After the Democrat National Convention, Obama rose to a highwatermark of +8%.  McCain hit a highwatermark of +5% after the RNC. To attribute this to Sarah Palin probably only accounts for a portion of the reason.  Like many Republican pols, I listen to Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, etc. I supported GWB in 2000 and 2004.  I even have a personally autographed copy of "Godless" by Ann Coulter.  I was aggravated by McCain's opposition to Bush's tax cuts. I believe that McCain-Feingold is constitutionally questionable infringement on free speech. McCain, Bush, Obama, and Biden's approach to immigration reform cheapens American citizenship, while raising its cost. Over the last 8 years, McCain has come to my attention far more often for opposing policies I support, or supporting policies I oppose. Hey, I even liked Don Rumsfeld.  I have to admit that I have yet to feel embarrassed by Gitmo or Abu Ghraib.  Once a fractured Republican Party determined McCain to be the standard bearer, I determined that I would vote for McCain in November (if I wasn't inconvenient). There was no way I could vote for Obama or Clinton. It was kind of like a choice between Socialism and socialism.

 

     On most of the above policy positions, we continue to disagree.  I have found some grounds for agreement with Senator McCain.  McCain was right (and I was wrong about Rumsfeld and the Surge).  I support victory in the War on Terror.  (You know, after reading that sentence, I'm asking if that is a fair statement. Perhaps another blog later, but, I just don't believe that Obama's pronouncements during the War demonstrate support for victory.) I support reform of the earmark process in Congress.  I believe tax policy should be based on efficiency (vs fairness, and perhaps a topic for a later rambling).  I am not in favor of increasing progressivity for the purpose of weath re-distribution.  But, the balance of agreements and disagreements compared to the Obama ticket earned a pull of the lever for McCain and little else.

 

     Enter Sarah Palin. I'd heard of her, but, I was hoping he would pick Romney.  The truth is, I was just hoping he wouldn't pick Lieberman.  When I heard her introduction and and premiere, I started to pay attention.  She made me listen to McCain.  Her acceptance speech on Wednesday night of the RNC was viewed by even more people than Obama's.  I was part of that increase, in that I couldn't bring myself to watch the Obama speech, but could not miss the Palin acceptance.  We know now that even more people tuned into McCain's speech on Thursday, than tuned in for Palin or Obama.  McCain's audience was due to Palin.

 

     My opinion is that Palin caused millions of dis-affected Republicans (like myself), Democrats, and Independents to tune in to his speech. What they saw was an authentic American hero.  We heard a political philosophy based on personal responsibility. They heard a candidate whose head was not in the sand regarding economic problems, but wasn't advocating more taxes and spending to solve problems that taxes and spending have never solved. They were drawn to his personal story. On the Republican side, we are fed up with corrupt Republicans. We throw them under the bus as soon as we find them. Consider Mark Foley, Larry Craig, Ted Stevens, Frank Murkowski, etc. We aren't in favor of digging up dirt, but, we never defend the indefensible (a'la William Jefferson, Bill Clinton, Charles Rangel, etc.).  McCain chose Palin to reinforce his image of challenge to the status quo.  I, for one, met a McCain that I had previously ignored, due to policy disagreements. Sarah Palin caused me to tune in.  I like and admire this candidate for President. John McCain earned my enthusiasm. I suspect it is true for millions of others.