Governor Sarah Palin gave a speech last night laced with sarcasm and mocking rhetoric directed at Senator Obama and his wife Michelle.  While Sen. Biden’s speech appealed to the best part of us, Gov. Palin’ speech appealed to the worst part of us.  Still keeping in mind that this race is about John McCain and his judgment because he is the person to whom the buck would stop (one 15-minute VP interview), we feel the need to devote at least one post to Gov. Palin’s speech.  Palin’s speech had the Cheney style smugness that is the hallmark of the current administration.  It wasn’t a surprise when we found out that Dubya’s speechwriter crafted the speech. One wonders how  she will do on her own without the strategists and speechwriters.  If she is the new light of the right…..then put her out there.  There are questionable reports that the teleprompter may have broken during Palin’s speech last night….okay, so Palin can actually memorize a speech after practicing for several days.  What skill!  Anyone who thinks that any part of that speech last night was not scripted is either smoking something or thinks the rest of us are smoking something.  During the day yesterday the McCain campaign portrayed Palin as a victim of sexism, yet as the camera panned the auditorium last night  we saw buttons like ” we have the hottest VP”  and “hot chick.”  The hypocrisy is palatable.  Also, Palin did a good job of not mentioning her extremist views regarding abortion (no abortions even in cases of rape or incest), global warming ( not man made), etc..  The Alaskan governor failed to mention that after being in office for less than 20 months she is already the subject of an ethics investigation.  In addition, she failed to mention that she raised taxes as governor, she coveted pork-barrel projects as mayor, she attempted to ban books at the local library, and she believes the war in Iraq is “a task from God.  Palin also told a number of lies in her speech last night but because she gave a good delivery to the GOP audience the media is spinning it as brilliant. Now it’s time to look at her speech without the beer goggles.  There were gross mischaracterizations of her own history as well as that of Sen. Obama’s.  She said that she told Congress “thanks but no thanks” to the “bridge to nowhere” when she lobbied for and received millions in earmarks ($223 million “bridge to nowhere” funds to be exact).  Also, the “bridge” led to a town of about 50 residents…….that works out to be about 4.5 million per resident…..very fiscally responsible with our tax dollars.  Not to mention that she was for the “bridge to nowhere” before it became politically unpopular in Alaska and then she was against it.  So tell me, how much do you trust someone who in their first national speech to a national audience looks straight into the camera and tells easily refutable lies.  Brazingly, unapolagetically lied in an effort to dupe the public.  That takes balls.  Do you trust that this person will do anything that she promises?  Isn’t that exactly what George Bush and Bill Cheney did when selling the war in Iraq, etc..  Palin described how she had actual responsibilities as mayor and mocked Sen. Obama’s experience as a community organizer even though as a community organizer Sen. Obama was able to get laid off steel workers jobs that had been shipped overseas among his many other accomplishments during that time.  Palin exact quote was the following:  

Before I became governor of the great state of Alaska, I was mayor of my hometown. And since our opponents in this presidential election seem to look down on that experience, let me explain to them what the job involves. I guess a small-town mayor is sort of like a ‘community organizer,’ except that you have actual responsibilities.

Yes Gov. Palin, as a “small-town” mayor you did have responsibilities.  You had the responsibility not to leave your town that boasted a surplus as you entered office but a $20 million deficit as you left.  This is a town with a $6 million dollar budget and 53 employees.  I guess Palin’s motto is spend, spend, spend.  Like the current Bush, Palin’s overconfidence overshadows her incompetence.

Palin also asserted:

“There is much to like and admire about our opponent. But listening to him speak, it’s easy to forget that this is a man who has authored two memoirs but not a single major law or reform _ not even in the state senate.”

Well Gov. Palin, Sen. Obama worked with Republican Sen. Richard Lugar of Indiana ”to pass legislation that expanded efforts to intercept illegal shipments of weapons of mass destruction and to help destroy conventional weapons stockpiles. The legislation became law last year.”  Sen. Obama also successfully co-sponsored major ethics reform legislation.  I will not even go into Sen. Biden’s record.   Exactly what legislation have you written……you didn’t mention that last night.

Further, is the McCain/Palin ticket really taunting itself as change when it is the party currently in office and is responsible for the majority of the problems that our country is mired in. Why are you telling us how bad the opponent is without telling us what your plan is?  There was nothing about how you will be able to improve the lives of the average American.

Sarcasm is not an effective negotiating tool when you’re facing a crisis in Georgia or the Middle East.  Sarcasm is not an effective tool in a sinking economy.  In other words, lots of zingers mixed with sarcasm does not a competent leader make.  Oh…by the way….Sen. Palin….you received 1500 votes to become mayor of Wasilla, Sen Biden received almost 80,000 votes during the primary.