The enthusiasm generated by Sarah Palin, the Republican party’s new “northern
star”, on her first tour of Middle America this weekend has revived Senator
John McCain’s presidential campaign to such a remarkable extent that she is
outshining her running mate.
It is an unprecedented position of power for a vice-presidential candidate
that carries great risks and rewards for McCain as he adjusts to operating
in the shadow of a political phenomenon.
As the McCain-Palin road show took to the suburbs and small towns in the
Republican party’s target states, fans were running to see her rather than
McCain, the 72-year-old former Vietnam prisoner of war.
“I only found out half an hour ago that she was coming,” said Brenda River,
45, a hairdresser, mother of four and grandmother, as she hurried to the
Freedom Hill amphitheatre in a conservative suburb of Detroit, Michigan.
“I’m in her shoes, totally. I love her.”
Palin, 44, a pistol-packing political powerhouse and mother of five children
including Trig, a Down’s syndrome baby, and her pregnant 17-year-old
daughter Bristol, is the talk of River’s hair salon. “Everybody is saying,
‘Did you see here? Oh my God, wasn’t it a shock?’,” River said. “My husband
thinks she is drop-dead gorgeous. McCain has got fire under his butt.”
The amphitheatre was full to overflowing with 8,000 rapidly assembled voters
whom Palin described as the “salt of the earth”. With a bit more notice, it
is easy to imagine the moose-hunting Alaska governor attracting a crowd of
10 times that number, the size of Barack Obama’s enormous audience when he
accepted the Democratic nomination for president in Denver.
Next door was an evangelical mega-church, which cancelled its service so that
its congregation could see Palin in action. River, who is strongly
antiabortion, said McCain’s running mate was heaven-sent: “We’ve got to vote
the way God wants us to vote.” Or, as Rush Limbaugh, the conservative radio
show host, put it: “Babies, guns, Jesus. Hot damn!”
If Hurricane Sarah can expand the Republican electorate, McCain could be swept
into the White House. With less than two months to the election on November
4, Obama’s young multi-ethnic movement for change is being pitted against
one of the most powerful election-winning blocs in American politics: the
white evangelical Christian vote, which is as fired up and ready to go as
Obama’s supporters.
McCain picked the skimpily vetted Palin as his running mate because he
regarded her as a maverick reformer like himself, who took on the corrupt
“good ol’ boys” network in her home state. But any revelations that might
emerge could be drowned out by a cultural battle that she has triggered
between the pro-life “values voters” and secular liberals of the kind that
finished McCain as a candidate in 2000, when George W Bush’s supporters
mobilised the religious right against him.
On this occasion it is McCain who stands to benefit but, unnervingly, the
campaign is no longer entirely in his control after Palin’s extraordinary
displays of people power. In just a few short days she has gone from being a
near-laughing stock over family problems – with Republican insiders
speculating that she could drop off the ticket – to being McCain’s biggest
asset.
At the Freedom Hill amphitheatre the crowd broke into chants of “Sarah! Sarah!
Sarah!”, drowning out McCain as he spoke about his running mate. Although he
revelled in the excitement, he seemed at times to be overwhelmed by the
audience’s passion.
By the end of the rally it was hard to tell whether this was still McCain’s
party. Matt Stath, a retired lorry driver, said: “She should run for
president. I’d vote for her for president and McCain as vice-president.
She’s going to be the most beautiful vice-president in history.”
In St Paul, Minnesota, as the Republican convention was packing up, Steve
Schmidt, McCain’s bald senior adviser known as the “bullet”, said Palin had
“energised and galvanised and breathed new life into the Republican party in
a way that none of us thought possible and didn’t anticipate”.
The plan to mobilise the base had not just succeeded, it had morphed into a
movement. Palin power, with its appeal to “regular” Americans, could propel
McCain to victory in the swing states of Michigan, Ohio and Pennsylvania,
where there is a strong blue-collar Christian presence, and may keep the
gun-loving mountain states such as Colorado and Montana in the Republican
column.
David Axelrod, Schmidt’s opposite number, admitted that the Obama campaign had
been caught on the hop by Palin’s nomination: “I can honestly say we weren’t
prepared for that. I mean, her name wasn’t on anybody’s list.”
