Sarah Wows Republican Convention!

Before a wildly enthusiastic crowd at the Republican National Convention in St. Paul, Gov. Sarah Palin of Alaska defended her family and record, praised Sen. John McCain, and took several swipes at Sen. Barack Obama, according to FOX News. Some excerpts:

“I’m not a member of the permanent political establishment,” Palin said. “And I’ve learned quickly these past few days that if you’re not a member in good standing of the Washington elite, then some in the media consider a candidate unqualified for that reason alone.

“But here’s a little news flash for all those reporters and commentators: I’m not going to Washington to seek their good opinion,” she said. “I’m going to Washington to serve the people of this country.”

“Here’s how I look at the choice Americans face in this election: In politics, there are some candidates who use change to promote their careers, and then there are those, like John McCain, who use their careers to promote change,” she said.

“I had the privilege of living most of my life in a small town,” she said. “Before I became governor of the great state of Alaska, I was mayor of my hometown. And since our opponents in this presidential election seem to look down on that experience, let me explain to them what the job involves. I guess, I guess a small-town mayor is sort of like a community organizer, except that you have actual responsibilities.”

MSNBC ran the transcript of the speech here.