With impeccable timing and a folksy style well suited to her small town Alaska roots, Palin dazzled the receptive Republican crowd.
On Wednesday night, all of America watched a spectacular new comet streak across the political sky, as Sarah Palin, self-styled “Hockey Mom” Governor of Alaska, delivered her acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention in St. Paul, Minnesota.…
Article comments
— go to most recent comments26 - Baritone
As I agreed above, Gov. Palin did her job. She made the crowd giddy. The Republicans are all creaming their collective jeans. They revel in shoot from the hip, condescending, smarmy, disrespectful sarcasm and cheap shots. As they can manage only a modicum of class, their being "regular" folks and all, it fits them to a "T."
Also, as I noted, the Democrats have bent over backwards in their efforts to be respectful of McCain, his service to the country and his hellish nightmare as a POW. The Republicans see no reason to return that respect. Instead, they stand up and spew their derisive smugness as if they are naturally superior and naturally entitled to, well every damn thing.
Never mind that it is the Republicans who are responsible in large part for the cluster fuck that Bush and company have perpetrated against this country for nearly eight years. And McCain has fallen in lock step with them. Maverick my ass! He is simply a driven opportunist who sold his soul to the Bushies in order to have one more shot at winning the presidency. He is every bit the condescending butthead that the rest of the Republican party elite have shown us that they are.
Dave hates Obama because he believes that he just might try to take a fucking dollar out of his pocket. What those with their noses up McCain's ass don't realize is that it is THEY who are the "elitists." It is they who stand upon their illusions of superiority looking down on everybody else.
Yes, it's obvious that Republicans don't understand the meaning of what it is to be "cosmopolitan." While "small town people with small town minds vent their hatred of "cosmopolitan" cities, they forget that millions of people DO prefer living in large metropolitan communities. Without them, all you small town, small minded people couldn't survive. The obverse can be said to be true, but a great number of people on both sides of the issue don't seem to understand the symbiosis necessary in our complex modern society.
The RNC hate/lovefest has one more night to run. I'll watch with apt attention, all the while trying not to gag and hurl chunks. No doubt Palin/McCain will get a big "bounce" in the polls from the convention and their new found heroine which no doubt Dave will report with his usual aplomb and presumptive smugness.
But that glow will wear off in a relatively short time. The real business of the campaign will finally get underway. The debates, the daily grind of the true one-on-one campaign is about to begin. I accept that Palin/McCain will be formidable opponents, but it will be foolish for the Republicans to assume anything. This could well be a battle royale.
By the way, while we're at it, let's look over a comprehensive list of McCain's "executive" experience. Let's see. There's uh... well, there's... no, uh, well, I'll have to get back to you on that one.
And what the hell. I've run my own business for over 22 years. I managed a restaurant for around 4 years, and, hey, I was the acting mess sergeant in "A" Battery, 4th of the 3rd Artillery, 1st Armored Division at Ft. Hood, Texas for several months. I got tons of "executive" experience, far more than any and all of the current candidates on both sides, and by god I should be president!
B
27 - Andy Marsh
B-tone - XO and CO of a training squadron doesn't count as executive experience?
28 - Arch Conservative
They revel in shoot from the hip, condescending, smarmy, disrespectful sarcasm and cheap shots.
As opposed to the Democrats who have cannonized a man who answers every question by at first stuttering and then giving some convulted answer which ultimately results in "that issue is just to complex for anybody to actually take a definitive stance on."
Give me a break.
29 - Baritone
I don't know. Does it? Let's say for the sake of argument that it does. So what? Do you really believe that qualifies McCain, or anyone to be president? Thousands of guys, and now, I suppose a few gals have similar experience in the military. Few of them, by virtue of that experience are qualified to be president.
You are all fixated on Obama's perceived lack of experience. It seems to conveniently slip by people that McCain was basically no more than a cocksman in his younger days. He was a fairly miserable student who graduated 5th from the bottom of his class at the Naval Academy, prefering to spend most of his time partying. For most of his early years, he lived on the hated east coast and lived the 'gentrified' life that often goes with it amongst the 'elite.' McCain is no 'everyman.' It galls my ass that people like McCain and Bush who have lived much if not all of their lives in relative privilege (McCain's POW experience notwithstanding) sell themselves to the masses as 'just regular Joes.' Not even close.
