In accepting the nomination in St. Paul, Palin vowed to help "serve and defend America," but most of all, she accepted "the challenge of a tough fight in this election .. against confident opponents .. at a crucial hour for our country."
If nothing else, Palin -- the virtual unknown from Alaksa -- proved she can deliver a speech. Her address was one that captivated both convention-goers and TV viewers. Palin also proved that she can throw a punch ... and she threw many at the Democratic opponents Senators Barack Obama and Joe Biden.
If Palin was selected by Republican Senator John McCain as a lure for women voters who had supported Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, he succeeded beyond comprehension. If this appearance before the convention and the country was Palin's coming out party, one can start popping the champaign corks.
But there are still questions concerning Palin for Vice-President of the United States...
Is she a female candidate heavy on experience? No.
Is she a female candidate like Clinton? No.
Is she a female candidate busting through that glass ceiling spoken of by Clinton? You bet.
Is she a female candidate women can support? Absolutely.
As a vice-presidential candidate Palin threw jabs at the Obama-Biden ticket as she spoke of issues Americas -- and American families -- face daily. She addressed energy, jobs, taxes, terrorism, and the war in Iraq.
"Before I became governor of the great state of Alaska, I was mayor of my hometown," she explained. "I guess a small-town mayor is sort of like a community organizer, except you have actual responsibilities," said Palin as she punched a hole in Obama's past employment and leadership experience.
Palin punctuated her personal profile with several examples of her spunk ... such as placing the Alaska state jet for sale on ebay, firing the governor's personal chef and driver, and taking on the "good-ol' boys" network. She is the mother of five children, including a newborn son with Down's syndrome, a son who enlisted in the Army, a pregnant daughter who is unmarried, and a 7-year old who stole the show by "spit combing" the hair of her little brother.
As with Biden's acceptance speech one week before, Palin's oration was a sales pitch for the man at the top of her ticket ... John McCain.
"In politics there are some candidates who use change to promote their careers. And then there are those, like John McCain, who use their careers to promote change. They're the ones whose names appear on laws and landmark reforms, not just on buttons and banners, or on self-designed presidential seals. Among politicians, there is the idealism of high-flown speechmaking, in which crowds are stirringly summoned to support great things. And then there is the idealism of those leaders, like John McCain, who actually do great things," declared Palin.
"For a season, a gifted speaker can inspire with his words. For a lifetime, John McCain has inspired with his deeds," Palin said.
And while Palin is still short on deeds and experience, she is able to inspire with her words ... words which may serve her well should she survive the biggest bout of her political career, and find herself on the official podium shortly before Noon on January 20th, 2009.
"... or so this news junkie thinks!"
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