"We are a nation of Wasillas, not Chicagos"

Another way that Sarah Palin helps McCain is by appealing to "fly-over country," the heart of conservative America. We all remember the pictures of the 2004 electoral map by county which showed the county by county breakdown as to which candidate they voted for. While geographical area is meaningless when compared to population distribution, what it does show is that large metro areas tend to lean liberal while small towns tend to lean conservative. Conservative pollster Kellyanne Conway hit it dead on in stating the quote at the head of this post (as attributed by Peggy Noonan). Moreover, the point Ms Noonan was making rings true: Sarah Palin's executive experience in the town of Wasilla is most certainly relevant, particularly in a country where small towns the size of Wasilla outnumber large towns (100k plus) some 380:1.

I'm very much looking forward to Gov Palin's speech at the GOP Convention this evening. I hope for her sake it reveals her character, fight and values. This is her big moment...her true step out onto the national stage, and regardless of the outcome of the election it will provide her the opportunity to solidify herself as a champion of the conservative movement and a force to be reckoned with.