Sarah Palin just gave an one-of-a-kind speech endorsing Donald Trump
Standing beside Trump at Iowa State University, Palin delivered an energetic and wide-ranging 15-minute speech praising Trump, calling for a strengthened military, and criticizing political enemies on the left and right.
"Todd and I and a couple of our friends from Alaska lending our support the next president of the United States Donald Trump," Palin said, referring to her husband.
"This is going to be so much fun!" she exclaimed.
In her folksy, free-associative rhetorical style, Palin rattled off a number of conservative priorities in rapid succession that she said Trump would help accomplish - including the need to project US strength and the need to secure the US border.
"We're not going to chill. We're going to drill, baby, drill, down" Palin said. "And hold these folks accountable!"
"I am in it to win it," she added. "Because we believe in America. And we love our freedom. And if you love your freedom, thank a vet. Thank a vet, and know that the United States military deserves a commander in chief who loves our country passionately and will not apologize for our country."
Palin laced her speech with combative rhetoric.
"No more 'pussy-footing' around," she said. "Our troops deserve the best. You deserve the best!"
Trump "knows the main thing of a president is to keep us safe economically and militarily. He knows the main thing, and he knows how to lead the charge. S0 troops hang in there, because help is on the way," she added. "Because better than anything isn't he known for - fire. Are you ready for a commander in chief who will let our warriors do their job and go kick ISIS' ass?!"
But Palin also made the speech an indictment of Trump's political enemies from both parties.
Palin went after the Republican Party establishment for discounting Trump's presidential bid. She claimed that some Republicans were secretly ready to support Democratic presidential front-runner Hillary Clinton so they could keep, as she put it, "slurpin' off the gravy train."
"He's going rogue left and right ... that's why he's doing so well," Palin said, using language that mirrored the title of one of her books. "He's been able to tear the veil off of the system."
"The GOP machine, the establishment, they who would assemble the political landscape - they're attacking their own front-runner," Palin added. "They are so busted."
Palin found herself on familiar territory, criticizing President Barack Obama for his supposed weakness after American sailors accidentally found themselves in Iranian waters and were briefly detained.
"A weak-kneed 'capitulater in chief' has decided that America will lead from behind," Palin said. "And he who would negotiate deals kind of with the skills of a community organizer, maybe, organizing a neighborhood tea. He, deciding that America would apologize, and as part of the deal, as the enemy sends a message to the rest of the world that they capture and we kowtow, and we apologize, and the we bend over and say, 'Thank you enemy.' We are ready for a change!"
She then declared: "Things are going to change under President Trump."