for VP-- well, tell me what kind of VP they want, because I'm not a figurehead or a bench warmer. Give me a job and I'll do it.
What a breath of fresh air compared to a dinosaur like Biden who has been a mediocre career politician his whole life, and would probably do whatever he is told by his boss's handlers.
I'm not sure that quoting an opponent out of context to make them look bad to third parties would garner a failing mark in Rhetoric 101, actually.
Wow, the fix is in. The meme is going out. Palin was absolutely uninspiring. Her cadence, delivery, finger-pointing, smug and snarky. All that's left of the GOP these days. She was mediocre.
And I hope all those Christian "community organizers" step up to her insult. Wasn't it the GOP that said we should help each other, not the government?
She fed fundamentalist red meat to the choir. The rest of the country outside the media bubble will not be suckered by this unhinged VP pick.
It was not refreshing or new at all. It was the same old garbage. I am sorely disappointed that she is just like the rest of them. I do not feel that speech was uplifting in the least. It was filled with sarcasm and snide arrogance. This ticket is nothing new and if you think it is then i feel sorry for you. That crowd would have cheered not matter what she said. She could not have been more negative. I am so disappointed.
Alison H., you want a public apology because you voted for Bush II twice??? Um, I think you owe the PUBLIC an apology. Not only did you make yourself broke, you made tons of non-Bush supporters broke.
Come on, folks - this speech was nothing special - and it was hyped more than a bad, upcoming VH1 reality show. This speech really was PTA-quality, and the first several minutes of it felt like a Chicken Soup for the Soul book (which I'm sure is why many of you loved it).
In 2004, I felt the DNC occuring before the RNC was a disadvantage; now, I feel it was an advantage. Since when did Republicans speak of "change", or "energy issues"?
This entire McCain-Palin campaign is being run by Obama's playbook, just as Kerry's campaign was run by Bush Jr's.
Stop fooling yourselves. It may not be that common in the Republican sphere, but women have actually been speaking behind podiums for some time now.
Oh yeah, and regarding the one-liners: despite your recent discovery of Ebay, many people have been using it for a while; and a bulldog w/lipstick? Why not follow it with a Gallagher-esque fruit bashing?
Oh, one other thing, as if tonight wasn't demoralizing enough already for the Left.
Did you notice a slight pause and stutter about three-quarters of the way through the speech? That was her Teleprompter failing. She finished the speech with paper notes and memory and guts.
I have been telling people for a year that this woman is the most talented politician in at least a generation. Compare her achievements to Hillary, who took her husband's world-famous name, and his big fat Rolodex, and a full ledger of favors owed, and a wad of money from book advances, and maybe a few juicy FBI files, and pranced into a Senate seat in a safely liberal state with only token opposition. It wasn't an election, it was a coronation.
Sarah Palin, on the other hand, comes from a lower-middle-class family in a little hick town out in the howling wilderness. Though she was a high school basketball star, Title IX had not yet been implemented in all its bean-counting glory, so she had to enter a demeaning beauty pageant to win a scholarship for a fluff degree from a cow college. After her shotgun wedding to a union roughneck, by most people's lights, she should have ended up a housewife or a waitress. Yet all by herself, she has blazed a path through Alaska politics that is strewn with the dead bodies of powerful and corrupt male politicians who underestimated her.
She negotiated head-to-head with the chiefs of the most powerful oil conglomerates in the world, bent them to her will, and raised their severance taxes almost 30%. She took a natural gas pipeline project across Canada that had been knocking around for 30 or 40 years without any progress, negotiated with the Canadian and US governments, oil and gas corporations, unions, Indian tribes and who can say who else, and had the deal wrapped up in red ribbon in a matter of months. That pipeline will soon be warming American homes in the winter with cheap, clean fuel produced on American soil by American union workers.
And now, after almost a week of pressure and scrutiny that would have driven most people to weeping, trembling catatonia, she delivers this tour-de-force speech that in all likelihood has single-handedly saved the faltering campaign of the old war horse John McCain.
She is on the most meteoric rise in politics that I have ever seen in my life. I think she will be Vice President, and President herself. I don't know what she will do after that. This poor little world seems too small to contain her.
After tonight, all I can do is gape in astonishment and wonder which actress will play her in the movie.
Did Palin attack the dems? Yes duh, however; she did draw distinctions between the gop and dems. This is what political speeches are all about, and to everyone pointing out she didn't write this speech, nitpicking, no one writes their speeches on their own anymore. So lets quite talking about how harsh she was on dems and how she didnt write the speech, and focus on what we did or didnt like about the speech.
Did Palin attack the dems? Yes duh, however; she did draw distinctions between the gop and dems. This is what political speeches are all about, and to everyone pointing out she didn't write this speech, nitpicking, no one writes their speeches on their own anymore. So lets quite talking about how harsh she was on dems and how she didnt write the speech, and focus on what we did or didnt like about the speech.
Did Palin attack the dems? Yes duh, however; she did draw distinctions between the gop and dems. This is what political speeches are all about, and to everyone pointing out she didn't write this speech, nitpicking, no one writes their speeches on their own anymore. So lets quite talking about how harsh she was on dems and how she didnt write the speech, and focus on what we did or didnt like about the speech.
Excellent analysis Clive. I concur about Palin's performance being better than the speech text itself, which seemed to have several themes lumped together rather than one clear message. (Of course, it turned out that the messenger was the message, so no penalty.) I'm guessing that the campaign had the basic McCain-boosting material prepared in advance before the VP pick was made, and then worked in the Palin-specific elements afterward. Hence the lumpiness.
It seems true, too, that Obama attacks Palin on experience grounds at his peril, and he'll have to find something more convincing than "more of the same" if he wants to do any real damage to the M-P ticket. (And it's got to sting that Palin went for the hat trick and co-opted ALL of the Democratic primary themes: Hope, Change, and Experience.)
