Posted on 02/05/2010 8:10:31 PM PST by Bigtigermike
SALINA — Before a crowd of 6,000 cheering fans, Sarah Palin received rock star treatment Friday night in Salina.
The former vice presidential candidate and former Alaska governor, drew a sell-out crowd to the Bicentennial Center for the Salina Area Chamber of Commerce annual meeting — an event that routinely draws big names to Salina. Past speakers have included Colin Powell, George H.W. Bush, Bob Costas, Margaret Thatcher and Cal Ripkin Jr.
"We've had great speakers in the past," said Todd Davidson, of the Chamber. "No one has generated this amount of interest — even President George H.W. Bush, who came here when he was a sitting president, did not drive this kind of a response."
Even Palin couldn't ignore the excitement her appearance generated. Back stage, she said, a chamber member told her, " 'Man, this is like a Van Halen concert.' I said, 'Man, I wish.' "
In her speech, Palin sounded off on national security, government bailouts and limited government ideals. And she offered lots of praise for the hometown crowd.
"In a time when folks so fear that much is going wrong, your town is an example of how to get it right and how to soar," said Palin, who was joined in Salina by her daughter, Piper. "Shoot, your state's motto even has it right: to the stars through difficulties."
Palin began by relating her experiences as a city councilwoman and mayor in Wasilla, Alaska. What worked there, she said, was cutting taxes, focusing on a few core services and spending responsibly. As governor, she said she learned to take tough stances.
"I'd have to butt heads with my own party officials and the other party, of course too, and the media," said Palin, who didn't meet with reporters on her trip to Salina. "Some things never change. It wasn't always the easy path, but it was the right path."
Telling the crowd she was going to "call is like I see it," she said Washington, D.C., politicians need to "back off." While Americans have lost jobs and learned to live with less, she charged that government has become more bloated.
"Over the past year, Washington has replaced private irresponsibility with public irresponsibility," she said.
The country, she said, needs health reform "not backroom deals." She suggested measures like allowing insurance purchases across state lines and tort reform.
Also, she said the country needs to pursue "all of the above approach to energy." She said increased drilling for oil must be pursued.
"Drill here and drill now and tap our own plentiful energy supplies," she said.
The Obama administration, she said, has lost its way on foreign policy. She said people wonder if the United States is still a "beacon of hope" for freedom.
"We need a foreign policy that distinguishes America's friends from her enemies and recognizes the true nature of these threats that we are facing," Palin said.
In the end, her speech brought the crowd to its feet.
Earlier in the night, Verlene and Joyce Jackson, of Chapman, said they hope to see Palin as president someday and like that she hasn't "always been in that ivory tower."
"She has a fresh outlook," Verlene Jackson said. "She speaks for us. She's a down home girl. I feel like personally, I think she would do a good job representing us."
DeVee Smalley drove in from Superior, Neb., to join her two daughters for Palin's speech.
"I think she is somebody who is trying to reach out to the heartland of America," Smalley said.
Palin will be back in Kansas May 2 to speak in Wichita at a fundraiser for a Christian school.
siuckofyoursniping
Sarcasm, it was sarcasm.
Give’em heck Sarah!
Damn the trollpedos...full speed ahead...
OK, so every state in the union "owns" the natural resources mined/logged/fished on their property, so they need to be compensated, by this logic. How is this a conservative position?
The Ron PaulBots hate Conservative Republicans worse than Liberal Democrats.
They are akin to the Liberal Democrats with the anti war
and Michael Moore views
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Because the Alaskan Constitution says that the natural resources of Alaskan our the people's of Alaska . She did want the Constitution says and didn’t spend the money on bigger government.
Yep, here’s another even more silly quote:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/2445531/posts?page=15#15
http://www.ontheissues.org/2008/Sarah_Palin_Budget_+_Economy.htm
She needs to stay away from criticizing bailouts considering McCain and Graham and Republican history setting up the democratic slush fund!
Not every state has it written into its constitution the way Alaska’s does.
- JP
No you’re right. Any company that feels like it should be able to drill for oil,gas,etc on state lands for free.
Funny, I don't recall saying that.
Bit defensive when someone dares to ask a simple question. Guess I touched a nerve.
I'll keep repeating the question until someone actually answers it, instead of going off track--is this a conservative position?
Well, in Alaska, the money was given to the citizens each year. IIRC it was something like $1800/per.
Alaskan Constitution says that the natural resources of Alaskan our the people’s of Alaska . She did want the Constitution says and didn’t spend the money on bigger government.
and who is your conservative you want to see run for 2012
No nrve.
Either the state is compensated or not. Which position do you consider conservative?
By this logic, anything is a conservative position because according to the SCOTUS, the Constitution supports it?
I'm asking a very specific question. I'm a little confused why I can't get a straight answer.
She did want the Constitution says and didn’t spend the money on bigger government.
That's a strawman argument having nothing to do with my question.
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