For those of you who missed Palin’s speech today, you may find it here. And some quick points — rather, pointlets:
She is leaderly. That’s not quite a word, but I have employed it often. (It ought to be a word.) Governor Palin is strong, assured, natural — and leaderly. I’m not sure she is less presidential — to say nothing of vice-presidential — than any of the other three on the national tickets.
Like many Americans, she says “Eye-rack” and “Eye-ran” (for two neighboring countries in the Middle East). Some people mock this, but it is very American. And — speaking of mockery — she also says “nuke-u-lar”: like George W. Bush, Jimmy Carter (who was a nuclear engineer), and Eisenhower.
When she said she was “commander of Alaska’s National Guard,” I somehow sat up straighter!
Just about all my e-mailers have said that McCain hit a home run today, and that his election prospects are helped immeasurably. From their mouths to You-Know-Who’s ear. Some also say that, for the first time, they’re planning to give to McCain — or have even done so already.
When playing veepstakes over the last few months, I have balked at Sarah Palin (for reasons stated earlier in the day). (And those reasons have to do with electoral politics, not substance.) I would be delighted to be proved wrong. And, even on Day One — before any (real) stumping, before any debating, before much hurly-burly — she has inspired confidence in me.
FWIW, as we say in e-mail-ese.
P.S. I still think the “highest, hardest glass ceiling” bit is gross. But for political/polemical/rhetorical purposes — one of course understands.