As to the "extreme right-winger" route being the only one left for Obama-Biden, it's a good point -- but I don't see how Obama makes that case convincingly. At this time last week, the R ticket wasn't conservative enough to motivate more than reluctant enthusiasm; now it's somehow TOO conservative? Maybe this could be sold successfully, but that would be a feat of communications dexterity I've never seen.
I'd guess that the Obama team is praying that their Alaska research squad finds a silver bullet. McCain rises or falls with Palin at this point, and her vulnerabilities may not all be known yet. There's no shortage of media outlets looking for a scoop, no matter how weak, so getting it out when found won't be a problem.
I'd expect Palin coverage to get more intense and uglier from here on out. Looks like she can handle it, but I'm not sure about me ...
She delivered with a smile, but Palin's negativity, sarcasm, and belittling of Obama was truly ugly. Sadly Americans now seem to celebrate this type of attack. Is it possible for Obama to maintain a positive campaign? If he allows the GOP to drag him down to their level, we will be back to the same old divisive politics that have turned off the American public for the last eight years. Sad.
Greetings fellow citizens: First for people to blame others as to why they are broke is a cop outttt! Money comes money goes. God gives wisdom to manage. People ignore His wisdom and reap hardship. No leader in all the world is the answer to ones ills.. The sooner people stop leaning on frail man and take Jesus hand the eternally better they shall be. God is love God is life that's why Jesus was crucified. Any one that speaks out against war and destruction and applauds war to the womb of a mother to be is truly blind. Just because their voice is not heard doesn't mean they "life in the womb" should be sacraficed. Utter selfishness let me drop my pants and kill the result. May Jesus help us realise the true meaning of selfless sacrafice.
Truthfully, I'm less than impressed. In fact, I'm disappointed. She was sarcastic and antagonistic, two things that one must use when she has nothing of any substance to say. I did not see any electrifying presence. I saw a woman who was not part of the national scene being held up to give a speech that implies she whirls through that scene each day. She really should have distanced herself from the attacks on Obama and saved them for another time. It was her Cinderella moment and she came off like George Bush in a tight girdle.
I don't see the typical East Coast Hillary supporter charging her way any time soon.
One another note this really troubles me:
Did you notice how they keep passing the poor baby around. The father actually gave the baby to the youngest daughter and she played with him like a doll. The parents do not seem to be involved in the baby's life. The daughters seem to be taking care of the baby most of the time. Sarah and her husband just holds the baby for photo ops.
it was unnecessarily rude, antagonistic, sarcastic and despite all of the confetti, flag waving, it was not a good positive energy, it was dark mean and appeared very staged and inauthentic. BTW arent those in the South Side Chicago in crisis?
She need to go home and spend time trying to keep the young daughters, now, from also getting pregs
I'm really interested in how this played to independents. Republicans loved her, but they always love red meat attacks. Democrats found her mean, but they prefer inspirational speeches. I thought she was exactly like the church lady from old SNL sketches. I didn't like her tone and her voice irritated me so I had trouble listening to what she was saying.
It also bothered me that nobody seemed responsible for the baby. Complete strangers could have grabbed that child and the little girl would have handed him over.
What do independents think?
To me she just seemed scared.
I have to say that I am laughing at some of these comments. People are really getting creative in their criticism of her speech...
The point of the speech is to get people excited about the campaign, not clarify every Republican policy. Who cares what is on the teleprompter - every executive or politician puts words on there that help them remember to say things the right way - . She gave us more info about her and her family to begin answer the critics in the press. Man alive, do you people complaining about the father giving the baby to the other child even have one - get a clue, it is how normal families work together.
She did very well. She came across as intelligent and poised. A person with a normal family, ready to lead. I am looking forward to voting for her and McCain.
I have truly enjoyed reading these comments. There is nothing like democrats squirming to warm my heart and start my day off with a smile. Nitpick her speech as you may, but last night Palin met the barrage of negative attacks on her by simply casting her opponents record in his face and if that bothers you, well, it should. You can't deny Obama's record or that his resume is weak at best. He HAS NOT ever ran a town or a state. He HAS NOT written any legislation. He does not have anything to offer but he charm, empty rhetoric, two memoirs, and oh, yeah, the promise of higher taxes (his words not mine). So continue to whine away, because last night, Sarah Palin stood before America, confident, a leader, a voice for the people, a genuine agent of change with a resume, not just a flowery speech, to back it up. Well, Perry Como is singing, It's a Good Day in the background because..last night was a really good night and I feel pretty darn happy today. So with that I leave you good people to your wound licking.
Hello McLiberals. Do you really think that any politician writes their entire speech? McCain doesn't, Obama doesn't, Biden doesn't. The last time that was done I believe it went something like "Four score....". For all of you slack jawed Obama cultists, Jon Favreau writes Obamas speeches. Easy enough to google. Oh wait, that would be learning a fact. Nevermind....
Once upon a time the British tories were mocked for chosing a housewife 'with no foreign policy experience' as their party's leader. Margaret Thatcher turned out to be one of the 20th century's great statesmen/stateswomen/statespersons. (Choose for yourselves).
Sarah Palin's style is very diffent but she, too, has the potential to achieve greatness.
Verdict of undecided voters in Nevada in a focus group: "Um, holy cow lady, you are really mean." A majority of participants in the focus group were turned off by the mocking tone of Palin's speech.
A hint to Ms. Palin - a national introduction may not be the best time to mock a person with a 60% approval rating and who is extremely well liked by about 40% of the country. That's what drives up your negatives. We need to get to know you...
LOL, Sarah Palin having an affair, coming to you in the newest edition of National Enquirer. Funny how conservatives touted the legitimacy of National Enquirer during the Edwards affair. It's going to be hard to counter her moral hypocrisy by pointing out that Democrats want to raise your taxes. Live by the sword of the culture wars, die by it, I guess.
Palin delivered her lines exceptionally well, and she showed excellent composure on the big stage. But I suspect Sally Field or Meg Ryan would have done the same. Doesn’t mean she should be VP, or god forbid, President of the United States. Yet already, the MSM is compensating for its pre-speech pile-on; the narrative has shifted, and now, given palin’s strong delivery of a ghost-written speech, she’s not just qualified, she’s a partisan superhero.
