Wednesday, September 3, 2008

Palin's Speech

Just finished watching Palin's speech.  I thought she was great.  She was feminine but tough.  She came off VERY well.  My two highlights--

"...and those Styrofoam Greek columns are hauled back to some studio lot, when that happens, what exactly is our opponent's plan?  What exactly does he seek to accomplish after he's done turning back the waters and healing the planet?"  This is hysterical.

And I LOVED the shot of her youngest daughter licking her hand and smoothing out baby Trig's hair.

19 comments:

Anonymous said...

I loved her speech as well.

And we were cracking up at the daughter too! The best thing I've seen on tv in a long time! I'm not sure if other stations caught it, we were watching NBC. Little Trig will be looking back at that years from now and cringing! ;)

Kat said...

Here's what I think it all comes down to:

Honesty and ingenuity speak for themselves!

By the grace of the Holy Spirit, Sarah Palin was able to speak confidently and convincingly last night, and in so doing she spoke straight to the hearts of millions of Americans.Let us all pray for her, that she will be able to speak with as much poise and conviction in her debates and interviews. She is an amazing woman with a gift for captivating people's attention, not because she is showy or over-the-top, but because she speaks from her deep faith in God and her conviction that in this world, there are truth and lies, good and evil, and that we must choose which side we're on. She has a sparkle in her eyes that can only come from being a person of integrity.

Praise God for Sarah Palin and for all that she stands for!

B-Mama said...

I also loved the comment "You know what they say the difference is between Hockey Moms and Pit Bulls? Lipstick." YES!! Loved every minute of it and the Obama cracks she made! She made them so eloquently, I wouldn't be surprised if Obama called her today and thanked her!

Anonymous said...

B-Mama, your statement about eloquence and gratitude reminded me of Newt Gingrich's comment about getting rejected from Princeton. He said: "Princeton sent me a rejection letter so elegantly worded that I still consider myself an alumnus." :)

sw said...

Hi all--

I'm a friend of B-Mama's from high school and I love this blog!

I agree that Sarah Palin's speech was well-written and well-delivered, BUT (you knew there was a "but" coming somewhere), I'm concerned about:

-that fact that she cut funding for a program that provides housing, health care, and counseling for teenage mothers

-her threat to fire a librarian because she wouldn't censor books from the library

-her advocacy of gun rights (which includes AK-47s that find their way into the inner city and frequently result in the deaths of innocent children)

-her belief that global warming is not man-made and her lack of concern for the environment

-her enjoyment of hunting (especially shooting wolves from planes).

I guess my question is, how can she talk about the sanctity of life and yet condone the killing of wild animals for sport? Obviously, babies and animals are far from being on the same level, but shouldn't there be a sense of respect for the life of all God's creatures?

Also, while her stances on abortion and family are important, I worry about what the Republicans' policies will do for the less fortunate, especially regarding regarding the economy and their refusal to provide health care to those who can't afford it.

I'm actually undecided right now (though I'm a registered Republican), so I'm not trying to convince anyone to vote a certain way...but I was wondering if you all had any thoughts that might help me decide.

Anonymous said...

i think that was a mean-spirited comment, along with a lot of others last night. it was not clever rhetoric. say yes to critique and no to ridicule and demeaning statements, regardless of how wrong an opponent might be.
like ridiculing community organizing. really? isn't that how the civil rights battle was fought and women's suffrage was won?
and no, this definitely not fruit of the Holy Spirit. truth is not spoken this way.

Anonymous said...

I agree with Clara's assessment and find it really strange to see Christians do touchdown dances over some of the most obviously caustic of Palin's remarks. Sarcasm, I am afraid, is not included in the list of the Fruit of the Spirit and neither is ridicule. There may be a Christian form of polemics out there, but, in my opinion, that wasn't it.

