An energetic, hoarse Sarah Palin races across 6 states from Ohio to Alaska

JEFFERSON CITY, MO. -- She's growing hoarse, no doubt tired, but less than 10 weeks after bursting onto the national political and cultural scene, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin showed no signs of fatigue today as she worked her way through stops in six states, including an overnight flight back home to Alaska to vote.

And then another long flight back down to Arizona on election day.

Other than that, the 44-year-old mother of five was taking it easy on the last day of the historic 2008 presidential race.

Aides said Palin was in high spirits this evening, as she flew from state to state across the nation and up to the top of it to rally supporters for the Republican ticket in five battleground states.

“She’s drawing lots of energy off these big crowds,” said Tucker Eskew, Palin’s senior communications and policy aide, on the tarmac of the Dubuque, Iowa airport. “I think she’s showing that behind the podium.”

Palin drew thousands of supporters at almost ever stop, boisterous crowds that chanted her name over and over and interrupted her several times with cheers so loud that she could not be heard and had to pause in her speech.

On her final day on the campaign trail since life was turned upside-down with her VP selection Aug. 29, Palin today stuck meticulously to a simple jeans-clad image and a bare-bones economic message all day as she hop-scotched traditional red states that are in danger of turning blue.

“The time for choosing is near," she said. "And the choice could not be clearer.” Palin spoke this evening to thousands of boisterous supporters gathered on the south lawn of the picturesque statehouse here.

“Our country is facing tough times. Now more than ever we need someone tough as president. Only John McCain has the wisdom, the experience, the courage to get our economy back on the right track.”

Palin always worked the rope lines with hundreds pushing to touch her hands. But those opportunities were shortened due to the day's tight schedule that began in suburban Cleveland, jumped out to Jefferson City, Mo. and then up to Dubuque, Iowa, out to Colorado Springs and then Reno and on to Elko, Nevada before heading north, way north to vote in Wasilla Tuesday morning.

And then fly back down to join the McCains in Arizona.

Palin was hewing closely to an abbreviated version of her stump speech of recent days, criticizing Barack Obama’s tax proposals and outlining John McCain’s plans for the economy, national security and energy independence. She was no longer raising Obama’s associations with 60s-radical William Ayers or going off-script.

So unwilling was she to provide any possible alternate story line to the day, that Palin ignored reporters' shouted questions for her reaction to the presumably good news in late afternoon that an independent state personnel board had cleared her of impropriety in her firing last summer of the state's safety commissioner in the so-called Troopergate inquiry.

(UPDATE: Palin's lawyer did release a statement on her behalf available here.)

“This election is very much focused on domestic issues and the economy,” Eskew said.

--Seema Mehta

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Photo credit: Associated Press (top); Dave Ketterling / Associated Press (bottom Palin in Iowa with singer Hank Williams Jr.)

Comments

[Jilly]

I think she is fabulous - if I were in a real pickle I'd want her on my side.

[ReuelT]

Voters need to send Obama back to senate to prove his credentials for another 20 years.

At this time, McCain and Palin are best for USA.

[steve rodriguez]

God bless you Sarah Palin you are a great American!
Win or lose tomorrow you handled yourself with grace and dignity! You have taught us how to stand-up for God, country and life!

[Blondshag]

Sarah Palin is the GREATEST!
Palin is a very hard worker for America and with John McCain - together they will Reform Washington Government!

ALL AMERICAN VOTER THAT TRULY CARE ABOUT GETTING AMERICA BACK ON TRACK........GET OUT ON TUESDAY - NOVEMBER 4 AND VOTE JOHN MCCAIN AND SARAH PALIN!!!!!!

AMERICA NEEDS MCCAIN AND PALIN!

GO----MCCAIN!!!
GO----PALIN!!!!!!!!

McCain and Palin have my diehard Hillary Rodham Clinton VOTE.....I VOTED LAST WEDNESDAY - MCCAIN - PALIN!!

[KansasGirl]

What a lovely Vice-President Mrs. Palin will be.

[Mackinaw]

After the campaign and election, history will show that Sarah Palin was the most abused candidate for national office in american history. The suppossed mainstream "news media" was anything but. It was a mere extension of the Obama campaign. There was no unbiased journalism, but only reporters eager to give us their "opinions" about Sarah Palin. Many of the suppossed "journalists" were unable to hide thier biased reporting and tried to conceal it in their "news stories."

The rest of us do not have that kind of platform to express our opinions. Obama will attempt to apply the "fairness doctrine" if elected. However, did not hear him complain about the biased reporting from the mainstream media in his favor.

Even the so called "Troopergate Investigation" was anything but an "investigation." The United States Attorney in Anchorage should impanel a grand jury and look into whether there was misappropriation of State funds in this probe. The lead investigator stated to the press, almost at the outset of the probe, that Palin would have an "October Suprise." He made this remark even before the conclusion of the investigation. The probe turned into a "political investigtion" with the use of State funds.

[Bill]

I was a strong Republican, John Mccain supporter until he picked Sarah as his vp. I sincerely believe this is where he lost the election. I know he lost my vote that day.

[vlopez]

I cannot start to digest the fact that all these people here are posting comments adoring and idolizing Sarah Palin for practically doing NOTHING!! The McCain-Palin campaign is a weak campaign full of the same BS that Bush promised to US back in his election. This woman has no answers to the questions that she is asked by the press and is now involved in a scandal! And this is how you still view her as a practical Goddess!! What a shame on all you!! It is evidently clear that the only female prepared and fitted for PRESIDENT was and will remain to be HILLARY CLINTON!!!
But now it is about OBAMA and his promise to change this country!!
VOTE BARACK OBAMA!!! 08!!

[Ann]

You pro-Palin folks must be joking. Most of my Republican friends are not voting for McCain because of Palin the Parrot. She is an embarrassment to the United States, and a disgrace to women. (Sorry, except for the ultra-religious and anti-abortion women.)

[ShawnaLanne]

I think the idea of having McCain or Palin (because there's a strong possibility the 73 year old man who won't release his cancer records will die in office) as president is just as frightening if not more so than what we've just barely survived the last 8 years. It's time for a change - and screaming out that you are a maverick, doesn't mean your going to change.