Indeed, I think that’s wrong. There was a quality to Palin’s speech that hasn’t been at the center of Republican oratory for a while — her ability to communicate a common understanding. Looking at the field of GOP leaders recently confirms this: W. was a silver spoon baby, John McCain, in spite of his personal story, is stilted, Newt Gingrich is aloof, and Ron Paul always seems nervous.

Some bloggers felt that Palin was too negative, but I think how she handled the negativity was instructive — it felt like a wrist slap than a schoolmarmish clucking, or a bitter political attack. It was proportionate.

As to whether chills should come down the spine at the thought of a President Palin, perhaps similar chills should have surfaced at the time President Bush was nominated. At that time he had more failures and fewer achievements than Governor Palin. I don’t know what was so chilly, though — she was fine.