Palin's Home Run

Wall Street Journal ^ | 9/4/2008 | John Fund

[South40]

Is there still an enthusiasm gap?

Twenty years after Ronald Reagan left office, Republicans who have long missed him may have found a future Margaret Thatcher. If John McCain wins, conservatives may find one of the most enduring accomplishments of his term will have been what he did before it started: helping to fill the Republican Party's future talent bench with such a fresh and compelling figure.

Sarah Palin is a conviction politician, a naturally compelling speaker and someone who can relate to her audience on very human terms. America has just learned why Mrs. Palin enjoys the highest approval ratings of any governor in America.

Liberal commentators glumly noted the thunderous applause in the convention hall last night. But they could do precious little to attack. Even Keith Olbermann, MSNBC's official attack dog, could muster only this as commentary on Mrs. Palin's performance: "People who like this sort of thing will find this ... the sort of thing they like."

Mrs. Palin accomplished several things last night. First, she introduced herself and her story to the American people in a compelling and warm manner, complete with effective pictures of her proud family. Secondly, she praised John McCain's leadership, service to country and independence in a way that made him come alive. Thirdly, she effectively deflected the media and liberal criticism of her by saying they really represented an attack on the small-town and suburban values she grew up with. Lastly, she skewered Barack Obama with gusto but without meanness. -snip-

Some hard-bitten political observers I know were uncharacteristically impressed with the Palin speech. Hal Stratton, a former Attorney General of New Mexico, wrote to me as follows: "That's what we out west call openin' a whole can of whip a— on your opponents."

[Darkwolf377]

Even Keith Olbermann, MSNBC's official attack dog, could muster only this as commentary on Mrs. Palin's performance

I'm curious how MSNBC reacted, though not curious enough to get cable.

I bet Chrissy was deeply saddened, and I heard Andrea Mitchell looked very glum.

[GOP Poet]

After Sarah Palin's remarkably effective speech, I don't think any pundits or politicians will be able to count on a decisive Democratic enthusiasm edge. Sarah Palin electrified the hall, and from what I can tell from my e-mail inbox that excitement is being replicated in living rooms across the country

I would love to see how many watched this speech last night--ratings?. In the article he mentioned a politico in New Mexico 'spainin' to the writer on the east coast 'bout what we call that in the west is whip ass on one's opponent. Well up north west we are known for going one notch harder and that's whoop ass on your opponent and Sarah brought some serious whoop ass.

[AmericaUnited]

and I heard Andrea Mitchell looked very glum.

Is it just me or does she have the "radiance" of a cadaver?

Andrea Mitchell interviewed Rudy after Sarah's speech and asked him something like whether he was going over the top in his attacks on Bambi, considering the fact that 18 million voters voted for him. Rudy's response was great, something along the lines of "No, only half of the rat primary voters voted for him...he barely won..."

[screaming eagle2]

Her speech was right on the money,and the Democratic leadrship is shaking in their boots

[GOP Poet]

Chrissy was impressed and felt she was very effective. He seemed very genuine in this reaction. Olbermann looked very glum and even more glum when Chrissy said how impressed he was then mumbled this completely unintelligible phrase, in which both my husband and I looked at one another and said simultaneously, Huh?"

Andrea Mitchell interviewed Guiliani that was still completely on point and hammering effectively to her when she asked, using snippy and snipey descriptive words regarding Sarah's speech to Guiliani. I think Andrea either drinks on the job or takes some sort of drugs as she is often a big slurry or maybe just mentally sort of slow. Whatever it is she is old, tired, and not an effective journalist. She needs to retire. Yawn.

[AmericaUnited]

Even Keith Olbermann, MSNBC's official attack dog, could muster only this as commentary on Mrs. Palin's performance: "People who like this sort of thing will find this ... the sort of thing they like."

I like a women who can make Olbermann do an Elmer Fund imitation.

[GOP Poet]

Is it just me or does she have the "radiance" of a cadaver?

Perfect description!!!!! lol. Rudy was right on the money and had excellent points as you stated in your post. I have not heard this point articulated before that really only 1/2 the Dem. ticket voted for Obama. Also he mentioned attacks that have ever been seen before about a candidate from their own kind that go on to support the candidate, "that Obama doesn't have the experience to be the President." Slap down Rudy!

[Darkwolf377]

he barely won..."

This is a major, major point which is curiously left out of all the coverage--Obama BARELY won. I love how the left loved Hillary, then bashed her for not pulling out of the race by their schedule (they've never demanded any man do that), and are now praising her again, as if she's some wounded saint.

They gave her a total pass on the mountain of corruption in her/Bill's pass as old news.

Rudy poked a hole in their fantasy of the super-ultra-giganto-popular Obama. I hope we keep it up.

[Darkwolf377]

Andrea should lay off the prunes. I bet she has old people smell.

[John Valentine]

Matthews commented that the speech wasn’t what he expected. He said he ahd thought Palin would go after Hillary voters, but instead she was a cultural “torpedo” aimed straight at Barak and Michelle Obama. He thought she was “strong”.

[Kevmo]

With one speech she knocks out the enthusiasm gap.

.

.

Here’s how I’ve been bumping Palin/Obama threads today.

Sung to the tune of “Oh! Susanna, don’t you cry for me.”

“Oh, no Bama, please don’t lie to me... for I’m off to Free Republic with a laptop on my knee.”

