September 4, 2008
McCain's Secret Weapon (Doug Heye)
The e-mail solicitation I received from Obama campaign manager David Plouffe at 4:47 a.m. today makes it clear — after Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin's speech last night, the Democrats view her as a threat.
Incredibly, Plouffe claims that Gov. Palin's speech "insulted the very idea that ordinary people have a role to play in our political process."
Let's be clear on who in our political process is not an ordinary person. Sen. Barack Obama's life story is anything but ordinary. In fact, it is his extraordinary-ness that propelled his candidacy and made best-sellers out of two memoirs.
What America saw last night was the very example of ordinary people playing a role in our political process. She married her high school sweetheart, then became a regular hockey mom and joined her local PTA. She ran for mayor of her hometown. As the ethics chairwoman of the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, not the most glamourous position in the world, she took on the most powerful industry in her state. Later, running for governor, she defied the odds by beating the incumbent governor in the primary and a former governor in the general election. It's not like she was put to the national stage by an easy victory over Alan Keyes.
Of course, her remarks last night were extraordinary. Where many Democrats expected or hoped to see a "moose in headlights," Gov. Palin showed poise, attacking Obama's biggest vulnerabilities while displaying a small-town authenticity no amount of money can buy. Given the attacks she has been under these past few days, including rumors of the most insidious nature, Palin demonstrated the courage Ernest Hemingway called "grace under pressure."
The Obama camp and their allies in the blogosphere have tried to paint Gov. Palin as someone who — they never say this about a — would wilt under the lights and the scrutiny.
Last night, Gov. Palin showed all of America that John McCain did not simply pick a strong running mate; he chose a formidable secret weapon.
Permalink TrackBack
Email This Post
Share this post
What's This 21 Comments
»
The Hill welcomes comment from anyone and will almost always post it whether it is favorable or critical, as long as it is substantive and advances debate.
RSS feed for comments on this post. TrackBack URI
What the Democrats are trying to accomplish in their blind rage is to defend the "honor" of being a "community organizer" that Palin savaged. That's the implied reality behind the "ordinary people" reference. Since they never explained what a "community organizer" does and most people have never met a "community organizer" they are hoping that their "ordinary people" reference will bring up an image of an average member of the community deciding to just get of his or her butt and do some organizin'. The sad reality is that Obama was a radical lawyer for ACORN and his record of achievement as a "community organizer" is spotty at best. Thus, another attempted misdirection, or as someone once said "I'm from the Midwest and we call them lies".
Since their rage is blind, they don't see that the most obvious interpretation of the words they are using contradicts the reality of the speech. Thus in attempting to perpetrate a subtle deception they are creating an appearing of being so out of touch with reality as to blatantly lie in the face of facts. Tangled webs and own petards come to mind.
Comment by Igor R. — September 4, 2008 @ 1:48 pm
Eloquently stated Igor.
Sarah speaks to the soul of every woman in America. Even if you don't believe in everything she believes, you know that she opens the portal of opportunity for every thing you have ever dreamed of for your daughters and grandaughters. And no matter what propaganda the Obama campaign spews in the name of liberalism, they will never be able to erase what Sarah Palin did in one short speech for the future of women in this country.
Comment by Connie — September 4, 2008 @ 3:43 pm
LOL! Give me a break. Yeah, the republican party is the champion of womens rights! Where the hell were all these republican women when their party was trashing Hillary Clinton? Or Nancy pelosi?? Oh right - their republican husbands told them to shut up and cook dinner.
Comment by Jeff — September 4, 2008 @ 6:17 pm
Thanks you Connie. Since this is my second language every eloquence comment is greatly appreciated.
I've actually been following her for months, but had never heard her speak until a week ago. After her very first short speech on Friday I said on this very blog that she will be the first female President of the United States. When you combine a record of unbelievable achievement, stamina, demonstrated logical mind and meteoric rise with the ability to reach people's souls, you have a phenomenon. Obama can reach people's souls through rhetoric and rose meteorically, but his logical mind lacks the ability to synthesize workable solutions to serious problems. If what he had was ALMOST enough to elect a radical Marxist with terrorist friends to the Presidency of the United States, imagine what SHE can do!
Comment by Igor R. — September 4, 2008 @ 6:35 pm
Palin added absolutely nothing to the needed dialogue of what needs to be done and quickly to head off and soften the growing economic chaos.
Any plans to deal with 2,500,000-plus homes in foreclosure or the plight of 10,000,000 families who owe more than their homes are worth? Or do barbs at Obama have to suffice?
When do we talk about the GOP assault on healthcare we have and offer a hollow plan that will do nothing to insure that 47,000,000 of "my fellow Americans who currently have none.
The "culture war" cynicism we see come into play again does nothing but continue to divide rather than unite our country.
What is the answer to shrinking wages, as we see again that productivity is up, but wages are flat and unemployment is up? Only Walmart is doing OK.
