The Election Night Speeches Sarah Palin Never Gave

Both of Palin's pre-written speeches praised Barack Obama in mostly the same words, offering well wishes for his "beautiful family" and commemorating the historicity of the moment. In the victory speech, she planned to say that Obama's "extraordinary campaign" had "achieved a great thing, for himself and for our country." If she and McCain lost, she planned to express belief that Obama would be a good president despite their ideological differences. "If he governs America with the skill and grace we have often seen in him, and the greatness of which he is capable, we're gonna be just fine."

The speeches were full of the folksy style Palin had become famous for on the campaign trail, incorporating numerous references to her husband and children and home state. In the victory speech, Palin joked about her husband being demoted from "First Dude" of Alaska to "Second Dude" of the United States. Her concession speech included a joke about the "bright side" for Todd Palin being that he could now take time off to prepare for his next snow machine race.

Palin's concession speech also hinted at her resolution to keep a high profile in national politics, saying she was "neither bitter or vanquished." But she couldn't refrain from taking a parting shot at the media, with whom she had waged a tumultuous war throughout the campaign. "It would be a happier night if elections were a test of valor and merit alone," the speech said.