ST. PAUL, Minn., Sept. 4, 2008
Sarah Palin Delivers Smash Hit In St. Paul
CBSNews.com Analysis: Amid Mounting Pressure, GOP VP Candidate Wows Them In St. Paul
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Play CBS Video Video Palin Emerges At RNC In a highly anticipated speech at the Republican National Convention, Sarah Palin criticized opponent Barack Obama for his lack of experience while championing for her running mate, John McCain.
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Timeline Palin's Path A look at Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin's life and career
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Photo Essay Sarah Palin Alaska's youngest and first female governor tabbed to be McCain's running mate.
Emerging from the St. Paul shadows for her star turn at the Republican National Convention, Sarah Palin didn’t disappoint the thousands of delegates in the Xcel Center, who gave her a thunderous embrace after several rocky days in the national spotlight.
The question remains whether her performance was enough to win over the 60 percent of the nation who say they don’t know enough about her to have an opinion. But, by almost any measure, her performance exceeded expectations.
Giving a multi-purpose address with ease and style, Palin delivered on the promise that John McCain's campaign made when they unveiled her as his running mate. One part introduction, one part resume-enhancer and one part attack on Barack Obama, Palin's speech did something that no Republican has been able to accomplish throughout this election - energize the party.
The Alaskan governor has managed to overshadow the real star of this convention, John McCain, although not always for the better. First impressions matter, and for the past several days, Americans haven’t exactly seen the most positive view of the new face on the political scene. Family issues aside, a glance at Palin’s record has exposed some gaps between rhetoric and action and questions about her readiness for high national office, and there had been precious little positive news to counter it.
Outside of, perhaps, the citizens of Alaska, she remained a real mystery to most Americans coming into Wednesday night. Her speech was, in part, an opportunity to begin to change all that; to give her the chance to re-introduce and define herself - not just by biography but also her personality.
She did just that inside the Xcel Center, describing her very normal family with not-so-abnormal problems (a direct reference to her special needs child but also certainly an indirect nod at the pregnancy of her 17-year-old daughter) and unveiling an all-American family that includes a dashing, snow-mobile champion husband.
Palin flashed her much-disparaged "experience" credentials by laying out a lengthy list of accomplishments and reforms in Alaska. Curiously, Palin continues to tout her opposition to the infamous "bridge to nowhere," even though, technically speaking, she supported it before she said "no thanks."
Experience will continue to be an issue she will have to deal with in the days and weeks ahead, whether it’s in the form of media questions or in the vice presidential debate with Joe Biden. Her years of service are too short and too many suspicions remain about her grasp of a range of issues outside of energy and field-dressing a moose.
If there was a surprise in her speech, it was Palin’s effectiveness in attacking Obama. Just before she appeared on stage, Rudy Giuliani delivered a true stem-winder heavy on criticism for the Democratic nominee. But while the former mayor too often came off as sneering or mean, Palin's attacks were delivered with a lighter touch, even if the substance was just as sharp.
“In politics,” she said, “there are some candidates who use change to promote their careers. And then there are those, like John McCain, who use their careers to promote change.”
Then there were the attacks on the relentless press coverage she has received. Acknowledging the punditry of recent days, Palin said, "here’s a little news flash for all those reporters and commentators: I’m not going to Washington to seek their good opinion, I’m going to Washington to serve the people of this country.”
Earlier in the day, a senior McCain campaign official said that the original draft of the vice presidential speech had been written for a man, and was scrapped in part to tone it down. Palin’s speech was tough enough to make anyone wonder how more masculine it could have been.
Palin began the process of reversing the whirlwind of negative attention she has been subjected to over the past five days. Interrupted over and over again by standing ovations and thunderous applause, Palin’s speech must have soothed the nerves of skittish Republicans who were beginning to wonder what the campaign had done.
For a party less than totally energized by the candidacy of McCain, Palin has given the convention just the sort of spark it needed to compete with the Democratic affair last week in Denver. Social conservatives, especially, have remained lukewarm to a McCain candidacy, and the feeling that this election was slipping away from the party was hard to escape prior to her selection.
For the rest of the voters and interested Americans tuning in, Palin succeeded in giving the kind of speech that will be remembered for its dramatic circumstances - at the very least. Wednesday night, Sarah Palin lived up to all the accolades used to describe her by those who know her best back home, even some counted as adversaries - likable, smart and confident. The campaign could hardly have asked for more.
It was a test for Palin, this introduction to the national stage, one that was set up for her to pass - a well-prepared speech in front of a celebratory crowd guaranteed to respond to all the applause lines. Tougher challenges await, such as press conferences, hard-hitting interviews and that upcoming debate with her Democratic counterpart, Biden. But if this was the first exam, she easily aced it.
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Add a Comment See all 1538 Comments
- Maybe someone needs to remind Sarah Palin that Jesus Christ was a community organizer, and Pontius Pilate was a governor.
- Reply to this comment
- I am very impressed with Palin. Just because she does not have federal government experience does not mean she does not qualify for VP. Bill Clinton just gave a huge speech at the DNC of how people critizied him of not having enough experience to be President of the U.S. He dismissed that all together and now it should be dismissed with Palin as well. Her experience from mayor to governer will carry over VP.
- Reply to this comment
- As an independent voters, we''''re very impressed with Gov. Palin. McCain-Palin have our vote. We were leaning towards Hillary, but since Obama didn''''t pick her as VP, we''''re pleased to choose Sen. McCain and Gov. Palin as the best team to lead our nation in real difficult times. It''''s important for women, regardless of political background, to support a woman who''''s willing to clean up Washington and bring common sense policies to help working class Americans.
as bad as racism. We''''re encouraging all our neighbors, family, and friends to vote for McCain a. Nation first, self-interest last. .