What does that say about the job growth we need which never seems to materialize under the
"favor the job creation class" approach in effect the last eight years.
This is a crisis and a crossroads, and keeping the same entrenched partisan bureaucracy is reckless and
anyone who votes to do that will live to regret the new Hoover administration.
I'm putting my trust and efforts toward helping elect Senators Obama and Biden and the fine group of experts and administrators they will attract.
McCain? Your kidding yourself!
Comment by smilinjack — September 4, 2008 @ 6:57 pm
#5 Smilinjack
You may be Cryingjack come this November. Allow me to suggest:
What Sarah Palin added was "example".
In one evening she managed to do what Obama has attempted to do in 17 months.
She is a winner. She and McCain are doers not talkers.
I am inviting you to a party:
Step over the threshold Smilinjack into a great future.
Vote: McCain/Palin
Smilinjack no tears just cheers for M & P ! : )
Comment by JFK-HRC — September 4, 2008 @ 8:46 pm
Oh please, Peggy Noonan hit it on the head with the off-mike comment.
Igor, you're projecting again with #1 and #4 is…well, there's just no way to put it nicely, crap. A record of unbelievable achievement? Really? Is The Hill paying you for your writing? I only ask because I have a hard time believing that anyone would really believe the things that you write.
Comment by M. Richard — September 4, 2008 @ 9:47 pm
Smilinjack has a short memory.
The USA had the lowest unemployment rate that I can recall in my 86 years, until a Democratic Congress was voted in two years ago, that is when the downturn really started.
The reason for so many home foreclosures, People bought larger and bigger houses than they needed or should have qualified for, by the lenders. The people should not have to bail out the lenders, or the ones who over bought.
On Hoover, he inhereted the mess from the previous Democratic Administration.
Comment by LH — September 5, 2008 @ 12:45 am
I had the unique experience to live and work in Germany from 1981-1989 for the US Army as a civilian.
During part of that time one of the German television networks ran a documentary about life in Germany under the Nazi government. One of the programs went into an extensive discussion about the Nazi political gatherings and the candle light parades that were held in Nuremberg.
That particular program reminded me of the Palin exceptance speech of the other evening.
Comment by Ivan — September 5, 2008 @ 7:19 am
Well, smilinjack, I guess barbs from your side of the fence directed to Palin don't count as barbs? Get real. I'd trust McCain/Palin any day of the week over a party that wants to be my mother instead of my government. What have the Democrats done for us so far? Nada. So far this has been the worst congress in history. We now want a president and vice president to go along with it? I don't think so. That would be as helpful as poking a sharp stick in the eye. The Democrats simply don't know what to do with a strong and competent woman. Oh wait, yes they do….they trash her.
Comment by Glennis — September 5, 2008 @ 9:06 am
M. Richard, The Hill is transferring large amounts to a secret Swiss bank account on my behalf. Unfortunately they forgot to give me the account number, but any day now, any day!
Comment by Igor R. — September 5, 2008 @ 2:36 pm
Ivan, Obama's nighttime outdoor acceptance speech in a stadium reminded me of one of Der Fuehrer's rallies. And as he is calling for the government to run large portions of the economy, from health care to energy, which is what fascism is all about unlike the left's definition, it's a little more fitting than Palin's attempt to introduce herself for the first time after the most unbelievable smear campaign against an innocent person in American history. You know, like those campaigns in Germany that tried to portray Jews as rodents.
Comment by Igor R. — September 5, 2008 @ 2:41 pm
The GOP has never assaulted home ownership. In fact, they have championed it. The GOP has always championed rights, whether they be those of blacks or women or any other. They just want rights to be applied to ALL of us equally, & not "special rights" for
"special victims."
There is a limit to bailing out people on the home ownership issue though. WHY should other Americans bail out jerks who knowingly took on more than their salaries could possibly handle if rates were to go up? Whose fault is that? (Think quick now!)
Palin just showed up the left. For decades the have owned the "women's rights" handle. However, they are now apoplectic that a conservative Republican woman has shown them just what rights are.
Palin is a terrific example of "women can have it all."
The lefty has told us that for decades. They just wanted it to be "THEIR" women & not a Republican, and definitely not, a (Gasp, dare I say it?……. Christian.)
To those saying she answered nothing… she answered as much as one could in a one hour speech. She & McCain will answer much more in the coming months. And if Obama's tax increases is what you want, why aren't you sending in extra checks now? Why have you & other rich people been waiting? Huh?
No one wants to pay more taxes & you can bet the wealthy left will find all sorts of loopholes so they can avoid paying. BUT, they do want more average Americans paying. They think you need to suffer more & sacrifice more for the war.
