At the rally for Governor Sarah Palin last Saturday, at the Home Depot Center in Carson, the dress code was Republican Convention wear. Lots of red, lots of big, funny hats and lots of premade, pre-approved hand-painted signs. All other signs were confiscated.

The opening act was Jon Voight, whose newest film, An American Carol, is a right-wing attack on Michael Moore and the left. “I’m on the other side of the fence now,” Voight said, and, “I’m blessed to have met John McCain.” Then he compared Sarah Palin to Michael Jordan for her ability in “taking the last shot.” Voight also asked the crowd to boo the media for its anti-Palin “gotcha” coverage. The crowd really got into it, and he egged them on with a “Give it to them!”

Mild booing followed Palin’s comment that she’d read an article in The New York Times on Barack Obama’s supposed ties to former Weather Underground member William Ayers — though the crowd seemed angrier that she’d actually read The New York Times.

When Palin said, “Obama doesn’t see America as you and I. We see America as a force of good in the world,” pro-Obama protesters stood up and began shouting, but were quickly drowned out by chants of “U-S-A, U-S-A!” and “Drill, baby, drill!” Both cheers were initiated by Palin.

In the press pen, Palin’s handlers made it clear that any photographers attempting to shoot anything anti-Palin would have to leave. It was their party.

After the governor’s speech, she signed anything and everything, including someone’s digital camera, which she inscribed with, “I’m not Tina Fey. SP.”

At the rally’s end, there was a noticeable 10-to-1 ratio of minivans to cars, most taking the 91 freeway back to Orange County — California’s Palin country.

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