Palin kicks a##

Okay. First off this was the first time I have ever been to a National Convention. For a lifelong D it is odd I suppose that I picked an R convention, but hey, Joe Lieberman was the D nominee for VP in 2000, and he spoke here in St Paul last night. In any case there is something tremendously energizing about being in a stadium full of excited people. Those of you who are sports fans may know something of this.

The last time I walked out of an arena with my throat hoarse from yelling was the Rahman-Maskaev fight I blogged about some time ago. This was similar in that I had no idea I would get so wrapped up in it. I was very curious to see what Sarah Palin would do, since like a lot of people who like McCain I was worried that she was a mistake.

She wasn't.

Before I get to that, I should mention that Giuliani did an amazing job. I remember a New Yorker cover from several years ago, when it looked like he would be running against Hilary for the Senate. The cover depicted her as an innocent wide-eyed tourist in Central Park, and Giuliani as an unshaven thug about to mug her. Well, this time Obama was the tourist, and Giuliani laid into him with a lead pipe. Whupped him so hard I am likely to be surprised the next time I see a picture of Obama and he is not in a body cast.

Some folks on the internet have complained about it, thought it was too rough. Maybe so, but for the crowd in St Paul, it was perfect. Giuliani looked like he was having fun too, which took some of the edge off. In the old westerns they would always say "smile when you call me that", and Rudy was sure smiling. Made me glad I voted for him for Mayor back in the day, even though I was doing it out of professional solidarity -- we were both prosecutors.

Palin seemed to get off to a slow start, but she picked up. Talking about her family in a calm, proud way. Took the attacks and turned them completely around. If anyone wants to make her family matters into a political issue they will lose. You probably have heard some of her lines already like: what's the difference between a hockey mom and a Rottweiler? Lipstick.

That one proved true. If the traditional role of the VP is to be an attack dog, then McCain made a great pick. She went after Obama with one of the best lines yet. Mentioning that she was Mayor, she said "I guess that is kind of like being a Community Organizer. Except with responsibilities." It was not just the great line, but her calm and self-confident delivery. Obama comes across like a man who has thought a great deal about an issue, and then come to a conclusion he believes to be correct. Palin is a woman who has seen enough to know what is what. She did not think her way into her positions, she lived her way there.

What is it that politicians do besides make speeches? They have to make decisions. Obama never stood up to the corruption in Illinois. Palin stood up to the corruption in Alaska, took down a Governor from her own party. It was strange to be in a convention hall, normally the home of the party stalwarts and hear so many speakers talk about taking on the Republican establishment. We have all no doubt noticed that the Republican brand is rather damaged from the last eight years so there is no doubt a measure of smart politics involved here. But more importantly is the sense that for McCain, and perhaps even more for Palin, it is true.

Mitt and even Huckabee had some good lines, but the bottom line is this: Palin deserves her place on the ticket.