The moment we have all been waiting for finally arrived tonight. Sarah Palin took the stage here in St. Paul and, to use a hockey analogy, scored a one-timer from the blue line.

As somebody who would most likely be categorized as the "Washington Elite", I will say I was extremely impressed with Palin's speech. For starters, her tone and delivery reminded me of many of the mothers I've encountered at various sports camps over the years. She was surprisingly normal. I could totally see her driving an SUV with the kids in the back and listening to classic rock. While there was a lot of sarcasm in her voice at times, I do not think it went over the line. Here is why her speech was good:

1. Foreign policy was supposed to be Palin's weakest area of expertise and it still is. However, she linked foreign affairs to energy policy, something she knows a lot about. By doing that, she was able to appear to the average American like somebody who knew what she was talking about.
2. She asserted herself as the "small-town" candidate. She spoke about small businesses and common values and above all never directly mentioned the state of the economy. I think she connected with people.
3. By introducing her son and nephew as among "those who serve our country", she emphasized that she has a stake in what happens in Iraq and that she understands the struggle of those in the military.
4. She painted Obama as light on substance and heavy on illusions and rhetoric: "This is a man who has authored two memoirs but not a single major law or reform."
5.  She claimed reformist credentials. By talking about the selling of the private jet and chef, she was able to be a reformist and a non-elitist.

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