Conservative crowd cheers when Palin mentions 9/11, Iraq

David Edwards and John Byrne
Raw Story
Tuesday, Dec 02, 2008

Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin charged through in Georgia today to campaign on behalf of incumbent Republican Sen. Saxby Chambliss, throwing off sparks among the political press corps and likening the Republican run-off candidate to her onetime running mate Sen. John McCain.

But perhaps more startling than Chambliss' decision to use Palin -- who was seen as having a deleterious effect on Sen. John McCain's campaign -- is the reaction of a crowd that greeted her in Georgia.

When she said, "fellow soldiers, they're down at Fort Benning graduating from boot camp and then on Sept. 11 beat the road to Iraq," the crowd cheered.

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Not at the word soldiers -- but at Sept. 11. Fort Benning is a military installation in western Georgia.

Palin asked Georgia Republicans to start the process of rebuilding the party by reelecting Chambliss. According to Palin, a Chambliss victory would mean that the Democrats' agenda would not pass unchallenged. "We need Saxby because we need checks and balances in Washington and we will not have that if Saxby is not reelected," she said.

"Senator Chambliss, he has such a strong, independent spirit," Palin quipped. "That is another reason why I really like him. See, I really like John McCain and he with that independent spirit. The two of them are very much alike in that way. Saxby doesn't just run with the Washington herd and with one party in control of the House and Senate and White House right now, we need now more than ever, public servants who will think for themselves."

This video is from MSNBC's News Live, broadcast Dec. 1, 2008.