The Bosque Boys

Sarah Palin took to that stage Last night like a athlete to the field - she looked relaxed, sounded focused and went after Obama hard. I loved her grit - she snarled every time she mentioned Obama’s name. She defended her experience as a mayor and a governor, chided the Democrats for their elitism, and even backhanded the media for their charges. The way she introduced her family - that must have been like a knife being twisted into the gut of the rabid press - glowering from their boxes, hiding behind their cameras. I wonder how many newsrooms were laughing tonight? She’s no nonsense, ain’t afraid of nothing and ready to take on the next challenger. I think the liberals just saw their worst nightmare - a woman both smart and warm, able to assume both the role of the executive and the mother. No victim here - she is the American woman of the 21 century. Why did we ever let the Democrats convince us that a female leader had to be cold and arrogant?

There is also one other thing - it was incredible to see and feel history turn tonight. When I see the Republican party representing themselves as reflections of America rather than the aspirations of Americans, pride swells. But Sarah Palin reminds me of a truism that we’ve always known - some of the toughest, smartest and indefatigable people in our lives are the women in our lives. My mother fought hard to raise five kids on her own, defending herself from an abusive husband until she would not put her kids through it any more. She educated herself, defied the naysayers and made a life from nearly nothing. I see some of that strength in Governor Palin.

I’m feeling better about electing a whole woman rather than a half-black man. Where’s is history really being made? I’m proud to be a Republican!

Perhaps the best you've seen?

Pretty heavy on the ridicule, don't you think?

She was great, if that's what turns you on. Sadly, the winners are often the ones who concentrate on tearing down the other side, all the while obscuring the truth about their own records. This results in a government exactly like the one we've had the past 8 years.

She used Bush's speechwriter and you could sure tell!

For some perspective, JC, Barack Obama had spent the weekend downgrading and dismissing her as the mayor from Wasilly (it's Wasilla).

Give the girl a break. "Ridicule" was in the air, to say the least. To expect her to totally turn the other cheek seems a bit much.

Perhaps not the best comparison ever offered, but Palin strikes me as the GOP's version of a young JFK. She is bright, enthusiastic, matter of fact, and easy on the eyes! JFK was able to appear like a regular Joe each time he took center stage – almost as if he were having a conversation with just you. Palin did a remarkable job of appearing as real and rooted as anyone since Reagan. She seems trustworthy, honest, and tough – yet strikingly feminine: assertive without outright aggression. Kudos to the McCain camp!

I am happy for you (honestly) that Palin has given you something to be excited about on the Republican ticket.

--But, but, but: Nobody in the Obama campaign talked about Palin in the hateful, petty, dishonest way that she returned fire. Not that I'm aware of, anyway... I'd appreciate knowing if there is evidence of it.

The only comment I heard from Obama, was when he responded to their charges that Palin was far more experienced than Obama (which is ridiculous). At that point, he mentioned that she had 50 employees as the Mayor of Wasilla, and his campaign has 2500... but he was responding to misinformation coming from the McCain-Palin camp.

The way the Republicans sneered at community organizers all evening, was a real turn-off for me. Nasty stuff. Community organizers do important work, and I wouldn't mind if a lot more of our politicians had such experience... working for the people without much compensation.

I believe Obama was also teaching Constitutional Law at U. of Chicago at the time... it isn't like community organizing is the only job he has done... seems a bit unkind to humiliate the kindest, most generous among us in this way.

One of the commentators after the speech said his parents were community organizers. He looked enraged-- almost like he could burst into tears. I have never been able to understand why this type of politics seems to appeal to Christians... G.W. Bush and Rove brought this kind of campaigning to a whole new level.

I still remember 2004. The Republicans used their convention to mock Kerry's military service, and to suggest that he hadn't earned his purple hearts. I was shocked, but I have to say it worked for them.

And speaking of our Constitution, It appears that many of our politicians don't know what's in it. The fact that Obama does, is a big, enormous plus for me.

You might be interested in this:
http://salsa.wiredforchange...

I think it is a bit deluded to see your guy as the white knight and everybody else as nefarious evil doers.

You've got to be kidding regarding the onslaught Palin has endured since her announcement.

Anyhow, I also think you have your timeline wrong. Wasn't Obama a community organizer before he went to law school (and therefore ineligible to teach law at Chicago)?

Nice try, JC. but the facts are not on your side:

http://volokh.com/posts/122...

I think you missed my point-- which was not to say that Obama is a "white knight", but hard for you to deny that, generally, community organizers are folks trying to help people and do some good for the country.

Sarah Palin and several other speakers made snide remarks about community organizers. I'd think that any president or v.p. would want to encourage service, not belittle it. There were a number of other rather harsh allegations, some of them completely false.

