The former Alaskan governor is set to deliver the keynote speech at the National Tea Party convention tonight to a crowd of approximately 1,100 people, though many more will be watching at home—including us. Here we go!
10:05 pm: So here’s the breakdown: Palin repeatedly noted that the Tea Party didn’t need a leader, perhaps intending to sidestep the headlines that would have pegged her as one, though she also repeatedly pledged allegiance to the party and noted that she felt the party was the future of the United States. The speech was filled with incendiary rhetoric, aimed mostly at President Obama, and though she spoke for 45 minutes, she really didn’t say anything important or memorable: in the first 10 minutes, she hit at least 5 of our drinking game words, which is pretty bad news for someone attempting to perhaps position herself as a new type of candidate than the one that was on the Presidential ticket in 2008. The speech and Q + A were filled with contradictions, as well: Palin praised the Constitution and those who adhere to it during her speech, then turned around during the Q+A and noted that we should all consider bringing “divine intervention” back into government, seemingly forgetting the separation of church and state. She rambled, stumbled, and lost her place several times, seemed quite rusty, and attempted to paint the Tea Party as a source of goodness and kindness in a world controlled by an evil “Professor of Law.” It was an expected speech, and a slightly terrifying speech, in that Palin said exactly what we expected her to say, which was basically nothing, but will get the headlines in major papers tomorrow, and perhaps begin her march toward the Presidency in 2012. (Yes, you can drink again.)
10:03 pm: Neal Boortz on MSNBC notes that Sarah Palin is “not going to be the Republican nominee for President of the United States,” and that if she is, it will mean “another four years of Barack Obama.”
10:00 pm: Palin says she’s “all for the bipartisan work effort that is needed in Washington, D.C.” But that she won’t make the promises if they can’t be fulfilled. MSNBC just cut out, C-SPAN is still running—the only thing you’ve missed is a goodbye and a thank you from Palin. “I have to apologize if I had anything to do with any of the controversy that any of the media spun up.” She’s “happy, honored, proud” to speak to the Tea Partiers and says it’s not about a title or a leadership position, “I will live, I will die for the people of America to help.” Once again, she notes that the Tea Party is “the future of politics in America.” Oh, dear.
9:59 pm: “I can think of two words that scare liberals: ‘President Palin.'” You got that right, dude. The crowd is now yelling, “Run, Sarah, Run!” Feel free to drink.
9:58 pm: Palin says she’ll be endorsing candidates and attending events to support candidates during the primaries, to help “find a challenger for the general.”
9:55 pm: “What’s the Palin plan?” A: “The Palin Plan? It’s quite simple.” She “gets a kick out of it” when “the elitists” say that she’s simple minded. She says her plan is to reward those who understand the principles of our country, which is hilarious, because she doesn’t seem to understand the principles of our country (see: divine intervention, about 4 minutes ago.) She is bullshitting. She has no plan. She just said “We win, they lose.” Her plan is the equivalent of the plan of the Hawks coach from The Mighty Ducks, apparently.
9:53 pm: “It’s pretty cool to see some of the blue dog Democrats peeking under the tent.” Todd Palin isn’t a registered Republican, but he’s the type of American, Palin says, who represents the voter who doesn’t want to get into the party system but are believers in the Tea Party movement.
9:53 pm: LOL @ the commenter who asked “Is that Superman’s house behind them?” The set is truly lacking.
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