The cool “no drama” Obama was mocked in St Paul as an effete liberal, whose
“pretty” speeches paled in comparison with Palin’s blazing guns rhetoric. An
explicit contrast was drawn between her patriotism – Track, her 19-year-old
son, is about to be deployed to Iraq – and Obama’s critique of America after
eight years of the Bush administration.
“When Obama says he wants change, he means he wants to change Americans,” said
Grover Norquist, an influential Republican tax reform lobbyist. “One message
of change is pro-American, the other isn’t. Obama thinks there is something
wrong with us.” The Republican convention had begun with delegates boasting
that their side had their ticket the “right way up” with experience at the
top and charisma to support it, unlike Obama and Joe Biden, his 65-year-old
running mate. But Palin’s astonishing raw political talent has allowed her
to hijack the election to a degree which terrifies some wise heads.
Mike Murphy, a Republican consultant and former McCain adviser, said: “The
loneliest precinct in the [party] these days is the one for troublesome
Republicans who think Sarah Palin was a poor VP choice, even after The
Speech. Well, here I am. Hello? Anybody else? Wow, there is a big echo in
here.”
He went on: “I don’t like the effect I think Palin will ultimately have on the
ticket. With all her charm, she is still a pick aimed squarely at the
Republican base. In a high-turnout presidential year I am not worried about
turning out the base. I’m worried about everybody else we need to win and I
fear that among those voters, Sarah Palin will be a dud.”
Murphy was caught on a live television microphone saying much the same thing
when he thought the mike had been turned off. The embarrassing audio quickly
made the rounds on YouTube, but the McCain camp – exhilarated by the success
of their protégée – was in no mood to listen. “Who cares?” Schmidt
responded.
Echoing Margaret Thatcher, Kathryn Jean Lopez of the National Review, a
conservative journal, pronounced Palin “one of us”. In response, money has
been pouring into McCain’s coffers – he left the convention with $200m to
spend – and the enthusiasm and charisma gap with Obama has been obliterated.
McCain even achieved the same record-breaking 40m television audience as
Obama for his convention speech.
Palin is getting nonstop coaching on the campaign trail to bring her up to
speed on policy before she has to tangle with Biden in next month’s
vice-presidential debate.
Steve Biegun, a former White House national security official, has been given
the task of prepping her on foreign policy – an area in which the Democrats
are hoping she will trip up but in which she could easily make Biden,
chairman of the Senate foreign relations committee, look pompous.
John Bolton, the former US ambassador to the United Nations who met her
briefly in Alaska, said: “I thought she was very sharp. She was very
knowledgeable about missile defence – Alaska has missile interceptor bases
which are on a trajectory from North Korea.”
To be on the safe side, so many aides are involved in briefing her that
Douglas Holtz-Eakin, McCain’s chief policy adviser, joked: “That McCain guy
is on his own.”
That is certainly how it looked in St Paul, where Palin had all the best
applause lines in her speech while McCain was left to give a lacklustre
presentation in front of an unflattering green screen.
How much of a boost McCain will get from his convention remains to be seen.
The figures thus far show that he has arrested Obama’s progress and returned
the race to a near dead heat, where it was on the eve of the convention
season.
According to one poll, 58% of voters have a favourable opinion of Palin, a
marginally higher rating than Obama and McCain on 57%; 60% approved of her
speech.
Focus groups have revealed her to be “authentic, independent and strong”. Yet
she is also a polarising figure, as Murphy suggested. A Gallup poll last
week indicated that for every voter Palin attracted, she put another one
off. Her convention speech, which was laced with sarcasm as well as genuine
wit, helped to define her among Democrats as a candidate of the hard right –
an image that might eventually turn independent voters off.
Debbie Wasserman Schultz, a Democratic Florida congress-woman, said: “There is
a great movement on the extreme right-wing fringe for Sarah Palin but not in
the country. She doesn’t support the right to choose [abortion] even in
cases of rape and incest. She doesn’t support stem cell research. She
doesn’t believe in equal pay for equal work.”
