Gov. Sarah Palin is, to use the words of Chris Matthews, a torpedo aimed straight at the Obama campaign. I think that, overall, she achieved more last night than I, Democrats, and even members of the GOP thought she would. I thought Rudy Giuliani and Mike Huckabee were also quite good.
Here’s how I grade Palin’s speech:
Delivery: A She delivered last night, plain and simple. She got the convention crowd on its feet, she presented flawlessly, and she set a new tone for the McCain campaign.
Rhetoric: B+ Aside from the sarcasm and misrepresentations of Sen. Barack Obama’s tax policy (for which I docked a few points), she was effective and compelling in the manner in which she described her experience as a mother, mayor, and governor. While the argument is still weak that she is experienced enough for her new role, her choice of words, exhibition of confidence, and knowledge of her audience should put to rest any doubts among most McCain supporters and many independents. Also, her critique of Obama was pointed, which could effectively cast doubt among his own supporters. I think the GOP is finally ready for this election.
Substance: C The speech had little to offer in terms of solid argument and substance. She did not offer any idea of what she intends to do specifically as vice president. Scant references to anonymous Americans in various states do not assuage concerns that she actually knows the problems that most Americans face. The speech can be summed up crassly as: I have political experience, John McCain will fight for you, the media has an inaccurate view of us, and Obama will hurt America. Rhetorically, this is very effective in politics, and I believe that Palin was not aiming at substance. Indeed, why would she go for substance if it is not needed? In this respect, Palin has taken a big play from Obama’s primary election handbook.
Overall: B+ The sentimental experience and the rhetorical effect of the speech will carry on throughout this week and next. Palin has clearly established that she is a tough-minded politician and that she will not shy away from taking head-on Obama and Sen. Joe Biden. There is a new dimension to the McCain campaign, and I suspect that the bounce Obama received earlier this week will be mitigated by last night’s speeches. However, we do not really know that Palin is aware of, or clear about, the issues that face Americans, and we do not know how she envisions her role as vice president. This is the substance that was lacking last night. I am sure, nonetheless, that we have not heard the whole story yet, since the point last night was to answer objections to her candidacy and to critique the Obama campaign. One last point: the scathing critique of the media last night was probably a bad idea. The media is an important implement in politics, and enemies within its ranks can do some damage to any campaign. McCain and Palin need to make sure they get the sort of coverage they need in order to win this election.
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