In Colorado, Sarah Palin, who is now traveling solo, began with some new material on the brewing crisis on Wall Street. The remarks were typical of what John McCain has said in the past: Washington has failed to regulate, executives haven’t managed risk and, as a result, the taxpayers are put at economic risk. She decried the Washington establishment which was “asleep at the switch” and added, “[o]ur regulatory system is outdated and it needs a complete overhaul.” She went on to echo the McCain team statement realeased earlier in the day that it is wise to cut off the federal spigot of bailout monies and not put the taxpayers on the hook for Lehman’s losses. And she threw in a bit of populist red meat–decrying golden parachutes and such–which the very Republican crowd gobbled up.

It is a vintage “reform” message which is easily adapted to the current crisis. While Palin offered no specifics (it was a raucous campaign rally, after all) she is clearly expanding her message and learning to amplify the theme of the day. (John McCain had a similar speech in Florida.)

Looked at in the bigger picture, there is nothing in either Palin’s remarks or McCain’s statement or speech that sounds partisan or defensive of Big Business — or Big anything, for that matter. This is the natural extension of McCain’s convention address, the least partisan speech be given by a presidential nominee in recent memory. Now with the base safely in tow McCain-Palin’s message is directly aimed at the Independent voters who will determine this, as they do most, presidential elections.