Palin's national reputation is a work in progress. Her speech did her good, observers from both parties said, showing that she can ably perform the traditional attack-dog role of a vice presidential candidate.
Voters who watched Palin's acceptance speech came away with a good impression, said Anna Greenberg, of the Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research group, a Democratic firm that conducted two focus groups of women voters in Nevada.
Palin's favorability ratings went up significantly among focus group members, who were independents and weak supporters of McCain and Barack Obama.
But the favorability ratings didn't translate into voter supporter, Greenberg said. "Clearly she improved her standing, but at the same time, fundamental questions about her experience and where she stood on issues remain," Greenberg said.
Republicans were gleeful yesterday in reacting to Palin's performance, which rocked the audience at the Xcel Center and sparked favorable commentary before McCain's speech last night.
McCain campaign manager Rick Davis compared Palin favorably to Britain's Margaret Thatcher, calling her American's "Iron Lady."
"She knew what was going on inside that hall," Davis said. "She grabbed that crowd. And I think she was able to do more than expectations."
Jane Swift, who had a child while serving as acting governor of Massachusetts, said Palin "had been pounded since Senator McCain introduced her last Friday, so people wanted to be reassured."
"And she did two things that are incredibly hard to do in the same speech," Swift said on MSNBC. "She electrified the workers who were here last night, who need to not sleep basically for the next two months if we want to overcome this political climate and win. But she also connected with folks in their living rooms and around the kitchen table at home."
Former Maryland Lt. Gov. Michael S. Steele said Palin's speech sends "a very powerful message of the kind of transformation the GOP is making."
Democrats said that while Palin's delivery was near-perfect, she did not address issues of importance in the election.
"As a mom of three kids and wife, I didn't hear anything that was speaking to my values, and I was listening hard," said Karen White, a veteran Democratic campaign manager from Maryland who handles political advocacy for the National Education Association.
"There were some good jokes, there were some funny lines," she said. "But I was really wanting to hear how she was going to get my kids a good public education and how she was going to make the environment better for them."
Democratic vice presidential nominee Joe Biden said, "The thing that impressed me most is what I didn't hear in the speech."
"I didn't hear a word - didn't hear the word 'middle class' mentioned, 'health care', 'college assistance,' all the things that are burdening the middle class," he said.
But many Republicans were just as happy to focus on Palin's style.
"I think the best way to describe her as she is getting to be introduced to America: she looks like Tina Fey, has the accent of [pregnant police chief Fargo movie character] Marge Gunderson and kicks tail like Chuck Norris," said former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee during a breakfast meeting of Maryland Republicans yesterday.
