Monday, September 22, 2008

Beautiful Music

Anybody can get thousands of college kids to show up for live music and a political speech. Try doing it with senior citizens. In the hot Florida sun! That's something only Sarah Palin can do.

The crowd endured hours in the sweltering heat for the sight of the dynamic newcomer to national politics. A new Miami Herald/St. Petersburg Times/Bay News 9 poll showed that 40 percent of voters who back McCain said Palin made them feel stronger about their choice.

In all the media jumping to conclusions about why Palin was McCain's selection, I didn't hear anyone suggest that the gal from Alaska could deliver the sunshine state.

But Palin drew thousands more than the estimated 20,000 people that turned out for Bush (in 2004). A fire rescue official estimated the crowd at 25,000 to 30,000, while the Republican Party of Florida pegged the audience at twice that size.

As the McCain campaign rations Palin to control her burn-time and the exuberance of two weeks ago fades, some have been questioning whether Palin was a wise choice.

''The South is Palin Country,'' read a banner trailing from a plane overhead. The Spanish moss-covered trees in the area made it feel more southern than South Florida.

But if Palin Power does nothing more than take Florida for the GOP, she'll have proven herself to be a brilliant pick.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Go Sarah,go!

Anonymous said...

I think it's great that she's drawing a crowd, but why won't she give any more press interviews?

Todd Feinburg said...

She'll give interviews when they suit the tactical needs of the campaign. She's such an electrifying force, they want to make sure they don't squander the resource. They're rationing.

Todd