Score: Hockey-mom 1, liberal elite 0

I knew she was tough - she is the governor of the last American frontier after all; I knew she was unflappable - the female governor of that "man's man" wild western state; I knew she was gifted - a basketball star and beauty queen; but I never knew she was also just like you and me and the rest of us regular citizens. America (and the world) met Sarah Palin last night, and what was the first impression? Wow! She is both extraordinary and very ordinary, a rare combination which we haven't seen since...dare I say it...Ronald Reagan. Of course, time and the election will tell whether or not she reaches the heights Reagan did. But just like Reagan, I hardly think it matters much to her because her objective is not to win an election but to serve if called upon. If not, then she will be perfectly content with her wonderful, flawed, loving family. Just like you and me.

Her speech last night has been given the typical "homerun" review. But I find such a description a significant understatement. Her speech was definitely not your typical "homerun".

Major league statistics reveal that major league baseball consistently averages over 2 home runs per game. Almost all of them are only mildly consequential. Occasionally a home run, like the "walk off homerun", will be emotionally stirring. But only very rarely is a homerun a monumental, earth shattering, life changing, Best Damn Sports Show “Top ‘whatever’” worthy, phenomenon. Gov. Palin’s speech last night was that kind of homerun. It was a Carlton Fisk wavin’ it fair homerun; a gimpy Kurt Gibson two out, bottom of the ninth, only at bat of the series homerun; a Kirby Puckett "Jump on my back boys", "We'll…see…you…tomorrow night” homerun. The next nine weeks is the Republican Party’s game seven and we’ll wait to see if John McCain can lay it out there and pitch like Jack Morris in that great ’91 series that Puckett extended. Sarah Palin played her part, like Puckett, putting the Republican Party on her back and carrying them into the final stretch. The first inning of a new classic battle begins tonight, ironically, right across the river from that past fall classic.