McCain-Palin becoming Palin-McCain?
By SARA KUGLER, Associated Press Writer
Sat Sep 6, 4:26 PM ET

The banners, buttons and signs say McCain-Palin, but the crowds say something else.

"Sa-rah! Pa-lin!" came the chant at a Colorado Springs rally on Saturday moments before Republican nominee John McCain took the stage with Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, a woman who was virtually unknown to the nation just a week earlier. The day before, thousands screamed "Sa-rah! Sa-rah! Sa-rah!" at an amphitheater outside Detroit.

"Real change with a real woman," read one sign at a Wisconsin rally. "Hurricane Sarah leaves liberals spinning," cried another.

In the short time since McCain spirited the 44-year-old first-term governor out of Alaska and onto a national stage as his running mate, Palin has become an instant celebrity. And since her speech at the Republican National Convention, watched by more than 40 million Americans, she is emerging as the main attraction for many voters at their campaign appearances.

"She's the draw for a lot of people," said Marilyn Ryman, who came to see her at the Colorado rally inside an airport hangar. "The fact that she's someone new, not the old everything we've seen before."

McCain has sought to portray Palin as a bulldog who will help him "shake things up" on Capitol Hill.

Washington, he said Saturday, is "going to get to know her, but I can't guarantee you they'll love her."

"We do!" came a cry from the crowd.

Perhaps recognizing the excitement she is generating, the McCain campaign was planning to keep Palin with McCain for several more days, rather than dispatch her to campaign by herself, as had initially been discussed.

On Saturday, McCain and Palin rode their post-convention wave into the competitive West, where Democrats have made recent gains in traditional Republican strongholds.

After a day of talking up economic themes in the Midwest, the pair attracted thousands at a rally in Colorado Springs, a city at the foot of Pike's Peak that is home to many conservatives and military families. They were to head later to New Mexico.

It was McCain's first appearance in Colorado since the Democrats had their convention in Denver last month.

Both campaigns consider the battleground state in play with the election less than two months away.

"Colorado, it's going to be a hard-fought battle here," Palin said. As soon as she began speaking, a group of supporters interrupted her with a cheer of "Sa-rah! Sa-rah!"

Palin is even getting the star treatment from celebrity magazines, Web sites and television programs, which have played up her personal story as a mother of five children, one of whom is 17 years old, unmarried and pregnant.

The excitement with which people are turning out to see Palin could complicate a key line of attack that the McCain campaign has been building against Democrat Barack Obama for months.

Republicans have sought to cast Obama's support as nothing more than shallow adoration and hype befitting a movie star. They have mocked his appeal among Hollywood types and compared his star status to that of lightweights like Paris Hilton and Britney Spears. They say there is nothing of substance to back up the candidacy of the Illinois senator.

Palin herself asked in her convention speech what happens "when the stadium lights go out, and those Styrofoam Greek columns are hauled back to some studio lot — what exactly is our opponent's plan?"

Obama has been careful in his comments about her, saying Saturday that she has flip-flopped on spending earmarks, but also calling her a "skillful politician."

Voters interviewed at rallies said their support for McCain has been cemented with his pick of Palin, who is a social conservative and reassures many who were wary about McCain on those issues.

Patricia Hoskins said she was already backing McCain but that Palin "really lit the fire under me."

And in the brief time that McCain and Palin have been campaigning since she introduced herself to the nation, many women at their events have said they identify with her personal struggles.

"She's every mom," said Lindsey Denny, a mother of 7, including a set of quintuplets, two of whom have special needs like Palin's infant son with Down syndrome. Denny said Palin's inclusion on the ticket was "110 percent" the reason why she went to see her Saturday.

news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080906/ap_on_el_pr/mccain_palin

Palin is the best candidate on either ticket.

I wonder if it would be a good idea to send her to California to campaign? That's a huge state that we don't do well in. Would it be a waste of time?

Palin, McCain is what we want, it's just not the reality.

Quoted: Palin is the best candidate on either ticket.

Quoted: I wonder if it would be a good idea to send her to California to campaign? That's a huge state that we don't do well in. Would it be a waste of time?

No. Midwest blue-collar swing states FTW.

McCain/Palin is what we want.  She needs to see how it is done first before she is ready to take the number 1 seat.  I think the VP position is perfect for her at this time.  It will be like a dry run for the presidency.  

Quoted: Quoted: I wonder if it would be a good idea to send her to California to campaign? That's a huge state that we don't do well in. Would it be a waste of time? No. Midwest blue-collar swing states FTW.

I think she should show up there and at least do one rally.  It certainly can't hurt us.  We have essentially ignored Cali for years.  I say go for it.

rr

It makes no difference in what order they assigned for pumping up the electorate. No one gives a hoot about Biden. The whole country is focused on Sarah right now, because that is who they trust within the ticket.

It does'nt make a difference in voters minds in the end..it's about trust and confidence. Obama brought Biden on to be his "experience" in his supposed reign to come. He has been a figment of liberal's imagination of of their Utopian leader since Kennedy died. This is smoke and mirrors...America is finally waking up to the reality of what the most liberal/socialistic President in history would mean to them. No liberal brought this country greatness...ever. America has ridden on the shoulders of bold, brave and determined Presidents in past years.

No idealogue ever did anything of substance for this nation.

Hillary was strong in CA.  The thought by the politicos is that 'Latinos' went for Hillary instead of Obama, so maybe they'll go for Palin.

Meh. YMMV

She already is more popular than McCain or Obama according to approval polls

It's fine with me.  As long as the ticket wins, I don't care which one wins it for them.

BTW...........I want a bumper sticker that says:
                           McCain
                            ___________
                 PALIN

McCain- Palin win the election
McCain becomes unable to finish his presidency and Palin becomes our first female President.

Quoted: Palin is the best candidate on either ticket.

+1

She sure mirrors my views better than any of the others.

Quoted: McCain- Palin win the election McCain becomes unable to finish his presidency and Palin becomes our first female President.

I am happy with that thought!

I think the country is going to quickly tire of Gov. Palin. I hope the GOP pulls her back a little to help maintain the excitement for two months.

I have been rooting for her all summer, since someone mentioned her on here, I just hope they don't overplay her.

They will lose, Obama will get elected, Obama will fuck the country up, Palin will go back to being Gov and run in 2012, she will win. Al la the 1976 elections.

So who becomes the VP if McCain dies?

By time elections come I hope she has the whole country wrapped around her finger, she is hard not to like.

Quoted: So who becomes the VP if McCain dies?

It is up to the Vice President to choose who takes their spot. It could be anyone. Now if they both die then the Speaker of the House gets the job. That would be a scary situation right now with Pelosi!

AT THESE RALLYS WHEN THE CROWD GOES WILD FOR HER, JOHN MACAIN GRINS LIKE HE WON THE LOTTERY!

Quoted: Palin is the best candidate on either ticket.

...in years.

Quoted: Palin is the best candidate on either ticket.

Absolutely - Just what we need a honest person in Washington. A real breath of fresh air.

Quoted: They will lose, Obama will get elected, Obama will fuck the country up, Palin will go back to being Gov and run in 2012, she will win. Al la the 1976 elections.

May not be anything left for fight for.