B
30 - Andy Marsh
The hated east coast? I've lived most of my life on the hated east coast...didn't know it was so hated...
31 - Andy Marsh
So, you ask the question, get an answer and say "for the sake of argument that counts" but then say, so what? Well then, why ask the question?
And for a democrat to say that cocksman isn't a qualification I think is blatantly unfair...come on man! The democratic party has had it's share of cocksmen in the whitehouse!
32 - Arch Conservative
Well I've lived all my life in New England but even I know what a joke the rest of the nation, with the exception of maybe certain parts of CA and NYC view the state of Massachusetts as Andy.
33 - Lisa Solod Warren
I think it's really interesting that McCain, who assiduously courted the media during his 2000 campaign (when he had almost no money) and allowed them to ride the Straight Talk Express everywhere he went, and who has pretty much gotten a free ride from the supposedly "left wing" media which research over and over had shown isn't left wing at all (if you are talking about the mainstream, which I assume you are; of course there are both left wing and right wing media, but nothing, and I mean, nothing like Fox News which gets its talking points directly from the White House) has now practically put the complete kibosh on the media talking to Palin at all lately, cancelled his own interview with Larry King after he got pissed off that Campbell Brown questioned one of his spokesperson's about Palin's foreign policy experience (an amazing piece of video, you all should watch it, I provided a link in a previous comment under my "johnny" piece) and is has his people practically foaming at the mouth, lumping the tabloids and MSM together into one huge lump that is out to destroy Palin....
(whoa, Clav, can you read that sentence? Call Wm. Faulkner for help!!:))
Gee, talk about irony!!!
And, really, ladies and gents: all this talk about small town values versus the big city, the hated east coast versus the heartland, bla bla bla..... Minnestoa just posted numbers at 53-42 Obama/McCain and, if I am not mistaken, Minnesota is NOT on the east coast.
Give up the sterotyping. The small town of Charlottesville, Virginia, is as cosmopolitan or more so than many big cities, as are many college towns, in fact (including those in the midwest and south and west).
And some larger cities can be incredibly provincial....including according to some, New York City, which lots of people call The Biggest Small Town in the World (including lots of people who live there). So, stop the silly name calling and country dividing. It serves no purpose but that of getting your blood pressure up.
34 - Andy Marsh
The biggest little city in the world is Reno, everybody knows that! They even have a sign that says so as you enter town!
35 - Clavos
(whoa, Clav, can you read that sentence? Call Wm. Faulkner for help!!:))
Faulkner would throw his hands up in despair. Kerouac might have been able to decipher it.
36 - Dr Dreadful
I talked to Bill Faulkner, and he had this to say:
knock knock knock
knock knock knock knock knock
knock knock
knock knock knock
knock
Hope that clears everything up.
37 - Lisa Solod Warren
Abso-------lutely.
--Love, Bill
38 - Clavos
Doc,
Don't knock it.
39 - Lisa Solod Warren
Oh, BTW, Clav, since Palin spent the most of the time last night making jokes about Obama and the rest of the time (again!!) talking about McCain's being a P.O.W. and said nothing about the Republican platform, would you mind providing a link as to what they actually propose to DO if they do get elected?
If you recall, I provided such a link in my Hillary article, which you actually liked, since it was not favorable to her. I have spent some time on the McCain website and there is nothing concrete about policy.
It would be nice if we could see a plan. She said nothing about the economy or health care or the environment.
You and others continue to say Obama offers nothing about anything(deflect, deflect, deflect) alhough thousands, nay hundreds of thousands, of people heard real concrete ideas from him last week.
You just don't like what it does offer
I doubt you make more than 250,000 grand a year. If you do, congrats, and you will pay more in taxes. I don't, but if I did, I would gladly pay more. If you don't, then you have nothing to worry about, tax-wise at the least.
So, let the few Obama supporters here have a link and then, at the very least, those of us who wish to can have something more than your emotional fervor for Ms. Sarah to understand, at the least, your support of the McCain/Palin ticket.
