Remarks as = Prepared for Delivery by Alaska Governor Sarah Palin

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Remarks as Prepared for = Delivery by=20 Alaska Governor Sarah Palin
Vice Presidential = Nominee To=20 Address the 2008 Republican National Convention

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Wednesday, = September 03,=20 2008

Contact: =
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Mr. Chairman, delegates, and fellow = citizens: I am=20 honored to be considered for the nomination for Vice President of the = United=20 States...

I accept the call to help our nominee for president to = serve=20 and defend America.

I accept the challenge of a tough fight in = this=20 election... against confident opponents ... at a crucial hour for our = country.=20

And I accept the privilege of serving with a man who has come = through=20 much harder missions ... and met far graver challenges ... and knows how = tough=20 fights are won - the next president of the United States, John S. = McCain.=20

It was just a year ago when all the experts in Washington = counted out=20 our nominee because he refused to hedge his commitment to the security = of the=20 country he loves.

With their usual certitude, they told us that = all was=20 lost - there was no hope for this candidate who said that he would = rather lose=20 an election than see his country lose a war.

But the pollsters = and=20 pundits overlooked just one thing when they wrote him off.

They=20 overlooked the caliber of the man himself - the determination, resolve, = and=20 sheer guts of Senator John McCain. The voters knew better.

And = maybe=20 that's because they realize there is a time for politics and a time for=20 leadership ... a time to campaign and a time to put our country first.=20

Our nominee for president is a true profile in courage, and = people like=20 that are hard to come by.

He's a man who wore the uniform of this = country=20 for 22 years, and refused to break faith with those troops in Iraq who = have now=20 brought victory within sight.

And as the mother of one of those = troops,=20 that is exactly the kind of man I want as commander in chief. I'm just = one of=20 many moms who'll say an extra prayer each night for our sons and = daughters going=20 into harm's way.

Our son Track is 19.

And one week from = tomorrow=20 - September 11th - he'll deploy to Iraq with the Army infantry in the = service of=20 his country.

My nephew Kasey also enlisted, and serves on a = carrier in=20 the Persian Gulf.

My family is proud of both of them and of all = the fine=20 men and women serving the country in uniform. Track is the eldest of our = five=20 children.

In our family, it's two boys and three girls in = between - my=20 strong and kind-hearted daughters Bristol, Willow, and Piper. =

And in=20 April, my husband Todd and I welcomed our littlest one into the world, a = perfectly beautiful baby boy named Trig. From the inside, no family ever = seems=20 typical.

That's how it is with us.

Our family has the = same ups=20 and downs as any other ... the same challenges and the same joys.=20

Sometimes even the greatest joys bring challenge.

And = children=20 with special needs inspire a special love.

To the families of=20 special-needs children all across this country, I have a message: For = years, you=20 sought to make America a more welcoming place for your sons and=20 daughters.

I pledge to you that if we are elected, you will have = a friend=20 and advocate in the White House. Todd is a story all by himself. =

He's a=20 lifelong commercial fisherman ... a production operator in the oil = fields of=20 Alaska's North Slope ... a proud member of the United Steel Workers' = Union ...=20 and world champion snow machine racer.

Throw in his Yup'ik = Eskimo=20 ancestry, and it all makes for quite a package.

We met in high = school,=20 and two decades and five children later he's still my guy. My Mom and = Dad both=20 worked at the elementary school in our small town.

And among the = many=20 things I owe them is one simple lesson: that this is America, and every = woman=20 can walk through every door of opportunity.

My parents are here = tonight,=20 and I am so proud to be the daughter of Chuck and Sally Heath. Long ago, = a young=20 farmer and habber-dasher from Missouri followed an unlikely path to the = vice=20 presidency.

A writer observed: "We grow good people in our small = towns,=20 with honesty, sincerity, and dignity." I know just the kind of people = that=20 writer had in mind when he praised Harry Truman.

I grew up with = those=20 people.

They are the ones who do some of the hardest work in = America ...=20 who grow our food, run our factories, and fight our wars.

They = love their=20 country, in good times and bad, and they're always proud of America. I = had the=20 privilege of living most of my life in a small town.

I was just = your=20 average hockey mom, and signed up for the PTA because I wanted to make = my kids'=20 public education better.

When I ran for city council, I didn't = need=20 focus groups and voter profiles because I knew those voters, and knew = their=20 families, too.

Before I became governor of the great state of = Alaska, I=20 was mayor of my hometown.

And since our opponents in this = presidential=20 election seem to look down on that experience, let me explain to them = what the=20 job involves.

I guess a small-town mayor is sort of like a = "community=20 organizer," except that you have actual responsibilities. I might add = that in=20 small towns, we don't quite know what to make of a candidate who = lavishes praise=20 on working people when they are listening, and then talks about how = bitterly=20 they cling to their religion and guns when those people aren't=20 listening.

We tend to prefer candidates who don't talk about us = one way=20 in Scranton and another way in San Francisco.

