Sarah Palin describes herself as a “Hockey Mom,” and got a laugh in her vice presidential acceptance speech by saying that the difference between a hockey mom and a pit bull is lipstick. But Palin, down to earth and intelligent, really doesn’t make such a great pit bull. Yes, vice presidents are expected to be the attack dog, but, I don’t think the role suits Palin. It seems to me, the McCain speech writers, who evidently constructed the speech for her, did Palin a big disservice by having her, in her first big opportunity, speak such belittling, sarcastic, and exaggerated partisan words.
Speaking of Obama, Palin asks, sarcastically, “What does he actually seek to accomplish after he’s done turning back the waters and healing the planet?” Her answer: 1) Make government bigger. 2) Take more of your money. 3) Give you more orders from Washington and 4) Reduce the strength of America in a dangerous world.
Palin continues,
- “America needs more energy … our opponent is against producing it.
- Victory in Iraq is finally in sight … he wants to forfeit.
- Terrorist states are seeking new-clear weapons without delay … he wants to meet them without preconditions.
- Al Qaeda terrorists still plot to inflict catastrophic harm on America … he’s worried that someone won’t read them their rights?
- Government is too big … he wants to grow it.
- Congress spends too much … he promises more.
- Taxes are too high … he wants to raise them.”
Words. Words. Palin, in her speech, mentioned Harry Truman, and I wonder if McCain’s strategists see Palin generating a plain speaking, “Give them Hell” persona — with a pit bull attitude of attack. But, Harry Truman would not have read the words given to him that he knew to be untrue. It was Truman’s conviction of the truth he was speaking that made his words convincing. Palin, this evening, in her over the top accusations about Obama, to me, did not transmit conviction.
It’s hard for me to believe that Palin really believes a lot of the words she spoke this evening. Palin seemed to be intent on delivering a speech, not speaking the truth. It’s hard to believe, for example, that Palin really believes that Obama wants to “reduce the strength of America in a dangerous world.” That hardly seems a credible assessment of what Obama “wants.” And Palin’s accusation that Obama is opposed to America producing more energy is not a credible assessment either. And many other statements in her speech also lack credibility. Yet, Palin said the words.
Vice presidential candidates are expected to be team players, and McCain, I’m sure, has hired very expensive speech writers that, with Palin, will be very busy.
