"When you live in a box"

(or: what are balloons made of)

(or: 

Thanks to a stellar cast of Fred Thompson, Rudi Guliani, George W. & the Bush family, the McCain clan, and of course, America's new sweethearts, the Palin family.  Specifically, the spotlight shone on Sarah Palin, who splashed onto the scene just last week and delivered an adequate speech.  

My stream-of-consciousness/transcription with edits.  Excuse the cognitive dissonance.

"Profile in Courage" as a mother of one of those troops.  

She didn't really say anything disagreeable at all.  But she also didn't say much.  She elevated John McCain and disparaged Obama, as you would expect.  Boring. 

same ups and downs same joys, challenges as YOU.  this is all part and parcel with what Chuck Todd, Peggy Noonan and the like were talking about on that live mic a few days ago, in that the choice of Palin is all about fulfillment of narrative over substance, as flashy as she is.  

Obama wants to

grow government raise taxes fine print tax increases supports plans to raise payroll taxes the death tax business taxes increase tax burden

This is equivalent to Dr. Fred Thompson's claim that Obama and the Democrats practice "we're gonna take some from your bucket and put it in our bucket" politics.  You are correct, Fred.  We should continue to borrow from China to finance the war in Iraq and our crumbling, out of date infrastructure.  

my sister owns a "service station" more narrative.  Ties in with the claim she has "stood up to big oil" which I am sure is just true enough to be able to say it, whilst at the same time she is the biggest, most nonchalant advocate for drilling in Alaska.  Perhaps, even, she may be right.  However, the complete and utter lack of effect that such a move would have on the markets, save to provide your big oil co's with another place to put up a rig.  Between this and the oceans, we'll be set for like, a million years, right?

CLEAN COAL!!!  She said it!  Six points to Palin!  She moved on quickly, but she said it.

Obama threatens: Massive tax burden US economy.  I just don't think that threat rings as true as they make it out to be.

Candidates who use change to promote their careers, McCain has had a career for change.  Clever!

Laws and landmark reforms?  self designed prez seals (good bust, but played)

high flown speech making vs. idealism of leaders like McCain who actually did great things and is good for more than talk.  

Just goes between slamming Obama and put McCain up as World Hero#1.  I don't disrespect his heroic story, but there are hundreds of POWs who didn't happen to marry a billion heiress.  

I've seen played often her line about him not "being from Washington" but it is the line before that which is most interesting:

McCain has a record of achievement of reform...lobbyists, special interests, comfortable committee chairmen in Congress.  

At this point the crowd got awkwardly quiet instead of delivering the expected applause line, just as they did when she mentioned Clinton in her first speech.  

But, concurrently, we all know his staff has been a revolving door of lobbyists.

Get this

MAVERICK out of the Senate and put him in the White House!!!

Wooooaaaoooaoo!!!  Top Gun!

"it's not a journey of personal discovery, [OBAMA! You jerk!]"

Then of course, she insults community organizers, and as Danny might remind you, thus insults the ENTIRE Civil Rights Movement, which was built upon Community Organizing.  Below is a video of what she was doing during the time that Barrack was "community organizing." The whole thing is OK, but you really just need to watch the last fifteen seconds to get a lovely taste!  She's an existentialist!!!! 

McCain for the next FOUR YEARS!

She said it.  How about that.  That's about as official (and aspirational) of a confirmation you'll get.  

Now, having created a template of juxtaposing Barrack and John as polar opposites,  everything she says about McCain implies the inverse is true of Obama....

Journey of an upright and honorable man....

the kind of fellow just like some of the vets that didn't come home....

Join our cause

Help America elect a GREAT MAN as the next POTUS.

Notice, she does not say "this" great man or "that" or "John McCain"  Thus presenting the idea that Barrack is less than a great man.  In her model, there is only one great man applying for the job.  Meanwhile, the Dems (to their credit and infinite idiocy) couldn't fall over each other's feet hard enough calling John McCain a "great man."

Sure, he's a great man.  But does his experience, so heavily highlighted by both Palin and McCain this week, really put him in a better position to lead?  Sure, he has character, and sure he suffered greatly and has had a long and distinguished Senate career.  

But none of this jibes when one considers how little words like health care and education and infrastructure were used.  It was all, like normal, taxes and danger!! 

Sarah Palin's speech wordle:

Thank you and God bless America. ...

This is all getting a bit memetic.