I think that your comparison to Margaret Thatcher is a bit of a stretch. I mean really, I still do not know what SHE brings to the ticket besides a skirt.
Hey Liberals !!!!
How do you fell this morning !!!!
Running scared ? Of course you are, by reading your posts this morning that's obvious.
It's over scoreboard !!
Take your terrorist loving, nobody of the person, a do nothing candidate and shove it.
Obama is exactly this an Obamanation and the least experienced person ever to run for the most important job in the land.
And you liberals , knowing nothing about this guy are ready to put him as the leader of the free world. You have got to be kidding . Obama-Biden what a ticket. So inspiring isn't he?
The Atlantic sucks and enjoy your next presidential loss !!!! an dif by some miracle your messiah pulls this scam out and wins. You and your children are going to pay the price .
Abortion is an (obamination). And Infanticide is pre-mediatated murder .
Wake up losers !
Out !!!
What scares me most about this "political theater" is that fact that we still don't know WHAT McCain has done or WILL do for this country.
I know he supports money for defense (duh) but what has it done for this country? Really? I want to know why we blindly allow McCain to hold the "experience" card. Also, it is an insult to ANY serviceman, woman, or citizen to know that John "Songbird" McCain actually told the country's secrets during Vietnam. Bring out McCain!!!! I want to hear from this guy. Stop hiding! It is definitely MORE of the same Bush tactics to deceive the American people and NOT allow us to participate in this debate responsibly.
Palin is a puppet. A mean-spirited, overly ambitious politician who had one job...continue to keep the spotlight off McCain and continue the GOP's tradition of lies, deception, and class warfare.
A home run, by any standard.
"Who could fail to be moved by this?' Are you referring to the speech or your analysis? No matter; I'm not moved by the speech or your analysis.
I wonder what the always insightful and objective Cokie Roberts has to say.
She seemed really mean-spirited to me, nothing to say about the economy or any issues of any kind. She is still lying about being against the bridge to nowhere. Her delivery was fine though that much I admit, makes sense from a former miss congeniality. Of course I didn't like the speech being a total liberal hack. And of course Clive liked it since he is similarly a republican hack. I will be interested how people who haven't already made up their minds will take it.
Well, first we had lies from the corrupt former Mayor of New York, then we had lies from the corrupt former Mayor of Wasilla. The difference? Rudy is a little older and has slightly better taste in women's underwear.
Palin repeated a number of lies:
fiscal conservative - no, unless you consider raising taxes 38% and spending 33% and leaving Wasilla with a debt of $22 million fiscally conservative
against the bridge to nowhere - no - she supported it, asked for it and appeared in public with slogans for it
opposed earmarks and pork - no, John McCain's own lists of year-by-year objectionable earmarks
include multiple cases that Palin asked for.
And that's only THREE obvious lies. Is Sarah Palin someone you want spending your tax dollars? No thank you!
Enlighenting commments all...
"Republicans loved her, but they always love red meat attacks"
Who is attacking whom?
"Palin is a puppet. A mean-spirited, overly ambitious politician who had one job..."
All conservatives are mean-spirited, everybody knows that. Why Palin didn't dump that tramp out of her house months ago and be done with her is a wonder to me.
"it was unnecessarily rude, antagonistic, sarcastic and despite all of the confetti, flag waving, it was not a good positive energy, it was dark mean and appeared very staged and inauthentic"
Thank you for sharing.
"She need to go home and spend time trying to keep the young daughters, now, from also getting pregs"
Maybe she could qualify for welfare. I'm sure that would solve everything. By the way, just so I have this straight... "I'M the conservative neaderthal who should be crawling back to the dark ages where I belong...right? YOU are the hip, with-it, enlightened type I'd look up to if I had any sense at all?
And April? You've convinced me. We should all vote for Obama so he can give you a paycheck and a place to live. I'm sure that will be first on his list after saving the world.
Oh, dear, am I being sarcastic? Well hang my boxers out to dry for all to see!
On a more serious note, I'll agree with anyone who disdains politicians reading canned speeches written by someone else. Yet, whoever wrote it brought up some food for thought. I know, I know, all that yucky stuff about making decisions and taxes and cutting budgets and stuff. I'm not sure there was really enough red meat to go around.
However it seems to me Sarah Palin came across as someone who believed in what she was saying and doing. I think she's real. I agree she's one of "us". And by "us" I mean a real person, not a made-for-tv political wind-up doll.
Am I biased? Of course I am. I went in expecting a great speech from Sarah Palin and got wowed.
What was your favorite speech of this election? Trot it out here. I'll bet I can find as much fault with it as you did with Sarah's.
Sarah's speech wasn't perfect. She's not perfect. I'll throw the first stone as soon as I am.
God bless,
Andy
Yay!!!!!!!!! Sarah Palin can read!!!!!!!
Great speech, great candidate. She reflects everything that is honorable and true in McCain.
I'm voting Republican for the first time in my life.
Obama took half of the party for granted in choosing Biden and it cost him the election. John Kennedy coulda taught him a thing or two.
Party Unity My A@#!
Clive,
No doubts here that Sarah Palin is a talented politician. I thought she looked uncomfortable during the speech, but if that is due, as a commenter above said, to her Teleprompter failing, and she finished with notes and memory, that does strike me as quite admirable.
What is not admirable, however, is that her speech was a pack of lies, insults, omissions, and spectacle. I did not appreciate her following up on Giuliani's despicable sneers about community organizers. It was my understanding that Obama's tax plan would lower the tax burden for most families; she claimed the opposite. She was before the bridge to nowhere before she was against it; another lie there. To suggest that Alaska has enough oil for the nation is laughable at best. To suggest that Obama has no plan for governing is also laughable. His ideas are there on his website, for Pete's sake. She conveniently omitted the fact that she left Wasilla with a huge budget deficit, when it had previously had a surplus. And last but not least, I did not appreciate her whoring out her family for political purposes. That poor baby of hers with Down's Syndrome, being passed around like a prop! I counted four people who held the baby - Cindy McCain, Todd Palin, Bristol Palin, and the younger Palin daughter whose name escapes me right now. Unbelievable. And all this from a woman who cut funding for special education in Alaska.
