The bar was set pretty high for Sarah Palin – and boy did she deliver!

Like her or not, the Alaskan governor gave a great speech at the Republican National Convention Wednesday night. The speech was practical, she was poised, the points were down-to-earth, and she delivered a very clear message: Hockey moms don’t duck and cover when they’re under attack.

Palin’s speech highlighted her executive experience and introduced the working mother of five to the American People. It also gave us a glimpse of what has helped her achieve her success in Alaskan politics – her collected demeanor and knack for effective oratory. For those who had questioned her ability to make a positive impact on the Republican ticket, it appears that the answer will resound in the affirmative.

The speech was well-written and there were no pulled punches. Not only was Palin able to establish herself as a competent running-mate by explaining her record in Alaska, but she also criticized the Obama-Biden ticket and their collective lack of executive experience. It was a theme that began with the first major speaker of the night, former Massachusetts Governor, Mitt Romney. In fact, in the combined GOP speeches of Romney, Mike Huckabee, Rudy Giuliani, and Sarah Palin, there was more truth spoken about the Democrat ticket in just a couple of hours than from the entire mainstream media and the Obama campaign in the last year and a half.

The four speakers highlighted simple observations throughout the night that many people overlook or completely ignore. They were basic, matter-of-fact explanations of a Democrat ticket that has gotten little scrutiny but very much fanfare. These are just some of the points that were touched on during the event:

[*]Barack Obama has written two books about his life, but did not write a major piece of legislation in eight years in the Illinois Senate and has yet to write one in four years in the U.S. Senate.

[*]Obama voted “present” about 130 times in the Illinois Senate, which basically translates into him not being able to decide whether he is for or against something. It’s a “yes” or “no” decision that will need to be made as an executive – especially the Chief Executive of the United States.

[*]In her first day as Mayor of Wasilla, Alaska, Sarah Palin had more executive experience than both senators on the Democrat presidential ticket combined.

[*]Palin received more votes for Mayor of Wasilla than Joe Biden received for president in the 2008 Democrat primaries.

[*]While Obama talks a good game about “change,” he has done nothing to fight corruption either in Illinois or in Washington. On the other hand, Palin has not only promised to fight it in Alaska – she has succeeded, even against her own party.

It was clear that Palin was not rattled by the national stage or by the media assault on her and her family over the past week. If this is a prelude to her character and style, then I can’t wait to see more of her in the weeks and months to come. The vice-presidential debate will certainly be much more interesting and if Joe Biden thinks this woman will be a pushover, he’s got another thing coming.

In one week, Sarah Palin has gone from a virtual nobody to a formidable, conservative Republican torch-bearer. The crowd is behind her and the nation waits in anticipation to see more of her. Whether you’re a Republican or Democrat, you’ve got to acknowledge the gumption of this new political starlet. She may not have the long media history of a Hillary Clinton, but she certainly knows how to make a first impression.

One thing’s for sure: This year’s election cycle just got a bit more fascinating.

***Read the text of Sarah Palin's RNC speech here.***