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(AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
All over America today, people are talking about Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin.
Palin's first speech as the official V.P. nominee for the Republican Party was met with thunderous applause on the floor of the Republican National Convention last night. She accepted the nomination, then spoke about her life as a mother and governor of Alaska. Then she took aim at her Democratic opponents.
"The Democratic nominee for president supports plans to raise income taxes, raise payroll taxes, raise investment income taxes, and increase the tax burden on the American people by hundreds of billions of dollars," she said.
How did people in Utah react to Sarah Palin's speech? The reaction is mixed: some liked it, others thought it was a bit too scripted.
Salt Lake City resident Manda Betkoc said, "I think she is a very, very strong woman."
Judith Lachuga said, "I think it was pretty emotional, typical of a woman speech."
Jeff West, of Riverton, said, "I thought it was very well done. She was energizing the crowd and seemed to have some really good things to say."
Republican delegates welcomed Palin as the nominee for vice president, and though her speech seemed to win over the crowd, some Utahns were skeptical.
Patrice Englecliff of Salt Lake City said, "She reads a good speech. She used to work in the news and you can tell that she can read a teleprompter."
David Wall of Bountiful said, "I think I would have liked to see her address a little bit more of the issues of coming from a small state and that she doesn't have a lot of experience, and about her daughter a little bit."
But Palin did speak about her family.
"From the inside, no family is typical. And that is us. Our family has the same ups and downs as any other, the same challenges and the same joys," she said last night.
Carrie Towner, an active member of the Republican Party in Utah, says that this speech was more of an introduction to who Palin is, and that Palin will appeal to Utahns more as time goes on.
"I think Utahns are pretty strong on the second amendment issue and the conservative platform. I think she will shore up that base here in Utah," Towner said.
John McCain will take the stage tonight at the convention.
E-mail: spark@ksl.com
