ST. PAUL — The most-anticipated speech of the Republican convention here this week arguably was the one delivered tonight by vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin. She won over the crowd with her personal and political story and her jabs at Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama.
Here’s a recap of the best lines in her speech, followed by video of the full speech:
“I accept the privilege of serving with a man who has come through much harder missions … and met far graver challenges … and knows how tough fights are won.”
“Our family has the same ups and downs as any other, the same challenges and the same joys. Sometimes even the greatest joys bring challenge. And children with special needs inspire a special love. To the families of special-needs children all across this country, I have a message: For years, you sought to make America a more welcoming place for your sons and daughters.”
“A writer observed: “We grow good people in our small towns, with honesty, sincerity, and dignity.” I know just the kind of people that writer had in mind when he praised Harry Truman. I grew up with those people. They are the ones who do some of the hardest work in America … who grow our food, run our factories, and fight our wars. They love their country, in good times and bad, and they’re always proud of America. “
“I guess a small-town mayor is sort of like a ‘community organizer,’ except that you have actual responsibilities.”
“I’ve learned quickly, these past few days, that if you’re not a member in good standing of the Washington elite, then some in the media consider a candidate unqualified for that reason alone. But here’s a little news flash for all those reporters and commentators: I’m not going to Washington to seek their good opinion - I’m going to Washington to serve the people of this country.”
“There is much to like and admire about our opponent. But listening to him speak, it’s easy to forget that this is a man who has authored two memoirs but not a single major law or reform — not even in the state Senate.”
“Harry Reid, the Majority Leader of the current do-nothing Senate, not long ago summed up his feelings about our nominee. He said, quote, ‘I can’t stand John McCain.’ Ladies and gentlemen, perhaps no accolade we hear this week is better proof that we’ve chosen the right man.”
First-term Missouri Gov. Matt Blunt, who has been hounded by an e-mail scandal and other problems, announced yesterday that he will not seek re-election this year. With his wife by his side, he made the announcement in a YouTube video so he could speak directly to voters.
“The habit of politicians is to remain in office and the desire to prove oneself in the next election is strong,” Blunt said. “After a great deal of thought and prayer, and with the knowledge that we have achieved virtually everything I set out to accomplish, and more, I will not seek a second term in the upcoming election.”
Blunt, the son of U.S. House Minority Whip Roy Blunt, also a Missouri Republican, reiterated that message in a press conference today.
It’s crunch time for the State Children’s Health Insurance Program. Known by the acronym S-CHIP, the program is set to expire within days, but President Bush and Democrats in Congress remain divided over its future funding. Bush used his weekly radio address to reiterate his veto threat against the bill passed by Democrats.
“The proposal congressional leaders are pushing would raise taxes on working Americans and would raise spending by $35 to $50 billion,” Bush said. “Their proposal would result in taking a program meant to help poor children and turning it into one that covers children in some households with incomes of up to $83,000 a year. And their proposal would move millions of children who now have private health insurance into government-run health care.
“Our goal should be to move children who have no health insurance to private coverage — not to move children who already have private health insurance to government coverage.”
He vowed to continue working toward a compromise and urged Congress to send him a “clean, temporary extension” before S-CHIP funding expires Sept. 30.
Pennsylvania Gov. Edward Rendell chastised the Bush administration for making renewal of S-CHIP a “partisan issue” and threatening a veto of the bill. “The health of our children is far too important for partisan politics as usual,” Rendell said in the Democrats’ weekly radio address. “A veto battle in Washington would expose millions of children to the risk of losing insurance. That’s simply unacceptable.”
He noted that governors in both parties have been working together to expand health insurance coverage for children. He said the administration approved an expansion of Pennsylvania’s “Cover All Kids” program. “And now we are providing coverage to 93 percent of the children in families where the income is less than 250″ of the federal poverty level.”
But Rendell added that the administration recently changed S-CHIP rules in a way “that could halt the efforts of these and other states to cover more kids.” He urged Americans to contact the White House and their lawmakers and urge them to support legislation to reauthorize the S-CHIP program.
New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson points voters to his presidential campaign site for details on his energy plan because “a 30-second TV ad isn’t enough time” to sketch his map to clean energy.
In a previous ad, Richardson also touted his work toward clean energy in New Mexico as evidence of what he could do on that front as president.
New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson calls for Congress to stand up to President Bush. But the Democrat’s latest presidential campaign ad is just as much about getting voters to stand up for him.
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