Thanks.
40 - Dave Nalle
Lisa, McCain has already publicly repudiated a large portion of the GOP platform and has said that he will not be campaigning on or supporting its provisions.
Dave
41 - Dr Dreadful
Doc,
Don't knock it.
Indeed no. BTW, I also tried getting a hold of Kerouac, but he's not at home. I did see a long trail of disturbed earth, such as a mole might leave, and followed it as far as possible, but with very little success, except that at one point, I did hear some tetchy muttering to the effect that the speaker knew he should have taken that left toin at Albuquoique.
42 - Clavos
Doc,
I have it on good authority that he pretty much spends all his time on the road...
Ta-dum
43 - Dr Dreadful
Next you'll be asking me to tell you what's up...
44 - Jordan Richardson
Oh, you bastards.
45 - Dr Dreadful
Sorry, Jordan - was that your line, or did you just spill your coffee?
46 - Christopher Rose
Per pro Clavos, who is having some Akismet issues:-
Lisa,
Though I obviously did very much enjoy Palin's speech, and I do admire her, I don't belong to any political party, and won't necessarily vote for the Republicans.
I've never campaigned for any candidate anywhere, and likely never will; that's their job. I wrote about Sarah's speech, because I liked it (and her), and felt she deserves my support.
As Dave said, McCain is not campaigning on the party platform. However, I was just on the McCain site and found lots there about where he stands on the issues.
47 - Jordan Richardson
Sorry, Jordan - was that your line, or did you just spill your coffee?
No, sorry. I try never get drunk outside your own house.
48 - Lisa Solod Warren
Ok, let me get this straight. McCain is a Republican. He is running as a Republican. But he does not support the Republican party platform. So there is no platform? Or there is a platform but it is not for him. Then who is it for? And when do we find out what he will and will not do, specifically? Tonight? Is there a way to hold him accountable for any "promises" he makes? Say, for example, the things he said to Rick Warren re his choices for the Supreme Court, or what he and Palin will come out in favor of or against in debates? Or is it only going to be more attacking what the Democrats wish to do?
49 - handyguy
When did McCain openly and publicly 'repudiate' the GOP platform? Party platforms aren't all that meaningful, but it would be bad form for him to repudiate it.
And the parts of the platform he disagrees with and will probably ignore are also the parts Palin likely does agree with, eh?
Dave Nalle becomes more and more rabidly partisan as elections draw near. A great many of his comments about both Obama and Palin are remarkably one-sided, unfair, and extremist, and yet he tells those expressing other opinions about Palin and Obama that they "have lost all claim to credibility." Yikes.
50 - handyguy
Gail Collins points out that the perpetual-beltway types Palin criticized in her speech included
"two very prominent Republican commentators [Peggy Noonan and Mike Murphy, talking to Chuck Todd] got caught trashing Palin’s candidacy when they thought an MSNBC microphone had been turned off."
[Noonan and Murphy declared that the Palin pick was a mistake, will help with red-state votes but not swing states, and seemed a cynical move for the generally non-cynical McCain to make. Noonan went further, saying the GOP was trying to do something it isn't good at, following the 'political bullshit' trend of 'adding a narrative' to the campaign. They also thought the choice was an insult to Kaye Bailey Hutchinson. I'm not agreeing, just reporting, hehe.]
51 - Lisa Solod Warren
I know. I decided not to mention it. But thought it funny Murphy and Noonan got caught being so indiscreet.
Hey Clav: Since you loved the speech so much, thought you might like this "fun fact."
52 - Dave Nalle
Ok, let me get this straight. McCain is a Republican. He is running as a Republican. But he does not support the Republican party platform. So there is no platform? Or there is a platform but it is not for him. Then who is it for?
I was going to write an article about this, but thought it was too boring and pointless. Basically, the platform got written as always by a committee which represented various groups and took recommendations from all the state conventions - read my article on the travesty of a platform that was passed in Texas. McCain made suggestions and requests and was largely ignored. The result was a platform with a number of planks which he considered unacceptable, and as previous candidates have done he basically decided he would ignore the platform and run on his own ideas. Many other candidates will do the same.
