Watch Rush tonight on Fox News at 1:00 am central on ON THE RECORD.
Posted on 09/04/2008 6:38:14 PM PDT by neverdem
There is a lot to say about Sarah Palin’s performance last night, but perhaps the place to begin is with this observation: Boy did Democrats choose the wrong hockey mom to pick a fight with.
1. It’s always difficult to judge these things in real time, but my sense is that what happened last evening was a genuinely important political moment. It was important above all for Sarah Palin, who, under enormous pressure, delivered her speech flawlessly, with grace and style, in a way that was elegant, effective, and accessible. She is a supremely gifted political talent, both captivating and tough. And her conservatism seems organic rather than manufactured, ingrained rather than recently imbibed. After seeing her last night, you can understand why her approval rating in Alaska is at 80 percent. (What on earth is wrong with the other 20 percent?)
It’s also worth pointing out that Governor Palin did what no one else, in 18 months, has been able to do: land clear and extraordinarily effective blows against America’s best known community organizer, Barack Obama. Governor Palin did it with mocking good humor, charm, and devastating lines. Not bad for a former mayor of Wasilla, Alaska.
There are many more hurdles for Palin to clear before we can make a confident judgment about this governor whom most of us did not know just a week ago. She still faces a steep learning curve on a range of issues, and an extremely aggressive press corps. But with a single speech — think Reagan in ‘64, Cuomo in ‘84 and Obama in ‘04 — Sarah Palin has emerged, at least for now, as one of the brightest stars within the political galaxy. She looks to be a natural, and she may now be the leader of a movement.
2. Last night was an important moment for John McCain, who after selecting Palin saw his judgment questioned and trashed not only by his critics but even by his former top aide. But McCain, who has acted on instinct throughout much of his political life, did so again with this pick. McCain seems to have seen in Palin what he sees in himself: a reformer, a person of admirable political courage and cross-over appeal.
3. Last night was also an important, and a very bad, moment for the mainstream media, many of whom were mocking in their coverage of Palin. Her selection, according to Eleanor Clift of Newsweek, evoked derisive belly laughs in news rooms all across America. Palin was Harriet Miers without the experience, E.J. Dionne sneeringly wrote in his column. She is a “bantamweight cheerleader from the West,” according to that mighty intellect from the East, Maureen Dowd. Sally Quinn - whose name is known to you, if it is known to you, only because of her marriage to Ben Bradlee - called the pick an “insult to women, to the Republican Party, and to the country.”
There are many honorable members of the press who didn’t engage in the near obsession with Governor Palin’s daughter’s pregnancy (by my count the New York Times devoted four stories to this topic on Tuesday) or some of the really ugly stuff, journalists who viewed the Palin pick with skepticism but fairness. But there is no question that many members of the press were eager to pre-judge Palin as a failure and portray her as a rube, and who were clearly constructing a trap for her. She was going to be the next Dan Quayle.
Unfortunately for them, last night Palin didn’t back down a millimeter and, in fact, she took the fight to the press with aplomb. In the course of 40 minutes last night, the media, already one of the least trusted institutions in American life, saw its credibility diminish even further. We may see a backlash of tremendous dimensions.
4. Last night was also an important moment for the Republican Party. For the last several years the GOP has been dispirited, lacking confidence and lacking direction. The Democratic Party was energized, self-confident, flush with cash and seemed to own the future. But with Palin’s pick last week and especially with her speech last night, the GOP is suddenly revitalized. One cannot underestimate the joy and pride Republicans will have recaptured this week; as Mark Halperin of Time magazine said, an alchemy between McCain and his party is taking place at the RNC. Or, to put it another way, it is as if last evening served as a circuit breaker for the last three years, a very bad stretch that began with Hurricane Katrina and may have ended with Hurricane Gustav.
It’s important to insert the caveats: last night consisted of only one speech, the national spotlight can be withering, and Governor Palin still faces lots of questions, as well as a vice presidential debate. And it’s important to recall that most moments in politics that seem special and memorable at the time are ephemeral. All true. And yet one cannot help but think that what we saw last night was a woman who strode onto the national stage in a dazzling way, and who may dominate it for a long time to come.
“Cuomo in ‘84”
Didn’t the Democrats lose every state except Minnesota that year? Fine example.
The high point of this convention was LAST NIGHT. Tonight SUCKS.
Isn’t that on at 12
Isn’t that on at 12
Isn’t that on at 12
I went from anger(hannity) to happiness (palin). I worked my butt off against amnesty. That was bullpoop. I know dang well that Sarah will worry about me..me..this coming winter in Maine.
Palin proves that you don’t have to compromise your conservative principles to run for office as a Republican. If anything, she proves the wimpy candidates may be the problem with Republicans. She certainly has shown the media has a glass jaw.
We watched and were totally impressed, she has our vote, who is running with her?, Who cares, we’re Independents (But with a Conservative slant like so many others.) We are not alone, we are sure that many more have been swayed by Palin last night.
Thanks for the info & link.
Tom Ridge is quite possibly the most boring speaker I have ever heard.
Sarah Palin has emerged, at least for now, as one of the brightest stars within the political galaxy.
***Supernova Sarah 2008
.
.
Here’s how I’ve been bumping Palin/Obama threads.
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 for 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
btt
LOL, he's from my home town; lived three blocks from my dad. I fell asleep during his speech and missed nearly all of it. I watched all the other speeches and didn't seem to have narcolepsy at the time.
And Cuomo never ran for president. He might have been a strong candidate in 1988, but was damaged goods by 1992 with low approval ratings in his own state.
Didn’t the Democrats lose every state except Minnesota that year? Fine example.
Cuomo was governor of NY for the next 10 years. It was so bad that RINO Pataki didn't or couldn't undo the damage.
Thanks for pinging nit! I didn’t watch Ridge, sounds like I was lucky, lol.
Her selection, according to Eleanor Clift of Newsweek, evoked derisive belly laughs in news rooms all across America.Ironically, the claim by Eleanor Clift of Newsweek, along with all the other stupid slanders piled on Governor Palin, evoked derision from anyone with a functioning brain stem.
[Governor] Palin didn't back down a millimeter and, in fact, she took the fight to the press with aplomb. In the course of 40 minutes last night, the media, already one of the least trusted institutions in American life, saw its credibility diminish even further. We may see a backlash of tremendous dimensions.Hey, at least the media can truthfully claim a higher approval rating than their Demwit Congress.
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