It’s predictable that party members would cheer a speech from a vice presidential nominee - or even a would-be VP nominee - even if it were less than inspiring.

In the national political party conventions, Kansans have seen two interesting women give speeches that have a definite connection with the Sunflower State.

Last week, Gov. Kathleen Sebelius addressed the Democratic National Convention and claimed she had been successful in persuading red-state Republicans to support her blue-state policies.

Last night, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin gave her vice-presidential acceptance speech at the GOP convention in St. Paul. In it she stressed the important lessons she had learned as the mayor of a small town. Kansas has many of those.

How did the two speeches compare?

Kansas Republicans were ecstatic, of course.

Maria Holiday, a delegate to the RNC (and KansasLiberty.com's convention floor corespondent) said Palin delivered with “a home run.”

Party officials were similarly impressed. On the official state GOP blog, GOP political director Corrie Kangas said Palin “rocked the house.”

Similarly, the state's newspapers gave Sebelius generally high marks for her performance at the DNC.

KansasLiberty.com decided to get an assessment from a more objective source – a university communications professor.

Kristine Bruss, assistant professor of communications at the University of Kansas, said she believed Palin was simply “fantastic.”

“She did a great job with her delivery, and I was awed at her confidence and her poise,” Bruss said.

She said the speech was obviously well received by the Republican audience.

“I was struck by the audience reaction – they seemed mesmerized,” she said.

Bruss said she had seen interviews with Palin before and recognized her ability to forcefully articulate her positions. But she said Palin’s performance Wednesday was all the more admirable, given the fact that she was a virtual political unknown making her first major appearance on the national stage before an audience estimated at 20 million.

The Obama campaign and Sebelius both have already attacked Palin’s speech for "lacking substance." But Bruss said acceptance speeches by vice presidential hopefuls aren’t supposed to be “substantive policy analysis.”

Rather, she said vice presidential candidates generally have a pretty well defined mission in delivering acceptance speeches.

“Objectives are to introduce yourself to the audience, to attack the character of the opposition, to provide some kind of vision of the American dream and to champion the presidential candidate,” she said.

Bruss said she believed Palin delivered on all counts, and she also disagrees with those who say the speech was lacking in substance.

“At one point she had the crowd chanting about oil drilling, and that’s a pretty substantive issue,” she said.

Bruss said Palin alternatively showed a willingness to attack, a common role for vice presidential candidates, and an ability to relate to regular folks.

“She has a fiery, give-em-hell quality, but also comes across as just folks, and voters want candidates who are real, who they can relate to. That’s part of Obama’s attraction too as he really connects well with people.”

Bruss said she found it ironic that Republicans, who have relentlessly attacked Barack Obama for a perceived lack of substance were now hearing the same criticism about their VP choice from Democrats.

As to Sebelius' speech, Bruss said she thought the governor delivered a competent speech in declaring her support for Obama at the Democratic National Convention.

“I just saw excerpts, but I thought the governor did what was expected. She reinforced the message that Barrack Obama is an agent of change and someone who is focused on getting beyond divisive partisanship.”

Bruss said she was immensely impressed with Obama’s acceptance speech, calling the Illinois senator "a great orator."

But, when asked which speech as of Thursday was the best so far out of both conventions she replied: “How can it not be last night’s speech? [Palin] proved herself to be a tremendous orator.”

As a professional communicator, Bruss said she always looks forward to national party conventions.

“They showcase the power of oratory in an environment in which there are so many means to communicate,” Bruss said. “Having two really great orators in Obama and Palin, that’s going to make it really fun for me.”

• Arizona Sen. John McCain, the Republican presidential nominee, delivers his acceptance speech tonight. Online coverage is available from the GOP convention website at www.gopconvention2008.com.

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