I’ll have to admit – I miss being at this convention. I haven’t missed one since 1996 and I didn’t pick McCain, so I’m not a delegate. There’s nothing like being on the floor on Wednesday and Thursday night and feeling the electricity. it’s awesome. This year, I’ve found both conventions to be fascinating. Watching tonight’s speeches with my eleven year old son, Grant, was especially fun. He’s interested in all of it, and better yet, he seems to be especially sympathetic to the conservative side.
The Obama campaign reminds of a major league baseball team with a 17 game lead in July that goes into a funk and hits a couple of losing streaks. To stop their slide, they bring in an aging, but known quantity for the stretch run and it just doesn’t help. They slowly lose their 17 game lead and wind up tied in September and heading for the home stretch without the momentum or inevitability they once had, and now, its anyone’s race. Meanwhile, the team catching up to them is full of old veterans who have stumbled badly – but seem to have one more stretch run in them. And what do these wily veterans do? They call up the phenom from Double A – the one with the hot bat, lively arm and just the right amount of swagger. Alaska Governor Sarah Palin is that phenom.
Yes, its a risky choice. McCain needed to take such a risk. The early returns – genius.
When I first heard of her selection I said "huh?". Over the next few days, as I learned more about her, I became more and more convinced that she was a great choice. After tonight’s speech – I am more convinced than ever. She was funny, lucid, pretty and tough. She’s got it all – without the shrill tones and look of the leading lady of the other Party. I have to admit – I admire the heck out her now, and I admire McCain for his gamble.
The media’s unrelenting attacks on Palin the past few days have created a sympathy factor that is working in her favor. Keep picking on her, MSNBC and New York Times – she’ll hand you your asses without trying too hard. The snobbery in East Coast news rooms is astonishing.
I love the Obama campaign making the "experience" argument. It isn’t working. The country will continue to learn that Obama’s resume is much, much more thin than either Senator McCain’s or Governor Palin’s. In fact, if they continue to pursue the "experience" argument it will blow up in their face. Palin demonstrated tonight that she is more than willing to have that debate.
Most of the time I just counter the arguments of the left against Palin with a simple statement: "Your side didn’t have the guts to put a woman on the ticket." Stops ’em in their tracks every time!
I don’t know who will win this election. I’m sending money to Pennsylvania and Michigan, where we need to win. But its a horse race now. Obama blew his 17 game lead and now has to deal with the wily veteran and the young phenom just called up from the minors. Compared to where we were in June, McCain – Palin may just pull this thing off – and save America from the socialists for at least four more years.
September 4th, 2008 at 12:00 am
Mike, you may not have been aware of Gov. Palin before the announcement, but in the libertarian wing of the party we’ve been following her career for years. I remember her being talked about as a comer back when I was on the national board of Republican Liberty Caucus. And I am so glad she’s on the ticket… it may actually get met to vote for the GOP this year (instead of the LP, as I was just about to do).