"For Such a Pretty Lady..."

Now, I'm just sayin'...

This will be relatively short, as one could write a book analyzing the lies (take your pick - Bridge to Nowhere, Obama's patriotism, etc) and polarizing tone of Steve Schmidt's VP acceptance speech delivered by Sarah Palin. On full display throughout the evening was a lineup of speakers hurling political criticism (which is fair) and personal attacks (which should have no place in political discourse) upon Barack Obama and his family. Also on display, however, was a clear difference between acting like an adult and acting like a child. A couple of points stand out to me.

Barack Obama, just days ago:

Let me be as clear as possible," Obama said. "I think people's families are off-limits, and people's children are especially off-limits. This shouldn't be part of our politics. It has no relevance to Gov. Palin's performance as governor or her potential performance as a vice president.

Sarah Palin's response last night? Take a swipe at Michelle Obama:

[Small town people] love their country, in good times and bad, and they're always proud of America.

Sadly, that's only one example of the juvenile, virulent, and whiny attacks on Barack Obama and/or his family made by Sarah Palin in Steve Schmidt's speech.

On community organizers:

Before I became governor of the great state of Alaska, I was mayor of my hometown.

And since our opponents in this presidential election seem to look down on that experience, let me explain to them what the job involves.

I guess a small-town mayor is sort of like a "community organizer," except that you have actual responsibilities.

Now, ignoring the fact that Obama was a community organizer straight out of college and since has taught constitutional law at the University of Chicago, been a civil rights lawyer, been elected to the Illinois Senate, and elected to the United States Senate, it's really no surprise Sarah Palin doesn't know what a community organizer does seeing as she doesn't know what the Vice President of the United States does. Put simply, a community organizer is a hands-on citizen who helps create social change from the ground, up. In the words of David Plouffe:

Both Rudy Giuliani and Sarah Palin specifically mocked Barack's experience as a community organizer on the South Side of Chicago more than two decades ago, where he worked with people who had lost jobs and been left behind when the local steel plants closed.

Let's clarify something for them right now.

Community organizing is how ordinary people respond to out-of-touch politicians and their failed policies.

And it's no surprise that, after eight years of George Bush, millions of people have found that by coming together in their local communities they can change the course of history. That promise is what our campaign has been about from the beginning.

Throughout our history, ordinary people have made good on America's promise by organizing for change from the bottom up. Community organizing is the foundation of the civil rights movement, the women's suffrage movement, labor rights, and the 40-hour workweek. And it's happening today in church basements and community centers and living rooms across America.

No name-calling. No disparagement of character. Once again, in spite of the onslaught from McCain, Schmidt, and Palin, Obama's campaign responds on-message with strength, focus, and maturity.

Spitballing is not leadership. Sarcasm doesn't inspire hope. And nastiness wears well on no one. As we say in the south, "for such a pretty lady, she's an ugly woman."

Stay classy, Sarah.

I'm just sayin'...