An Open Letter to Sarah Palin

Dear Sarah,
In the past two days, I have heard several pundits raise the mantra "Free Sarah Palin". I am certain that you are prepping for the Vice Presidential debate on Thursday and your constituents are looking forward to it. But I would like to offer you some debate prep straight from the fly over states.

First, and foremost, stop everything and watch the classic movie Mr. Smith Goes to Washington. No....watch it a couple of times. This is your story on so many levels. Individual from small town America goes to Washington to represent the common folk. Big and corrupt government tries its best to sabotage his mission with massive red tape and underhanded smears to destroy his credibility. His mainstream supporters and a couple of insiders who become sympathetic to his cause provide him what he needs to triumph in the face of extreme adversity. You have a broad base of conservative supporters who will rally behind you. We share your views. We know that you are more like us than you are like THEM. When you debate on Thursday, speak from your heart. That is what we want to hear. You are a diamond in the rough, untainted by the Washington machine and that is what you need to be.

Break free of the micromanagers for the campaign. Spread your wings and show us more of what we saw in your acceptance speech at the convention. You are a bright and talented woman who has succeeded in state politics and knows what it takes to get things done at the state government level. A state is a microcosm of the nation. Bring that common sense to Washington where they need a huge dose of it.

Since you and Senator McCain are running on a maverick reformer platform, tell us what should be changed in Washington. It doesn't even matter to me if what you think should be done is not in lock step with your running mate. If questioned, tell them that you and Senator McCain are your own individuals, he is at the top of the ticket, but that no two people are ever in total agreement on all issues...Period. If you are faced with a Gotcha question--and I am sure that there will be many--ask for clarification and if you don't know, tell them that...Your base will understand. Then follow with something that lets the audience know that you will be giving your all to learning everything that there is to know about the subject so that you will be able to represent them well--and remember, you are not running for President---yet. You are great in one on one situations and small groups---well Thursday you are going one on one with the little people of America. Forget the audience, forget the media, forget all of the trappings and the hype and just SPILL YOUR GUTS. The moderator is just another guy with a question. Biden is just another guy with a different point of view. Deal with them just like you would in the mayoral chambers or the governor's office.

While the Obama campaign is showing Senator Biden as a scrappy Scranton small town guy, I can guarantee that he has long since stopped shopping at Sam's or Costco. Let us see that you are still like us and know what happens at the check out line. Let us see that you know what life is like in Small Town America where people get up, go to work and come home to wrestle with the real issues of the day. Where honorable young men and women volunteer to serve in the military to keep us safe, where people are trying to stretch a dollar and pinch pennies hard, where parents home school their children because they want to provide them with a quality education that mirrors their values, where junior athletics still requires that one team WIN, where good people wrestle with the job of parenting and sometimes fall short and where people run small businesses that move the economy.

Lastly, get the campaign to let you do interviews on conservative media. They have huge audiences and are a powerful voice in your corner. There is no real need to lay yourself at the altar of MSNBC and the MSM where your words will be twisted and the entire interview will be hostile. You don't deserve the treatment that they have afforded you. You need not apologize for your personal feelings and morals. We understand! So throw us some red meat and get out there where we can hear from you in friendly turf so that you can flesh out your own positions and ideas.

You are the embodiment of what conservative voters have been longing for, so take off the gloves and show us the real contrast that you and Senator McCain bring to this election. Be a sweet shark and don't give an inch to anyone. WILL THE REAL SARAH PALIN PLEASE STAND UP!!

Sincerely,
One of your supporters in the Heartland