My take: Just watched Palin's speech from last night (gasp!)

[crim son]

because I've heard such different representations of her sincerity, wit, down-to-earthedness and on the other hand... well, I am watching the speech. I can stand it only in small increments, nauseous as I become seeing people waving the flag for McCain. She just introduced her handsome son who is heading to Iraq on September eleventh. Bless him, he looks like they all do: handsome, kind, strong and young. He smiles nervously when he realizes all the cameras are pointed at him, and it's charming. Let us hope he doesn't end up anywhere but home and safe, because he is one of our sweet boys.

More later

I'm now a third of the way through and had to take a break. She is comparing her experience to Obama's, and suddenly her voice changes from confident woman to vindictive high school student. No doubt this will win her points but up 'til now I rather liked her.

More later

Okay. Half way through and I'm done. Though she has a degree in journalism, she didn't actually write the speech, so one cannot judge her on content. She is a very good speaker of somebody else's words and it remains to be seen if she is able to convey her own ideas as confidently and, indeed, persuasively. Does she really think John McCain is the one constant in our political universe? Heh. We know Matthew Scully, the speechwriter, believes it sounds convincing.

P.S. Obama wrote his own speech.

edited because I don't proofread, but oughta :P

[LeftyMom]

1. I watched it today in a class of mixed political backgrounds.

Even the Republicans agreed it sounded bitchy and that a lot of her facts were wrong. It struck me as very passive aggressive, she couldn't even build up herself or McCain without tearing down Obama, but at the same time she made a point of not saying Obama's name. In the long run, I think that's a good sign- this whole campaign is about Obama, and he's setting the tone and establishing the issues to be debated.

Also, she's clearly in bed with the fossil fuel industry in more ways than one. She devoted FOUR WORDS to alternative energy, but couldn't shut up about drilling for more oil and gas or increasing funds for "clean coal." :eyes:

For my own catty comment (I figure if she could make so many, she can take a few) I didn't think the central casting sexy librarian look was confidence-inspiring or presidential, or that it did much to soften her. Hillary took a lot of flack during the campaign for coming off as a bitch, but Palin's a cast iron one, and it's going to take more than wispy hair and pearls to cover that up.

[Shakespeare]

2. Love that last sentence, and agree completely.

She's just vile. But, ultimately, not the threat they'd like her to be.

She's going to look like the joke she is next to Biden in their debate.

[crim son]

4. I did this while I watched: pretended she's a democrat.

It softened my perspective but, as you say, she came off as a bitch. I'm hoping she turns out to be everything we expect her to be, because my repuke neighbor and my now "centrist" bf thought she presented herself very well. They are apt to be biased, but nobody is free of bias, yes?

[alarimer]

3. She reminds me of all the girls I hated in high school.

You know, the popular ones who were nice to your face but then told nasty tales about you behind your back. I grew up in the South, where women have turned that into an art form. "bless her heart" indeed.

[crim son]

5. Exactly!

The really pretty girls hehaved as though having beautiful faces and bodies made them in all ways superior. Palin doesn't appear to have grown up.

[leftyclimber]

6. I thought it sounded like she was running for student body president.

The problem is, I ain't in high school and haven't been for 20 years.

The mere possibility of her being close to the big, red button has me thinking about expatriating again.

Ugh.

[crim son]

9. I'll tell you the truth:

Compared to the shrub - compared to McCain - she sounded positively brilliant. That's our problem, because the facts beyond the speech tell us she isn't.

[leftyclimber]

13. I couldn't get past the stridency of her voice. Urgh.

Meg Whitman and Carly Fiorina had the same problem. Fingernails on a chalkboard, to a one.

In retrospect, I think the RNC theme that night may have been Women With Strident Voices. :crazy:

[crim son]

14. I tried really hard to listen to only the words

but failed. She makes my skin crawl, truly.

[Guava Jelly]

7. The chants of "Drill baby drill" bother me the most.

These fucknuts don't give a shit about this planet. :mad:

[crim son]

10. I think they're badly misinformed, so they don't think there's anything

to care about. Misinformed, or dumb as sticks. Either way, :mad:

[LeftyMom]

16. Many of them think it doesn't matter because they'll be raptured soon,

or even that fucking up the planet to the nth degree is part of their obligation to bring the world to the brink before/to trigger the second coming.

[crim son]

17. That's exactly what I believe.

We must keep the rapture-ready crowd OUT of the White House.

[Zuiderelle]

11. Yeah, that by itself was beyond horrifying.

A chant to murder our planet. Drill drill drill drill drill drill drill drill.

:(

[cwydro]

8. Funny, but I had the same thoughts

in the same places you did.

And totally agree with the vindictive high school student vibe.

[crim son]

12. Cool.

That means I'm smart! :loveya:

[cwydro]

15. Hey woman, we already know you are smart..

Just wish the rest of the country would catch up.:hi: