Willington says GOP convention was a success

Palin is ready for media spotlight
By Jeremy P. Jacobs

Rob Willington, the executive director of the Massachusetts GOP, said Monday that the Republican National Convention successfully launched the next stage of nominee John McCain's campaign and that vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin is ready to face an onslaught of media interviews.

Willington told PolitickerMA.com that the convention was "extremely successful" and that "people got a good look at who John McCain is and who Sarah Palin is."

In particular, McCain's picking Palin as his running mate has excited the Republican Party, Willington said. "The returns on the ratings of her speech were phenomenal for a vice presidential candidate," he said.

According to Nielsen's ratings, 37.2 million viewers watched the Alaska governor's speech last Wednesday, 1.1 million less than tuned in for Democratic nominee Barack Obama (Ill.) the week before.

"The McCain campaign is coming out of the convention in extremely good shape," Willington said. "They are going to continue to campaign hard to bring their maverick message to the voters."

The polls back up Willington's assertions. Several polls, including the Gallup Daily tracking poll, show that McCain has received a bump following the conventions. Monday's Gallup poll showed McCain leading Obama 48 percent to 45 percent.

Willington also said that Palin is ready for the numerous media interviews she will likely begin facing this week. Since being named McCain's running mate, Palin has been sequestered from the press, appearing only at scripted campaign stops. But the McCain campaign, who has asserted that the media has treated Palin unfairly, said that ABC's Charlie Gibson will be the first to interview the vice presidential candidate later this week.

"I think she will certainly be able to handle her own," Willington said.

Willington said he has been watching the debates from Palin's 2006 gubernatorial race recently and he has been "extremely impressed."

"She was extremely quick and smart on her feet," Willington said. "I think she'll do very well in the media."