MINNEAPOLIS – Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin has five children. Julie O’Brien, executive director for the Maine Republican Party, also has five children.

Wednesday night, when the Alaska governor spoke, O’Brien said she felt a real connection.

“Stepping out on the floor with millions of people watching her -- knowing that they’re thinking about her family issues -- she really exceeded everyone’s expectations,” O’Brien said, referring to the media
attention Palin has gotten this week over her daughter’s pregnancy. “She hit the ball out of the park.”

“She’s one of us,” O’Brien added.

At the Republican National Convention this week, there were many discussions over whether the fact that Palin’s 17-year-old daughter is pregnant is newsworthy, and if it deserved the amount of attention the issue got among the national pundits.

O’Brien said liberal pundits who, when Hillary Clinton was running, said it was time for a woman president – and then turned around and criticized Palin – are hypocrites.

For them, “It’s not about women, it’s about liberal women,” O’Brien said. “They’re very upset now that she has the spotlight and she has the potential to be vice president and the media is very upset about that. It really shows the hypocrisy.”

Delegate Pat Percy said the media comments won’t have as much of an effect in Maine as they might have in other places.

“In Maine, we’re fortunate that people perceive things slightly differently,” Percy said. “I believe the people of Maine will support her and won’t get into the nastiness that occurs in other places.”

Percy said Palin’s understanding of special education needs touches every family in the state. Her background in fishing doesn’t hurt, either.

Delegate Ann Robinson called Palin someone who “tells it like it is.”

“This is the fourth national convention I’ve attended and I can remember a lot of really memorable moments,” Robinson said. “I have to say I have never experienced anything like the energy and the enthusiasm that I felt last night in the convention hall.”

On Oct. 2, Palin will debate Democratic vice presidential nominee Joe Biden. O’Brien, Percy and Robinson can’t wait.

“Joe Biden, look out, I think she can hold her own,” Robinson said.