In one of the more bizarre moments of campaign commercial history, Adlai Stevenson ran an ad featuring a nightclub singer crooning that she "Loves the Gov"... of Illinois. And then she made Adlai rhyme with "love you madly."
I, too, love the gov-- of Alaska. There are more than ten reasons to love Governor Palin, but here are ten of my favorites:
Truth to Power:Governor Palin spoke truth to power in Alaska, rooting out widespread corruption and refusing to be bribed with power.
Sensible Spending: What does Governor Palin do with a surplus? That's right-- she gives it back. Surpluses mean the government took more from the people than it needed. It doesn't mean it's time to gold-plate the capitol building. Her actions reflected her deep conviction that power comes from the people, and that government must serve the people. In a similar vein, she sent pork back to Washington. That's right-- sent it back. That's what I call sensible. Senator Biden, in contrast, has only been able to return eighty cents for each dollar in taxes his constituents pay in the form of government services. Um, thanks.
Domestic Policy Knowledge: The policy profile of the Vice President seems to fit more naturally with a domestic policy agenda, with foreign policy being the purview of the President and the Secretary of State. Governor Palin has a strong track record of smart policy choices, and as a working mom she brings a common-sense perspective that radiates through her career.
Law before Ideology: Although the Governor is an opponent of same-sex marriage, she puts the law above personal views and when her administration determined it was unconstitutional to deny benefits to same-sex partners, her administration became the first in Alaska to grant those benefits. The law comes before ideology with her.
Energy Energy Energy: Palin knows about America's energy resources and how to manage them, cutting costs and creating energy independence.
Palin v Biden: Picture, if you will, the scene in St. Louis. Young, affable, sharp, articulate Governor Palin debates gray, footinmouthy, snarky Senator Biden. The picture on TV will favor the Governor, and although Senator Biden will no doubt be a formidable debate opponent, he will have an optical problem.
Palin v Biden: When Veeps Attack: Because of Governor Palin's gift for attacking while still sounding very, very sweet Senator Biden will have to be doubly on guard while he fills his role as campaign attack dog.
What a Republican Looks Like: Governor Palin and her family are young, hard-working, multi-ethnic, energetic and optimistic. This is what the future of the Republican party looks like, so it's a good thing we've got the future on the ticket.
She Stole the Bounce: By announcing this bombshell of a choice on Friday, the polling to measure the Democratic "convention bounce" will be skewed and Democrats will likely be unable to report whether Barack Obama's Thursday night oration had a measurable impact on Friday. Instead, the polling headline for the Dems will remain that "Biden Stopped the Bleeding"-- but with no veep bounce and no convention bounce, this headline is wearing thin and may have a few pundits wondering if the August Curse has moved to early September.
The Bases, Covered: Too many commentators were distracted by her gender and mentions of HRC. While Palin might persuade a few disgruntled HRC supporters to take a look at Senator McCain, her real electoral math value lies elsewhere. Remember back in Spring, at the largest gathering of conservative activists, even after Mitt Romney dropped out of the race he still beat John McCain in the straw poll. With this choice, McCain has reached out to the conservative base, ensuring that the conservative machine works for him to turn out voters across his strongest states.
In conclusion.... Sarah Barracuda. Nuff said.
