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McCain weathers Hurricane Palin | McCain weathers Hurricane Palin |
(about 22 hours later) | |
By Jonathan Beale BBC News, St Paul Questions have swirled all week about John McCain's running mate | By Jonathan Beale BBC News, St Paul Questions have swirled all week about John McCain's running mate |
Two storms threatened to blow the Republican National Convention off course this week. | Two storms threatened to blow the Republican National Convention off course this week. |
The first, Hurricane Gustav, delayed the start of proceedings, but did not cause the chaos that many had feared. | The first, Hurricane Gustav, delayed the start of proceedings, but did not cause the chaos that many had feared. |
The second storm was over Senator John McCain's choice of running mate, Alaska Governor Sarah Palin. The impact of this would be much harder to predict. | The second storm was over Senator John McCain's choice of running mate, Alaska Governor Sarah Palin. The impact of this would be much harder to predict. |
The questions started last Friday, but only reached a crescendo this week. | The questions started last Friday, but only reached a crescendo this week. |
Who was Mrs Palin? How and why was she chosen? What qualified her to be his running mate and where exactly was Wasilla, Alaska? | Who was Mrs Palin? How and why was she chosen? What qualified her to be his running mate and where exactly was Wasilla, Alaska? |
The smiling family - Trig, Track, Bristol, Piper and Willow - turned out to be not quite so perfect. | The smiling family - Trig, Track, Bristol, Piper and Willow - turned out to be not quite so perfect. |
'Scented blood' | 'Scented blood' |
Mrs Palin's 17-year-old unmarried daughter Bristol was pregnant. Had the McCain campaign done its homework, or was this a rather desperate shot in the dark? | Mrs Palin's 17-year-old unmarried daughter Bristol was pregnant. Had the McCain campaign done its homework, or was this a rather desperate shot in the dark? |
The media found out Sarah Palin's teenage daughter was pregnant | The media found out Sarah Palin's teenage daughter was pregnant |
Some in the media pack scented blood. | Some in the media pack scented blood. |
The hunt was on when Mrs Palin appeared to go to ground for the first few days of the convention. It all seemed to be heading for disaster. | The hunt was on when Mrs Palin appeared to go to ground for the first few days of the convention. It all seemed to be heading for disaster. |
Yet Mrs Palin turned out to be the darling of the convention. | Yet Mrs Palin turned out to be the darling of the convention. |
Maybe in part because of the media's attacks. But mostly because of that speech that fired up the party faithful. | Maybe in part because of the media's attacks. But mostly because of that speech that fired up the party faithful. |
She used her humble origins, humour and a stiletto heel to turn the attack on the media and the Democrats. | She used her humble origins, humour and a stiletto heel to turn the attack on the media and the Democrats. |
'Sudden stardom' | 'Sudden stardom' |
Rarely has such a political unknown shot to such sudden stardom - 37 million Americans watched her speech. | Rarely has such a political unknown shot to such sudden stardom - 37 million Americans watched her speech. |
Just a few million fewer than had watched Barack Obama in Denver. | Just a few million fewer than had watched Barack Obama in Denver. |
The reality is that there are still questions about Mrs Palin. | The reality is that there are still questions about Mrs Palin. |
Sarah Palin became an instant star at the convention | Sarah Palin became an instant star at the convention |
And there will be greater tests ahead. But she has re-energised the Republican base and rallied support around Mr McCain. | And there will be greater tests ahead. But she has re-energised the Republican base and rallied support around Mr McCain. |
It is worth remembering that many conservatives still had strong reservations about the Vietnam veteran before Mrs Palin was chosen. | It is worth remembering that many conservatives still had strong reservations about the Vietnam veteran before Mrs Palin was chosen. |
St Paul, Minnesota, may have been their road to Damascus. | St Paul, Minnesota, may have been their road to Damascus. |
But John McCain still had plenty to prove. | But John McCain still had plenty to prove. |
'No McSame' | 'No McSame' |
First he needed to distance himself from an unpopular President Bush and to blunt the Democratic Party attacks that a McCain administration would be more of the McSame. | First he needed to distance himself from an unpopular President Bush and to blunt the Democratic Party attacks that a McCain administration would be more of the McSame. |
The fact that Mr Bush did not appear in person at the convention probably helped. | The fact that Mr Bush did not appear in person at the convention probably helped. |
As did the focus on Mrs Palin. | As did the focus on Mrs Palin. |
Mr McCain's biggest theme was regaining the American people's trust | Mr McCain's biggest theme was regaining the American people's trust |
Mr McCain also had to reach out beyond the Republican base. | Mr McCain also had to reach out beyond the Republican base. |
The attacks on his rival, delivered by his surrogates, were effective. | The attacks on his rival, delivered by his surrogates, were effective. |
But there had been precious little detail in terms of policy. How would a McCain administration differ from eight years of Bush? | But there had been precious little detail in terms of policy. How would a McCain administration differ from eight years of Bush? |
In the end Mr McCain's speech ticked most of the boxes, without setting the world alight. | In the end Mr McCain's speech ticked most of the boxes, without setting the world alight. |
He has never been the most inspirational of speakers - and it was always going to be hard to compete with the oratory of Barack Obama. | |
But he filled in some of the details on economic policy. | But he filled in some of the details on economic policy. |
His biggest theme: To regain the trust of the American people. In truth the speech did not contain any real surprises. | His biggest theme: To regain the trust of the American people. In truth the speech did not contain any real surprises. |
But then Mr McCain - the self-proclaimed maverick - had already done that in the selection of his running mate. A move that has already shaken up this race. | But then Mr McCain - the self-proclaimed maverick - had already done that in the selection of his running mate. A move that has already shaken up this race. |
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