Illinois delegates say Palin 'hit a grand slam'

ST. PAUL, Minn. _ No sooner had the Illinois delegates' bus pulled away from the convention center late Wednesday than someone shouted from the back: "Who thinks Sarah Palin knocked it out of the park tonight?"

Judging by the eruption of cheers and applause, the vote on the bus was all but unanimous.

The Alaskan governor is sure to undergo more tough scrutiny and questioning as the campaign kicks into high gear, but on this night she electrified her fellow Republicans and left them praising John McCain's surprise choice of her as his running mate.

"I thought she was fabulous; she exceeded my expectations," said Barbara Dwyer, a McCain delegate from Naperville. "She was strong. She was articulate. She made it clear who she is. I thought she hit a grand slam."

Little known to many Americans only a week ago, Palin sought to introduce herself after facing a week of questions about her credentials and controversy about her family.

For Sidney Mathias, a Buffalo Grove state represenatative and convention delegate, Palin's speech answered many questions.

"There's always a nervousness surrounding anyone you don't know about," Mathias said. "I trusted John McCain's judgment, but you're always a little nervous before you really see a person in action. This really alleviated all of my concerns."

Palin used her prime-time spotlight to go beyond establishing her own narrative to lob a few shots at the resume of Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama. Describing her time as mayor of Wasilla, Alaska, she drew a roar from the Xcel Energy Center crowd by saying, "It's sort of like being a community organizer, except you have actual responsibilities."

Nina J. Stephenson, a delegate from Barrington Hills, said Palin "had a sharp wit without having a sharp tongue."

Stephenson predicted that women would cross party lines to vote for a ticket featuring Palin.

"We need a mom in the White House," Stephenson said, because of the understanding that implies when it comes to issues affecting families.

Others found different highlights in Palin's speech.

Nick Kachiroubas, director of university advancement at Judson University in Elgin, said, "What I really appreicated about her is that she said she would serve with integrity and with a servant's heart. As somebody who teachers leadership to people, the fact that she wants to lead with those as her core values means a lot."

For some Republicans, Palin's speech constituted fuel for the campaign ahead and a jolt of momentum in a convention week that started slowly in the shadow of Hurricane Gustav.

T. Tolbert Chisum, a delegate from Kenilworth, said: "I have not had that much fun since Reagan. It was absolutely electric. Gov. Palin was just absolutely incredible. She did everything right. She was so well prepared. She was so absolutely on target and she addressed the issues. She address the attack."