Sarah Palin rallies a crowd of 1500 for Ward in Boise

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Sarah Palin delivered a rousing stump speech for Congressional candidate Vaughn Ward today at the Qwest Arena in Boise:

Gov. Sarah Palin took the stage at about 11:30 a.m. She made mention that her luggage hadn't arrived.

"I'm in borrowed clothes, again ... The more things change, the more they stay the same," Palin joked.

Palin talked about the "hometown feel" of Idaho, describing residents as unpretentious, hard-working, patriotic, average Americans.

Palin, who was born in Sandpoint and graduated from the University of Idaho, talked about her Idaho roots. Her father taught school and coached in Sandpoint. She mentioned others in her family who'd graduated from Idaho colleges.

"We're all a bunch of potato heads," Palin said.

Palin said her father didn't make it to Boise today because he was busy getting a new hunting dog.

"Does that tell you anything about the home I grew up in? Politics or hunting dogs?" Palin said.

Palin noted that her father is a huge Boise State Broncos fan.

"It's one of the highlights of his life," she said.

But the 2008 GOP vice presidential candidate didn't forget why she was in Idaho, and she devoted most of her time at the podium to talking up Vaughn Ward:

“I like those bumper stickers that say, ‘You can keep the change,’” Sarah Palin told the crowd in Boise. She called Vaughn Ward “the real thing,” saying he’s pro-gun and pro-life. “Vaughn has been courageous enough to serve our country and fight for you, fight for all Americans, serving in the Iraq war,” she said. “Those are the qualities we need in leaders today who like Vaughn can go to Washington and take back a majority for common-sense conservatives, who understand the constitution, and they understand that freedom isn’t free, freedom is a God-given right and is worth fighting for.” That won Palin a loud cheer and round of applause.

Palin touted Ward's support for less government, lower taxes, a strong America "that we don't apologize for." She called him one of the most promising conservatives in the country.

"We need someone to take a stand against the big government agenda of Nancy Pelosi," she said.

Palin also talked about fixing "that ObamaCare scheme that was forced down our throats."

Gov. Palin warned her audience not to believe some of the things the “lamestream media” and the liberal left would be saying about Ward as the 1st Congressional District campaign wears on:

She said the media is afraid of Ward because he's a threat to "the left's hold on the First District."

She told the crowd to hold the media accountable when they "twist and turn what Vaughn said."

She referred back to her education at the University of Idaho, where she got a degree in communications. She said she learned then the "who, what, where, when and why," but she said modern journalists have strayed from the traditional journalistic values.

"I think it's appalling and a violation of our freedom of the press," Palin said.

Several times she referred to Ward's service as a U.S Marine and reminded the audience that Ward had already taken an oath to serve, protect and defend the United States Constitution. Ward is facing state Rep. Raul Labrador in Idaho’s GOP primary election on Tuesday. The winner will challenge freshman Democratic Congressman Walt Minnick in November's general election.

- JP