The Online Reflector

By Samantha Cotten

Editor-in-Chief

Verizon Wireless Music Center in Noblesville is typically reserved for rock stars. The venue served as the setting for the Road to Victory Rally, which showcased the Republican Party’s newest “rock star” Gov. Sarah Palin to a crowd of 20,000 Hoosiers.

The Republican vice-presidential nominee made a stop in Indiana on Oct. 17, just 20 days before the general election. Palin spoke in support of her running mate, Republican presidential nominee Sen. John McCain.

“This election is going to come down to the wire, and it is going to be very close,” Palin said. “Here in Indiana, the home of the Indianapolis 500, you know something about close races, and that’s why I’m here – to ask for your vote.”

With McCain slightly trailing in the national polls, Indiana has suddenly turned into a swing state. Indiana has not voted democratic in the presidential election since 1964.

The Alaskan governor spoke about many of the issues brought up during the final presidential debate that was held Oct. 15, including the associations of Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama.

Palin spoke about the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN), a nonprofit organization being investigated for voter registration fraud, and Obama’s ties to the organization. In the past, the senator for Illinois represented ACORN as an attorney and trained some of the staff.

Palin also alleged that the Obama campaign gave a “front group” of $800,000 to the organization.

“These associations are important and they go to the heart of someone’s judgment and truthfulness,” Palin said. “Americans are entitled to answers before Election Day. All of this would be a lot of baggage to drag into the Oval Office.”

Palin said that the questions about Obama’s association were not out-of-line. In recent weeks, the McCain campaign has been accused of running a negative advertising campaign by the Obama campaign.

According to the Campaign Media Analysis Group, Obama has spent approximately $195 million on television advertising, in comparison to McCain’s $99 million.

“It’s not negative campaigning or mean spirited when we question someone’s record,” Palin said. “Like John McCain says, ‘We all need a little straight talk’.”

Indiana Lt. Gov. Becky Skillman spoke to the impact that Hoosier Republicans, and Republicans throughout the Midwest have made while introducing Palin.

“You know, some say we cling to our religion and our guns,” Skillman said, “but we know it’s the strong conservative values that have made Indiana and America great.”

Attorney General Greg Zeller not only spoke in support of the McCain-Palin ticket, but about a close-to-home race.

Zeller supported the re-election of Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels and Skillman, encouraging the crowd to vote Republican. Daniels was recently named 2008 Governor of the Year by Governing magazine.

“[Daniels] brought change to Indiana before change was cool,” Zeller said.

Palin closed her speech by invigorating patriotism in the crowd, reminding them of the McCain campaign slogan of ‘Country First.’

“We believe in the promise of this country and in all the opportunities that we wish for ourselves, for each other and for our sons and our daughters,” Palin said. “We believe America is not the problem. America is the solution.”