I suspect you won't hear Obama making snide, cutting remarks about sportscasters (if he wanted to pick one job off of Palin's resume to belittle).

Obama did teach Constitutional Law for twelve years at U. of Chicago.

I do have my timeline confused, though (should have been obvious to me that Chicago community work couldn't overlap with Harvard). He directed Developing Communities Project from 1985-1988, between Columbia and Harvard Law.

Waco, you said:
"You've got to be kidding regarding the onslaught Palin has endured since her announcement."

All of the candidates are enduring plenty and Palin is no different. What I SAID, is that the OBAMA CAMPAIGN has not gone after her (except to respond to the junk about experience). The bloggers and the media are giving her quite a time, but not Obama.

I can see that this falling on deaf ears... thankfully, November is not that far off. I wish we could do something to make government and elections better for us all.

Thanks, JC. Deaf ears? Perhaps. This is the season where the onrushing collision makes it hard to hear.

My point: as that well-known racist Bill Clinton said, "politics is a contact sport."

Obama criticized her first public service job (mayor of a small town). She criticized his first public service job (community service organizer). In truth, both are honorable professions. Barack Obama probably wishes he had said so and left it at that.

She is very good. Able to stick in the knife while smiling. My vote for best speech at the Republican convention goes to Fred Thompson. Great text, great delivery.

Fred was very good. The question everyone was asking during that speech: where was that guy during the campaign?

However, I disagree with you. Fred was terrific and probably more substantive--but Palin gave the "Knute Rockne" of the meeting.

Waco, we could go back & forth as to who "started it", as I said above I think Obama was firing back.

I thought of you when I read this, from Jim Wallis:

Friday, September 05, 2008
Palin Owes Some Good People An Apology (by Jim Wallis)

..."Then Wednesday night I heard Republican vice-presidential nominee Sarah Palin say that her experience as "a small-town mayor is sort of like a community organizer, except that you have actual responsibilities." The convention crowd in St. Paul thought that was very funny. But it wasn't. It was actually quite insulting to the army of community organizers who work in the most challenging places across the country and have such a tremendous impact on the everyday lives of millions of people. I guess Palin and her fellow Republican delegates don't know much about that. The "actual responsibilities" of community organizers literally provide the practical support, collective strength, and hope for a better future that low-income families need to survive,"

"Community organizers are now most focused in the faith community, working with tens of thousands of pastors and laypeople in thousands of congregations around the country. Faith-based organizing is the critical factor in many low-income communities in the country's poorest urban and rural areas, and church leaders are often the biggest supporters of community organizers. And many of them felt deeply offended by Palin's remarks. Here are a few of their responses:"

"As a lifelong Republican, the comments I heard last night about community organizing crossed the line. It is one thing to question someone's experience, another to demean the work of millions of hardworking Americans who take time to get involved in their communities. When people come together in my church hall to improve our community, they're building the Kingdom of God in San Diego. We see the fruits of community organizing in safer streets, new parks, and new affordable housing. It's the spirit of democracy for people to have a say and we need more of it," said Bishop Roy Dixon...

"Politicians should thank community organizers, not insult them. As a longtime organizer, I've seen time and time again that we are the ones who make government work for the poor, the powerless and the marginalized. Politicians' policies and promises would amount to nothing without grassroots activists to hold them accountable. We are leaders of faith and stewards of democracy. In a time when the face of faith in politics is often ugly, community organizing is a valuable example of faith's positive role in public life," said Pastor Mark Diemer....

For the full post:
http://blog.beliefnet.com/g...

We are going back in forth, JC.

The bottom line is that politics is a game of oneupsmanship and "tit for tat."

He fired on her and she fired back. Or they fired on him, and he fired back, and she fired back.

It doesn't really matter. So, have it your way.

However, the other miserable thing is the "you can't besmirch the name of community organizers and get away with it" thrust.

Remember the scene from Animal House: "I am not going to stand here and let you run down this country..."

Think about it this way. You guys say this is a bad war (and you are entitled to your opinion). We just disagree. God Bless America.

But instead of saying that, some yokel says you are "running down the troops." So we now are talking about whether you guys are wearing enough yellow ribbons, yada yada yada.

Obama tries to make her look silly. She punches back. That's all it was. No one said anything ugly about the troops.

What I think is a bit funny (but mostly dispiriting) is that you cannot see the manipulation behind the "she is running down community organizers" line of attack.

Am I wrong?

What are your thoughts on the "O's" comments about "lipstick on a pig"? I do not buy his staff's defense that this was not directed at Palin's Hockey Mom comment. On NBC this morning one of the "male talent" ridiculed and criticized the McCain staff for objecting to this comment. They made no objectio or critique for Obama's use of the term.