RNC Night # 2 — Giuliani / Palin

Rudolph Giuliani gave the Republican conventioneers red meat as he used his keynote to hammer Democratic Standard Bearer Obama.

First, Giuliani mocked Obama for having “community organizer” on his resume. Next, the former Mayor of New York noted that 130 times as Illinois state legislature Obama voted present. Neither yes or no. Such a decision to voter other than present was to tough for Obama noted Giuliani with tongue firmly in cheek. Giuliani pressed the point of Obama’s inexperience quoting Hillary Clinton and Joe Biden approvingly on this point.

Giuliani also subtly emphasized what looks to be the theme of the McCain campaign by emphasizing that McCain is about good change while Obama is about bad change adding, in a jab at Obama, that hope is not a strategy. This Republican change is being offered in contrast to the Democratic campaign attempt to tie George W. Bush around the neck of John McCain.

Giuliani noted McCain’s neo-con credentials by saying that McCain would press the war against terrorist. Giuliani sought to hang around the neck of the Democrats their perpetual weakness on war issues by noting the reluctance of Democrats to talk about “Islamic terrorists” during their convention. Giuliani banged Obama and the Democrats on Iraq and their willingness to turn tail and run. This strategy is boilerplate Republican campaign rhetoric.

Giuliani also emphasized Obama’s flip flops on several issues as well as his tendencies to make moral equivalencies between US actions and the actions of rogue nations.

Giuliani also subtly tagged Obama with the charges of elitism by mocking him for denigrating Palin for being a mayor of a small city. Giuliani suggested that Obama faulted Palin’s mayoral service because her small city wasn’t cosmopolitan enough.

Enter Palin.

Palin, in studied contrast to Hillary Clinton showed up for her speech in a skirt adorned with very feminine pearls, striking earrings and lady like high heels. It is obvious that they want her appearance to stand in contrast to the angular feminism that one finds among Democrat women. Whereas Hillary went for a gaudy orange pantsuit, Sarah Palin went for a muted two toned jacket skirt outfit.

Within her first paragraph it was abundantly clear that Palin can speak. Her comfort was immediately evident before the camera and the convention. The earnestness, passion, and even folksiness, in her speaking was convincing. Palin came across in her demeanor and speaking as absolutely genuine. There were even times when she flirted with the camera and with the Republican delegates.

As she introduced her family you couldn’t but help and tear up as Willow waved to the cameras and as First Dude Todd Palin waved baby Trig’s hand to the camera upon Trig’s introduction as a beautiful baby boy. The Democrats have to hate this obviously pro family slant.

Palin compared herself to Harry Truman as someone who grew up in small town America. She praised small town America virtues and implied that she is the recipient of those small town virtues. She traced her track from PTA to Governor.

Palin absolutely slammed Obama by saying that being a mayor is kind of like being a community organizer except that you have actual responsibilities. She slammed him over his comments about bitter people clinging to their guns and bible and jabbed him for his hypocrisy for speaking one way in Scranton and another way in San Francisco in reference to Obama’s bitter comments. Later in the speech she slammed Obama again as a man who has written two major memoirs but who has never sponsored a piece of major legislation. In reference to Iraq Palin suggested that the only time that Obama is concerned about victory is in regard to his presidential campaign. Palin revealed in her speech that she will be more than capable in taking on the traditional attack dog role of the Vice President while campaigning. Palin’s attacks on Obama were wry and humor streaked but they were devastating. It will be interesting to see how Obama Biden respond to this female pit bull. Will they decide they have to hit the girl?

Palin even took on the media telling them that she isn’t going to Washington to gain their good opinion but rather she is going to Washington to serve this country. She made this comment after noting that the some of the media seems not to like her because she is not a Washington insider. I pray for Palin. Putting a thumb in the major media’s eye is a dangerous proposition especially when they desire your scalp to begin with. The major media has a long memory. Just ask Richard Nixon.

Palin painted herself as a reformer who fights against the good old boy system and spoke about her success as a conservative Governor in Alaska. Palin showed her familiarity on energy issues, extending that expertise to how that subject effects foreign relations. This display of expertise on this subject was clearly a way to indicate that Palin is more then a pretty face with a nice set of legs but is a policy wonk when necessary.

Palin went on to recite the faults of Obama. This portion of the speech was obviously written in order to contrast Palin’s knowledge and experience with Obama’s lack of knowledge and experience. Palin noted Obama’s big government tendencies and his support to tax everything that doesn’t move. Palin spoke to America’s heartland by asking how families are going to get by if all Obama’s tax plans pass.

Palin ended by puffing McCain, which again, is one of the traditional roles of a Vice Presidential nominee.

I know it is early but I would have to say at this point Sarah Palin, given her policy trail, her public convictions and her ability to speak is probably the best thing to happen to the Republican party since Ronald Reagan. People consistently underestimate the ability to speak and to communicate in general. Palin revealed an ability to be bulldog tough without coming across as being bitter or angry, which is stands in stark contrast to Democrat women like Hillary Clinton, Barbara Milkuski, Nancy Pelosi, or Patti Murray. This woman can flat out communicate. Now the only question is whether or not Palin can avoid being corrupted.

Personally, I think that the Democrats are not going to know how to handle Palin and I believe that this speech does nothing but rally the Republican base. Nothing I’ve said convinces me though that Christians should be voting for female magistrates.

Keep in mind though… the left has to destroy Palin. The Palin story isn’t over yet.

Author: jetbrane

I am a Pastor of a small Church in Mid-Michigan who delights in my family, my congregation and my calling. I am postmillennial in my eschatology. Paedo-Calvinist Covenantal in my Christianity Reformed in my Soteriology Presuppositional in my apologetics Familialist in my family theology Agrarian in my regional community social order belief Christianity creates culture and so Christendom in my national social order belief Mythic-Poetic / Grammatical Historical in my Hermeneutic Pre-modern, Medieval, & Feudal before Enlightenment, modernity, & postmodern Reconstructionist / Theonomic in my Worldview One part paleo-conservative / one part micro Libertarian in my politics Systematic and Biblical theology need one another but Systematics has pride of place Some of my favorite authors, Augustine, Turretin, Calvin, Tolkien, Chesterton, Nock, Tozer, Dabney, Bavinck, Wodehouse, Rushdoony, Bahnsen, Schaeffer, C. Van Til, H. Van Til, G. H. Clark, C. Dawson, H. Berman, R. Nash, C. G. Singer, R. Kipling, G. North, J. Edwards, S. Foote, F. Hayek, O. Guiness, J. Witte, M. Rothbard, Clyde Wilson, Mencken, Lasch, Postman, Gatto, T. Boston, Thomas Brooks, Terry Brooks, C. Hodge, J. Calhoun, Llyod-Jones, T. Sowell, A. McClaren, M. Muggeridge, C. F. H. Henry, F. Swarz, M. Henry, G. Marten, P. Schaff, T. S. Elliott, K. Van Hoozer, K. Gentry, etc. My passion is to write in such a way that the Lord Christ might be pleased. It is my hope that people will be challenged to reconsider what are considered the givens of the current culture. Your biggest help to me dear reader will be to often remind me that God is Sovereign and that all that is, is because it pleases him. View all posts by jetbrane