Palin's Speech Brilliant But Lacked Policy, Pundits Say

September 4, 2008 10:27 a.m. EST

Washington, D.C. (AHN) - Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin came out running like a pit bull Wednesday night, according to pundits, with a convention speech that excellently introduced herself to voters and attacked Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL), but had little to offer in terms of policy.

"Democrats who thought Sarah Palin would be an easy, soft target are in for a surprise: this is not a woman to be trifled with," CNN's Bill Schneider said. "[Republicans] proved that Palin's no pushover. They clearly established that... Here's what they didn't accomplish: An answer to what they will do to solve this country's economic problems."

TIME's Joe Klein called the first-term governor's address "a brilliant speech" that was "far more effective" than the one by former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani in attacking Obama.

"There was not much substance--issues don't matter, remember?--and her description of Obama's policies, particularly his tax policies, was quite inaccurate," Klein said before adding, "But that hardly matters. Palin established herself as a major-league performer."

"The hockey mom show[ed] what it's like to face off," according to ABC while the San Francisco Chronicle suggested the first Republican vice presidential nominee's performance may "outshine" Sen. John McCain (R-AZ).

"McCain has been engulfed by the Palin gale since he plucked the obscure 44-year-old governor from the farthest reaches of the continent to be his running mate. In the five days since, Palin has managed, without doing anything, to steal the focus from both parties' nominees," the Chronicle said.

Political Wire's Taegan Goddard thought Palin "gave a very good speech," but that Giuliani delivered "the best speech of the night." He said the governor's attacks against the media, "while good for applause lines among Republicans... is ultimately a tactical mistake."

Schneider had found Giuliani's speech "ugly, bitter and nasty," saying some lines, "When they gave up on Iraq, they gave up on America," were "insulting."

Goddard said remarks by former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney "were generally content-free but they did warm up the delegates." The New York Times noted that while Palin's speech was "the big draw," but that the third night of the Republican convention was "night notable for not a single mention from the stage of the unpopular president, George W. Bush."

The Republican National Convention is being held at the Xcel Center in St. Paul, Minnesota. The four-day event began with an abbreviated schedule on Monday because of Hurricane Gustav relief efforts. It resumed a full day of activities on Tuesday, with Bush appearing via satellite before a prime time address by Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT). McCain formally accepts the nomination on Thursday.