I’d love it if she came out and was all business on policy from the word go, without even acknowledging the personal drama and press viciousness. It’d be a total clusterfark for the media given how they’ve tried to paint her as an unserious rube; if she walked out and started dialing in on Iran or the surge like Condi Rice, it’d instantly remake her image.

Co-sign. This is her opportunity to show that she’s a serious enough thinker and strong enough person to handle the job of POTUS. She should reiterate her accomplishments as Governor and head of the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, but not dwell on them too much. I really think that it’s important for her to explain why she believes it’s important to support McCain’s policies in Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan and Eastern Europe, even if she doesn’t explicitly state these positions as her own. Defending Mac’s platform eloquently will be enough to remove the “lightweight” tag for most.

To be sure, show the independence/maverick streak. But connect the wonkery with reform.

The first image I want the public to get of her is that she’s a policy wonk. After that, everything is gravy.

Yummy, moose gravy.

Exit question: How short is unacceptably short? Fifteen minutes?

The speech will last fifteen minutes……………. the applause will last until the election.

I was hoping maybe she’d gut a moose right there on the podium.
Cicero43 on September 3, 2008 at 3:06 PM

Laughed hard at the visual of that one.

Could you imagine? She drags out a moose carcass, hacks out the heart, holds it up all dripping and gory and says, “MSM, you shouldn’t have come after my daughter”.

Bishop on September 3, 2008 at 4:20 PM

A moose didn’t do anything to deserve that. We should have more respect for the noble moose.

Now, if she did all that and used Campbell Brown instead of a Moose… now you’re on to sumthin’

How about this tone for Saracuda?

“I appreciate what the rabid mainstream media is trying to do in teaching my family the famous Obama moral lesson that choosing life for a child leads to nothing but punishment for mothers, but with all due respect, go eat moose dung. You should all be fired for sheer stupidity, never mind that you’re all cowardly pathetic punks. Go pick on someone who won’t return fire and take you out.

“As for Barack Obama, sweetie, the next time you try to compare your airball record to my actual achievements and disparage my ability to lead people, I’m going to kick your ass and show voters who’s got game, and who’s just a lame wannabe hater. Feel what I’m saying?”

econavenger on September 3, 2008 at 4:13 PM

Accompanied by rolling her neck and z-snapping…

Laughed hard at the visual of that one.

Could you imagine? She drags out a moose carcass, hacks out the heart, holds it up all dripping and gory and says, “MSM, you shouldn’t have come after my daughter”.

Also she can contrast herself and Joe Biden by saying there are two types of senators. There is John McCain who dedicated his 26 years in the Senate trying to make this a better country and then there is Joe Biden who has one year in the Senate and repeated it 32 times.

Joe: Her daughter is going to be there. Do you really think she is going to put the spotlight on her daughter like that?

Would you???

BigD on September 3, 2008 at 4:14 PM

A splinter hurts worst when you pull it out; but it won’t stop hurting until you do. Her daughter cannot POSSIBLY be more in the spotlight than she is right now. To be briefly mentioned by her mother as she stands up to the bullies and says LAY OFF is small potatoes compared to what has been done to her, and will CONTINUE to be done to her, if the bullies aren’t stopped.
Others may disagree; I stand by my original thoughts.

How about this tone for Saracuda?

“I appreciate what the rabid mainstream media is trying to do in teaching my family the famous Obama moral lesson that choosing life for a child leads to nothing but punishment for mothers, but with all due respect, go eat moose dung. You should all be fired for sheer stupidity, never mind that you’re all cowardly pathetic punks. Go pick on someone who won’t return fire and take you out.

“As for Barack Obama, sweetie, the next time you try to compare your airball record to my actual achievements and disparage my ability to lead people, I’m going to kick your ass and show voters who’s got game, and who’s just a lame wannabe hater. Feel what I’m saying?”

econavenger on September 3, 2008 at 4:13 PM

sweet.

