Republican Vice Presidential nominee Sarah Palin spoke Sunday evening before some 4,500 people gathered at Omaha’s Civic Auditorium. The Alaska governor talked about energy policy, the war on terror, and one reason why she feels comfortable in that eastern Nebraska city.
Palin says: "I am a little partial to the University of Nebraska at Omaha. I don’t know. Maybe it is just the name of the team which has such a nice ring to it this election year. I love that cheer: go Mavericks!" During her 20-minute speech, Palin quickly went on the attack and criticized Democratic Presidential nominee Barack Obama for his relationship with Bill Ayers, an alleged former domestic terrorist.
"Barack Obama says that Ayers was just someone in his neighborhood but that’s less than truthful," Palin says, "his own top advisor said that they were quote ‘certainly friendly.’ In fact, Obama held one of his first meetings of his political career in Bill Ayers’ home and they worked together on various projects in Chicago. These are the same guys who think that patriotism is paying higher taxes."
Obama has denounced the radical views and actions of Ayers, who founded the violent Weather Underground group during the Vietnam era. Obama dismissed the criticism from Palin as "smears’ meant to distract voters from real problems like the troubled economy. Palin says she won’t shy away from controversy, nor her run-ins with the media, and referred to her interview last week with CBS anchor Katie Couric.
"It’s a result of a less-than-successful interview that I had recently with someone in the mainstream media," Palin says, which brought boos from the crowd. "Really? I was just trying to give Tina Fey more material," referring to the actress who’s spoofed Palin on several successive episodes of "Saturday Night Live." Palin also targeted Obama on his spending plan.
Palin says: "In the mainstream media, they’re not asking him how is he going to pay for the huge government growth that he wants? You can either do your math or just go with your gut and either way, you’re going to draw the same conclusion: Barack Obama is going to raise your taxes." Palin’s comments about Midwestern values and the middle class drew big cheers. She said voting in Obama would bring higher taxes, bigger government, activist judges and retreat in war.