[artbyjody]

She did tackle issues that were HER strengths - energy, taxes and of course her ability to be a maverick.

But let us also not discount what this speech was intended to do. Introduce her to the American public (and the world) to get her story out there and to demonstrate why she was the pick for John McCain.

I am sure for some she was just another pretty face, to others they thought "another Hilliary wanna be", and to a majority simply - "we have a state called Alaska and they have a governor."


What people read and saw from the media was a a step by step "live report" of the witch hunt in progress.

She effectively dismissed all of those fears and even Dem VP-elect Biden commented, "She will be a formidable opponent - there is no doubt on that".

I am not a big fan of the republicans and not necessarily of John McCain either - but I have to say that I have been swayed a bit to look at McCain in a different light. Selecting her was a change for the Republican party - and she brings real story to the table that symbolizes the story told and untold from coast to coast from all aspects of life.

It was a good strategy not to go over every issue - Dems are not pleased because they have to work harder to figure things out before the debates and not much fodder was left on the convention floor for them to pick up and use as a counter.

That had to be one of the most powerful vp-elect speeches in my lifetime at least.