The Obamacons – Republican defectors to Obama – have shown no sign of
reconsidering their allegiance. Jeffrey Hart,a former speechwriter for
Ronald Reagan and former editor of the National Review, said: “I consider
Sarah Palin radically unacceptable.” He then criticised her for supporting
the teaching of intelligent design – a form of creationism – in schools,
believing the Iraq war was mandated by God and promoting abstinence in sex
education.
Critics of Palin have been amazed to find themselves called “sexist” by
Republicans who normally run a mile from feminism. Dr Laura Schlessinger, a
radio host and author of the bestselling The Proper Care and Feeding of
Husbands, was one of the few influential social conservatives to claim that
Palin was setting a poor example, although she said she would still support
McCain.
“But really, what kind of role model is a woman whose fifth child was recently
born with a serious issue, Down’s syndrome, and then goes back to the job of
governor within days of the birth?” Schlessinger wondered on her blog. “I am
haunted by the family pictures of the Palins during political photo-ops,
showing the eldest daughter, now pregnant with her own child, cuddling the
family’s newborn. If a child is rushed to hospital, and you are on the
hotline with both Israel and Iran as nuclear tempers are flaring, where’s
your attention going to be?”
That debate has now been shut down by Obama, the son of an teenage mother, as
well as by the Republicans. Palin not only survived the scrutiny of her
personal life last week, she triumphed.
The next test comes as independent swing voters decide whether she is one of
them ora radical social conservative. Only then will McCain know if she is
his saviour or nemesis.
My opinion is that Palin will help bring God back to our country and what beliefs it was founded on. Obama on the other hand will only fight harder to remove him from every aspect of our nation. Remember the allegiance "One nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all", GO VOTE!
TLB, JACKSON, USA
If Obama is elected, we will have a nation of more illegal immigrants, more welfare slackers, pc fascism will reign, we'll pay even more taxes for a socialized pathetic health care system and pc education that creates the illiterate slackers, only outlaws will have guns...all just like the UK!
Elizabeth , Salisbury, US
Liberal media has been so busy trying to paint Palin as some backwoods hick with no knowledge of the world, they "forgot" to mention her university degrees in journalism and political science (in which you actually study politics, history, economics and world issues). She and McCain have my vote!
Edward, nyc , usa
Palin's politics fall somewhat to the right of Dick Cheney's. The rest of the world should take note and be concerned. Be Afraid. Be Very Afraid.
Catch, Seattle, USA
I'm going to miss King George but I welcome Sarah Palin to come to Washington and shake things up.
Lisa, Palm Harbor, US
You folks need to take a deep breath. Palin's speech was four days ago, and her first network media interview is set for Monday night. She's hardly being hidden away. On the other hand, I don't see why McCain or Palin should suck up to the old media poobahs. It's obvious she won't be treated fairly.
Kevin Finnerty, Atlanta, USA
It is truly frustrating here. The culture warriors, a minority of us, have been given so much power by the Republicans that an election without these so-called values voters is no longer possible. I guess McCain saw failure ahead without appealing to God, guns, babies and before long homophobia.
cassidy, sacramento, u.s.a.
With conservative crowds like this in the white house, pitbulls and cowgirls against every one else is evil and deserve nothing , USA will increase his reliance in their armoured legions and less in political principles. Deeper in the road , from a world menace to terminator.
lucia , Caracas, Venezuela
I hope that you Republicans fully realise what and who this Palin woman represents. You are up for making complete and utter fools of yourselves over the next weeks not only in the eyes of the world but also in the eyes of fellow Americans. The totally bizarre and absurd have been unleashed.
Colin, Carmarthen, United Kingdom
Future headline???:
McCain critical! President victim of hit and run snowmobile driver...
Steve, Yorkshire, UK
If Sarah Palin is such an honest character, why won't the GOP let her face the press and answer questions?
Why is she running? Does she have something to hide? Why is the GOP terrified that she'll open her mouth without having a script in front of her?
McCain/Palin: one's a POW, the other's MIA.
Sharkey, Miami Beach, USA
I know, if God Can speak through a Donkey (read your Bible) He can speak through any 1 of the people in earnest for this position of Government
We'd ALL be better off if WE would do a SELF check & Pray!
