DEL.ICIO.USUpdated: 3:34 p.m. August 29, 2008
McCain picks Alaska Gov. Palin as running mate
Associated Press Writer
Friday, August 29, 2008
DENVER — Is Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin a maverick who meshes with Republican presidential contender John McCain? Or a conservative who pleases a Republican Party full of them?
Or both, perhaps, and a pioneer as well, the first Republican woman named to a national ticket.
Al Grillo / AP
First-term Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin talks in her office in Anchorage, Alaska on Aug. 14. Palin was John McCain’s choice for vice president.
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PALIN'S BIO
AGE-BIRTH DATE-LOCATION: 44; born Feb. 11, 1964; Sandpoint, Idaho.
EXPERIENCE: Alaska governor since December 2006; unsuccessful run for Republican nomination for lieutenant governor in 2002; chairwoman of the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, 2003-2004; served two terms as Wasilla mayor and two terms on city council.
EDUCATION: Graduated University of Idaho, 1987, journalism.
FAMILY: Husband, Todd; five children.
BUSINESS: Worked as sports reporter for two Anchorage television stations; owned with her husband a snowmobile, watercraft, ATV business from 1994-97. Husband is a North Slope oil field worker.
McCain introduced Palin on Friday as his surprise pick on the eve of the Republican National Convention, calling her the one “who can best help me shake up Washington and make it start working again for the people who are counting on us.”
Palin promised: “I’m going to take our campaign to every part of our country and our message of reform to every voter of every background in every political party, or no party at all.”
“… Politics isn’t just a game of competing interests and clashing parties,” added the woman who has built her career in large measure by challenging fellow Republicans. “The people of America expect us to seek public office and to serve for the right reasons.”
In a fast-developing presidential campaign, McCain made his selection six days after his Democratic rival, Barack Obama, named Sen. Joseph Biden of Delaware, as his running mate.
The contrast between the two announcements was remarkable — Obama, 47, picked a 65-year-old running mate with long experience in government and a man whom he said was qualified to be president.
On his 72nd birthday, McCain chose a 44-year-old running mate who until recently was the mayor of small-town Wasilla, Alaska — and made no claim she was ready to sit in the Oval Office.
His campaign issued a statement saying she was, but even so, it wasn’t a point lost on Obama’s campaign.
“Today, John McCain put the former mayor of a town of 9,000 with zero foreign policy experience a heartbeat away from the presidency,” Adrianne Marsh, a spokeswoman for Obama, said in a written statement.
Unlike Biden, who attacked McCain sharply in his debut last week, Palin was indirect in her initial attempts to elevate McCain over Obama.
“There is only one candidate who has truly fought for America and that man is John McCain,” she said as the Arizona senator beamed. McCain was a prisoner of war for more than five years in Vietnam.
McCain trails Obama in the polls among women voters, and Palin moved quickly to remedy that.
She mentioned that she followed in the footsteps of Geraldine Ferraro, who was the Democratic vice presidential running mate in 1984, and referred favorably to Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, who drew 18 million votes in her unsuccessful run against Obama for the Democratic nomination.
“But it turns out the women of America aren’t finished yet and we can shatter that glass ceiling once and for all,” she said.
Republicans said that McCain hoped to blunt Obama’s message of political change with his pick, and it appeared likely she could remove all doubt about her home state in the fall campaign.
Obama has targeted Alaska and its three electoral votes, one of several he hoped to turn competitive in the fall despite its long tradition of voting Republican.
Palin has a strong anti-abortion record, and her selection was praised warmly by social conservatives whose support McCain needs to prevail in the campaign for the White House.
President Bush complimented McCain for “an exciting decision.”
“Governor Palin is a proven reformer who is a wise steward of taxpayer dollars and champion for accountability in government,” a presidential statement said. “By selecting a working mother with a track record of getting things done, Senator McCain has once again demonstrated his commitment to reforming Washington.”
“It’s an absolutely brilliant choice,” said Mathew Staver, dean of Liberty University School of Law. “This will absolutely energize McCain’s campaign and energize conservatives,” he predicted.
With his pick, McCain passed over more prominent contenders like Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, as well as others such as former Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Ridge, whose support for abortion rights might have sparked unrest at the convention that opens Monday in St. Paul, Minn.
The timing of McCain’s selection appeared designed to limit any political gain Obama derives from his own convention, which ended Thursday night with his nominating acceptance speech before an estimated 84,000 in Invesco Field in Colorado.
Public opinion polls show a close race between Obama and McCain, and with scarcely two months remaining until the election, neither contender can allow the other to jump out to a big post-convention lead.
At 44, she is younger than two of McCain’s seven children.
She is three years Obama’s junior, as well — and McCain has made much in recent weeks of Obama’s relative lack of experience in foreign policy and defense matters.
In its formal announcement, the campaign pointed to her powers as head of the Alaska National Guard and the mother of a soldier herself as evidence that she “understands what it takes to lead our nation…”
McCain has had months to consider his choice, and has made it clear to reporters that one of his overriding goals was to avoid a situation like 1988, when little known Sen. Dan Quayle was thrown into a national campaign with little preparation.
A self-styled hockey mom and political reformer, Palin was mayor of Wasilla, Alaska, population 6,500, until she became governor.
Palin flew overnight to an airport in Ohio near Dayton, and even as she awaited her formal introduction, some aides said they had believed she was at home in Alaska.
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Comments
By Intersted citiizen
Sep 1, 2008 3:41 PM | Link to this
I was really disappointed in McCain's choice of a running mate. I was hoping that he would pick Hucabee from Ar.. He wants to bring America back to grass roots diplomacy. He is a Christian and does not hide it and we need someone who will stand up for what he believes in.
