Who was that person who introduced Sarah Palin at the Republican National Convention Wednesday night? She looked like Linda Lingle, had that same Paulie Walnuts hairdo Lingle has these days. She was introduced as Linda Lingle, but she didn't sound like Linda Lingle at all.

She ... spoke ... soooooo ... slowly. It took her over 17 minutes to get through a speech that was roughly 1,200 words. That's 3 1/2 pages double-spaced. You can clip through that in five minutes if you pause a lot and have a coughing fit. Lingle is a deliberate speaker, but she's also a facile speaker and this performance was way off. Sure, stop and wait for the wild applause, but the applause wasn't THAT wild.

But then, when she got toward the end of her speech, though it was still that stilted tempo, the content reassured that, oh, yes, that's Lingle.

While talking up Palin, she made sure to put in a good word for herself:

"I find it reminiscent when I hear Democrat party leaders and their surrogates questioning Sarah's experience. They used the same tactic against me when I ran for governor. They said being the mayor of Maui was insufficient experience to be the governor.

"Being a mayor, whether in Hawai'i or Alaska or anywhere else, is outstanding preparation for higher office and the people of Alaska and Hawai'i will tell you Sarah and I are doing just fine."

That's what she said. This is what she was planning to say, according to the advance copy that Lingle didn't read during the 17 minutes:

"Since becoming governor, Hawai'i has moved up 10 spots in the Forbes ranking for best states to do business, is among the top five states in health insurance coverage, and was one of only 12 states last year where the number of people living in poverty went down."

Perhaps that was too much campaigning for herself when she was supposed to be campaigning for Palin. Too obviously a two-fer.

Lingle was quoted early on saying she had no interest becoming the Republican vice presidential running mate. Lucky thing, because if the digging into Palin's husband's 20-year-old DUI and the stinkiness over her trying to get her sister's ex fired was bad, imagine how Bob Awana's shenanigans on official state trips would play out. And that's just the easy game.

Maybe Lingle didn't want the VP job, but clearly she's keeping her options open, collecting Facebook friends among the national party honchos and doing what they tell her to do, even it means she has to stretch her speech to stall for time on national television.

Lee Cataluna's column runs Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays. Reach her at 535-8172 or lcataluna@honoluluadvertiser.com

Lee Cataluna's column runs Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays. Reach her at 535-8172 or lcataluna@honoluluadvertiser.com.