September 4, 2008 - 12:18pm

News

Palin speech pumps up Maine delegates

By Jessica Alaimo, PolitickerME.com Reporter

MINNEAPOLIS -- The two Republican National Convention delegates from Topsham had quick reactions to Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin's speech Wednesday.

"That girl rocks," said Dwayne Bickford, a Republican activist.

"Absolutely amazing," said state Rep. Kerri Prescott (R-Topsham.)

Palin, the Republican nominee for vice president, gave a highly praised speech last night, painting herself as a reformer, a family woman, but also took jabs at Democratic opponents Barack Obama and Joe Biden.

At the Maine delegation breakfast Thursday, the room was abuzz with talk of the speech, and jokes about her punchline: "The difference between a hockey mom and a pit bill: Lipstick," Palin said.

The speech showed, "Her ability to stand by herself on the world stage," Bickford said.

Bickford also said he enjoyed the speeches from Joe Lieberman and Fred Thompson, both of whom spoke Tuesday night. He has volunteered for the party since he was old enough to vote. In the mid-1990s he was chief of staff for the House Republicans, and later served as executive director of the party.

John McCain's choice of Palin as a running mate was enough to convert Prescott's 18-year-old son, who had been on the fence. Prescott is a mother of two who teaches physical education and martial arts, and owns her own business.

"I like her energy," Prescott said of Palin. "She's direct, and not afraid to go after the important issues."

This is Prescott's second convention. She said she supported McCain from the beginning.

There have been many media attacks going after Palin and her pregnant 17-year-old daughter. Prescott was not concerned about the negative perceptions.

Since the news of her nomination broke last Saturday, "They're going to try and bring out everything about her," Prescott said. "The wave will pass."

JESSICA ALAIMO is a PolitickerME.com Reporter and can be reached via email at jessica.alaimo@politickerme.com.

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Comments

Instead of praising her

posted by Blah

Instead of praising her ability to read a good punchline some speechwriter wrote for her perhaps people should be fact-checking what she has been telling the American people.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080904/ap_on_el_pr/cvn_fact_check

09/04/08 3:09 pm

Does Obama write his own speeches?

posted by Hmmm

I am pretty sure you could use the same attack line about Barry O. Last time I checked the last presidential candidate to write all his own speeches was Abe Lincoln...

09/04/08 3:51 pm

@Hmmm Yes but you miss the

posted by Blah

@Hmmm

Yes but you miss the point which is the link I provided showing point by point how much of her speech reflects on her willingness to mislead the American people into believing she is one of us when really she is more of the same. I would entertain a comment about that however I thought it was well known that all politicians use speechwriters nowadays and because of that people should really compliment any speech and claim with fact finding and research.

09/04/08 5:03 pm

Hey Blah...

posted by Navy Vet

If you want to maintain even a shred of credibility, just say Palin is awesome but you don't agree with her politics and hope she doesn't get elected...telling lies and trying to spin that she isn't what she clearly is- high achieving working class woman who most definitely IS one of us, makes you look petty...

09/04/08 9:20 pm

Petty is supporting a

posted by Blah

Petty is supporting a candidate you know little about.

Lies? I guess the Alaskan people are all lairs too since they all recall she was FOR the "bridge to nowhere" and used it as a platform in her run for Governor in 2006. It was not until the project made the national spotlight as a prime example of pork barrel spending that she began to change her mind. Her recent comments and flip-flop angered her own constituents.

http://www.reuters.com/article/vcCandidateFeed7/idUSN3125537020080901

You can even search the Ketchikan Daily News for her quote from September of 2006. "OK, you've got Valley trash standing here in the middle of nowhere," Palin said. "I think we're going to make a good team as we progress that bridge project."

And here is the kicker. After all the press about the earmark abuse that funded this project Palin had some of the money used to then continue construction of a road on Gravina Island, originally meant to connect the airport and the new bridge. State officials said last year they were going ahead with the $25 million road because the money would otherwise have to be returned to the federal government. Ironic considering she told us "I told Congress, thanks but no thanks on that bridge to nowhere," and kept the money anyways.

http://www.adn.com/sarahpalin/story/511471.html

$27 million: Amount that a lobbying firm, which Sarah Palin employed, secured for the town of Wasilla, Alaska, when Palin was the mayor

14: The minimum number of earmarks that the lobbyist secured for Wasilla between 2000-2003

6,700: Population of Wasilla

$4,000: Amount per person the lobbying firm secured for the residents of Wasilla

$300: Amount per person that Alaska requested, under Palin's leadership this year, for pet projects from Sen. Ted Stevens. The amount is more than any other state received, per person, from Congress.

And now she is against earmarks? Please.

Support by blind faith and trust in one party is the method of the very tyrants and terrorists who wish to bring down our nation. We owe it to ourselves as Americans to check the facts and make sure that when we vote we are making educated choices and not assumptions based on media glitz and appearances. This goes for everybody, Obama, McCain, Palin, anybody we ever choose to represent us.

09/05/08 12:37 am