Tom Piatak

September 04, 2008

Yesterday, Sarah Palin delivered the most effective speech at any Republican Convention since Pat Buchanan addressed the GOP in Houston in 1992.  And it was effective in much the same way:  moving the spotlight from economic issues where the GOP has problems with much of the electorate to cultural themes that appeal to most Americans.  In 1992, though, the GOP retreated from Buchanan’s rhetoric and let Bill Clinton keep the focus on the economy and win.  By contrast, McCain’s embrace of Palin gives him a chance to win the White House in a year that, given the sputtering economy and the dreadful record of the Bush Administration, should belong to the Democrats. 

Of course, the Democrats helped set the stage for Palin’s triumph with the bicoastal elite’s relentless criticism of everything about Palin before her speech, criticism that the Obama campaign joined in disgusting fashion, from attacking Palin for supporting “Nazi sympathiser” Pat Buchanan to running ads in selected states criticizing McCain’s professed pro-life views, no doubt hoping to capitalize on the media’s open criticism of Palin’s pregnant daughter and the ugly, whispered criticism of Palin for not aborting her son with Down syndrome.  Before Palin took the podium, millions of Americans were reminded of what San Francisco really thinks of Scranton, and those of us who live in places like Scranton took notice.