I come from Minnesota with my laptop on my knee;
I’m goin’ to Free Republic my true love for to see.
It rained all night the day I left,
the weather it was dry;
The sun so hot I froze to death,
Obama don’t you lie.

Oh! No Bama, don’t you lie to me;
I come from Minnesota,
with my laptop on my knee.

I had a dream the other night,
When everything was still;
I thought I saw Obama dear,
A-coming down the hill.
The smearing lie was in Duluth,
The tear was in his eye,
Said I, I’m coming for the truth
Obama don’t you lie.

Oh! No Bama, don’t you lie to me;
I’m off to Free Republic,
with my laptop on my knee.

I fight in my pajamas,
It’s plain for all to see.
I aim to be the next Buckhead;
The media all hate me.
I fell in love with Sarah
When my sister bit a moose.
The Guvnor’s family ate it up
And then they set it loose.

Oh! No Bama, don’t you lie to me;
I’m off to Free Republic,
with my laptop on my knee.

She loves her sons, she likes her guns,
and Trigonometry.
The media will jump the shark
When Juan makes history.
Well, JimRob knows she’ll pave the trolls
So controversially,
And Berg will knock Obama down
With friends of Hillary.

Oh! No Bama, don’t you lie to me;
I’m off to Free Republic with a laptop on my knee.

I soon will be in Hawaii,
And then I’ll look all ‘round,
And when I find his birth record,
I’ll fall upon the ground.
But if I do not find it,
This Freeper’ll surely die,
And when I’m dead and buried,
Obama don’t you lie.

Oh! No Bama, don’t you cry for me;
I’m off to Free Republic with a laptop on my knee

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/2073903/posts?page=6#6

[xzins]

Is it just me...and I don’t intend to be rude...but, as Andrea Mitchell gets older does her nose seem to grow?

Is it her hair style?

In any case, she came across last night as ‘glum with a nose.’

In her convention floor interview with with Rudy Giuliani, he totally deconstructed her.

I noticed as the evening wore on that they had decided that Palin’s speech was sarcastic, and that America doesn’t like sarcasm, and it won’t play well with being sarcastic.

Among other things, that ultra-weak criticism is proof that the media had just gotten blown away by Sarah-cuda.

[CTyank]

I watched the speech on pMSNBC last night. Mathews and Olberman were obviously stunned.

Mathews actually reminded me of an unbiased journalist for a few minutes - as he characterized her as a “torpedo” aimed directly at the Obama/Biden ticket. I cannot remember his exact comment - but in essence, he observed that she was less about filling the void for Hillary voters, and more about expressing conservative political, social and cultural values.

Sarah “yard saled” ‘em!

[hershey]

Sarah Palin is amazing. She’s the spirit this country was built on, men and women who roll up their sleeves and get the job done. (The Great RR must be smiling.) My great-great-great-whatever great grandmother on my dad’s side (a Vermonter), married at 16, and rode in a covered wagon all the way to Ohio. After building a little farm and having four children, the Civil War intervened, and her husband enlisted in the Union Army.

For four years she raised her children and ran that farm alone, enduring hardships and danger. Her husband returned when the war ended and the family resumed life. This is the simple fabric of America, and this is what Alaska’s Sarah Palin is all about. What a woman! And she’s a ‘natural’, as Brit Hume said, (looking stunned). We saw history made last night, and while some reporters sniffed and said she has to campaign effectively, do well in the debates, we know she’ll be terrific. I got two hours sleep last night, watched the speech over and over and wept.

[p. henry]

The sound you heard in the background during her speech was a landslide in gender gap. Obama will not win without a significant advantage among women. He no longer has that advantage.

Sarah has been compared to Maggie Thatcher. I see her more as Teddy Roosevelt: a reformer, a hunter, an environmentalist in the traditional sense, and willing to take on her own party. Of course, she hasn't charged up San Juan Hill, but I think her running mate has plenty of that experience.

[driftless2]

In further comparison to Dan Quayle, he came off as very stiff and very cool. Obviously he would have been better than Gore who even was stiffer and cooler than Quayle, but I’ve never seen anyone connect with an audience than Palin. Some people say you can fake sincerity, but fake sincerity will show through after a while. The people sense (like Reagan) that she is one of them, and that might be the most important personal attribute a politician can have.

[driftless2]

"Chrissy"

I'll give you a mountain of credit just for being able to listen to those creeps for any length of time. I had it on FOX the whole time.

[driftless2]

That’s connect WITH an audience better than Palin.

[rbg81]

I saw the speech last night and literally had tears of joy running down my face. To say a star is born is not an understatement. Palin’s speech electrified me like no other political speech ever had (even Reagan). I think I barely got 3 hours of sleep last night, but I woke up this morning pumped and ready to roll.

Why was the speech so good? Maybe because it felt like it came from a real person who had talked the talk and walked the walk. She demolished Obama’s manhood as only a self-assured woman can. The only silver lining for the Dems that she is running for VP and will only share the stage with Biden, limiting the damage. Their worst nightmare will come true if she ever gets on the same stage with Obama, one-on-one. If that ever happened, she would wax the floor with his skinny a$$ and flush the used remnants down the toilet. The liberal MSM knows this too—they were positively glum at the prospect of covering Saracudda for the next 25+ years.