'What I see in [Palin] is Christianity, I see integrity'

Sideshows continue at the convention center in run-up to rally

By mikekaszuba

April 7, 2010 at 6:22PM

Outside the convention hall a woman was distributing "reality check" fact sheets on Bachmann and Palin, and made a reference to Vietnam, comparing it to Iraq. But Bob Lewis, from Roseville, looked at the sheet skeptically while sitting on a curb. "We're not in Vietnam -- this isn't the '60s," he told her. Later, after the woman left, he said, "We love Sarah Palin. She's the greatest thing since sliced bread. "She doesn't seem to speak down to you. She seems to be honest. She (seems) to put the people before the policy. . .What I see in her is Christianity, I see integrity." Lewis and his wife, Sandy, moved to Minnesota in the early 1990s; he said he last voted for a Democrat in the 1970s. While Bob Lewis said he would vote for Palin for president, his wife -- said she is not sure. "I think she has the qualities to do it, (but) it depends on what her platform would be," she said. As for President Obama, she was more blunt: "I'm really disappointed. I don't think he acts very presidential." Melissa Hill, of Minneapolis, was dressed as Lucy from the Peanuts comic strip and stood in outside the convention center, with a sign saying, "psychiatric help -- 5 cents, the doctor is in". A passerby asked how much she would charge to give psychiatric help to Fox News commentator Sean Hannity, who was in town for the rally. "That actually might be a couple dollars for him," she said, smiling. In an odd juxtaposition, the rally was sharing the convention center with a big Catholic education association conference, which led to the unusual sight of Palin supporters and protesters walking through hallways alongside nuns wearing habits and veils.

about the writer

mikekaszuba

More from Politics

card image

Here are some facts on abortion, health care, immigration and other topics Minnesota’s Democratic governor and Ohio’s Republican senator focused on during the Tuesday night debate.