The last two platforms were quite moderate, but this year they've added planks against gay marriage, abortion and immigration reform which McCain does not agree with. McCain's opposition to the platform is one of the things which got him the Log-Cabin Republican endorsement last week.
And when do we find out what he will and will not do, specifically? Tonight?
Yes, or just go look at his website.
Is there a way to hold him accountable for any "promises" he makes? Say, for example, the things he said to Rick Warren re his choices for the Supreme Court, or what he and Palin will come out in favor of or against in debates? Or is it only going to be more attacking what the Democrats wish to do?
Is there any way to hold any of these candidates accountable for what they promise? Has there ever been?
And BTW, the speech is confirmation that it was Bush's awkwardness not Mike Scully's speech writing which was the problem in the past. Give a Scully speech to someone competent and it's a whole different experience.
Dave
53 - handyguy
The speech was pretty good, pretty effective, and much more than that for those who dislike Obama and were 'fired up and ready to go' with some red-meat insult-lobbing [and done with more flair and good humor than Rudy's scary-stupid preceding speech].
But the important question is, how will independent and undecided voters react? Will they take the insult humor seriously? Will they take Palin seriously as a potential president?
Our GOP friends have stars in their eyes today. But it's the voters in Ohio and Florida [and to a lesser extent Michigan and Pennsylvania, which are leaning pretty heavily toward the Dems now] who matter.
I mean, of course the Palin partisans thought it was great. And the MSM were falling all over themselves trying to be 'fair' and possibly overpraising the speech in the process.
They could just possibly have been more diligent in pointing out how utterly lacking in policy the speech was - and how abortions and Jesus were carefully not mentioned lest we be reminded of some of the governor's views that might seem less, um, cute to middle America.
But for the delegates in the hall, I'm sure it was magical, just as Obama's acceptance speech was for many last week.
54 - Daniel Miller
Re #46, Per pro Clavos, who is having some Akismet issues. . . When I assume my rightfully ordained position as
The MessiahThe President, Spam will become punishable by death and Akismet will no longer be a problem. Damn, it is a nuisance.Dan(Miller)
55 - Jordan Richardson
I've been having a few of those Akismet problems myself, but I just copied my post, hit the back button, and tried again. It seemed to work out fine the second time through.
56 - Dr Dreadful
I'm not sure I like the 'Daniel Miller' bit. Makes you sound like a character in The Crucible.
And not in a good way!
;-)
57 - Daniel Miller
Doc,
There didn't seem to be an option. Everything I submitted as a comment got rejected as spam; even a blank page. I had my ISP change my IP address, tried (unsuccessfully) to contact Akismet and asked Clav for help, and he contacted the mucky-mucks at BC. This went on for more than two days. Nada. Then, I experimented and changed my screen name; the URL didn't matter, and nothing else did. Changing the screen name worked.
Oh, well. If it were easy, then anybody could do it.
Dan(Miller)
58 - Dave Nalle
When did McCain openly and publicly 'repudiate' the GOP platform? Party platforms aren't all that meaningful, but it would be bad form for him to repudiate it.
His position papers on his website clearly contradict various planks of the platform and he has stated repeatedly that he is running on his agenda, not that of others.
And the parts of the platform he disagrees with and will probably ignore are also the parts Palin likely does agree with, eh?
McCain and Palin will certainly agree on quite a few issues, along with most other Republicans. But yes, I'm sure they'll have differences too. I like the Palin pick, but not because of her stands on social issues. I like her despite them. I like her mainly because she shows that McCain hasn't sold out and forgotten about reform.
Dave Nalle becomes more and more rabidly partisan as elections draw near.
Handy, you do realize that there's about a 99% chance that I'll vote for Bob Barr, right?
A great many of his comments about both Obama and Palin are remarkably one-sided, unfair, and extremist,
In other words, true but not what you want to hear.
Dave
59 - Heloise
Dave, is that JFK on the cover of the book up there? Oh, hell no. I hope you're not comparing the robotic republicans with my man?
Here's what I think of your gal Pa'in:
Palin impales Obama at the RNC. She's will get what's coming to her from the media, more of the same. As for her soulmate: McClone, he will help Obama raise another quick 8 million after he speaks.
