That's number 12 on my First Impressions of Sarah Palin list, written last Friday.

1. Good public speaker
2. She doesn’t seem to be intimidated by the limelight
3. She exudes self confidence
4. She has a great family story
5. She is firm in her beliefs
6. She seems very likable
7. She’s tough as nails
8. She’s honest
9. She’s wicked smart
10. She’s passionate
11. America is gonna love her
12. The Obama camp isn’t going to know how to handle her
13. She didn’t wear a pant suit

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Andy
Cynical Optimist

My reaction:

I thought the speech was good. It seemed like a difficult speech to deliver and she was able to deliver it pretty effortlessly. So we know now that she is a good speaker.

I'm a little confused about the party's platform now. This speech seemed to focus on jobs for working class people, energy, "change," etc. There was no mention of social issues (abortion or gay civil rights), very little mention of the war in Iraq. It's left me wondering, since their campaign seems to be heading in another direction, what exactly they would like to change and how. It seems like energy might be the new focus?

I would also like to know more about their tax plan and if they plan to cut social funding in order to cut taxes. How they plan to finance the war in Iraq and what the strategy is.

I think she did a good job introducing herself. She was able to give us an idea of who she is and a nice character sketch of John McCain.

I feel that the attacks on Obama might have been a little too critical. When she was attacking the opponent she seemed to have a very competitive edge but wasn't able to see much past winning, in my opinion. It was more focused on the win, rather than what was going to be done after the win. It was sort of a dividing, rather than unifying, message...but I think she might have been just trying to prove that she is "tough."

This should be an interesting election. I look forward to hearing the Obama/Biden response.

Well, I may be a bit mashugana () right now because it was thrilling to see such a historic moment - a woman on the GOP ticket and the last woman we had on any ticket was over two decades ago.

IMO, she rocked. She showed she was tough, but not a 'bitch'. She talked about family, yet came accross as quite tough. She addressed her experience in the best possible way that she could. She took a few hits at BHO, as VP candidates do. She mentioned the issues that concern the GOP. She energized the party.

She also wasn't too specific about many things. I think with all the buzz in the last few days, the issues got lost, though. She had to address all the buzz (kind word for that). It's a shame, too. I am in no way with her on several of her stances, so I would have liked to hear more specifics w.r.t. those stances.

Such is dirty politics - the issues get lost in the mud.

Maybe that's something Biden could consider. Does he have good legs?

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And she just gave the base great head tonight.

She just gave the best "Culture Warrior" speech of their convention; the question is, will that sway independents or not.

A lot of women get catty with other women, so it'll be interesting to see how women felt about this speech; she got in a lot of smug and sarcastic moments that rile women up in a different way than it does men.

One huge flaw is this harping on the "Bridge to Nowhere" which she supported before she was against it. She'll be put on the spot because of that.

All the talking points were there tonight, as expected, but in a one-on-one situation, she's going to have to be able to deal with many complicated issues and really give a sense that she knows what she's actually talking about. The stuff that was written for her about other countries and energy was one of the clearest moments that she was just reading off the prompter.

As far as first-impressions go, I can't tell if she scored out there or not. She just jumped in as a newcomer and went on the attack, and I really have no idea how that's going to play, since it's expected that newcomers must introduce themselves first and be liked by people first before they are "allowed" to go on the attack.

Tonight Sarah Palin proved that she can stand toe to toe with "The One".

Tonight a start was born.

The Obama camp must be shitting in their boots. No longer can Obama alone be seen as the "great orator".

Another one has just moved into town.

Take that Obama.

[/quote] Ignore 4, 11, 12, and we have a list of things people would have said about hitler.

Am i calling palin hitler? no. I am shattering the legitimacy of your criteria.

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The base is energized. We'll see how independents react. She may have been a smart move, we'll let the right have it's day in the sun. But remember people. She's just the Veep. She's not actually running for office.

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Yesterday, John McCain actually said that if he’s president he’ll take on, and I quote, 'the old boys’ network in Washington.' I’m not making this up. This is somebody been in Congress for 26 years, who put seven of the most powerful Washington lobbyists in charge of his campaign. And now he tells us that he’s the one who’s gonna take on the old boys' network,” he said. “In the McCain campaign that’s called a staff meeting!- Obama, 9/17/2008

Well, Obama is not running against Palin. And if it becomes an Obama vs Palin, thing, people are going to wonder why the hell they are going to vote for MCaint.

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Actually, you just smash your own legitimacy. Nice try with the /quote thing too.

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Andy
Cynical Optimist

Obama is at the top of the ticket and her popularity will affect him and take votes away from him.

The more she advances, then the further Obama is pushed backwards. Her rise spells trouble for him. And if tonight is any indication, then he has a lot trouble pending.

Well, the prospective VPILF may have made a serious tactical error by repeating the lie that she turned down the bridge to nowhere, clearly she is on record as favoring the big fat juicy earmark, and it wasn't she that killed it, it was congress.

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“ The subjects of every state ought to contribute towards the support of the government, as nearly as possible, in proportion to their respective abilities; that is, in proportion to the revenue which they respectively enjoy under the protection of the state.”

Adam Smith , The Wealth of Nations 1776

"We have always known that heedless self-interest was bad morals; we know now that it is bad economics"
FDR's second Inaugural Address

A great speech, pure gold. End of story. It was hopeful and possees a unique small town American optimism. A great contrast to Obama's endless negativity.

Let the backlash against the leftmedia that has attacked her and her family begin.

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I can picture in my mind a world without war, a world without hate. And I can picture us attacking that world, because they'd never expect it.

Of course you have nothing to back up your lies......pathetic

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I can picture in my mind a world without war, a world without hate. And I can picture us attacking that world, because they'd never expect it.

can you say "DESPERATION"?

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I can picture in my mind a world without war, a world without hate. And I can picture us attacking that world, because they'd never expect it.