Sarah Palin speaking to the National Tea Party Convention on Saturday, Feb. 6, 2010. Photo image courtesy of C-Span streaming video.

Former Alaska Governor and 2008 Republican Vice-Presidential nominee Sarah Palin on Saturday delivered an impassioned keynote speech at the 1st annual National Tea Party Convention — held at the Gaylord Opry Hotel in Nashville, Tennessee.

Introduced by conservative blogger and commentator Andrew Breitbart, the Fox News contributor said she was inspired to see real people getting involved in a common sense movement.

“America is ready for another revolution,” Palin told the attendees, “and you are a part of this.”

While Palin used the event to express her support for the Tea Party movement, she stopped short of endorsing specific leaders within the grassroots effort.

“I caution against allowing this movement to be defined by any one leader,” the former governor remarked. “This is about the people, and it’s bigger than any king or queen with the tea party, and it’s a lot bigger than any charismatic guy with a teleprompter.”

Instead, Palin framed the debate by contrasting the movement’s conservative principles and ideas — lower taxes, smaller government, transparency, energy independence and strong national security — with liberal policies being pursued by President Obama’s administration and key Congressional Democratic leaders.

On matters of national security and terrorism, Palin launched a blistering attack on Mr. Obama.

“We need a Commander-in-Chief, not a professor of law standing at the lecturn,” she said.

National security is the most important role prescribed to the federal government, Palin explained, and Mr. Obama’s policies reflect a world view that is out of touch with America’s enemies.

She also said the attempted bombing incident last December proved the security system did not work, and was, “a Christmas miracle, because that is not the way the system is supposed to work.”

Palin ran down the list of countries deserving of America’s attention, including North Korea (which recently tested nuclear weapons), Israel (a friend which now questions the strength of the country’s support), Europe (where the missile defense program was scrapped), Russia (which continues to be a volatile region), and Japan (where relations have soured).

“Where is the President’s strong voice of support for the Iranians risking their all in opposition to Ahmadinejad,” Palin questioned.

On the domestic front, the former vice-presidential candidate chided the current Vice-President Joe Biden for lack of oversight and transparency involving distribution of funds related to the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act.

Palin said when the $787 billion stimulus bill was passed, a lot of people were nervous. Biden was charged with holding weekly stimulus plan implementation meetings — the first one was held on Feb. 25, 2009. In addition, a Transparency and Accountability Board was established to ensure that the stimulus package was spent in an open, efficient manner.

Palin jokingly said nobody messes with “Joe”, and then went on to question where some funds ended up.

“A lot of stimulus cash ended up in strange places,” Palin said. “including districts that don’t even exist.”

She said $10 million was spent to update the stimulus website and about $1 million was spent to put up signs in one state to advertise local stimulus projects.

Moreover, Washington got the price tag wrong — Palin said it’s now about $860 billion.

“It’s easy to understand why Americans are shaking their heads,” the keynote speaker said to a standing ovation. “Washington has broken trust with the people they are supposed to be serving. Washington is drowning in debt and we’ve had enough!”

Palin urged Washington politicians to adopt a pro-market agenda, lower taxes for small businesses, support competition and innovation, and to reward hard work.

“And then, they need to get government out of the way,” she said. “If they would do this, our economy would roar back to life.”

The name of former President Ronald Reagan — who would have turned 99 on Feb. 6 — was invoked numerous times throughout her remarks.

Palin received a standing ovation and rousing applause when she encouraged those in attendance to make the movement about the people.

“All political power is inherent in the people,” she said. “Government is supposed to be working for the people. That is what this movement is about.”

In a brief Tea Party Nation Q&A session following her remarks, Palin said the Republican Party would be smart to absorb as much of this movement as possible.

You can read more about this event here:

http://www.nationalteapartyconvention.com/

WATCH COVERAGE OF THE EVENT ON C-SPAN:

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