The V.P. Shocker

About a week ago I wrote about the upcoming election and how I do not default-vote because I don't assume that Republican=Christian. At the end of the entry, I wrote this:

That is why I am still undecided about the presidential election. McCain's choice of vice-president will tell me a lot.

We now know who the Republican candidate for vice-president is, and boy was she ever a surprise. A pleasant one, at that. At this point, I am still undecided, but the pendulum has definitely begun swinging in the other direction, particularly after listening to Sarah Palin's speech last night.

Someone shared a very thoughtful comment this morning about the two parties' candidates. They disagreed with my assessment of the candidates and pointed out that McCain and Palin are independent thinkers who do not thoughtlessly follow party lines. This is certainly something I have taken note of. The Democrats are trying to bill McCain as "more of the same" but this disregards his actual track record with his party.

I really enjoyed Sarah Palin's speech last night. I like her style, I like her family, I like her experience (another glaring weakness in the Democratic party candidates). She's a very normal, full-dimensional woman -- warts and all.

I'm not aware of any books written by her, so I can't do the same kind of research on her that I can do with the others. So, I am eagerly anticipating the debates, especially the VP debate (may there be more than 1!) so I can hear each person, in turn and without speech writers, state for themselves their ideas and plans for the country.

And incidentally, she managed to speak directly to me, sitting on my couch with a pile of medical syringes drying on the counter next to my mini-pharmacy, the wheelchair, the stander, and the walker...

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

Sometimes even the greatest joys bring challenge.
And children with special needs inspire a special love.

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

I pledge to you that if we are elected, you will have a friend and advocate in the White House."

Those few simple sentences brought tears to my eyes.