SARAH PALIN WINS BIG

I was fortunate enough last night to get home from New York in time to watch some of the speeches at the Republican National Convention. Here are my impressions:

Mitt Romney - Just call him the biggest loser. His speech was dull and uninspiring, filled with bromides about taxes and spending and Liberals. I have never believed, and still don't, that these are things HE really believes. He is a phony, and I hope Conservatives realize it.

Mike Huckabee - The guy has a folksy speaking style, and he made some good points. I think he has a place at the table going forward, win or lose.

Rudy Giuliani - By the time the former Mayor of New York got done, I was worried his warm-up act was just TOO good, and would take away from Sarah Palin. Rudy knocked 'em dead, using his tough guy image as a former prosecutor, Mayor, and New Yorker to good effect by landing blow after blow on Barack Obama. While he may be wrong on some issues that are dear to the GOP base, he certainly has a place in the party.

Sarah Palin - Just call her the biggest winner...or maybe "Sarah Barracuda"...or how about America's Margaret Thatcher. She may very well have given the most important speech by a Conservative American politician since the last time Ronald Reagan spoke to a crowd. Smart, with a biting wit, beautiful, poised, and backed by an all-American family (foibles and all), she played her part wonderfully. She fired up the crowd and impressed many of the professionals who were watching. You never get a second chance to make a first impression (see Dan Quayle), and her first impression will help her fend off what I believe will be the increasingly frenzied attacks of the Democrats and their fellow travellers in the media. Again, the only comparison that I can make is to Reagan, who always seemed smarter than his enemies could believe, and who exuded sincerity along with his charisma. Assuming she survives the pounding of this campaign and doesn't decide to abandon public service, win or lose she is a new force inside the Republican Party.