Governor Sarah Palin Draws Record Crowd to Rally at the Villages

Governor Sarah Palin received a rock star's welcome from the crowd at the Villages on Sunday afternoon. According to a local fire marshal, Mike Tucker, there were over 60,000 people in attendance Sunday, which would make Governor Palin's appearance at the Villages the largest political rally in Florida history.

The crowd at the Villages welcomed Palin with shouts of "USA!" and she chanted back along with them. In her address, Governor Palin promised that hard working Americans, due to their industrious spirit, will lift the country out of its current financial crisis. She pledged that a McCain-Palin administration would fight to keep taxes low, hold Wall Street accountable, and create new jobs for struggling Americans.

Central Florida News 13 Recaps Governor Palin's Historic Visit

Governor Palin emphasized her credentials as a reformer and a Washington outsider. In Alaska, Governor Palin stood up to her own party to pass landmark ethics reform and root out corruption. Governor Palin also fought the big energy companies in Alaska and forced them to open up the petroleum market.

Watch Governor Palin's Whole Speech at the Villages Here

As Governor Palin said in her speech, there is no better leader to shake up Washington than a maverick like John McCain. On issue after issue, John McCain has not been afraid to buck his own party for the good of the nation. John McCain took a courageous stand to vote against the Bush-Cheney energy bill; he took a courageous stand to advocate for the troop surge when it was incredibly unpopular; and he took a courageous stand in attempting to pass immigration reform despite tremendous criticism from many within his own party.

Palin's Message Plays Well to Adoring Crowd at the Villages
By Adam Smith
St. Petersburg Times
September 21, 2008

THE VILLAGES-- "This is Palin Country!" declared a banner in the town square of this retirement community, and it could hardly have been more of an understatement.

Thousands of people waited hours in the sweltering heat Sunday afternoon to see Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin make her Florida debut. The speech had the crowd so excited it could have passed for a visit by the pope, instead of a mere running mate.

To read more, click here: Palin's Message Plays Well to Adoring Crowd at the Villages

Palin Wows 'Em in the Villages
By Jim Stratton & Jeff Kunerth
The Orlando Sentinel
September 21, 2008

It was Palin's first visit to Florida since being named to the Republican ticket , and tens of thousands of people turned out to see the self-described "hockey mom" and former small-town mayor. Estimates ranged from 25,000 to 60,000.

To read more, click here: Palin Wows 'Em in the Villages