Political discourse will always include the distinguishing of one's views in relation to another's, but I thought our collective political discourse in general -- and the 08 election in particular -- took a strong turn towards the mean-spirited last night. It is not enough, I would contend, to be right--we must also be kind; and scoring points with the base by ridiculing a caricature of your opponent is not kind--no matter the political party.

As an aside, I thought the strangest part of this last night was Rudy making fun of Obama for being too "cosmopolitan." This, from the former mayor of the most cosmopolitan city in the country -- and maybe the world!

Philip Lorish (so as to not be anonymous)

B-Mama said...

Clara and Philip, your points are well taken as I realize it is a bit hypocritical to gloat over cracks on the opponent. However, I feel moved to such excitement in the wake of horrific attacks on this wonderful woman and her family, completely innocent at the time the harsh comments were made. Yes, I know, she should turn the other cheek, but then why does the other side always get to make the snide remarks and get away with it? Can't she stand up for herself?

She probably could have done so in such a way while at the same time refraining from demoralizing the other candidate. While such is true, though, I have to admit the sinful side of me rather enjoyed it.

Kat said...

Clara and Philip, I just wanted to clarify my comment...What I was trying to say was that it was amazing that Palin was able to speak so confidently last night, in her first major appearance before thousands of Americans. You're right, sarcastic remarks are not the fruit of the Holy Spirit, and I agree that they are not kind-hearted or Christian. That being said, I do believe that there was a lot of truth and beauty in Sarah Palin last night - when she spoke of the "special kind of love that children with special needs inspire," for example. I just believe that she will do great things if she and McCain win the election.

SW, I'm sure that a lot of people share your concerns over her enthusiasm for hunting, etc. I do believe that the article about her cutting funding for a center for teenage moms was grossly distorted - I actually believe that she increased the initial funding for the center itself from 1.1 million, but decided to authorize 3.9 million instead of the 5 million requested by the center. It's so hard to get the real answer when the media spins the facts so much!

4ddintx said...

SW,

I'm not sure exactly what you're referring to on all of your concerns about Sarah Palin--not because you're not clear, but because we don't a have TV reception or get the newspaper and my surfing time is very limited. So, I haven't read as extensively as you on her record.

I can speak directly to your concerns that she hunts, though. My husband is a big outdoorsman, both hunting and fishing are his passions. We eat what he kills. He is SO ethical about animals not suffering and about his moral duty to find and eat what he kills. He takes our young daughters out with him and I have no problems with it. I cook and glady eat what he brings home (it's the ultimate in grass-fed, non steroid enhanced meat!).

Hunters and Fishermen pour more money into conservation actions than any organization like Sierra Club. Every time they buy a hunting or fishing license, a portion is for habitat conservation. The key is conservation not preservation--they see themselves as stewards of God's creation and want to use the resources wisely--not preserve it as if humans don't exist.

I proffer that the elk in my freezer lived the life an elk should live--free and wild. Then it was killed humanely. I can't say that for feedlot beef and factory farmed chickens that are fed hormones and steroids and antibiotics and crammed into miniscule amounts of real estate that I find in the grocery store.

My husband is one of the most pro-life individuals that I know and we've talked through these issues quite thoroughly. I see no irony or lack of consistency on Sarah Palin's part on this particular issue.

In terms of this issue from a secular perspective, have you read any of Michael Pollan's books? _The Omnivore's Dilemma_ is a great read and talks about this a lot. It may be uncomfortable to be so close to your food source, but since most of the world eats some animal protein and are omnivores it's part of the human condition for most of us.

I'm loving the comments on all of this and all of the food for thought. SW, I hope you take my comment in the spirit it is offered--I'm not trying to be offensive. I can't comment directly on the shooting wolves from planes, because of my ignorance of the matter. I will talk to my husband about it this evening, though. This just addresses her hunting for food and taking her children with her.

God Bless and guide us all as we work through the candidates, and the rhetoric this election season.

Right Said Red said...

4ddintx--well said

Molly said...