There is only 1 Headship & sadly too few are Listening to Him
B willing 2 do Yr Part
JoanneMerrickJohnson, Chautauqua, USA
I've never been more afraid for the future of the USA and the rest of us. It's like some kind of collective insanity. Palin as potential president? Wake up America, you're dreaming.
Ian Smith, Sotogrande, Spain
As a registered independent who was previously sitting on the fence, Sara Palin helped me make up my mind as to how I'll be voting in November. I'm now firmly an Obama supporter.
Bob Hughes, San Francisco, USA
Palin looks great for the Republicans now, but I wonder how long it will be until she has a 'Dan Quayle' moment and ends up looking terrible.
Also I find it hard to think much of someone who loves shooting animals while 'upholding the sanctity of life', and who believes in creationsim.
Toby, Winchester, UK
Colin Carmathen You dont speak for me or the vast majority of the native white christians in England or Britain Mc Cain Palin all the way! V reminiscent of the great Maggie! We need her again to slay the Socialist libralist PC old dragon!
George, Teesside,
You are perhaps unwittingly promulgating a wilfully distorted view of Sarah Palin's views on the teaching of "intellient design -- a form of creationism."
I've blogged about this, with links to original sources here:
http://sisu.typepad.com/sisu/2008/08/my-only-worry-a.html
Sissy Willis, Chelsea, USA
To Siri-What McCain thinks is whatever conservative platform will get him the presidency."Thinks for himself?"Forget it.
To Martyn-Don't worry.Some of us will vote Obama/Biden. The world needs a better US president.
To everyone-Just remember not all 'America' is conservative and right-wing.
jemima, United States,
Mrs Palin's speech and the reactions of the audience to it made me wonder if I was watching a gathering of narrow minded bigots being worked up to a frenzy by a jingoistic diatribe of an equally narrow minded politician.
Having her as a candidate is ultra cynical and devalues a mature democracy
seevali abeysekera, Bromley, UK
Palin had a record of reform. Where is Obama's?
We have seen Palin's college record. Where is Obama's?
Be afraid Dims. Palin will be the first Vice-President will reform in her legacy, and then elected to 2 terms as President.
A. Carmichael, Sterling, VA, USA
Some threat. Gallup today has McCain/Palin over Obama/Biden 48%-45%. Yesterday the Democrats were up by 2%. That's a 5% loss in one day, and this is McCain's best showing since May. A few days ago, Obama's best showing merited the front page of The Times. One more media outlet betting its horse.
Andrew Pandap, New York City,
Democrats are slow learners. Where is the big colorful clock that shows how many days have gone by before Palin consents to a real interview by real journalists?
Neil Heyman, San Diego, USA
She is magic she has cast a spell, Obama is finished
E Pryor, Gravesend, uk
Palin was never 'a laughingstock' among voters. That was the first message the liberals and their allies in the old media tried to send. It failed miserably, so they are falling back on plan two, sliming her with vicious false stories. Obama is so desperate that he asked the Clintons for help!
Kevin Finnerty, Atlanta, USA
The first thing she did when made Mayor was to call in the local librarian to discuss which books to ban. Scary!
izhar, aberdeen, uk
The able governor Palin is kept away from meeting the press!
What is the problem I wonder!
Gavin, Manchester,
Conservatives may still not vote for the liberal McCain; we will vote for her - only. He will get the message, but too late for him.
Bob Hall, New York, United States
Palin impresses me a lot. If McCain supported legalizing recreational drugs, I would vote for his ticket.
Joseph, New York City, USA
“When Obama says he wants change, he means he wants to change Americans,” said Grover Norquist. God forbid that Americans will change. Aren't they perfect - cast as they are in God's image? I am suddenly an Obama supporter and I am an unreconstructed apartheid supporter.
haralambos, joburg,
Palin Mc Cain Obama and that other old geek who has doubtless made a career of stabbing backs and lying strategically. Yeeehaw! I missed Rome going down in flames (by a small margine) I am not going to miss the End of the American Empire - fantastic entertainment.
Baby Boomers Rule O.K.?
haralambos, joburg,
It's rather scary. Very few had heard of sarah palin in the US & after just one rhetorical speech she's suddenly hailed as the saviour of the country. Are americans oblivious to changes around them in the world & still cling on to short-sighted politicians? All sentiment & no rational.
