And there was certainly the energy and excitement of a rock concert as Palin electrified an audience of thousands in a campaign rally for Republican gubernatorial candidate Karen Handel on Monday.
“Are you ready to elect a pro-life, pro-second amendment, commonsense, constitutional conservative who will fight like a mama grizzly for you, for the values you hold dear?” Palin asked a cheering crowd.
Today, voters will head to the polls to determine whether Handel or former U.S. Rep. Nathan Deal will challenge Democrat Roy Barnes in November’s general election for the governor’s seat.
Palin answered why an Alaskan would involve herself in Georgia’s governor’s race.
“Why do so many of us have an opinion on this race? Because it’s epic, it’s historic, the eyes of America are on you Georgia to see if you really do want that positive change as you get rid of that good ol’ boy network that really gets in the way of just doing the things that the people who want to hire a good governor are expecting from their government,” Palin said.
“And yes, it’s true that I live outside the perimeter,” said Palin, who flew through four time zones to get to Atlanta.
Palin said she and Handel are outsiders who took on the good ol’ boy system. Being a reformer and rocking the boat isn’t easy, but it is the right thing to do, she said.
“When you take on the status quo and career politicians they have an entitlement mentality too often,” Palin said. “They’re going to fight you and they’re going to fight you really hard. And they’ll say some crazy things about you. Heck, some of them, they’ll find some buddies in the media who will hook up with them and then you never know, they even may make up things about you. They’ll make you sound so bad that even your own mama won’t want to vote for you.”
“I know that Karen’s opponent is really throwing fistfuls at her right now and just seeing if something will stick, but he’s got his own issues to deal with,” Palin said, referring to allegations that Deal has used his term as a U.S. Congressman to benefit his private business. “I too was called every name in the book. Insiders said that I was attacking them, that I was too aggressive, that I was taking on the party, and I answered, ‘yeah.’”
Palin said she and Handel agree the Republican Party cannot reward bad behavior and expect to earn the trust of the electorate. She said Handel “believes that the GOP should stand for smaller, smarter government and accountability and transparency, and values that we all cherish.”
Palin said the U.S. is at a crossroads and believes America has an “out of touch federal government that refuses to do the things it’s supposed to do, like secure our borders and enforce our laws.”
Instead she said, “it over-reaches into areas that it has no constitutional business being in, like bailing out and taking over our private sector industries.”
With a European style debt crisis looming because of the Obama-Pelosi-Reed agenda driving the spending train off the cliff, she said, the nation will need strong governors to stand up to the federal government — “Governors who aren’t going to think that they have to be namby pamby politically correct to get along with those in D.C. who are doing things that are not in your best interest.”
“These governors are going to have to rein in state spending and incentivize job growth, and Georgia can show Washington the way to do it,” Palin said.
Palin said of Handel, “She will lead not only Georgia, but I believe she is going to be a leader among state leaders in this nation helping us to really right the ship of state that’s so needed right now.”
Palin called Handel a self-made woman who made something of herself after enduring some tough life situations.
“I know that she’s been the underdog and more power to her. She’s been underestimated all her life too it seems, but she has proved her critics wrong time and time again.”
While serving on the Fulton County Commission, Handel inherited a $100 million deficit that bureaucrats said should be covered by raising property taxes. Handel opposed that proposition.
“What Karen did, because she’s a fiscal conservative and she did what fiscal conservatives are supposed to do, she cut spending. She balanced the budget year after year without raising those property taxes and she left the county with the largest reserve fund in its history,” Palin said.
And as Secretary of State, she took on the Obama administration with the photo ID law to combat voter fraud.
“Karen’s not afraid to take them on because she’s on your side. She’s fighting for you,” Palin said.
Former Cobb GOP president Anthony Scott Hobbs, who was in attendance with his wife, Phoebe, said they support Handel from a small business perspective.
“Simply, we believe in her vision of what she can do for jobs in the economy in Georgia,” Hobbs said. “Secondly with our two children, what’s most important for us is raising the bar for education when it comes to academic achievement. And third, and probably one of the biggest things that drive our attitude this season, we’re sick and tired of your run of the mill 20-, 30-year politician that never retires and we want someone new, someone fresh, someone that has something to prove upon being elected, and we believe Karen Handel is that person.”
Heather Cloudt, of Marietta, brought her 9-month-old daughter, Palin, and her 4-year-old son, Walker, to the rally.
“I thought it was crazy to take two toddlers to a political rally by myself, but I thought (Gov. Palin) ran a governor’s race across Alaska with four children in the back of her car. Why couldn’t I do this today? I just hope my daughter grows up to know what a strong, courageous woman she was named after,” Cloudt said.
Of Handel, Cloudt said, “I think she is a real fighter, and I’m excited to see it. I’m tired of the blue blood, white hair Republicans getting up there preaching and then filling their pockets. I’m looking for someone that’s willing to work and not just sit and get old.”
Dr. Kerwin Swint, an elections specialist at Kennesaw State University, said it’s all about energy and enthusiasm when it comes to getting out the vote.
“To get voters back to the polls for a runoff they have to be motivated, and events like this one are great for revving everybody up — the candidate, the volunteers and voters alike,” Swint said. “An A-list celebrity like Sarah Palin can do that in a way that ordinary politicians cannot. The event also happened right in the heart and soul of where Handel needs to dominate — the metro Atlanta area.”
Handel spokesman Dan McLagan said his campaign gave away 3,000 tickets for the event.
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I gave my vote to DEAL and I would suggest you do the same!
Maybe next time we can put in a woman.