One point that went unaddressed: If Palin is the one with more executive experience than the entire Democratic ticket, what is she doing at the bottom of the Republican ticket? By the same reasoning, isn't McCain also unqualified? Why is no one asking this question? Why is there a double standard here? Oh, that's right - McCain is a POW. That answers it all, I guess.
I suppose the speech was a home run to some. I think those people must have been watching some other speech. For my part, I came away convinced that Palin is a mean-spirited liar.
Obama and Biden have been the far more civil campaign, and far nicer to the Republicans than the Republicans have been to them. I always thought that the worst thing about the Republicans in the previous years was their willingness to resort to wedge issues that stir up all sorts of nasty passions. This proves to be another attempt at doing so. I'm sick of that, and I've made up my mind to vote for Obama and Biden.
Mark In Florida,
but how do you really feel about the election? I'm find it hard to decipher the nuance
http://www.bartcop.com/alaskan-speaks.htm
check it out people...can't wait until the debates, thats when all this bull can be put to rest. Forget personality, tactics, how long whoever had done what, or the "your mom is better than my mom" drama...when it comes to moving this country at LEAST one step UP in the RIGHT direction from this travesty we have now.....
Obama/Biden '08.
After numerous months of ageism, sexism, racism, and lookism driving the Democrat Party's campaign against Senator McCain, Governor Palin, -and- Senator Clinton, the media declare Mrs. Palin's expose' of Mr. Obama's political shortcomings to be "harsh" and "mean-spirited".
At this point, the media's glaring bias and attempts to be newsmakers rather than reporters doesn't surprise me. You can tell who the real reformers in this race are by whom the media choose to attack.
Your fellow James Fallows hit it with the analogy "what if Obama had chosen Al Franken?" It'd be bold, it'd shake things up, he'd give a funnier red meat speech than Palin, in a down year it would motivate the base and convention goers. But would the rest of the country be impressed? She's got charisma, she's good at a speech, but is the answer to substantive questions (See "What did she order the Alaska National Guard to do?") always going to be "How dreadful to drag her family into this"? The Republicans aren't just doubling down on motivating the base, they're doubling down on compelling personal narrative over policy decisions. Which is not an altogether bad strategy in the US, but 2 months of responding to questions about folks' economic concerns with the news that McCain was a POW and Palin was a Hockey Mom? I think that'd work better if times were awesome.
To cite Sean at 538--she motivates both bases, and this year the Dems' base is bigger.
The one post-speech focus group I've seen from undecided women (in Las Vegas, and posted at the Stump) they heard all about her kids and little about her policies. If you're committed to voting Republican you heard a charismatic speech by a regular gal; if you're undecided you heard a charismatic speech by a regular gal.
It is the American public that is clueless...about who Sara Palin is, her historical stance on issues, and plans for America's future that will shape the entire 50 states and not just "what Alaska gets out of it."
The country has been learning about Obama for over 4 years, but when the Republican running mate was announced, most of America said "Sarah-who???" Her oration of her background told us little more than the media already told us...
Last night's speech by Pitbull Palin showed that she can bark and bite, but is the next 40 days and beyond enough time to show the Average Joe that they're leading her leash and gain their votes, or will the public be mauled in their beliefs and expectations for the future by her own agenda.....
Clive, want to know what Americans think of her speech? Here's a link.
Governor Palin's speech was one of the best I've ever heard. She said it like it is, unlike the mindless sheep who adore Obama, even though he's just an empty suit. Most of the negative blogs on this site appear to have been written before the speech was even given. Comments by brain washed Obamabots, who infect the blog sites with the same sarcastic partisan posts, no matter what the story is about. Keep America strong, elect McCain / Palin in November. No Wright, no Farrakahn, no Ayers, no Rezko, no mean Michelle, NOBAMA
My own opinion is that her speech was a very difficult one to gauge -- and it depends largely on how much the viewer already knows about her (i.e., high v. low-information voters), about the convention, and the McCain team. Consider:
- She is a politician, hence a good public speaker; plus
- She's been locked away for days, preparing for it; but
- The speech was written by someone else, for someone else (Romney, I hear), but then tailored to her 'narrative';
- She likely has little or no idea of all the news that has been floating around about her -- and that also goes for the people in the convention hall, and the low-information viewers -- so her confidence right now is in a bubble
All these things bear on one's interpretation. My own perception of her speech: She's a bald-faced liar. A PUMAs? She's feisty, gutsy. A moderate, issue-oriented voter? She's kind of scary. A right-wing fundamentalist? She's a champ.
Oh dear, oh dear. It seems that the leftie bottom lip has started to protrude somewhat.
Did you really think that there would be no opposition?
Just look at yourselves would you: a long list of kiddies' tantrums, barely concealed beneath trite criticisms of podium technique/ written style.
I just don't get it at all. Why is everyone so amazed at her "poise" and "composure?" She delivered a freakin' speech, on the tee vee. She was on-air talent for years, and is now a professional politician. This should not have been a stretch.
Its not like she wrote the speech. The Republicans said this morning that most of the speech was written before she was even selected for the position. All she did was get up there, read it off a teleprompter with some rhetorical flourish, and then leave. That doesn't demonstrate anything. Its so bizarre to me that everyone in the news is so impressed. Isn't this what you guys do every day? What did you expect, for her to have a baby on stage, or to fall over, or start crying or something?
Kudos for the NRA lobby to have another candidate on the ticket, I was wondering what happened to there clout....
But enough about the 2nd amendment...how many of you realize that Palin has had some opinions against the 1st amendment?...Trying to ban books, really?
http://www.time.com/time/politics/article/0,8599,1837918,00.html
Furthermore, who really wants a new nuclear power plant in their neighborhood? Any volunteers? What about volunteering to store the nuclear waste it'll generate? Don't kid yourselves, there aren't anymore "remote" areas in the US to hide it. Really, nuclear power is just a quick fix that will generate new problems that we'll be howling about in 20-60 years....and that is more than "environmentalism" talking - that's just a cop-out word for those painting the issue black or white.