Heath, Surrey, UK
irrespective of politics her speech made some telling points Reduce dependence on foreign oil.
Invest in the Nation
Stop wasting money on short term programmes
Sound good to me!!
Dave, Chorley,
From over here, the Republican Evangelical right, looks like a very foreign culture. They appear to be time warped in a home grown selfish interpretation of Christian teaching quite isolated from any main stream Church. If such stuff were presented in the UK, it would be quite unrecognisable to us.
Colin, Carmarthen, United Kingdom
Guess you have to live with it to know what it's all about. Someone from the UK can hardly experience or be aware of all the things taking place in this country. Take the time to check obama's background...take the time to read his wife's remarks...take the time to listen to Rev. Wright's remarks.
Betty , Port St. Lucie, USA
I will take someone who follows the Messiah (Palin) over someone who thinks he is the Messiah (Obama) any day. Just like I will take a real American Hero who thinks for himself (McCain) over someone who needs to think for the next president who can't think for himself (Biden).
Siri, Los Angeles, USA
From over here, this Palin woman looks like a nightmare.
What a crazy place America is to have so many religious nuts shouting out a lot of rubbish. The Republican Party will go down in flames if they continue with such stuff. The underbelly salt of the earth, is revealed in a very ugly reality.
Colin, Carmarthen, United Kingdom
'Iraq War mandated by God.'
These Palin supporters are not Christians. They are right wing Americans. More like satan's children. Their interpretation of Christianity is quite infantile, singular and unique to themselves.
Is Alaska some kind of Happy Land for religious crazies? God help them!!
Colin, Carmarthen, United Kingdom
To Jim, from Framingham.
I'm one of those (Western) Europeans you talk about. Can you please identify the Lenin types we have ellected recently? I think the onus is on your right wing Republicans who ellected (and re-ellected) Nixon and GWB, not famous for their respect of institututions.
Luis, Madrid, Spain
If Americans want to keep their values and standards then they should make certain they keep the liberal Democrats out of office. Just take a look at the sad and sorry state of Britain under this liberal Labour Government.
Andrew, Chorley,
McCain is toast. Palin delivered one speech in front of a crowd who would have cheered if Saddam had been selected as VP. Her extreme right wing views on abortion, sex education, creationalisim and book banning are anathma to most moderate voters. Her elevation as political eye-candy is offensive.
Wendy, Durham, NC,
"Dear Martyn", I am an Eisenhower Republican, a rare bird indeed, and while I am not happy with large deficits, the economy, or Iraq, Part One, its still McCain vs Obama, and McCain on experience alone, wins hands down. Good thing Europeans can't vote here, or we would have a Lenin type elected!
jim, framingham, USA
The inescapable fact is that the Republican party has been a disaster in government: the economy is collapsing whilst hundreds of Americans have died for no good reason in Iraq. The USA is now weaker financially and militarily - it makes no difference if either Mrs Palin or Yogi Bear is nominated.
Steve Duncan, New York, USA
How gullible a nation America is. Suddenly this pretty woman from nowhere, without proper experience, is having crowds rapture. You would be well advised not to put anyone else into the White House who justifies every decision as God's will. A very dangerous move.
Geraldine Diggins, Brighton, United Kingdom
An Old Man and is Pit Bull Dog. What an image to display to the world. Obama PLEASE SAVE US!
Rita Wauls, Norcross, USA
McCain/Palin.....I can tell you this....the people I have talked to this week are very impressed with the two..........keep up the good work....
You have our votes AND respect!!!!!
D. Myers, Visalia, USA
It remains to be seen on the impact of Governor Palin on policy especially the NeoCon foreign policy that in reality is in both parties.
If the Republicans play this right they could save Senate and House seats with just her appearance.
.
Mike , Thomaston, USA
Once again it comes down to female looks in order for the media to spin an irrelevant political entity to become the most relevant. Exploitation of women in the West is non-stop; everyone understands this except the brazen feminists!