I agree with much of what SW and Clara said, and thought that near the end of Governor Palin's speech, much of what she said was, well, snarky. It made me sad.

On the other hand, it was great to see how confident she was, and what a wonderful speaker she is. Her family is beautiful. And I LOVED seeing the little daughter slicking down Trig's hair! :-)

PS--I know a lot of the builders from college, and love this blog. It's great to see that you all and your families are doing so well!

Anonymous said...

to be honest the snide remarks about Community Organizers bothered me a tad. Coming from a social work perspective, community organizing is a great way to start out a political career, as you get first hand knowledge of the difficulties in making real changes in a macro way. I don't think it any less admirable or heroic that someone started a political career as a community organizer vs. starting out in the military.

All that being said, I find most of Obama's stances repulsive. I just wish that when I find a candidate (like Palin) who seems to embody so much of my viewpoints, it frustrates me to see that he/she is stooping to the level of the other side.

I often wonder if it is truly possible to be a kind, generous, charitable in words, politician. Unfortunately I have yet to see one get national coverage.

Right Said Red said...

Maybe I am hardened a bit because I follow politics, but it is usually the job of the VP speech at a convention to be the "pit bull." They are expected to come out swinging so the Presidential nominee doesn't have to do the dirty work. It would be nice if things were different.

In addition, I watched both conventions and didn't think the attacks were personal. Most were issue based or record based. Some were true, some were not, most were exaggerated. It's just politics as usual.

I'm not exactly sure how "unchristian" some of the comments were. Specifically, I didn't see anything unchristian about making fun of the backdrop for Obama's speech--it was ridiculous. I also thought it appropriate to make fun of the community organizing. Obama was a community organizer for all of 3 months--but it became a centerpiece for the Democratic convention and his personal leadership experience. This needed to be pointed out, and if it can be done in a humorous way, so be it.

Anyway, like I said, maybe I'm just jaded because I follow politics and come to expect this sort of behavior at convention. My dad and I were commenting last night that we actually felt ourselves getting dumber after watching a night of conventions coverage!

sw said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
sw said...

4ddintx--

Thanks so much for your comments--I didn't find them offensive at all and really appreciate your insights.

I did read The Omnivore's Dilemma, loved it, and have changed my eating habits as a result. I'm completely for people "hunting and gathering" in the manner that Michael Pollan did and the manner that your husband does--hunting free roaming animals for nourishment is much more humane and ethical than supporting the often cruel and economically unfair practices of agribusiness.

In this case, the shooting of wolves from planes is both for sport and for predator control (though it's still being debated whether or not the wolf population needs to be controlled), but the actual practice of aerial hunting has been deemed inhumane because 1) it's not a "fair hunt" and 2) it's much more difficult to get a clean kill from the air than when on the ground.

I did a little research and here's a link to an article on aerial shooting--

http://www.slate.com/id/2199140/

That being said, I'm no expert and don't know if the article is biased, so I'd love to hear what your husband has to say.

Also, to everyone, if any of the statements made in my previous post are incorrect, please let me know--i would love to be wrong!

Mary Alice said...

I love that this conversation is getting to be so issues based, and that you all have been civil in sharing differing view points.

Those who have been doing alot of reading, please sound off on the following:

I have been opposed to the war in Iraq as an unjust war and a poor use of American resources, especially limiting our military. I was especially concerned when Russia invaded Georgia and it was clear that we really had no military recourse against Russia right now, should that be needed.

I am also upset by stop loss policies and the things that I have heard about our treatment of wounded veterans.

However, we are in the war up to our elbows, so I am not convinced that immediate troop withdrawl, the democratic ticket's response, is the right answer. The Republicans have been saying, at the convention, that victory is close and that we need a final push, but is that really true? To what extent has the surge been successful, and if a future surge is needed to we have the military strength to do it? Also, what sort of job are we really doing in the nation building that is going on there, are the Iraqis able to take over the civil responsibilities, even if it comes slowly?

