The People Who Were Convinced Have Been Convinced

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It seems Sarah "The Vanilla from Wasilla" Palin took time out of her busy day raising kids, commanding her National Guard, watching out for the people's money, representing the highest republican values in her state, and just generally being a patriotic American to read a speech for some old guy who thinks he'll live long enough to be president.

And the pundits got strange feelings coming up their legs.

NBC political director Chuck Todd, weighing in shortly after Sarah Palin’s fiery speech before the Republican faithful, declared: “Conservatives have found their Obama. Except that she's white. And a woman. And really doesn't have anything of substance to say, but she's fiery!"

Right-wing radio host Laura Ingraham agreed, telling Fox’s Greta Van Susteren that it was the “night conservatives have been waiting for. We've got the mother of a knocked up unmarried teen who's under investigation for abusing her power on a national stage lying about how she tried to get her nose in the federal trough. Are we the party of American values or what?"

Thematically, the three speeches leading up to Palin’s performance each took a page out of the McCain campaign playbook by attacking the media. "Well, what do you expect," said one republican official. "I mean come on, all of a sudden they start reporting and stuff. What's up with that? Didn't the last eight years mean anything to you? Didn't we feed you? Where's the loyalty? Where's the love?"

It wasn’t surprising that when Palin took the podium, she said she had a “little news flash for those reporters and commentators” — that she was not going to Washington to seek their opinion. "I'm going to Washington to find out what the heck a Vice President does," she told the wildy cheering crowd of delegates who had just returned for the Early Bird special at the local Denny's.

MSNBC's Olbermann admitted that Palin “clearly gives a great speech,” but he dusted off an Abraham Lincoln quote to express his thoughts. "Both parties deprecated war; but one of them would make war rather than let the nation survive."

Chris Matthews called Palin a “torpedo aimed directly at the ship” of the Democrats, "plus she gets my torpedo going," he added.

“You see tonight that Sarah Palin has served the cause of uniting this convention quite ably,” said anchor Brit Hume. "Of course since we're all white, old and rich it wasn't that much of a challenge."

Sitting on the panel with Hume, Fortune’s Nina Easton called it a “home run,” and Weekly Standard Executive Editor Fred Barnes was even more complimentary: “It’s a gift. She’s a natural. You can’t teach this. That's why we had to write it for her."

Radio host and blogger Hugh Hewitt called Palin “terrific. The contest has changed,” Hewitt wrote. “Her character and candor have changed it, and John McCain's judgment is vindicated. As long as what you're looking for in a Vice President is someone who looks good in a dress and can read. Come to think of it, why wasn't Giuliani on the short list?”

Umm...no experience with firearms probably.