On the night of September 4th, America was introduced to a fresh face of politics. But this was not a person who impressed people with only rhetoric. This was a person who backed up her rhetoric with evidence of accomplishment.
Sarah Palin did not just give an electrifying speech, but introduced herself as a fierce, engaging, modern Republican that people across the country can relate to. She contradicted criticisms that she was too inexperienced with a bombardment of achievements as governor of Alaska. She discussed how her fiscal policies have led to a decrease in property taxes and a budget surplus and illustrated her knowledge of energy strategies by discussing the natural gas pipeline being built to supply America with domestic energy.
Governor Palin effectively used attacks against the Democratic candidates, painting them as out of touch elitists and inexperienced, that were delivered with great sarcasm and truth. “I guess a small-town mayor is sort of like a ‘community organizer,’ except that you have actual responsibilities. I might add that in small towns, we don’t quite know what to make of a candidate who lavishes praise on working people when they are listening, and then talks about how bitterly they cling to their religion and guns when those people aren’t listening,” she told her audience.
Another issue that has caught my eye is the ridicule that Governor Palin has received from people saying that as a woman and mother, she should be home caring for her family. I find it hilarious and hypocritical that left-wing feminists, who were pumped for Hillary running for President, are now belittling Sarah being chosen as a candidate for Vice President. Sally Quinn, a columnist for the Washington Post, questioned Governor Palin’s decision to involve herself with the Vice Presidency, saying, “Taking the position that a woman with five children, including one with special needs, and a daughter who is a 17-year-old child who is pregnant and about to have a baby, probably has to rethink her priorities.”
Basically, here is a woman who has accomplished a lot to get to this point, and now the people who should be celebrating her achievements are now telling her to get back to the kitchen. How about Mr. and Mrs. Obama? Barack works in Washington D.C. as a Senator and Michelle works at a hospital. Who is watching their children? Why can’t one of the parents stay home and raise their children? Why aren’t those questions being asked, not only of the Obamas, but all parents that have jobs and aren’t home for their children on a 24 hour basis?
What I most admire about Mrs. Palin is her toughness. Think about the time that has passed since Senator McCain chose her to be his running mate. Citizens and pundits alike were scratching their heads wondering, “who is Sarah Palin besides a pretty face?” Liberal media types were flying to Alaska to dig up any dirt they could find on her, talking to opponents that were defeated during her ascent from the PTA to governor.
Then news surfaced that her seventeen year old daughter was pregnant. The media outlandishly jumped all over it, characterizing the governor as an inadequate parent that put her career above her family. Can one imagine the media covering the Edwards mistress scandal with the fervor they reported regarding the pregnancy?
All this publicity created a fever pitch that concluded on Wednesday night. Governor Palin boldly addressed Americans’ concerns about her background and beliefs. She defended her family stating that they have “the same ups and downs as any other,” and confronted the media bias towards her.
She represents the new generation of the GOP, along with Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal and others, who heed no allegiance to the media, special interests, or the good ol’ boy fraternity that is destroying the politics of both parties, reformers that enter situations where corruption and mistakes have reigned and dispose of them. They are politicians that work for the benefit of one entity that is not themselves, but their fellow citizens.