Not everyone was for the war. But once in it, it is obvious we were for winning the war. This time the left could not convince the public it was ALL America's fault. We were attacked & those attacking were associated in many ways with Saddam, even if not directly. Saddam had violated at least 12 UN orders, while UN members & its leadership knowingly cooperated with Saddam so he could make money under the table. We just could not prove it until we went in. And that is exactly why those international actors opposing our entry wanted us to stay out. Once in, we found out they were milking the system why crying we were starving Iraqi children. We starved no one, Saddam & those working w/ him through the UN starved them. Soros & his crews knew too, but they too wanted us to stay out.
Sorry for the rant but the attacks on Palin infuriate me. These two faced leftists now face what they feared. The real deal. An American. Now, they want to make all sorts of vacuous claims to deflect attention from their failed policies. Worse is the media will help them & many Americans may never know the real truth. Only the media leftist truth!
Comment by Rubicon — September 5, 2008 @ 8:34 pm
Promises, promises, promises, The poor receivers, have been voting Democrat for the past 70 years, expecting bigger handouts, and they are still poor. Its time to wake up and get an education, and work your way out, unwed mothers having babies on welfare is not the answer.
Comment by LH — September 5, 2008 @ 11:52 pm
Like most right-wingers, Heye makes a decent speech bigger than life, but she also made nasty false innuendoes attacking Obama's character, as did Giuliani.
Reading Obama's biography, one sees his struggles in politics were so much more than being in the right place at the right time, as you insidiously suggest. His struggle to get started in politics was long and hard.
You don't understand that Obama is the first Presidential candidate to ever get his financial support from small contributions, record-breaking number of them. He is our candidate, not the of corporations or special interests, of the people.
And that is what has killed this country, big money influence and power in politics.
That's what Plouffe meant and we know exactly what he was saying.
Comment by Fred from Oregon — September 6, 2008 @ 2:05 am
RE: Comment by Rubicon — September 5, 2008
Republicans are against special treatment for special victims, as long as they are not big money, power people.
The mortgage industry meltdown problem was a failure of responsibility. Not personal responsibility, but government regulatory responsibility, who failed to regulate the industry.
It was not about dumb borrowers. It was about deceitful lenders, and a over-leveraged industry where everybody was passing the buck, and nobody really knew what their assets on paper were really worth.
YOu cannot play football without rules and referees. Bushies cronies convinced Washington that they could make up their own rules as they played.
Comment by Fred from Oregon — September 6, 2008 @ 2:36 am
Rubicon: 80% of the taxes are paid by 50% of the public. What are you rambling about? Get some facts. Otherwise you look like a moron.
Comment by Robert Rosencrans — September 6, 2008 @ 7:53 am
"Theres liars, damn liars, and statisticians."
-Mark Twain
Comment by Fred from Oregon — September 8, 2008 @ 2:53 am
Dearest Deceived (yes, the Democrats):
"Public Interest Groups (PIGS for short)" mean those who are unwilling to bear social and moral responsibility for their own actions and feel compelled to foist their disappointment at not receiving more of the same…handout after handout for the very few at the expense of the many. Those few insist they have the "high moral ground" yet cannot recognize morality if it bit them in the back-side. I pray for your eyes to actually see the filth and decay you propagate in the name of "Special Interests" and for the "Common Good of All (hillary Clinton on tax rebates being returned to the govt as she stated "they cannot be trusted with money-we KNOW what to do with it)" The arrogance. The talking heads with wagging, tongues! Your "party of the people" claim to be against bigotry-yet you demonstrate bigotry; you claim to be the "tolerant" yet have no tolerance for opposing views; you claim to want to improve the standing of the poor-yet you tax and spend, making more of the class you claim to want to "protect." Guess what? We don't want your kind of "help." You criticize going to war-what are we still doing in Bosnia? Without approval, I might add! Ahh, ignorance is bliss. I can honestly sense your bliss in your unparalled foolishness-You want Obama-nation? Oh, my bad, your humanism church doesn't believe in God-Well, go ahead, send your checks to get him elected. You will cringe at the "change" he has in mind if by a miracle he gets elected. BTW, he doesn't actually NEED the small donations-he has funding from far more shadowed contributors for reasons not unlike Hitler's supporters. I'm truly sorry ya'll are so meek-minded. If you closed your mouths and opened your mind, you would see the "Resident Evil" for the insidious and nefarious goals as they really are, under the liberal sick party called "Democrats." I will continue to pray for ya'll.
Comment by Dr. Davis — September 8, 2008 @ 2:32 pm
Gov. Palin is the worst candidate for women ever; yes, worse that McCain and that says a lot. It seems McCain knew she was his political 'soul mate'. Two bigots on one ticket; just perfect. Ms. McMoose will be headed back to Alaska Nov 5th.
Comment by Joyce — September 12, 2008 @ 2:59 am
Seems to me Joyce is the bigot.
Is it Palins choice to not kill her baby, or that she does not want her children to be homosexuals, that triggers your out burst of hatred.
Comment by LH — September 17, 2008 @ 1:45 pm