Standing ovation, AP. Well said and 100% correct. I wish the party operators had this tattooed on their forearms. She needs to be herself but address hard issues with intelligence and not hype things up with a bunch of canned bulls**t which is probably what the party geniuses are pressing her to do.

I agree Joe, but this ain’t the speech for it. That is the stuff of press conferences, ads and the campaign trail. Even debates.

She could have done it yesterday and she can still deal with it tomorrow, but tonight she’s got to be her own woman and make everyone trust her on her own merits.

She needs to come out strongly and stop it; and the way to do that is to point out how misogynistic the comments really are.

But it can’t be the main body of the speech. It needs to be parenthetic, then left behind and spoken of no more.

RegularJoe on September 3, 2008 at 4:11 PM

Joe: Her daughter is going to be there. Do you really think she is going to put the spotlight on her daughter like that?

Would you???

“I appreciate what the rabid mainstream media is trying to do in teaching my family the famous Obama moral lesson that choosing life for a child leads to nothing but punishment for mothers, but with all due respect, go eat moose dung. You should all be fired for sheer stupidity, never mind that you’re all cowardly pathetic punks. Go pick on someone who won’t return fire and take you out.

“As for Barack Obama, sweetie, the next time you try to compare your airball record to my actual achievements and disparage my ability to lead people, I’m going to kick your ass and show voters who’s got game, and who’s just a lame wannabe hater. Feel what I’m saying?”

And damiano had this one – “You know the other side is coming after me. You know what they are going to say….she doesn’t look like all those other Vice Presidents..she comes from a small town in a state far away…she talks a little funny…she has too many kids…and did you know she’s a WOMAN?”

rockmom on September 3, 2008 at 4:02 PM

You know, I hadn’t thought about what I posted from that perspective. I had said it as a joke, but that could work. Thanks rockmom!

Spin Obama’s rhetoric back at him… then add, “But here’s what I’ve accomplished.”

Too much cutesy-poo moose stuff, too much self-congratulation about having a Blackberry in one hand and a breast pump in the other, too much forced back-patting of Hillary will make for a lame, smelly identity politics stew.

Sounds like Allah bit into a sour grape, or something. But all lot of this statement rings true as well.

Don’t tick off Alaskan Women.
upinak on September 3, 2008 at 4:06 PM

Sage advice. I will wear my nicest smile when I visit your fair land.

RegularJoe on September 3, 2008 at 3:47 PM

Ixnay on all that. She has nothing to defend, family-wise. Tonight needs to be Vice Presidential stuff.

RushBaby on September 3, 2008 at 3:57 PM

On the contrary: if she won’t defend her daughter, how can voters know she’ll defend them? Besides, when the democrats have behaved so blatantly hypocritically, why not (briefly) point it out?

This smearing needs to be stopped, and if a man steps forward to defend her it will put her right back in the “little woman” role.

She needs to come out strongly and stop it; and the way to do that is to point out how misogynistic the comments really are.

But it can’t be the main body of the speech. It needs to be parenthetic, then left behind and spoken of no more.

Palin will accept the nomination, talk about herself and her approach to policy, talk about her vision and love for America, wants she wants the future to look like. At least, that would be my advice.

Finally, Palin will introduce herself to voters as a likable, funny and smart person.

“Every one in the staff has fallen in love with her,” insisted this aide.

Someone please tell me that she will not characterize herself this way… please.

If they make her out to be ‘funny, smart, likable’ and focus on people falling in love with her, the media will rip her to shred even worse as nothing but a vapid hockey mom.

Okay… now I am worried.

TexasJew on September 3, 2008 at 3:53 PM

The blue/bot flys laying eggs in their throats and slowly becoming maggots is a nice thought. Oh wait I am not into S&M like the libiots/environuts.

MadisonConservative on September 3, 2008 at 3:57 PM
LimeyGeek on September 3, 2008 at 3:58 PM

Sorry, I am getting tired of the BS. Don’t tick off Alaskan Women.