Palin: This was the spirit that brought me to the governor's office when I took on the old politics, as usual, in Jeneau. When I stood up to the special interests and the lobbyists and the big oil companies and the good-ol' boys. Suddenly, I realized that sudden and relentless reform never sits well with entrenched interests and power brokers. That's why true reform is so hard to achieve, but with the support of the citizens of Alaska we shook things up. And, in short order, we put the government of our state back on the side of the people.
[clapping]
I came to office promising major ethics reform to end the culture of self-dealing. And today that ethics reform is the law. While I was at it, I got rid of a few things in the governor's office that I didn't believe our citizens should have to pay for. That luxury jet was over the top.
[clapping and cheering]
I put it on eBay.
[laughing, cheering, and clapping]
I love to drive myself to work and I thought we could muddle through without the governor's personal chef. Although, I've got to admit that sometimes my kids sure miss her.
[laughing]
I came to office promising to control spending by request, if possible, but by veto, if necessary. Senator McCain, also, he promises to use the power of veto in defense of the public interest. And as a chief executive, I can assure you it works. Our state budget is under control; we have a surplus. And I have protected the tax payers by vetoing wasteful spending; nearly half a billion dollars in vetoes.
[clapping]
We suspended the state fuel tax and championed reform to end the abuses of earmark (sounds like) spending by Congress. I told the Congress, "Thanks, but no thanks on that bridge to nowhere."
[clapping]
If our state wanted to build a bridge, we were going to build it ourselves.
[clapping]
When oil and gas prices went up dramatically and filled up the state treasury, I sent a large share of that revenue back where it belonged: directly to the people of Alaska.
[clapping]
And despite fierce opposition from oil company lobbyists, who kind of liked things the way that they were, we broke their monopoly on power and resources. As governor, I insisted on competition and basic fairness to end their control of our state and return it to the people.
[clapping]
I fought to bring about the largest private sector infrastructure project in North American history. And when that deal was struck, we began a nearly 40 billion dollar natural gas pipeline to help lead America to energy independence.
[clapping]
That pipeline, when the last section is laid and its valves are open, we'll lead America one step farther away from dependence on dangerous foreign powers that do not have our interests at heart. The stakes for our nation could not be higher. When a hurricane strikes in the Gulf of Mexico, this country should not be so dependent on imported oil that we're forced to draw from our strategic petroleum reserve. And families cannot throw more and more of their paychecks on gas and heating oil. With Russia wanting to control a vital pipeline in the caucuses and to divide and intimidate our European allies by using energy as a weapon. We cannot leave ourselves at the mercy of foreign suppliers.
[clapping]
To confront the threat that Iran might seek to cut off nearly a fifth of the world's energy supplies. Or that terrorists might strike again at the Abate (sounds like) facility in Saudi Arabia. Or that Venezuela might shut off its oil discoveries and its deliveries of that source. Americans: we need to produce more of our own oil and gas. And take it from a gal who knows the north slope of Alaska: we've got lots of both. Our opponents say again and again that drilling will not solve all of America's energy problems, as if we didn't know that already. But the fact, the fact that drilling, though, won't solve every problem is no excuse to do nothing at all.
[clapping]
Starting in January, in a McCain/Palin administration, we're going to lay more pipelines and build more nuclear plants and create jobs with clean coal and move forward on solar, wind, geothermal and other alternative sources.
[clapping]
We need . . .
[clapping]
. . . we need American sources of resources. We need American energy brought to you by American ingenuity and produced by American workers. And now I've noticed a pattern with our opponent and maybe you have too. We've all heard his dramatic speeches before devoted followers. And there is much to like and admire about our opponent. But listening to him speak, it's easy to forget that this is a man who is authored two memoirs, but not a single major law or even a reform, not even in the same sentence.
[clapping]
This is man who can give an entire speech about the wars America is fighting and never use the word "victory," except when he's talking about his own campaign.
[clapping]
But when the cloud of rhetoric has passed, when the roar of the crowd fades away, when the stadium lights go out, and those Styrofoam Greek columns are hauled back to some studio lot . . .
[clapping]
. . . When that happens, what exactly is our opponent's plan? What does he actually seek to accomplish after he's done turning back the waters and healing the planet?
[clapping]
The answer . . .
[clapping]
. . . the answer is to make government bigger and take more of your money and give you more orders from Washington and to reduce the strength of America in a dangerous world. America needs more energy. Our opponent is against producing it. Victory in Iraq is finally in sight and he wants to forfeit. Terrorists states are seeking nuclear weapons without delay. He wants to meet them without preconditions. Al Qaeda terrorists still plot to inflict catastrophic harm on America. And he's worried that someone won't read them their rights.
[booing]
I proofread this, however, I'm unsure of some words. Also, I'm unsure of how some things should be transcribed when they aren't proper English.