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(2008-09-03)
ST. PAUL, MN
(wypr) -
Sarah Palin was the two term mayor of a city of less than 10-thousand and she has been the governor of Alaska for 20 months, which has raised questions about her experience among Democrats. But former Maryland Lieutenant Governor Michael Steele said her opponents underestimate her at their peril.
I want the Democrats to continue to underestimate her. I want them to continue to mock her service as the mayor of a small town, not realizing that the majority, if not a significant number of small town mayors are, guess what, female. They're women who do it all and she's an example of that.
Steele was bumped from the speaking schedule last night to make room for President George Bush, who addressed the convention through a video feed. So, he joined members of the delegation on the floor of the XCel Center.
She brings something extra special to the table. And I think folks are excited about that. This hall has lifted itself up at the announcement of her nomination and I think people are really going to be fired up to hear her.
Palin was relatively unknown until presumptive Republican nominee John McCain plucked her from the State House in Juneau to be his running mate. But Don Murphy, chairman of the Maryland delegation, predicted she would be very well-known by the end of the evening.
If she's been on this floor in the past, four years, or eight years ago, most of us have never noticed. But we're going to notice tomorrow night. She's going to get up on that stage and she's going to excite the hell out of us and she's going to do the same thing to the country. So, we're really looking forward to seeing her tomorrow night.
And he said her lack of experience on the national level isn't important.
She's got 13 years of elected official experience. Maybe she was back home doing the things that elected officials are supposed to be doing, like those Gulf coast governors that aren't able to be here this time.
The Democratic presidential nominee, Senator Barack Obama, he said has only been on the scene for four years.
Carmen Amedori, who served on the party's platform committee, said last week she cried when she hear news of the first woman on a Republican presidential ticket. Last night, she was grinning. She said Palin resonates with many people.
She resonates with hunters, she resonates with the soccer moms cause she's a hockey mom. She resonates with the small town mayors who have aspirations, which she never did. But I mean she just resonates with so much and so many.
Amedori said Palin will only have to be herself tonight, an All-American average person.
Down to earth and genuine and just talk about her life and her experiences and how she was prepared for where she is right now. God prepared her for where she is right now.
The speech, said Tony O'Donnell, another platform committee member, will come from a tough reformer.
She's been cleaning up government in Alaska and she'll be talking about that in her speech. And I look forward to a very strong, strong vice president with a strong sense of reform, doing things for the right reasons and cleaning up government.
Doing things for the right reasons. That echoed the theme Republicans have been sounding all week about their nominee: service and country first.
I'm Joel McCord, reporting from the Republican National Convention in St. Paul for 88.1, WYPR.
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