Since this did not happen, I will pray that Palin will help and not hinder what McCain wants to accomplish. I give her the chance to prove what she can do.
I hope the American public will pray long and hard about their decision come election day. GOD BLESS AMERICA!
By petehh
Aug 31, 2008 9:23 PM | Link to this
A lot of commenters make the mistake of thinking that it takes intellect and experience to run the country. If that were true we wouldn't have Bush. What it takes is reasonable intelligence, upright character, leadership ability, and the common sense to surround oneself with top notch advisors. By this standard, Palin may well be preferable to Bush, McCain, Obama and Biden. Of course, correct opinions on the issues of the day are important, and that is up to us to decide!
By Opal smetak
Aug 31, 2008 7:23 PM | Link to this
I did not have much faith in John McCain to begin with , but now i have much less < it doesn,t take a rocket Scientist to figure out why he chose Palin . He certainly proved he isn,t thinking about the safety of the american people when he chose Palin.Can you imagine if something happened to John Mc Cain {and considering his age could happen},what would happen to America with such an inexperienced person left in charge?
By Janet
Aug 31, 2008 7:00 PM | Link to this
John McCain said he'd rather lose an election than lose a war. He's now proven by his selection of Palin, whose primary job as VP is to step into the Presidency at a moment's notice, that he cares MORE about WINNING an election than he is about the future safety and security of our country.
He's picked Palin, not because she's the most qualified Republican he could chose as his running mate, but because he's appealing to the far right base.
She's so anti-abortion she doesn't even make an exception for RAPE AND INCEST VICTIMS!!
I live in an adult (55+) community. Every other day you hear who's died; who's disabled from a stroke, heart attack, chemotherapy and a myriad of other health problems.
McCain - Palin = NO WAY!!!!
By EV
Aug 31, 2008 2:43 PM | Link to this
Request: If you are calling the experience of ANY candidate into question, please give us some idea of your qualifications to pass that type of judgment by telling the name of a person who you believe IS qualified for the job and why.
By Don
Aug 31, 2008 12:43 AM | Link to this
Holly at 12:42 p.m.
Yes the GOP VP talks well and has a nice smile.
The same for Mr. Obama.
As a recovering GOP supporter, I'll never send the GOP another dime or make a phone call to support their cause.
They had 8 years to make a "change" and blew it.
They spent more than Mr. Clinton during his term.
Mr. Obama is one of the best public speakers of our time when the tele prompter is working.
When it goes off line, he stumbles, looking for words.
While gifted, he does not have the talent of Dr. MLK,
he was the best public speaker of a generation.
As far as Mrs Palin, she is from outside the belt in D.C., which is a good thing. Change will happen when "outsiders" begin to influence the standards of D.C.
As far as the Dems and the GOP, thanks but no.
I'm voting for Bob Barr.
www.BobBarr2008.com
By jill
Aug 30, 2008 8:37 PM | Link to this
As a woman, this VP pick has absolutely nothing in common with me other than we have the same kind of genitals. I could not be more against a candidate than I am her. She anti-choice, pro big oil, pro NRA, pro- big business, etc.... All the beliefs that have dragged this country down the sh!#@thole these last 8 years. Oh yeah and on top of that, her only international diplomacy is negotiating an oil rig on Eskimo land. I really wonder what McCain and his old cronies REALLY promised her and her husband. How much is Exxon-Mobil throwing her way? Huge amounts I am sure. Yes, I was not happy Hillary lost, but I am enough of an adult to see the alternatives of another 4 -8 years of Republicans in office will be the downfall of our nation.
GO OBAMA '08!!!!!!!
By childress
Aug 30, 2008 8:08 PM | Link to this
As a woman I am insulted because women vote on issues that matter to us ,we vote to protect our children - she's pro gun , we vote on pocket book issues- she must also think the economy is strong - we vote to provide healthcare to our children and families-does not agree w/universal heathcare , most woman believe that a woman no matter their own personal view has a right to choose especially in cases in incest and rape- she is cleary pro- life to the extreme. So on all the issues that matter to women she is on the wrong side- This also underscores McCain so called change campaign because faced w/losing this election he precribes to the same Rove tactics that won Bush two terms scare people up on ideolog instead of dealing w/the issues that matter most to people right now and I happen to believe that the country is different than 4 years ago we will not fall for this -Fox News believes that people will vote for her because she she has a compelling story - we I know a million people w/compelling stories but they are not ready to be the vice president !!!!
By childress
Aug 30, 2008 8:08 PM | Link to this
As a woman I am insulted because women vote on issues that matter to us ,we vote to protect our children - she's pro gun , we vote on pocket book issues- she must also think the economy is strong - we vote to provide healthcare to our children and families-does not agree w/universal heathcare , most woman believe that a woman no matter their own personal view has a right to choose especially in cases in incest and rape- she is cleary pro- life to the extreme. So on all the issues that matter to women she is on the wrong side- This also underscores McCain so called change campaign because faced w/losing this election he precribes to the same Rove tactics that won Bush two terms scare people up on ideolog instead of dealing w/the issues that matter most to people right now and I happen to believe that the country is different than 4 years ago we will not fall for this -Fox News believes that people will vote for her because she she has a compelling story - we I know a million people w/compelling stories but they are not ready to be the vice president !!!!
By Coyote Loco
Aug 30, 2008 6:06 PM | Link to this
She's Sarah-licious! That's all the reason you need to support her! Shirts/stickers at www.cafepress.com/coyoteloco
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