Sarah Palin’s Speech at the 2008 Republican National Convention … a hit, but not a home run
I wouldn’t have wanted to be in Governor Sarah Palin’s shoes tonight. To put it mildly, the news and criticisms surrounding her and her family meant every word she said would be put under a microscope and examined … then re-examined. All eyes were fixed on her, and, in my opinion, that threw her off at the beginning of her speech. As she progressed, she became more comfortable and settled in for what seemed like a long while. She aquitted herself well, but this was no home run.
Palin’s best moments came when she used her sense of humor and when she connected emotionally to her message. The emotional moments came when she spoke about children with special needs and when she took swipes at Barack Obama.
At other times, Palin seemed like she was trying to figure out where the speech was going next. I could tell the parts she was comforatable with and the parts she hadn’t worked on enough. When she was comfortable, she was on fire. When she wasn’t comfortable, she was average.
The one area Palin needs to work on is her voice. There are times when she speaks in a high pitch that grates on the ears. When she got down to business, the high pitch was replaced with a lower, stronger, more pleasant tone that made you want to listen.
I would like to see how she would do with more time to prepare. Based on what she pulled off tonight, I think she could certainly hit one out of the park.
Mike Huckabee
Only one other speaker was worth mentioning tonight … Mike Huckabee. Huckabee succeeded in picking apart his opponents without completely tearing them down. What I will remember most about this night is the story Huckabee used to illustrate why Americans should vote for John McCain. This is how stories should be used to drive your point home in a speech!
Tags: , John McCain, Mike Huckabee, Political Speeches, Presentation Skills, Public Speaking, Republican National Convention, Sarah Palin
8. September 2008 at 12:37 pm :
[...] John Watkis on Sarah Palin: Palin’s best moments came when she used her sense of humor and when she connected emotionally to her message. The emotional moments came when she spoke about children with special needs and when she took swipes at Barack Obama. [...]