And would you brag to the national public that you "refunded" FEDERAL money (your tax dollars) into the pockets of your STATE citizens? I see no benefit here but improving her own approval rating for the AK public, grandstanding at its finest. Granted, Alaska could do whatever they wanted with the grant money, but really, wouldn't the best choice have been to use for a progressive project to improve economy (which is why Alazka wanted the money in the first place) or return it and insist that it be applied to our National Deficit? Bush II could have used that in our stimulus checks instead of borrowing more $ from China & other countries.
The majority of the country doesn't want to mix religion with politics. That is the basis as to why we declared independence from Britian's Empire to begin with, right? And wrote the Constitution? ...Stop throwing up decoys and distractions (like abortion and same-sex unions) to the real issues the majority is concerned with!!! Those issues don't directly affect the operations of the government over equal-citizens. These are non-ticket issues for other countries...only in America!
Oh, and I, too, couldn't decide if she reminded me more of a "George W. Bush in a tight girdle" or "a pitbull with lipstick."
"Any links to Dems "calling her a clueless redneck, a stewardess, a nonentity"?
Posted by Sgt Friday | September 4, 2008 1:03 AM"
DITTO. HOW ABOUT SOME BACK-UP??
For 2 days I have been reading people like Megan and now you saying what THEY said about her ... and the daughter. If you have names of senators, congressmen, Obama's staff, Biden's staff, put them out.
I suspect you can't. If you want to find harsh criticism, listen to Dr. Laura, although I do not think she qualifies as the liberal elite.
I've made this point elsewhere too, but the right-wing elites do not realize, or pretend not to, that a mother of 5 with all the family issues going out on the campaign trail will not appeal to the heartland women she is supposedly designed to appeal to.
I wonder if those who think Palin was "mean-spirited" felt the same when Biden bad-timingly chanted "That's not change, that's more of the same" and such as he lashed out at McCain.
I am amazed that there is anyone out there who thinks this was a very good speech. Did anyone watch when she was introduced as McCain's running mate? She introduced her family for the first five minutes, talked about how she and her husband have been married for 20 years... Come on, is this really who we want in the White House? A Hockey Mom who claims she is a pit bull with lipstick on? Someone who is under investigation by her own state? Someone who exploits her son's deployment for her own personal gain? Even McCain hasn't stooped that low - he's even said he won't exploit that. So why does he have a running mate who will? Oh, and what about exploiting her special needs baby?
Obama has some special circumstances, too. He's a black American. But exploiting that wouldn't be very P.C. would it?
The contrast between the two conventions is amazing. The DNC was overwhelmingly about change, unity, and the job ahead - what they can do to make the US great again. Palin's speech was mostly about herself, her family, the things she has accomplished in her hometown of 7000 people and in her stint as Alaska's governor. Nothing about uniting the UNITED States. Nothing about the work ahead. More about drilling in Alaska (Alaska centered, not US centered). How can she claim that both she and her running mate are out to change the status quo when her speech was only about herself, her past, and her enemies and had very little to say about what she would actually do to better this country?
I thought that Palin's speech was effective if you measure it by what it was supposed to do - energize and enthuse the base that was in the hall. What is surprising to me is the media's reaction to the speech today; many are comparing it to the Sermon on the Mount. I think that the GOP's tactics of going after the media are paying off. Many pundits are praising the speech lavishly in an attempt to prove that they are not, in Rudy G. 's phrase, "left-wing media."
Two things stand out from Sarah Palin’s acceptance speech last night and the reactions to it on the talkbacks, including this one.
(1) For anyone who wasn’t quite sure (including myself) what it meant to be a community organizer, now we know: it’s sort of like a small-town mayor but without any actual responsibilities.
(2) The Democratic Party as a whole is coming across like Hillary Clinton when she started losing to Obama. They had convinced themselves that the presidency is something their momma had promised them and their shocked discovery that somebody else may get it instead leaves them peevish and sulky.
Based on what I read here, it seems apparent the Republicans have chosen well in choosing Sarah Palin for the ticket. While I have not watched her speech (I intend to) I have also not watched Obama's ( I did read the text) or Biden's speeches. Why not? because I find they say nothing of meaning, any of them. They say what their polls and tests tell them will get them elected--what they think we want to hear. Based on what I am reading here, they seem to have succeeded. It is unfortunate our American political system has split so down the middle. It means we have to pay some sort of attention to them...but they are the only game in town. And they are not being straight with us. It is a popularity contest and anyone who thinks differently is delusional. These politicians are donated to by the same companies...except for their spoken ideology, they are basically the same party. Sure there are some ideological donation differences, but they both will tell us what we want to hear and then do what ever the bill payers tell them too...unless we make a big enough public stink. My main concern with the Democrats is they are too vague about 'change', which I take to mean they are about the Status Quo. They don't want to change too much or risk losing power. The Republicans are too concerned with merging church and state and culture wars, which basically means, if I am not christian, I will have my rights curtailed in order to follow a christian ideology of 'right and wrong'. I am no screaming Liberal in the sense most people mean it. I am a common sense kind of person. Many rights people enjoy and are fighting for (or have fought for) make sense and create a happier public mentality. I mean really...who cares what color your skin is, what sex you prefer, who you want to marry, if you may need or choose an abortion...Just because I may not like some of these things doesn't mean I, or anyone, has the right to curtail these activities. the Republicans (for 20 years or more) seem to want to go back to that 'Good Ol' Religion' and Sarah Palin seems to be at the hypocritical front of that movement. Is her daughter pregnant? Yes. Is it Palin's fault she did not have a more common sense approach to sex education in her family? Yes. Will her daughter and new husband get a divorce or be miserably married--odds are they will. Would it make more sense to have the child and put it up for adoption to one of the thousands of couples who can't physically fulfill their christian duty and procreate? yes. I heard one of Sarah Palin's speeches on the radio and the number of times she invoked God (in whom I believe, mind you) made me suspect she was a minister, not a public servant...which is the reason I have hesitated listening. Maybe I will see something worth seeing. It will at least be engaging emotionally...the way it was designed to be.
