What Palin needs to Do

Alright, so the conventions are over; I can start focusing on college more now and Palin can start working on those foreign policy credentials.

We've been seeing it since she was confirmed - the Democrats and media are focusing on her kids, whether or not she can take care of them and do the job, and her inexperience. It is imperative that McCain and his team set an identity for her ASAP.

That speech was only a stepping stone; we all knew she was conservative, now we know that she can be electrifying. That doesn't still the critics; she can be a great pontificator, but if she morphs into Dan Quayle when Joe Biden starts talking about Georgia during the vice presidential debate, the Republicans are in serious trouble.

We can't wait until the debate comes to build a coherent narrative that is acceptable to the American public. We need to do it now, before the Democrats can sink their teeth into her. Eventually, the Democrats are going to understand that attacking her as just a small town mayor and a woman with five kids isn't going to pan out. They'll get to the good stuff soon enough; the investigation into the firing of her brother-in-law, her change of position on the bridge to Ketchikan ("Nowhere), etc.

She better be ready.

It should be noted that this was an excellent choice; I attended the Texas Republican Convention, and people just weren't...enamored with John McCain. It seemed to be a ho-hum affair - Palin has changed that, but we can't lose sight of the fact that she isn't the person who's going to be in charge; McCain is. We need to defend Governor Palin but not make the election about her.

McCain's Speech

I don't know if it's because I was trying to do college work at the same time but I have a headache after McCain finished up his speech.

Don't get me wrong here; I support John McCain but an orator, this man is not. I'll give him credit for the call to public service and the emotion he demonstrated when it came to to the retelling of his story, but I wanted more meat when it came to the issues. I should be careful about that, because the speech was an hour long already.

We knew this speech wasn't going to have the same kind of punch as Palin's but McCain met expectations; he did everything he needed to do. He introduced himself once again to the American people and humanized himself. The declaration that he hates war and recognizes the evil of it and only wishes to secure the nation was a great sentiment.

But what made this speech so great was the call to reform - McCain stood in a convention of his peers and called them to task. As a party, the Republicans have lost their way and they have lost the trust of the American people. We've been in the wilderness and now it's time to get ourselves out of the woods without burning down the forest. We need to unite the American people, and John McCain's speech laid down some groundwork for that.

When this convention is remembered, it will be regarded as the time the Republican Party set itself on a new path. John McCain's acceptance speech was the first few steps on the road; it's up to Sarah Palin and Bobby Jindal to make sure the Republican Party keep on the right track.

I just wish that those protestors hadn't gotten so much attention. Now, I've got more studying to do.