To say that Vice Presidential Candidate Sarah Palin has simply excited the Republican Party is a gross understatement. With one speech last week at the Republican National Convention, and 37 million viewers watching (only 2 million less than Barack Obama's DNC speech), Sarah Palin lit the conservative base and continued to pour fuel on the fire throughout the speech; made evident by the latest polls.
A USA Today poll from this Monday, September 9, had the McCain-Palin ticket 10 points up on their Democrat rivals 54% to 44%; a full 15-point rise for McCain; and polls from the previous week showing Obama up by seven points. The poll changes are a reflection to the satisfaction of millions of Americans; to see a qualified woman nominated for Vice President of the United States.
I don't even have enough space to write about the ridiculously biased media attacks on Sarah Palin and her family over the last week, but to question a woman's ability to mother her children and then question if she can manage to serve as Vice President is unbelievable, and there isn't one media organization that would question a man's ability to father his children while serving as President or Vice President. I digress.
To quote a letter to the editor from last week, "If surprise and attention-grabbling were the main reasons for John McCain's (VP) choice ... it was mission accomplished." I could not disagree more. I wasn't aware that having once been the mayor of a small town of 7,000 people was a disqualification for being Vice President. And for the record, Sarah Palin is not "Detroit Lake's mayor running for president." Are we to accept the claims that being the governor of Alaska, the largest state in our union, justifies calling Gov. Palin simply "attention-grabbing." Her extensive executive experience is both needed and appreciated.
While Barack Obama has pledged a message of change and hope for our nation, and promises that his administration will not be "Washington as usual"; it's now all in question, by his selection of 35-year senator, and Washington insider, Joe Biden.
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Reform and change are needed, that goes unquestioned by many. The choice is up to the American people in eight short weeks; and whether or not VP picks matter, this time around, it's apparent that they most certainly will.
Coty Sloan,
Ottertail
