Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Salem crowd embraces Palin's message
Kyle Green | The Roanoke Times
Supporters spell out "USA" at Salem Stadium before an appearance Monday evening by Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin.
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roanoke.com/politics
This was the USA. It was spelled out in red, white and blue T-shirts across the bleachers of Salem Stadium. Each letter was 30 seats wide and 14 rows high, for some 1,260 total people.
Total Sarah Palin people.
From the U section: "She's a mom," said Teresa Lawrence, a bank manager from Blue Ridge who wore a blue T-shirt. "Someone you can relate to."
From the S section: "I see her as just a normal, down-to-earth person, like we are," said Riley Barrett of Floyd during the long wait before Palin's arrival.
Another S, Cindy Friesland of Salem, added, "Everybody's after her about her clothes. Come on!"
And in the corner of the A section sat Betty Fitzgerald, a Bedford County resident who was voting Republican before the Alaskan governor was born. "Vote Pitbull Palin!" read one button pinned to her pink baseball cap.
"I'm 76 years old. I've been through [the Great] Depression and all the rest," Fitzgerald said, gazing at the stage where Palin would soon stand. "I see what every woman my age wants to see in a daughter, a daughter-in-law, a grandchild."
The architects of the USA -- members of Roanoke Valley Republican committees -- were pleased to see the last-minute effort spelled out so neatly, after the campaign mentioned the plan Sunday night. The T-shirts had to be driven in from out of state.
The requirements for sitting in the section? "No bathroom breaks, no concession stands," said Kenny Jarels, captain of the letter U.
(Although after the sun set and a nasty chill settled over the stadium, no one could be blamed for making a hot chocolate run.)
And while the political view from the letters section was passionately pro-Palin, the actual view was a bit strained from the higher seats.
"Are they tossing out Sarah Palin wigs?" one older supporter asked when a Virginia delegate threw campaign hats to the crowd.
Palin's arrival shortly after 7 p.m., with husband Todd in tow, brought the section to its feet. The vice presidential nominee waved her way down the catwalk to the podium, as cellphone cameras appeared in many hands.
Palin warmed up the crowd with criticism of Sen. Barack Obama's tax plan and praise for the famous Ohio tradesman, Joe the Plumber.
"And we're all in this together, Virginia!" she said.
The crowd responded: "USA! USA! USA!"
