Don't underestimate her

[Emit]

and don't over estimate the general electorate. Many voters, especially those who were forced to watch Palin because their routine shows were interrupted (did the non-cable CBS, NBC or ABC channels carry any of the Democratic Convention?), will likely see a lot they think they like in Sarah Palin.

There are still many misinformed and uniformed voters who can be approached in the next few weeks. Grassroots, baby, grassroots!

[kurth_]

1. Dems must respond ASAP

before the shit sinks in.

[Eric J in MN]

2. The broadcast networks carried an hour per night of the Democratic Convention.

10-11PM Eastern, 9-10PM Central.

[Emit]

31. TX for that info -- I watched on PBS and CSPAN online and didn't notice if the other

regular channels were carrying it. Do you know if they aired Obama's or Biden's speeches? Just curious.

[Neshanic]

3. Concern noted.

[gateley]

5. It's a valid concern. Unless we want to pretend that we don't have

a worry in the world.

[Neshanic]

6. We don't. That's the magic of non-concern.

[glancingthefuture]

14. She is a strong woman and a good speaker. We can not dismiss that.

[leftynyc]

33. She's a cream puff who can

read a teleprompter. And she's in for a whole world of hurt and the beauty is that Senators Obama and Biden aren't going to have to do a thing. Can't wait till they rip the bark off her.

[Emit]

8. stop, please

with the 'concern noted' crap.

I'm out walking and talking to folks, regular folks, who don't eat, live and breath DU or Kos. We can sit in here and think we've got it sewn up. But we don't. As amazingly stupid as it seems, and as easy as we think it should be, this is no cake walk for Obama/Biden. This woman will appeal to a lot of voters - like candy to a baby - no matter if only for all the wrong reasons.

[Neshanic]

10. Concern doubly noted.

[stolivodka]

11. concern noted, etc

Please point out the thread where a bunch of DUers announced that they were calling off the campaign and just coasting to November..

[Honeycombe8]

17. You are so right. This race is razor close, and she has energized their party.

You can bet the Obama campaign has duly noted the change and the new game, and are putting together a new game plan.

She is a surprise element out of nowhere, and it is NOT wise to underestimate the opponent, esp. one that makes her followers actually cry (I saw women crying during her speech).

She is a totally wacko pessimistic hateful politician who MUST be kept out of the White House. Obama/Biden MUST win.

[Emit]

21. It makes me cringe imagining her as second in command

I trust Obama/Biden and their team to be watching the replay for the third or fourth time by now, developing strategy, etc.

And I for one will step up my own efforts to persuade undecided voters, you can bank on that. I want McCain/Palin as far away from the WH as we can get them.

edit to replace cry with cringe, I'm more angered than saddened

[EFerrari]

27. Ignore the non-responsive responses.

You bring up a good point. Imho, it's a good idea to try to see this viper the way she is or will be seen.

I'm hoping that her two truckloads of baggage will overwhelm the facade. We'll be at a tipping poiont soon, in any case.

[Emit]

28. Tx, sfexpat2000

Honestly, I shouldn't be offended that my post was taken as a concern troll thing. It certainly wasn't intended as such. :hi:

[gateley]

4. Most of the people will vote for who they LIKE, and therefore think they can trust.

That's how my mother went to the dark side and voted for Reagan.

Like it or not, that's the reality.

[Sugarcoated]

9. She's not very likable

I think she was shrill and mocking and it was very unbecoming. The tone was wrong, the delivery reminded me of the Church Lady.

[Starlight]

13. Exactly. People who watched that shrill, nasty, mean spirited speech reading and liked it are ++

already firmly planted on the dark side. I don't think there's much chance of bringing them back into the light. :shrug:

[gateley]

25. But we're smarter than the average bear -- seriously.

I just heard someone, who is really pretty neutral, who said her speech (you won't believe this) finally addressed the concerns of middle America, and she seemed to be speaking from the heart, unlike most politicians.

We won't even go into how whack that is, but the point is, that's how some people will respond to her.

[leftynyc]

34. You think she came off likeable???

I'm seeing nasty, bitchy, shrill, shrew. And not on DU, all over the place.

[mzmolly]

7. I don't think she came across as likable, and I think she opened

the door to greater critique and scrutiny in her new roll as "attack dog."

[Blue_In_AK]

16. She wasn't anything like herself.

The one thing that has made her successful in Alaska is that she is (or was) likable and tried to work across party lines, to a degree, especially on energy-related things.