A moose mother all dressed up with NOWHERE to go! What a robotic, lying witch. She paid lip service to the GOP in return for all the money she has stolen from the government and the freakin' people.
Her town was a damn community. She's an idiot who had an idiot. It took her six years to graduate with a ba in journalism!
I am hearing that community folks and organizers are mad as hell and not going to take it anymore from the GOP.
The neocons hate the left because we love elitists and brainacs. Well what you see is what you get with Dems. While you GOP had stupid Bush but behind closed doors he kept his brains: Rove in Cheney.
Don't get me started.
Heloise
McCain means Pa'in!
No more pain for the people from the repugnicans!
Heloise
60 - El Bicho
"It really bothers you liberals that the republicans have put an honest to god war hero on their ticket doesn't it?"
What likely bothers liberals is that's all you have to run on. If mentioning McCain was a P.O.W. had been a drinking game, people would have gotten alcohol poisoning the first night. His history didn't seem to matter to those on the right eight years ago, and the crying over involving Palin's child after your side rewarded the Bush folks for exploiting McCain's "black baby" speaks volumes.
Thanks for the laughs. It is hysterical to see all those on the right fall in love with Palin because she read a speech well after knowing her for less than a week. No doubt you are unaware your reaction is the same as the Obamaniacs.
61 - Heloise
Dave, Right's convenient amnesia here: NOT ONE GOP speaker breathed "Bush" not one. Pa'in mentioned Obama about fifty times but no one, not one word that started with a B come out of her mouth. Where's the BUSH? I ask where's the Bush? No Bush, no problem.
Heloise
62 - bliffle
"It really bothers you liberals that the republicans have put an honest to god war hero on their ticket doesn't it?"
IMO, McCain was not a hero, he was merely a stoic. He took a lot of crap, that's all. A heroic POW leads an escape (as many have done), or defies authority (Cf, Bridge on River Kwai, or Lloyd Bucher, or even my father-in-law who received a personal commendation from Gen. Eisenhower for escaping 3 nazi prisons).
One can make the case that John Kerry was more heroic than McCain.
Anyway, that does not qualify him for presidency. there are millions of men and women who did more heroic actions in our many and various wars.
Anyhow, it was a long time ago. yet, it seems to be the constant claim of the RNC speakers.
Over and over McCain claims credit for supporting the surge, but one can argue that the spotty improvements in Iraq are due as much to Al Sadr's unilateral withdrawal and the purchased loyalty of the iraqi warlords, the famous "Sons of Iraq". What happens when Al Sadr goes on the warpath again? Perhaps in response to constantly being marginalized in political affairs? What happens when someone else purchass the loyalty of the "Sons of Iraq"?
What happens is a return of the worst years of the Iraq occupation. There's no end to this.
63 - handyguy
Quite a contrast between the two speeches.
McCain's podium charisma is almost nonexistent, and yet many moments of his speech held me and seemed heartfelt and strong. I don't support him for President [because of the Supreme Court, the economy, health care, and his scary militarism], but I think he is a great man.
His speech actually shows up the Palin address for the slick, shallow glitz that it really was. [Surely not his intention.]
The crowd shouting "USA!" at [apparently completely silent] protesters who somehow got in, was a bit distracting and the delegates did not help their guy by doing it.
One minor note that amused me: I thought for a minute he said "Sarah Palin has worked with her hands and nose." This was very puzzling....then he re-read the line making it clear he meant "and knows..."
64 - Clavos
According to this morning's Wall Street Journal, 37 million people watched Sarah Palin's speech.
The article also discusses how she beat both the oil companies and the crooks in the Alaskan government in the pipeline deal.
65 - Arch Conservative
Dave, Right's convenient amnesia here: NOT ONE GOP speaker breathed "Bush" not one. Pa'in mentioned Obama about fifty times but no one, not one word that started with a B come out of her mouth. Where's the BUSH? I ask where's the Bush? No Bush, no problem.
Well Heloise I don't recall a single Democrat at The DNC listing any of the things the Dems have done since they gained control of Congress in 2006 that has made life better for the American people.