You can definitely see which side of the coin every one in this blog is on. I was impressed by what I saw from Sarah. Whether you like her or not her selection as VP candidate shows McCain's ability to strategize and is a brilliant move on so many levels. If galvanizing the base, pulling in the disenfranchised Clinton supporters, Giving hope to Christian conservative's, and taking some of the shine and freshness that the Dems seemed to own is a strategy then I say bravo. The gauntlet has been thrown down.
Are any of us better off now than we were 8 years ago? (Aside from the very, very rich friends of Cheney and Bush.) How could any one with a brain consider for one second to vote to keep Republicans in office for "more of the same"???
So what if Palin is pretty and has 5 kids -- she is still a hypocrit Christian Republican who will say anything to get a vote for her Party of Dinosaurs.
We need to learn from the past. Republicans do not bring prosperity and dignity to our country. They have created serious damage to our reputation as a country of true leadership not to mention plunging us into unbelievable debt after Clinton had cleaned up all of our debt.
How could anyone for one moment consider voting Republican and continuing on this destructive path that we have endured in agony for 8 solid years???!!!
A letter from someone who has known Sarah Palin since 1992
From: http://my2bucks.wordpress.com/2008/09/02/a-letter-from-someone-who-has-known-sarah-palin-since-1992/
Also
http://www.washingtonindependent.com/3671/the-reform-candidate
This is a balanced and fascinating chronicle of Palin’s public service. I would strongly recommend that both conservatives and liberals read this. If fiscal conservatives think that she will help McCain get the economy because of her ‘executive’ experience you really NEED to read this. She left Wasila, a town with zero debt prior to her tenure as mayor, 22 million dollars in debt. Yikes. A McCain/Palin administration would truly be third term of Bush when it comes to a tanking economy.
The veep selection process demonstrates that a McCain vote in November is a vote for Captain Chaos. From Cowboy Bush to Chaos McCain. Run in the opposite direction America.
My god, you're a moronic cunt Clive
I agree with the above poster that Palin was a very smart move at the level of grand board game strategy but, the board that counts is really the space between an individual voter's ears.
I'm thinking that once inside the voting booth the average person will say something like ... "Let's see ... live in a country safe for guns, (and not for gay marriage) or, be able to pay my bills and send the kids to college? Think I'll go with the bills and college".
That'd be Obama.
If wishes were horses, beggars would ride. Now that every hidden asset, the NYT, NPR, CNN, is revealed as the Obama shills they are, and always were, this latest move by McCain is absolutely brilliant. With their credibility in tatters, the old line media is helpless to reverse the avalanche of sympathy and admiration that is building for Sarah Palin. Obama's cult of personality strategy cuts both ways. It was fine to follow Obama mindlessly ignoring there was nothing there issues wise, but suddenly we all need to wake up and smell the coffee with Palin. Putting the toothpaste back in that tube is going to be difficult.
Clive,
Is it true you have three testicles?
Just chuckling a bit at the rancid reactions of the Dems here.
"Are any of us better off now than we were 8 years ago?" Yes, actually, I am, economically and personally. And I'm neither rich nor am I friends with Bush, Cheney, or any other national political figure.
But more to the point, this little thing called 9/11 happened. The nation went to war -- on a bipartisan basis, if you'll recall. Wars are expensive, dirty, ugly things. Prewar plans do not survive contact with the enemy. Mistakes were made, just as they were in WWII and every other war. (1943, "raid" in Dieppe, over 10,000 casualties to accomplish nothing. Oops.) Now, post-surge, victory is finally within our grasp.
Energy costs (and other commodities) are way up, due mainly to surging worldwide demand. Does anyone here realize that if the evil Bush had gotten his way re: ANWR, we'd be seeing production from those fields RIGHT NOW? That oil prices would therefore be lower, and that therefore oil company margins would be smaller? Which side of the aisle messed that one up? Which policy has driven up oil company profit margins?
Does anyone stop to think that rising living standards for billions of people in China and India are, which cause much of the new demand, is a good thing? And that free trade has a lot to do with those rising living standards? Or is it "liberal" to leave the world's poor to find their own way to a better future, even stand in their way with tariffs?
Housing prices rose way too high, and now we're paying the price for the bursting bubble. In what way was the Administration responsible for that?
We live in interesting times, no doubt. History happens. And you know what? We still live in the greatest nation on the planet.
Palin gave a fine speech. The text was fairly typical partisan campaign rhetoric, no more or less strident than Biden's was. The VP is always the point of attack in a presidential campaign. But she did it very well, under a lot of pressure.
Anyone here think it's possible for a young, unknown politician to launch a national political future with a speech at a party convention?
m000tpoint
Staggeringly vapid post. I mean really, just really, really bad. And I thought Megan's was loathsome.
M00tpoint,
you posted those forty five minutes apart - how many other places are you mass posting, cuntface?
Mitt Romney wrote his own speech with very little input from the RNC. I too found it awkward and very revealing in a bad way.
Fred, if you don't shut up I'm gonna tell your Mommy about your potty mouth.
m00t
Dennis,
if you are going to pretend to be m00t, perhaps put his name.
or were you fraid i'd tell your mommy and your sister (since they are the same person) about it, cuntface?
I said before her speech: Watch out America she may be as chrismatic as Obama,in which case, experience won't matter. It worked for Obama. She's been under more scurtiney in the liberal media in the past few days then Obama has (if any) since he started his champaign.Palin will handle what ever comes her way.
One or even two typos in a long post, but Jan:
chrismatic
scurtiney
champaign
Spelling is not an liberal, elitist thing. its for the masses!
Fred,
Typical collectivist response. Instead of thinking for yourself and debating Mootpoints, responses you result to the typical ad hom.
