ST. PAUL, Minn. - Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, the Republican vice presidential candidate, accepted her nomination Wednesday at the Republican National Convention and said she is ready to go to Washington, D.C.
Palin defended herself against claims that she is unqualified to lead and said she is running for vice president for the right reasons.
I'm going to Washington to serve this great country,"" she said.
Palin, who previously served as mayor of a small town in Alaska, compared her duties as mayor with the duties of Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama as a community organizer in Chicago.
""I guess a small-town mayor is sort of like a community organizer, except that you have actual responsibilities,"" Palin said.
She said she ""shook up"" Alaska as governor by vetoing wasteful spending, putting a stop to earmarks such as the infamous ""bridge to nowhere"" and insisting on competition and fairness from oil companies.
America must not continue to rely on foreign suppliers for oil and must drill in Alaska, according to Palin.
""We need to produce more of our own oil and gas. And take it from a gal who knows the north slope of Alaska - we've got lots of both,"" she said.
She praised Republican presidential candidate John McCain for his military record and said he is the only man running for president who has actually fought for his country.
According to Palin, Obama talks about doing great things but McCain will actually get great things done.
Former Wisconsin Gov. Tommy Thompson said during a delegate meeting Wednesday that Palin would be a big help in Wisconsin.
""Poor Sarah Palin,"" he said of recent media reports questioning her ability to lead in light of the announcement of her teenage daughter's pregancy. ""The faith-based community thinks it's wonderful that the child is going to get married and have a baby.""
Thompson, who served as governor from 1987 to 2001, said Palin's background resembles ""the American story,"" mentioning her history as an athlete and beauty queen, and her five children with a husband of a different political persuasion.
He added her speech Wednesday would excite voters about her nomination and he would be curious to see the polls afterwards.
""I think she's going to do extremely well,"" Thompson said, calling her an ""outstanding candidate.""
Prior to Palin's speech on the third day of the RNC, most Republican delegates expressed excitement to see what she would say.
Among those delegates was Ashley King, a senior at UW-Eau Claire and an alternate delegate representing Wisconsin's 7th Congressional district.
""She's definitely been the star of this convention,"" King said about Palin. ""I think she's a great pick, and I'm very excited that there's a woman on the ticket.""
King said McCain's vice presidential choice has shown she has a lot of experience, and that she has balanced her career with family life is admirable.
""I think she has energized our party like no other vice presidential pick has done,"" King said.