66 - Doug DeLong
You all seem to be missing the point on the Palin pick. How exactly does McCain get away with proclaiming that he always puts his "country first" as he selects an unknown, unvetted running mate?
For a man who, if he were to win, would be the oldest president EVER and who has had 4 bouts with cancer, how exactly is he putting his "country first" with such a reckless pick? Given his circumstances, one would expect a candidate who really puts his "country first" to choose someone who would, first and foremost, be unquestionabley qualified to take command of the country, if need be, on a moment's notice. Even McCain has said this. Clearly, he was not putting his "country first" with this pick. He was putting himself and his desire to win first.
I loved Joe Lieberman's answer when he was questioned about Palin's qualifications to be president if the need arose. He said, "Well, let's assume the the best. John's in great shape..." Sorry, Joe, when the future safety and well-being of the country is at stake, I think it's probably better to assume the worst.
You'll notice that the McCain campaign has a pretty tight leash on her. They'll let her do scripted events, but they're going to do all in their power to keep her from having to answer tough questions. I wonder why that is. Add to that the fact that there are lots of landmines out there which apparently were missed by the McCain camp and you've got the makings of a first-class disaster.
Everybody close your eyes for just one second and imagine it's April 2009. John McCain has sadly passed over to the other side and President Sarah Palin has been sworn in. I wonder if America's enemies might just be tempted to test the new hockey mom president. Kinda makes you shudder just a little bit, doesn't it?
The whole thing is like a wacky Disney movie. Let's call it "The Accidental President." It's the story of a spunky gal from a small Alaskan town who was shooting wolves from a helicopter one day and the next day found herself the leader of the free world. You can imagine the crazy mayhem that ensues! I'm thinking maybe Cameron Diaz could play Sarah and Jamie Lynn Spears could play Bristol.
67 - Arch Conservative
"They'll let her do scripted events, but they're going to do all in their power to keep her from having to answer tough questions."
Gee that sounds like the Obama camp and their refusal to do town halls with John McCain.
68 - Daniel Miller
Based on what I have seen thus far, Governor Palin will eat Senator Biden for lunch during the debate, and there won't even be any bones left over for the poor puppies. We will see.
Dan(Miller)
69 - Doug DeLong
Gee that sounds like the Obama camp and their refusal to do town halls with John McCain.
Obama has spent the last 18 months being vetted during the course of the campaign. We know where he stands on the issues and have a pretty clear idea (whether you agree with him or not) of what his level of competency is. This week he's sitting down with O'Reilly. How about Sarah having a chat with Olbermann? Or anyone who might require her to show some actual knowledge of the world?
We know virtually nothing about Sarah Palin. And the McCain campaign is going to try to make sure that we only know what THEY want us to know about her. Call me crazy, but I think the American people deserve to get a clear picture of who this woman is, what she believes, and what her level of expertise is on foreign and domestic issues since she could be sitting in the Oval Office in a matter of months.
70 - Doug DeLong
Based on what I have seen thus far, Governor Palin will eat Senator Biden for lunch during the debate, and there won't even be any bones left over for the poor puppies. We will see.
We'll see, indeed. We'll see if she's ready to be president or just ready to read speeches written by George Bush's speechwriter.
71 - handyguy
"Based on what I've seen thus far"...
Palin may be great at thinking on her feet, but nothing you've seen "thus far" has demonstrated that a bit.
Whereas many observers thought Biden did very well indeed in the Democratic primary debates.
Debate moderators won't be able to resist lobbing tough foreign policy questions to see how she reacts. This doesn't guarantee failure, but the GOP is taking no chances that she will commit a hype-deflating gaffe at the moment.
Gov. Palin's supporters have put her on quite a pedestal, as if she's practically perfect in every way [like Mary Poppins]. This could prove to be an unsustainable position.
72 - troll
...can anyone tell me what the status of the republican ticket would be if McCain were to keel over tomorrow - ?
73 - Baritone
troll,
No problem. Miss Congeniality, the first runner up, will just step up, assume the crown and scepter, and serve in his stead.
B
74 - troll
in which case the debates would be between Palin and Obama - ?
that I'd like to see
75 - troll
(geeeze - sorry Mac)