If you can't put up, just zip it. SERIOUSLY. Why do I want to read your trash? IF YOU CAN'T DEBATE, JUST GO AWAY.
1) We are better off than we were eight years ago. Even admist the "housing crisis" (which is not the presidents fault for god's sake) our economy is robust enough that it still grew by 3.3% last year. WHICH is the AVERAGE growth over the last ten years.
2) Our energy prices our out of control, and the dems DON'T CARE. They think that by tapping into our SPR, we can end our "addiction" to foreign oil, but drilling our own resources and using clean coal and nuclear (which the dems have been fighting from the beginning of his administration) won't?
3) Our national security is better off now than under a democrat president. Clinton ALLOWED four attacks. Bush allowed one than took the fight to them.
4) SERIOUSLY dems, TELL ME (and others) HOW YOU ARE WORSE OFF NOW THAN EIGHT YEARS AGO. We are a country of individualists. THAT IS WHAT MAKES US GREAT. Not your collectivism BS, that your college professor told you is the way of the future.
Mo,
you are wonderful. I call someone 'cuntface' and that is the 'typical collectivist response'?
I love you, Cuntface M(a)o
I heard a rumour that John McCain has terminal cancer. If he dies, Sarah Palin would be the next president of the United States. That is scary!!!!
Sarah Palin was preaching to the choir during her acceptance speech. I don't know one Democrat who was impressed by her. She was full of fluff and slander, but did not talk about her policies of the past, present or future. Her generic speech had VERBATIM paragraphs of her intro speech of last Friday. Ridiculous.
Bristol Palin's pregnancy may be "irrelevant to her mother's fitness to become vice president" - but she sure is living proof of how Sarah Palin's views on removing sex-education and instilling "abstinence until marriage" is ineffectual. (I'm sorry, but how do we promote contraceptives when we have no sex education again?). If Bristol's father had impregnated her, since Sarah Palin does not believe in abortion even in the case of incest - would we have all witnessed Bristol and her dad holding hands like highschool sweethearts at the RNC? Exploiting Bristol's boy toy and coining the phrase "future fiance" was almost as disgusting as exploiting her Down Syndrome baby or the simple fact that she is a mom. Do I just need to pop out some kids to call myself qualified for this job?
Why isn't anyone talking about McCain's lack of executive experience? Anything she says about Barack can't we say "ditto" to McCain?
Who is Palin fighting for aside from Small Town America? No offense to Small Town USA, all I am saying is that they are a part of a whole. Just like big cities are a part of a whole. Wasn't she saying something about "unity"? Does she realize how hypocritical she is being - almost mocking anyone who doesn't have a loaded shotgun hanging in their house somewhere?
On a more serious note - how DARE she mock community organizers and the services they provide to the needy. She has a special needs child who will most likely be helped by one of these organizations at some point in his future. Without nonprofits and people who put PEOPLE first, our country would be a mess. Barack could have had any job he wanted after being President of the Harvard Law Review - but he went back to help the inner-city of Chicago. And she dares to mock his effort? That one comment alone put her on a pedastal and completely out of touch with reality or human decency.
As a WOMAN, I am speechless at the way this woman hides behind her party, throws low blows, and screams SEXISM the second she is under scrutiny FAIRLY AND SQUARELY, like every politician before her. The media doesn't need Palin if they want to start an effective smear campaign on the Republicans - they have John McCain's infidelity, scandal as a new Senator in Arizona, his vote NO against MLK, Jr day (how does one defend that position without looking like a shmuck?), and then trying to RESCIND MLK, Jr. day in Arizona!, not to mention a pill-popping wife who blames her addiction for thieving drugs from a charity! No, Palin is not needed to expose the lack of morals this ticket has.
If McCain can shoot at the hip for a VP nominee, one who potentially can RUN THIS COUNTRY... if he can vett her as late as ONE DAY before announcing her candidacy - then one is left to wonder in HORROR how he is going to pick the rest of his cabinet.
If anyone is interested in FACT-BACKED points on Sarah Palin, please see boycottpalindotcom. I encourage you to look past her 5 kids and snow-mobile champ of a husband and really scrutinize whether or not her positions are in the best interest of HER or HER COUNTRY.
Shhh...you idiots will ruin everything! The last thing we want is for the Republi-nazis to realize what a stoopid mistake they made with The Ice Princess and to replace her with some Rovian stooge-puppet with more experience than the One We've Been Swooning For. We were smarter to pick Biden and our superior intellect will prevail. (Let them THINK it's goooood choice)
You guys make me laugh! You think you are so brilliant that you figured out her speech was written for her. News flash: every speech a politician gives is written for them!
Question: have you ever heard Obama talk off-script? The only thing he knows how to say is, "Uh, uh...well, uh McCain is the same as Bush, uh..."
Face it: you're afraid that your precious messiah is going to lose the election, and you're afraid Sarah Palin is going to bring about that loss. Your fear turns into baseless hatred. None of you have posted any argument that holds any water whatsoever as to why Sarah Palin is so awful as you claim.
Oh...and I loved this gem:
"Obama has some special circumstances, too. He's a black American. But exploiting that wouldn't be very P.C. would it?" from a few posts up.
Exactly how is being black "special circumstances"?
It's obvious she worries the Democrats, though I don't know why, she's as right wing as they come and is not going to get any of the Hillary voters.
But, to say her speech was anything but fantastic, especially given the personal attacks against her and her family is silly.
It's also silly to claim she was 'lying' since you can pick apart almost any politicians speech and call it lies or flip flops...Obama shouldn't really be throwing stones on either experience or flip flops.
Everyone seems to have misinterpreted the community organizer line, it was in no way a dis to community organizers, but was saying that being a community organizer does not qualify one to be president, which, since the liberals seem to think that being a mayor and governor of the country's largest state does'nt even qualify one to be VP, is kind of ironic.
She is a natural politician and that is good for the Republicans. She is an ultra right wing social conservative, and that is good for the Democrats.
Love your comments, Libertarian! We might actually be able to have an intelligent conversation!
How does
2 stupid cunts
=
1 intelligent conversation
Sarah Palin is an illiterate moron.
