That should be the headline in newspapers around the world this morning. A couple of weeks ago I took off my Vice Presidential hat to act as political commentator and pundit to critique Barack Obama's V.P. choice of Joe Biden. I called it a terrible choice, a bland choice, and strategically, a failure. As a matter of fact, strategically, BOTH parties blew it. If Obama picks Hillary (and her 18 million primary votes) he has a good chance of sitting in the White House. But Joe who? From Dela-where? The guy known for plagiarizing his speeches? After watching last night's Sarah Pallin performance, I can only say, now, that Obama's best shot at victory is if Biden plagiarizes Pallin's speech!
Now, don't get me wrong. McCain and the GOP also made a strategic mistake. Winning the Presidency is all about electoral votes. If McCain picks Mitt Romney, he probably guarantees himself the White House. Nevada (my home state) might be the crucial battleground state in 2008. If the Republicans don't hold it- they lose. PERIOD. Nevada is 25% Mormon (believe it or not). Nevada loves Mitt Romney. He won the GOP Primary here. McCain came in third (behind Ron Paul). 'Nuff said. But even more importantly, from a strategic standpoint, Romney gives McCain a great shot to win Michigan, too (his home state- his dad was Governor). Michigan is the ultimate prize with 17 electoral votes. Take Michigan from Obama's column- that's a 34 electoral vote turnaround. Obama cannot recover from that knockout punch. Bar the door, Katie; game, set, and match for McCain. And, as a bonus, McCain said the economy isn't his strong suit. It is certainly Mitt's (the $300 million dollar man). Weakness solved. But alas, it wasn't to be.
Enter, Sarah Pallin, stage right. Romney no longer matters. He, too, is road kill. Handsome, dashing, smart, but suddenly outed as boring. Huckabee was considered glib, colorful and funny- until last night. Compared to the hockey mom/pit bull Pallin, even he too is road kill. Guliani was considered a vicious New York pit bull, until last night. But, no one can play pit bull better than a beautiful, sweet, Hockey Mom. A pit bull, with lipstick and high heels. Good luck to Joe Biden. He'll need it.
A pit bull Hockey Mom just left most of America's most gifted male politicians (and orators) dead in the middle of the road. She sliced and diced Obama, last night, like a wood chipper. Obama's political career is lying in pieces, in a ravine somewhere in Alaska- with snowmobile tracks leading from the carnage.
Pallin's line about a “community organizerâ€� being about the same as a small town Mayor…â€�except the mayor has responsibilitiesâ€� was a hockey puck to Obama's groin. Then, she finished Barack off, by referring to his fake Greek columns being carted back to Hollywood. Ouch! I could hear every guy in Middle America screaming in laughter. With one line she emasculated Barack's entire fake career. Then, the hunter shot him once more for good measure with the line about Obama saying nice things to small town America to their faces…then badmouthing them when he's back in San Francisco. Did the body move on that last shot? Or was he already finished off? Hard to tell.
You've got to admire a hunter who can shoot that accurately in high heels. I could see every hunter, fisherman, gun owner, steel worker, and every working mom and housewife who has ever felt unrepresented or demeaned in Washington D.C., high-fiving and screaming in joy. Sarah Pallin was the star of “9 to 5� last night. The small town secretary gutted her male boss and took over the CEO job…with a smile and a wink.
She not only sliced, diced and embarrassed her political opposition, she defeated the entire media elite and the “Beltway Insiders.� She left them all gasping for air, on their knees, pleading for mercy from the professional huntress. Pallin's speech was a verbal fusillade to the imaginary heart of every elite liberal snob in America.
“The great community organizer� is on life support this morning wondering if anyone got the license plate of that Hockey Mom. About the only thing she left out was a little something with which I would have ended my speech:
“And to you, the elite media and press… Please keep writing lies, slanders, and half truth´s, about me and my beautiful children — because, let me tell you something about small town people: we don´t live in just Wasalia, Alaska, or Mizzoula, Montana, or Sheep´s Creek, West Virginia…or Lyons, Nebraska. We also live in Detroit and Cleveland and Pittsburgh and Chicago, AND here´s some news for you….we even live in New York City… and every time you sit in your ivory towers and write your vicious, elite, smug lies, you send another thousand voters to me and John McCain. Keep writing; I beg you- keep writing.â€�
Yes, I think “Mrs. Smith is headed to Washington.â€� In real life. Sarah Pallin is playing Reece Witherspoon in “LEGALLY BLONDEâ€� – except Sarah's brunette and she's got a hunting rifle. You remember how that ends don't you?
As Don King would say “Only in America.� But, isn't that what makes America great? Sarah Pallin isn't perfect. As a matter of fact, her personal life may be a mess. But who cares? She's charming and refreshing and, as we say back in New York, she has chutzpah! You gotta love her. That was a performance for the ages- with the gossip and rumor mills going at hyper speed, and the vicious D.C. press corp. literally on her heels, she walked onto that stage with ice water in her veins, pulled the trigger and hit the bulls eye. Dead Center! It can't happen in France. It can't happen in China. It can't happen in India (think caste system). It can't happen anywhere else. Only in America can a small-town gal and hockey mom with 5 kids get a chance to slice, dice and humiliate the most powerful men in the political world- and beat them at their own game.
Wasilla, Alaska 10
Washington D.C. and Chicago, Illinois 0
Game on.
From one S.O.B. (son of a butcher), small town boy, street-fighter, small businessman, home-school dad and citizen politician…to another- Congratulations Sarah for serving notice to the Hollywood, Manhattan and D.C. pompous, snobby elite class that it's time for real change. I'll see you in Washington D.C.
Somehow, I think, from this moment on, things will never be the same. Real Americans have served notice: we are taking back America. And, to the Obamas and Bidens and old school boys, I say- “be afraid, be very afraid!�
Wayne Root is the Libertarian Vice Presidential nominee on the Libertarian Presidential ticket of Bob Barr/Wayne Root. His web site is: www.ROOTforAmerica.com.
