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Before last week 47% of Republicans said they were "less enthusiastic" than usual about voting while just 39% said they were "more enthusiastic." Today fully 60% of Republicans are "more enthusiastic" about voting than usual while just 24% are "less enthusiastic," a net shift of 44 points.
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| How Do Democrats Solve a Problem Like Sarah?
"You've brought music back into the house. I'd forgotten. Fraulein, I want you to stay. I ask you to stay more than you know."
- Baron von Trapp in the "Sound of Music"
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 Just over a week ago Sarah Palin burst onto the national scene with a virtuoso performance at the Republican National Convention that brought the crowd to their feet, captivated a national television audience of almost 40 million people and sent Democrats scrambling to find any way possible to discredit this mom in hunting boots. It was a night for the ages, but what does it mean?
Well, for the Republican Party it means a great deal. To paraphrase Captain von Trapp, Sarah Palin has brought confidence back into the Republican house, something the GOP seemed to have forgotten over the last several years. Her ability to articulate a message and deliver it without flinching, without equivocating, and with a sense of commitment and purpose not seen since the Reagan Era reminded the Party faithful across the country that it's not just okay to be a Republican. It is, to use an Alaskan term, "kick ass."
This is no small feat, and despite the alacrity with which she has accomplished her mission, she is no flash in the pan. Her impact will last for a long while and, I suspect, so will she. This is not solely because she makes John McCain more palatable, his idiosyncrasies less problematic for the base. She does. But the importance of what Sarah Palin has done for disaffected, disillusioned and despondent Republicans is much greater than that.
Before the GOP convention, Republicans were a diffident bunch. The USA Today/Gallup surveys show a marked difference in their enthusiasm pre and post convention. Before last week, 47% of Republicans said they were "less enthusiastic" than usual about voting while just 39% said they were "more enthusiastic." Today fully 60% of Republicans are "more enthusiastic" about voting than usual while just 24% are "less enthusiastic," a net shift of 44 points. The party is energized and that has set the Democrats back on their heels. Anyone questioning Palin's role in this need look no further than the Obama campaign's effort to discredit her as well as the press corps desperate efforts to find a scandal. There are even rumors that Democrats in Congress are planning to move legislation on wolf hunting because they think Palin's support of it as governor will hurt her with dog lovers. Apparently desperate times call for desperate measures.
This is all the more remarkable given the initial feeding frenzy about McCain's choice. In fact, some might compare her challenge in St. Paul to the Checkers speech, a do or die moment that saved Nixon his place on Ike's ticket. But Nixon saved himself with his speech. With hers, Sarah Palin saved the GOP. She reminded Republicans of every stripe what unites them and she did it with a smile on her face and reform in her heart. Yes, it helps that Palin is pro-life and strong on the social issues important to many Republicans. But the gist of her message and the element that resonates more with the country overall is her basic core value: government belongs to the people and she intends to give it back to the people by cutting wasteful spending, keeping taxes down and limiting government. That may sound like standard GOP fare but Republicans haven't seen a lot of it in practice lately and listening to someone who really meant it - and had lived it as Governor of Alaska - was not just refreshing, it was downright exhilarating. Boiled down, her message is the heart and soul of the Republican Party, and it brought them roaring to their feet.
Palin smiled, but she was tough. She can tell a joke, but she was also dead serious. She was traditional, yet refreshing. She displayed humanity but did not seek pity. Not since George Bush Sr. whipped up New Orleans with the vision thing - thanks to a Peggy Noonan masterpiece - have Republicans seen a nominee with such command of a speech and of an audience. But it's been a long 20 years in between. Since then, Republicans have dutifully listened to strained syntax, stiff deliveries and a muddled message while yearning for someone, anyone who could combine solid GOP values with a communicator's ability to articulate them. They found their woman last week in St. Paul.
Restoring confidence in the Party rank and file is critical to Republican chances in November. Until this convention, Republicans were a decidedly somber group and optimism was in short supply. Poll numbers for GOP candidates weren't great, although they were a lot better than the mood on Capitol Hill and state capitals across the country might have indicated. What was missing was a sense of mission, a catalyst to remind the Republican Party faithful that elections do matter and that they are part of something bigger than themselves. To be sure, Sarah Palin alone did not accomplish this. Parts of John McCain's speech were captivating and inspiring. Rudy Giuliani, Mike Huckabee and others certainly helped the cause as they outlined the differences between a McCain Presidency and an Obama Presidency. But Palin's message was bigger than that. It was about the Republican Party and its role in America and it will be as true in 2012 and 2016 and 2020 as it is today, no matter who is the GOP's nominee. Republicans are once again proud of their party. Sarah Palin has brought confidence back into the house. And Republicans most surely will want her to stay.
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Please feel free to call or email with any questions.
Sincerely,
Hans Kaiser
Moore Information
410.216.9856 |
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