As for my running = mate,=20 you can be certain that wherever he goes, and whoever is listening, John = McCain=20 is the same man. I'm not a member of the permanent political = establishment.<=20 br>
And I've learned quickly, these past few days, that if you're = not a=20 member in good standing of the Washington elite, then some in the media = consider=20 a candidate unqualified for that reason alone.

But here's a = little news=20 flash for all those reporters and commentators: I'm not going to = Washington to=20 seek their good opinion - I'm going to Washington to serve the people of = this=20 country. Americans expect us to go to Washington for the right reasons, = and not=20 just to mingle with the right people.

Politics isn't just a game = of=20 clashing parties and competing interests.

The right reason is to = challenge the status quo, to serve the common good, and to leave this = nation=20 better than we found it.

No one expects us to agree on=20 everything.

But we are expected to govern with integrity, good = will,=20 clear convictions, and ... a servant's heart.

I pledge to all = Americans=20 that I will carry myself in this spirit as vice president of the United = States.=20 This was the spirit that brought me to the governor's office, when I = took on the=20 old politics as usual in Juneau ... when I stood up to the special = interests,=20 the lobbyists, big oil companies, and the good-ol' boys = network.

Sudden=20 and relentless reform never sits well with entrenched interests and = power=20 brokers. That's why true reform is so hard to achieve.

But with = the=20 support of the citizens of Alaska, we shook things up.

And in = short order=20 we put the government of our state back on the side of the = people.

I came=20 to office promising major ethics reform, to end the culture of = self-dealing. And=20 today, that ethics reform is the law.

While I was at it, I got = rid of a=20 few things in the governor's office that I didn't believe our citizens = should=20 have to pay for.

That luxury jet was over the top. I put it on = eBay.=20

I also drive myself to work.

And I thought we could = muddle=20 through without the governor's personal chef - although I've got to = admit that=20 sometimes my kids sure miss her. I came to office promising to control = spending=20 - by request if possible and by veto if necessary.

Senator = McCain also=20 promises to use the power of veto in defense of the public interest - = and as a=20 chief executive, I can assure you it works.

Our state budget is = under=20 control.

We have a surplus.

And I have protected the = taxpayers by=20 vetoing wasteful spending: nearly half a billion dollars in vetoes. =

I=20 suspended the state fuel tax, and championed reform to end the abuses of = earmark=20 spending by Congress.

I told the Congress "thanks, but no = thanks," for=20 that Bridge to Nowhere.

If our state wanted a bridge, we'd build = it=20 ourselves. When oil and gas prices went up dramatically, and filled up = the state=20 treasury, I sent a large share of that revenue back where it belonged - = directly=20 to the people of Alaska.

And despite fierce opposition from oil = company=20 lobbyists, who kind of liked things the way they were, we broke their = monopoly=20 on power and resources.

As governor, I insisted on competition = and basic=20 fairness to end their control of our state and return it to the = people.

I=20 fought to bring about the largest private-sector infrastructure project = in North=20 American history.

And when that deal was struck, we began a = nearly forty=20 billion dollar natural gas pipeline to help lead America to energy=20 independence.

That pipeline, when the last section is laid and = its valves=20 are opened, will lead America one step farther away from dependence on = dangerous=20 foreign powers that do not have our interests at heart.

The = stakes for=20 our nation could not be higher.

When a hurricane strikes in the = Gulf of=20 Mexico, this country should not be so dependent on imported oil that we = are=20 forced to draw from our Strategic Petroleum Reserve.

And families = cannot=20 throw away more and more of their paychecks on gas and heating oil. =

With=20 Russia wanting to control a vital pipeline in the Caucasus, and to = divide and=20 intimidate our European allies by using energy as a weapon, we cannot = leave=20 ourselves at the mercy of foreign suppliers.

To confront the = threat that=20 Iran might seek to cut off nearly a fifth of world energy supplies ... = or that=20 terrorists might strike again at the Abqaiq facility in Saudi Arabia ... = or that=20 Venezuela might shut off its oil deliveries ... we Americans need to = produce=20 more of our own oil and gas.

And take it from a gal who knows = the North=20 Slope of Alaska: we've got lots of both.

Our opponents say, again = and=20 again, that drilling will not solve all of America's energy problems - = as if we=20 all didn't know that already.

But the fact that drilling won't = solve=20 every problem is no excuse to do nothing at all.

Starting in = January, in=20 a McCain-Palin administration, we're going to lay more pipelines ... = build more=20 nuclear plants ... create jobs with clean coal ... and move forward on = solar,=20 wind, geothermal, and other alternative sources.

We need American = energy=20 resources, brought to you by American ingenuity, and produced by = American=20 workers. I've noticed a pattern with our opponent.

Maybe you = have,=20 too.

We've all heard his dramatic speeches before devoted = followers.=20

And there is much to like and admire about our = opponent.

But=20 listening to him speak, it's easy to forget that this is a man who has = authored=20 two memoirs but not a single major law or reform - not even in the state = senate.=20

This is a man who can give an entire speech about the wars = America is=20 fighting, and never use the word "victory" except when he's talking = about his=20 own campaign. But when the cloud of rhetoric has passed ... when the = roar of the=20 crowd fades away ... when the stadium lights go out, and those Styrofoam = Greek=20 columns are hauled back to some studio lot - what exactly is our = opponent's=20 plan? What does he actually seek to accomplish, after he's done turning = back the=20 waters and healing the planet? The answer is to make government bigger = ... take=20 more of your money ... give you more orders from Washington ... and to = reduce=20 the strength of America in a dangerous world. America needs more energy = ... our=20 opponent is against producing it.