Andrew, Smith, UK
Go mccain/palin. Remember the far left and right are out spoken and will never change their minds. They would never admit any great qualities of another party even if they are obvious. I believe mccain and palin will appeal to moderates and independents. Palin is impressive and a great asset to mccain.
david, idaho falls, us
Sarah Palin is a remarkable political figure, but her policies are troubling. Almost as troubling are Bill's comments. His sweeping generalizations reveal his simplistic and myopic understanding of American culture. As for Palin, she should be upheld to serious scrutiny by the media.
Julie, Fairhaven, Mass., USA
To Martyn,- I can assure you that the US is not RUINED after 8 years of a Bush presidency. No other terrorist attacks on our country and economic freedom to keep our economy afloat while fighting 2 wars. Liberal press doom/gloom is the only ruinous thing here. My vote, which counts, is w/Palin!
Tracey, Virginia Beach, USA
I am an independent and I will be voting for McCain this year; I made my decision after he picked Palin for VP. Although many in the media are trying to portray her as a radical, she came forward as a moderate feminist with strong principles but a fair and balanced stance on the issues as a governor
Renata Sanders, New York-NY, USA
by voting mcain / palin america is saying yes we are happy with the war /high fuel costs/losing there homes/ high food bills /credit crunch/hurricane katrina debacle etc etc because all the faces that have got us into this mess i cannot believe labour will win over the conservatives neither do i see mccain/palin winning this election IF THEY DO GOD HELP US
andy, surat, thailand
Martyn,
please stop voting for my country. You are not eligible!
Bill, if you really care so much about killing, please exert your efforts on behalf of those who are being killed in the womb as well, unless you r scientifically illiterate and refuse to believe the form with eyes, limbs and brain
Clinton, Boston, USA
"McCain picked the skimpily vetted Palin as his running mate home state."
Should read "Skimpily vetted by the Liberal media" which is why they're so angry and frightened.
Of course Sen Obama has been thoroughly vetted...just not by the MSM
r. burns, Tampa, USA
Sarah Palin stands for everything that is wrong with America since George Bush took us off the map: Myopic short termism. Dictating how women choose to live. Greed. Censorship. Guns. War. Oil at any cost. Repealing Environmental legislation and squandering government money to gain popularity.
Hannah Stonecipher, Little Rock, USA
Did anyone notice her speech (written for her) was for the gallery with no substance at all, just cheap shots at the opponent. When one has no substance what does one do, attack the opponent and ridicule him. She is a danger to the free world - God & Guns is not a good combination.
Faqi, London, UK
Palin's image is so energetic and fresh to most Americans as well as the world nations. Comparing with Obama who chose Biden, the old man, McCain's is a better choice. What's more, I think Obama is fighting the election himself cos I didn't see Biden came out to help so often.
Steven, Hong Kong,
Many people don't get this: Goldman Sachs, a Wall Street institution, has repeatedly been run by smart guys from the hinterlands, like Corzine and Paulson. While the suburban elite produce nicely educated kids, the energy in America keeps rolling in from Kansas, Texas, Indiana, and yes, Alaska.
A.H.A., Wynnewood PA , USA
Ms Baxter's own sentence answers her final question: "The plan to mobilise the base had not just succeeded, it had morphed into a movement."
McCain can't carry such a counterweight. Constrast Cheney who has kept discreetly in the background, giving Bush the glory.
Ernest, Trumansburg, USA
She stands for small town, small mind America. We have to wait and see if that is the TRUE America, as many of us in the rest of the world have long suspected. The contradiction of being a committed Christian and shooting "God's creatures" for FUN, never seems to impinge on that small mind. UGH!
Bill, Suzhou, China
One must not forget this election is Obama vs Mc Cain. As long as the democrats can keep their focus they should win.,
I am a Republican who will not be voting Republican in this election. The selection of Palin was a cheap stunt. It reminded me of something that P.T. Barnum would have done.
Robert , Orange County, United States
Sarah Palin is a deeply dangerous woman courtesy of her religious beliefs for a country with a secular constitution.
The republican party of the last eight years have ruined America and the world will shudder if we have to endure any more of it. PLEASE VOTE OBAMA/BIDEN!
Martyn, UK, Bournemouth, UK