Posted by acincinnatus at 01:28 AM : Sep 04, 2008
Let me see if i got this straight, You wanted Hillery in office because she is a democrat. but because she didn''t win or get what you wanted, your going to vote republican. So your going to cut off your nose to spite your face. Thats to most idiotic thing i have ever heard. Its people like you that help put this country into the toilet tailspin that it''s in. I take it you voted for Mrs Clinton because you felt she as a democrat had better idea''s than McCain the republican. So how much sense is there in voting for mccain just because you didn''t get what you wanted. Your not thinking of the good of this country, your thinking of your own Political wants. Thats what got us in the state we are in now. Just Because she is a woman doesnt mean she is good for the Country example Condy.
- Reply to this comment
- John McCain-
Promotes the very unqualified to a position upon the very existence of the free world could depend for crass politics. He could do what was right for his country or run a scam to try and win fulfill his long obsession to be President at any cost. - Reply to this comment
- John McCain-
He''d rather have affirmative action to win an election than do what''s right for his country. - Reply to this comment
- BARRY SOETORO, INDONESIAN CITIZEN HAS BEEN SERVED!!
SERVICE OF LAWSUIT CHALLENGING SENATOR OBAMA%u2019S RIGHT TO BE A CANDIDATE FOR PRESIDENT BECAUSE HE DOES NOT MEET THE QUALIFICATIONS HAS BEEN COMPLETED
( Lafayette Hill , Pennsylvania %u2013 09/04/08) - Philip J. Berg, Esquire, the Attorney who filed suit against Barack H. Obama challenging Senator Obama%u2019s eligibility to serve as President of the United States, has received confirmation from his Process Service Company that the Democratic National Committee (DNC) and Senator Barack Obama were served today, September 4, 2008, with the legal documents pertaining to Berg vs. Obama, Civil Action No. 08-cv-4083. The DNC was served at 12:00 p.m. and Senator Obama was served at 1:00 p.m. The U.S. Attorney%u2019s Office accepted service on behalf of the Federal Elections Committee (FEC) on or about August 22, 2008.
# # #
* * For copies of all Court Pleadings, go to
obamacrimes.com - Reply to this comment
- walt1944 you''re an inspiration. I LOL of your batutes. Thanks man.
- Reply to this comment
- These may be the times we''ve been waiting for. But Barack (Blessed of Allah) Hussein (Supreme commander) Obama is not the One. Sarah Palin clearly is.
- Reply to this comment
- The morale of the story little lamb isn''''t that it is the best the we have got, it is that video is the best that you have got.
Posted by ckbgsb
You were still flapping your mouth and spouting your rubbish after I left. I really feel bad for you, and your insignificant purpose. You are a sorry little loser. - Reply to this comment
- Well it looks like our taxes will go down after the election.
They only will if McCain gets elected - Reply to this comment
- The AK would be able to stop someone threatening the well being of the family by breaking into the house.
If only just to scare him off. - Reply to this comment
- an AK47 is a pretty reliable weapon
- Reply to this comment
- Sarah Palin''s speech was despicable and pathetic. She is very scary. Sarah Palin:
-Believes that creationism should be taught in schools, not evolution;
-Believes that women shouldn''t have the right to choose; even in cases of rape and incest or severe medical indications;
-Believes that citizens should have the right to bear AK-47s;
-Believes only in abstinence education; despite the fact that her daughters have been having unprotected ***;
-Has only been out of the country once in her life and that was just last year;
-Was mayor of a small town with fewer than 6000 residents with a budget of less than 12 million a year and fewer than 50 city hall employees;
-Is governor of a state that is closer to Russia than to Florida;
-Was part of a group that wanted Alaska to succeed from the Union;
-Is being investigated in 2 State of Alaska firing scandals.
And this woman could be our next vice president and possibly our president?!?!?!?!?
Scary!!!!! - Reply to this comment
- Sarah Palin''s speech was despicable and pathetic. She is very scary. Sarah Palin:
-Believes that creationism should be taught in schools, not evolution;
-Believes that women shouldn''t have the right to choose; even in cases of rape and incest or severe medical indications;
-Believes that citizens should have the right to bear AK-47s;
-Believes only in abstinence education; despite the fact that her daughters have been having unprotected ***;
-Has only been out of the country once in her life and that was just last year;
-Was mayor of a small town with fewer than 6000 residents with a budget of less than 12 million a year and fewer than 50 city hall employees;
-Is governor of a state that is closer to Russia than to Florida;
-Was part of a group that wanted Alaska to succeed from the Union;
-Is being investigated in 2 State of Alaska firing scandals.
And this woman could be our next vice president and possibly our president?!?!?!?!?
Scary!!!!! - Reply to this comment
- The morale of the story little lamb isn''t that it is the best the we have got, it is that video is the best that you have got.
- Reply to this comment
- Back to the herd little one
- Reply to this comment
- What a friggin quiter, just like GWB and the National Guard.
Repeat after me, Baaah, baaah... - Reply to this comment
- Dude you are obviously up way past your bedtime if you are afraid of a video...
DUDE... I am not afraid of that video. It''''s Comedy Central. *** is wrong with you. If this is the best smoking gun you have. You are in deep, deep, deep, doo-doo. DUDE.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Posted by talk2chief
Prove it, very simply who was the last person on it? This isn''t brain surgery. - Reply to this comment
- ckbgsb,
Nice try loser. Got a go to the rally. Good luck. ROTFL at ckbgsb. - Reply to this comment
- Dude you are obviously up way past your bedtime if you are afraid of a video...
DUDE... I am not afraid of that video. It''s Comedy Central. *** is wrong with you. If this is the best smoking gun you have. You are in deep, deep, deep, doo-doo. DUDE. - Reply to this comment
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