[Emit]

18. Are you speaking from personal experience, Blue, because that is very

interesting - implying that her sudden change in style has been coached. Doesn't surprise me, mind you, just interesting to note.

[Blue_In_AK]

29. I've only met her once

just briefly back in 2006 on election day when we were all out campaigning on the corner. She seemed very normal, down-to-earth, friendly -- just a nice, folksy Alaskan girl. Even though I was campaigning for the progressive Democrat for House, she wished us luck and said that she admired Diane a lot. I had a good impression of her at the time, and she hasn't been unlikable as a governor. People have their issues with her, of course, but she's gotten a lot of support on different issues from the Democrats, and I've never heard her speak in a hateful partisan way.

[Emit]

32. TX Blue_In_AK, for responding

She's being groomed to go for the jugular now, no doubt; but, as others have noted, they will also keep her on a close leash, lest she misspeak or something. Being thrown into the spot light might make some nervous and seemingly ill-prepared. But, I have to say, she seemed right at home with the sarcasm, hate -- the flying barbs, especially with the crowd adoring her and cheering her on. She's a monster in the making, if you ask me. Sorry, I had to say it.

[Blue_In_AK]

37. Don't apologize -- I agree.

I'm just very disappointed in her.

[mzmolly]

19. I was concerned that she would portray the image

you describe above. This may be who she is, but it's not how she came across. And, I'm glad frankly. ;)

[Marsala]

23. How just like the Republicans

They throw away a candidate's greatest strength and fall back on insults. Just like what McCain has done with the media.

[Honeycombe8]

20. Likeable to whom? That's the point. She's not likeable to ME or YOU, but we won't be voting for

them.

The point is...was she likeable to independents and undecideds? Was she likeable to the base of their party? (I think we'll all agree that's a big "yes" to that second question.)

[mzmolly]

22. My point was directed at undecideds. Frankly, I DID like her until today.

I just didn't agree with her or find her qualified. I don't automatically dislike those I disagree with politically. Quite the contrary.

[earthside]

12. Snide, Sarcastic Attacks ...

... are not liked by ordinary, non-political folks.

Frankly, I'm not that worried about her ... if McSame's speech tomorrow is a dud (and it will be), then the focus will pivot right back on him and how deficient he is as a candidate and a potential president.

The scandals and contradictions and hypocrisy of Sarah Failin' has done serious damage to her. Furthermore, until she does a no-holds-barred press conference, even the McSame campaign will keep her from saying too much out on the road.

Failin' will then be shuffled off to study briefing books and we may see very little of her until the veep debate.

[TheKentuckian]

15. It's a bad idea to make nasty bitch your first impression

Her first real impression is not of a person you want to hang with unless you have GOP convention parties.

I might be off but doesn't it put you off someone you see for the 1st time that is nasty, cocky, lacking substance, and with a super annoying voice too boot?

Everybody might not despise her but you can't go bulldog and put your best foot forward at once. Or if you can then she didn't have that caliber of a performance.

Relentlessly whip her, she's taken on the role.

[Lil Missy]

24. Don't underestimate Obama, or the Democratic response either. They are prepared.

And lest we forget, they couldn't pack a 10k auditorium. Obama packed an 85K stadium last week, in addition to standing room inside and outside.

[tpi10d]

26. don't overestimate her

Her speech was before a friendly audience and written by Bush's speechwriter. This could be a high water mark as someone said.

Sooner or later she'll have to appear before the press and in "fish out of water" settings. Already we have a backlog of unanswered questions.

Additionally the vetting process continues in the mainstream press and the tabloids. I wouldn't bet against surprises.

[FrenchieCat]

30. Aye....I'm with you. There is a calmness in me......

Because I believe that they blew it, and it is going to be downhill from here.

[leftynyc]

35. Thank you

I can't believe what I'm reading here. Sooner or later (and this was brought up on TV this morning), she's going to have a microphone shoved in her face and is going to have to answer hard questions. They're hiding her from the press and people are noticing.

[Emit]

36. True, but

all those little repug foot soldiers who've been energized will be out knocking doors, sending repugs money, etc. - something that we've had an advantage over for some time now.

We can't let down out guard, and Obama/Biden needs volunteers now more than ever.

My OP was just a reminder that despite how much WE dislike her and thought her speech was epic fail doesn't mean that the average ill/uninformed voter will, too. I have learned to never overestimate voters - it's amazing how some of them come to their decisions about voting.