Victory in Iraq is finally in = sight=20 ... he wants to forfeit.

Terrorist states are seeking new-clear = weapons=20 without delay ... he wants to meet them without preconditions.

Al = Qaeda=20 terrorists still plot to inflict catastrophic harm on America ... he's = worried=20 that someone won't read them their rights? Government is too big ... he = wants to=20 grow it.

Congress spends too much ... he promises more. =

Taxes are=20 too high ... he wants to raise them. His tax increases are the fine = print in his=20 economic plan, and let me be specific.

The Democratic nominee for = president supports plans to raise income taxes ... raise payroll taxes = ... raise=20 investment income taxes ... raise the death tax ... raise business taxes = ... and=20 increase the tax burden on the American people by hundreds of billions = of=20 dollars. My sister Heather and her husband have just built a service = station=20 that's now opened for business - like millions of others who run small=20 businesses.

How are they going to be any better off if taxes go = up? Or=20 maybe you're trying to keep your job at a plant in Michigan or Ohio ... = or=20 create jobs with clean coal from Pennsylvania or West Virginia ... or = keep a=20 small farm in the family right here in Minnesota.

How are you = going to be=20 better off if our opponent adds a massive tax burden to the American = economy?=20 Here's how I look at the choice Americans face in this = election.

In=20 politics, there are some candidates who use change to promote their = careers.=20

And then there are those, like John McCain, who use their = careers to=20 promote change.

They're the ones whose names appear on laws and = landmark=20 reforms, not just on buttons and banners, or on self-designed = presidential=20 seals.

Among politicians, there is the idealism of high-flown=20 speechmaking, in which crowds are stirringly summoned to support great = things.=20

And then there is the idealism of those leaders, like John = McCain, who=20 actually do great things. They're the ones who are good for more than = talk ...=20 the ones we have always been able to count on to serve and defend = America.=20 Senator McCain's record of actual achievement and reform helps explain = why so=20 many special interests, lobbyists, and comfortable committee chairmen in = Congress have fought the prospect of a McCain presidency - from the = primary=20 election of 2000 to this very day.

Our nominee doesn't run with = the=20 Washington herd.

He's a man who's there to serve his country, and = not=20 just his party.

A leader who's not looking for a fight, but is = not=20 afraid of one either. Harry Reid, the Majority Leader of the current = do-nothing=20 Senate, not long ago summed up his feelings about our nominee. =

He said,=20 quote, "I can't stand John McCain." Ladies and gentlemen, perhaps no = accolade we=20 hear this week is better proof that we've chosen the right man. Clearly = what the=20 Majority Leader was driving at is that he can't stand up to John McCain. = That is=20 only one more reason to take the maverick of the Senate and put him in = the White=20 House. My fellow citizens, the American presidency is not supposed to be = a=20 journey of "personal discovery." This world of threats and dangers is = not just a=20 community, and it doesn't just need an organizer.

And though = both=20 Senator Obama and Senator Biden have been going on lately about how they = are=20 always, quote, "fighting for you," let us face the matter squarely.=20

There is only one man in this election who has ever really = fought for=20 you ... in places where winning means survival and defeat means death = ... and=20 that man is John McCain. In our day, politicians have readily shared = much lesser=20 tales of adversity than the nightmare world in which this man, and = others=20 equally brave, served and suffered for their country.

It's a = long way=20 from the fear and pain and squalor of a six-by-four cell in Hanoi to the = Oval=20 Office.

But if Senator McCain is elected president, that is the = journey=20 he will have made.

It's the journey of an upright and honorable = man -=20 the kind of fellow whose name you will find on war memorials in small = towns=20 across this country, only he was among those who came home.

To = the most=20 powerful office on earth, he would bring the compassion that comes from = having=20 once been powerless ... the wisdom that comes even to the captives, by = the grace=20 of God ... the special confidence of those who have seen evil, and seen = how evil=20 is overcome. A fellow prisoner of war, a man named Tom Moe of Lancaster, = Ohio,=20 recalls looking through a pin-hole in his cell door as Lieutenant = Commander John=20 McCain was led down the hallway, by the guards, day after day.

As = the=20 story is told, "When McCain shuffled back from torturous interrogations, = he=20 would turn toward Moe's door and flash a grin and thumbs up" - as if to = say,=20 "We're going to pull through this." My fellow Americans, that is the = kind of man=20 America needs to see us through these next four years.

For a = season, a=20 gifted speaker can inspire with his words.

For a lifetime, John = McCain=20 has inspired with his deeds.

If character is the measure in this = election=20 ... and hope the theme ... and change the goal we share, then I ask you = to join=20 our cause. Join our cause and help America elect a great man as the next = president of the United States.

Thank you all, and may God bless = America.=20

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