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Opinion: Surprising news: Sarah Palin gives a tip of the hat to Barack Obama

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Maybe Sarah Palin watched that 30-minute Barack Obama extravaganza Wednesday night and was at least a bit taken with it.

Whatever the reason, The Times’ Seema Mehta reports that as the feisty Republican vice presidential candidate stumped in Pennsylvania today, she was noticeably less strident in her criticism of Obama -- at one point praising him, after a fashion, as promising but untested.

“A man can be admirable in many ways and quite promising and still not be quite ready for the most important and demanding job in the world,” she told about 7,500 supporters crammed into a convention center in the western side of the state.

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“Rousing speeches can fill a stadium, but they cannot keep our country safe. For a season, a man can inspire with his words. For a lifetime, John McCain has inspired with his deeds.”

Palin made no mention of Obama’s controversial past associates, such as Vietnam-era radical Bill Ayers. She did, though, scoff at the Democrat’s nationally-televised ad.

‘He wrapped his closing message in a warm and fuzzy, scripted infomercial intended to soften the focus in these closing days,” she said. “He’s hoping your mind won’t wander to the real messages of national security, challenges that he is incapable of meeting.”

Pointed words, to be sure. Still, in these closing days, it will be worth watching if Palin -- perhaps with an eye to future courting of swing voters -- maintains a less-harsh edge in her critiques of Obama.

-- Don Frederick

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