Perhaps it is because I am homeschooling, but I have recently really come to beleive that less government is generally good for the people. Along with that, however, we need civic leaders and ahem, community organizers who will encourage us to step up to the plate. In the wars prior to Vietnam, the whole nation was mobilized, as young people enlisted and those on the home front sacrificed to provide them with supplies. Volunteer efforts also played a large role in the recovery effort for the wounded veterans, young women became nurses, people participated with the Red Cross, etc. There was no assumption that the government could or should do everything for everyone all the time. This socialist idea has really caused us to lose our individual sense of civic responsibility.

When the conditions at Walter Reed were exposed as unfit, the media cried out, but nobody lined up with buckets and mops to try to make things better for the veterans, we just all thought that the government owed them more and should do better.

Right now, apparently a majority of Americans would support higher taxes in return for universal health care. Having been eligible for government health care in the past, I would like to see some real statistics on what portion of the uninsured are really in a gap and ineligible, most states have significant child health care programs already, for example. A substantial number of over weight baby boomers are currently medicated for diseases that could frequently be overcome through diet and exercise. This is not good for anyone, including the patient, but the fact is that a $5 co-pay is cheaper and easier for most people then buying fresh food.

I would love to see Republican policies packaged together with a kick in the pants, so that yes, perhaps some off shore drilling, but at the same time an understanding that we still need major reductions in our energy consumption, both are important pieces of solving the foriegn energy dependence. Continuing the war effort together with a spirit of national sacrifice to get the job done. Rolling up our sleeves to try to really reform and recover our schools at a grass roots level, without more money or a nationlalized board of education (by the way, this is going on in Washington DC right now, very exciting stuff, over throwing the whole notion of how the teachers union functions, etc).

Mike Huckabee talked about veterans "earning" kids school desks for them, and it was a touching story, but it is a mistake to think that our privelages are already "earned." We have to continue to work for them, and also to establish things for the generations to come.

Kat said...

Mary Alice, you hit the nail on the head - we do need "a spirit of national sacrifice to get the job done," and "the job" refers to a number of different issues that Americans face. You mentioned the war effort, conditions for our veterans, the state of energy dependence/consumption, our educational system, and healthcare.

I would also add that as pro-life people, we should strive to make our society one that is more supportive and welcoming for mothers who find themselves pregnant and who cannot imagine how it will work for them to have a baby at that time. This way, a pro-choice person can't accuse us of asking women to have their babies but then offering them no support. Actually, there are many programs out there, but a lot of women do not know about them. There are so many pregnancy resource centers that offer counseling and material resources, both during pregnancy and after the baby is born. As you mentioned, there are also lots of state programs for children's healthcare - we were also beneficiaries of public aid for two years, and it was very easy to get our children covered.

I actually believe that the problem is less about a lack of resources for women who find themselves in a difficult position, but more about a lack of SUPPORT that these women face - a lack of support from family members, the father, friends, society at large. I think that the real problem is that lots of women are either ashamed that they have become pregnant, or they are just scared and don't know how they will care for their baby. There is so much more to say on this topic, but let us all ask for help in discerning how WE can help promote the pro-life cause by making our society one that is more hospitable to mothers and their babies.

Molly said...

Red, I agree that the VP is supposed to be an attack dog, and I thought Governor Palin was a charming one. But mocking a job as a community organizer--which Obama was for three years, not three months--was disturbing to me (and, if how long he did it is a mockery, mock that, but not the job itself).

On the other hand, I like how her family has handled the teenage pregnancy: as an unexpected gift, rather than an embarrassment, as Kat wrote about. I think this will be a great example for other women who find themselves in her daughter's position.

And like Kat and Mary Alice, I agree that we need a renewed sense of sacrifice for country. I thought that part of John McCain's speech last night was truly moving. I loved both his account of his life and his suggestion that others do anything--teach, join the military, help the poor--to better the country.