I heard her speech at the republican convention – not bad. Obviously, it was well rehearsed. But today my ears were poisoned by the stump she gave in Wisconsin.
Alas, my suspicions were spot on: the woman cannot read. She stumbled, stuttered, and mispronounced 25% of the words in that speech. I don’t ask for much in a VP candidate. But it is just beyond me to believe that an illiterate woman could handle the job of VP.
Maybe the McCain camp thinks the American people find her illiteracy quaint. Please. Don’t insult our intelligence.
Fred,
Do you even know any other words? Or did you go to a government school?
Josh,
Thank goodness you have spotted the most vital aspect of leading the country: Public speaking! I truly cannot think of a greater requirement for the President or VP than to be able to stand in front of people and give a well-delivered speech.
I mean, personality, positions, values...all that aside. That stuff isn't really important. What IS important: can they speak well in front of large audiences???
Thanks for pointing that out for us, Josh!
JP and Libertarian,
I'm a small-gov't conservative, so I admit my bias, but I'll chime in anyway.
Lib, you say, "She's as right wing as they come and is not going to get any of the Hillary voters." I personally know two life-long Democratic women (my wife's coworkers; I sneak into their after-work beer stop on occasion) who say they will be voting McCain. In both cases the Palin nomination was important for their decisions. Now two examples is obviously not a valid polling sample. Since I live in suburban Chicago, these two votes (even if it turns out to be 200K in my part of the country) cannot matter for the electoral college -- IL will go big for Obama. But my gut tells me Palin will help pull in some of the Reagan Dem and "Soccer Moms for Hillary" folks in places like Ohio, PA, WI, etc.
How many? Time will tell. This isn't about pulling the core social and economic liberals who preferred Hillary. It's not about peeling anything like a majority of Hillary's supporters period. It's about working-class and middle-class women who have made up the "Gender Gap." If McCain/Palin can reduce the gender gap by 1 or 2 points in the battleground states, they win.
m00t
JP,
Thanks for bringing this to my attention…
Although Palin cannot read, she embodies the provincial ethos of rural America.
Unfortunately, her reading level divulges that she also sports the same brain as rural Americans.
Then again, Bush cannot read and he's been an amazing president. So, JP, you may have a point.
Josh,
Sarah Palin looked to me like she could read a teleprompter pretty well, so other than "preaching to the choir" talking about Palin by calling her illiterate, trashy, a hick, dragging her family through the mudd or any other similar invective is only going to alienate independents and conservatives. People don't rail against the liberal elites for fun, they do so because it is extremely effective and it is effective because although its a caracature to some degree, its also true in large part.
I find it absolutely hilarious that McCain's speech outdrew Obama's in terms of TV viewership.
Af far as Hillary voters going to McCain because of Palin, I can't see it, other than for maybe a small minority of her supporters who really were voting for her because she's a woman. Palin's positions on every social issue I am aware of are diametrically opposed to Hillary Clinton's.
I also make another prediction: troopergate is going to backfire as well.
The trooper in question has admitted to tazering a 10 year old child. End of discussion. No sane person would want this type of individual wearing any kind of police uniform no matter who he is, or who his personal enemies are. When this part of the story gets traction with the public, most will be applauding her for trying to get him fired, if in fact she did try to get him fired. Who can blame her? He tazered her 10 year old nephew.
If Democrats end up getting defeated in a year when they should win by a landslide they will have only themselves and their elitist misunderstandings of what a regular American is really like.
Libertarian,
She did a great job reading the teleprompter at the RNC – that’s because she rehearsed beforehand.
But watch the whole stump speech she made today in Wisconsin (not just the sound bites FOX news plays over and over again.) It’s blatantly clear that she struggles with the teleprompter – maybe even more than Bush.
Most non-republicans think, the more education a candidate has, the more qualified they are for the presidency. Certainly, non-republicans don’t think it’s the only qualification. Furthermore, I’m sure we can come up with counterexamples. However, more often than not, education makes a difference. I love how republicans pigeonhole people who think education makes a difference as liberal elites.
Will the real agent of change please stand up and jump back into the race: Ron Paul.
Too bad education didn't make a difference for these guys:
George Bush: Harvard
Paul Wolfowitz: Cornell, U. of Chicago
John Yoo: Harvard, Yale Law
Douglas Feith: Harvard, Georgetown Law
Paul Bremmer: Yale, Harvard MBA
Donald Rumsfeld: Princeton, Georgetown Law
Feel free to slam her because she only went to the University of Idaho, but I can tell you for an absolute fact, that again, you are playing to your own base.
I think, given this very short list of Ivy League retards and criminals that the last thing we want is another Ivy League deep thinker.
Good point Libertarian.
Ronald Reagan went to Eureka college, which is not renowned for anything as far as I know, and we all know how much they love Reagan.
Also, the current, and very formidable, Commandant of the Marine Corps, General Conway, attended Southeast Missouri State. Any issues there poltical hacks?
PTR
"For all of you slack jawed Obama cultists, Jon Favreau writes Obamas speeches. Easy enough to google."
OK, I did google this, and learned that Obama carefully writes his own speeches and then goes over them with Jon Favreau, a master of the English language, to see if he has suggestions to improve the speeches. Hmm, kind of like real writers do.
Before anyone calls me a lefty - I am a true independent, with libertarian leanings. My unbiased take on the speech was that Ms. Sarah is feisty, confident, bold, a pit bull in defense of her conservative ideals, and a great cheerleader for the party faithful. She is also strident, shrill, snotty, pushy, narrow minded, and I doubt her ability to "reach out" to anyone who does not fit her vision of a red blooded God fearing American.
As far as the heroism of John McCain, why does being shot down and captured make him more of a hero than all the flyers who accomplished their missions without being shot down?
Once again, our two party system comes down to choosing the lesser of two bad candidates, or wasting your vote on one of the parties that pretend they have a chance against the rep/dem sameness. If we put "none of the above" on the ballot, who do you suppose would win? I know "none" would get my vote.