In a speech weaving together humour, toughness and a folksy touch, Sarah Palin, the Republican Governor of the US state of Alaska, has accepted her party's nomination as vice-presidential running mate to John McCain.
She introduced her family, stressed her small town credentials and joked about her self-professed "hockey mum" reputation, but held out a promise of toughness on key issues from America's dependence on foreign oil to the pursuit of terrorists.
"I will be honoured to accepted your nomination for vice-president of the United States," she told the exuberant crowd, after extended applause welcomed her to the stage.
Her appearance softer than in recent days, with her hair no longer bundled up, Ms Palin praised Senator McCain as honest and courageous.
She said she accepted "the privilege of serving" with him "against confident opponents at a crucial hour" for the US.
Senator McCain "knows how tough fights are won" she said, noting that just a year ago, experts had written him off as the Republicans' nominee for the presidency.
"With their usual certitude they told us that all was lost, that there was no hope for this candidate who said he would rather lose an election than see his country lose a war," Ms Palin said.
Family support
Displaying her credentials in understanding America's international challenges, Ms Palin introduced her son, Track, who stood in the crowd as his mother told delegates that he was due on September 11 to deploy to Iraq.
She went on to introduce her sons and daughters, all of whom were in the audience, and to indirectly answer the critics who have targeted the conservative, pro-life governor over the pregnancy of her unmarried teenage daughter.
"Our family has the same ups and downs as any other, the same challenges and the same joys," she said.
She also introduced her "perfectly beautiful baby boy", Trig, who has Down's syndrome, pledging to be an advocate for families of special needs children in the White House.
"For years you've sought to make America a more welcoming place for your sons and daughters," she said.
Seeking to further seal her family credentials, she introduced her husband Todd, saying she met him in high school. She won yet more applause by saying "he's still my guy".
She stressed her small town credentials, her own example for women striving for advancement and her record in cutting and vetoing what she said was wasteful spending during her tenures as both a mayor and a governor.
Delegates warmed enthusiastically to Ms Palin's messages, showing genuine appreciation for a speech with some arguably unorthodox content, and dissolving into laughter when she joked that the difference between hockey mums and a pit bull was lipstick.
GOP holds breath awaiting Palin speech
Call it the Republican answer to Barack Obama’s Invesco Field speech.
“I’ve watched this thing echo and build,” said Iowa Rep. Steve King. “Now it’s the buildup to the anticipation of the speech.”
For Palin, this event, more than any other, will determine whether she will succeed or fail as a running mate. It’s undoubtedly the most important speech of her career.
“I think we had a very good night last night for Sen. McCain. Having said that, there’s no question that Palin, because she was such a surprise pick, is getting a lot of attention,” said Oklahoma Rep. Tom Cole. “It’s a very big night tonight."
“Every person I talk to, the first thing they say is they can’t wait to hear Sarah Palin speak on Wednesday night,” said Erik Iverson, chairman of the Montana Republican Party.
“This is my third convention and I can’t remember a vice presidential candidate, or any of the other speakers, generating as much excitement and enthusiasm.”
Palin, who has never addressed a national audience, will have to clear an extraordinarily high bar with her performance this evening. The Obama campaign sought to raise expectations even further for the 44-year-old Alaska governor Wednesday morning, when communications director Robert Gibbs predicted Palin’s speech would “bring the convention floor out of its chairs.”
Saul Anuzis, chairman of the Michigan Republican Party, said delegates were so eager to hear from Palin because they currently know so little about her.
“I think people are very excited about finding out who she is and meeting her for the first time. In reality, most Republicans have not seen her or heard her or met her,” Anuzis said.
New Hampshire Republican Party Chairman Fergus Cullen agreed.
“She is a fresh face on the national scene, so there’s a huge level of interest in it,” said Cullen, who recalled watching televised Palin’s speech from Dayton, Ohio, on Friday with Republican officials who teared up in response to the Alaska governor’s performance.
“I used to mock Democrats when I saw them weeping about either Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama,” Cullen said, “and here I saw a room of Republicans doing the same.”
Tuesday’s speeches by Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman (I-Conn.) and former Sen. Fred Thompson (R-Tenn.) went off well enough, said several party chairmen. But even at this morning’s delegate events, people were more focused on Palin’s speech tonight.
No comments:
Post a Comment