WASHINGTON - Republican presidential hopeful John McCain picked social conservative Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin to be his running mate.
Palin, not particularly well-known nationally, was previously a small-town mayor who beat the Alaska incumbent governor Frank Murkowski in the state’s Republican primary in 2006 and went on to win in the general election.
The 44-year-old one-term governor is an opponent of abortion rights, a lifetime member of the National Rifle Association and a fiscal conservative — not to mention an avid sportswoman and a beauty pageant winner.
While some social conservatives have been skeptical about McCain as the Republican nominee, will his choice of Palin help win them over? Will the selection of a woman draw some disaffected supporters of Hillary Clinton who were disappointed she was not on the Democratic ticket? Did McCain successfully prevent a bounce for his opponent Barack Obama, who wrapped up his nominating convention on Thursday evening?
Click here for more Reuters 2008 campaign coverage.
- Photo credit: Reuters/Matt Sullivan (Palin appears for the first time as the Republican vice presidential running mate with McCain.)
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Being Governor of Alaska is about like being the Mayor of Tulsa… in fact Tulsa has more people.
- Posted by ChuckPalin is the perfect running mate for McCain though since she is PRO-BIG-OIL, anti-abortion, gung-ho PRO-WAR and already has experience abusing power.
If McCain and Palin win it will be like Bush never left… massive war deficits and a continued decline in the value of the dollar.
Palin is moderately risky for McCain. Although I think she won’t really hurt him, she won’t be able to help him.
1. Alaska. Small Red state. Then again Bush won with Cheney on the ticket, etc. so this won’t swing any leaning statues. But Biden is from Delaware, so it’s a wash.
2. Not appealing to HRC Dems. She’s Pro Life and conservative, so what’s the appeal there.
3. Inexperienced. McCain just gave the Dems a counter to his “inexperienced arguement”.
On the plus side, she seems poised and very tenacious. She also has a scandal brewing because she used her position to fire someone who wouldn’t fire her brother-in-law.
- Posted by Jack SAll of the Hillary Dillary Dock voters will vote for Sarah Palin regardless of her virulent anti-abortion pro-life stance!
McCain is giving women across America the chance to take a stand, a real stand on many issues.
I think Palin will capture enough women voters, many of them the big financial supporters of Hillary to ensure a McCain victory in November!
Of course, I would hate to see that happen, but it will probably happen because the young people won’t actually vote, and women will vote for another woman regardless of political positions!
- Posted by TickTockWhether at the top of the ticket or second the experience and leadership qualities of the entire ticket is to be discussed. The fact that she is the governor of a small state is very good, justification for her pick as vp will be seen in how she handles the national spotlight.
I have read many state that Joe Biden may have difficulty going after governor Palin, if that is the case then this is not the place for her politics is a dirty game and she has to be able to take it as well as dish it out if she will convince me she is ready to take over if John McCain is unable to continue as President. Lets face it the older you are the shorter your life expectancy.
- Posted by SarahAll of this rancor over this race.. Tsk Tsk Tsk…
Let’s just settle the direction of the country once and for all the old fashioned way. We conservatives will bring our deer rifles and you liberals can bring your peace signs and medical marijuana cards..
I wonder who will win…
- Posted by JimWow…….McCain’s only met her once and he chooses her for Vice-Pres!!!
- Posted by sgpHow long has McCain been smokin’ crack and how come we didn’t know about it? Are you f**ing s**ting me? As for you self-righteous pro-lifers that have been posting, how do you rationalize your stance on the death penalty, war, torture, etc.?
- Posted by SimonConfirmed: My pro-choice vote is going to Senator Obama. I’ve had it with the Republican party - can you say, “Out of touch?”
- Posted by Former RepublicanI don’t care what her experience is she appears to be a good person and Mother with about the same amount as Senator Obama. I and many others will sleep a lot better with Sarah Palin next in line to be President and ahead of Nancy Polosi.
- Posted by TomVsevenTomVseven - Polson, Montana
Question for thinkers. Do we have any really great leaders? Do we want either party to control both Congress and the Executive Branch? I think that we have had very poor results every time. Even more dangerous now. Palin seems like a strong woman to me. Let’s see.
- Posted by kpWhen I first heard this I was hoping that America as a whole would be smart enough to see McCain’s VP choice for exactly what it is, a ridiculous ploy to win votes from women specifically HRC supporters. This was not a smart choice. McCain is 72 years old and has had SEVERAL bouts with cancer, so while Palin is on the ticket for VP, there’s an excellent chance we might have to contend with her as the actual president.
Obama may be inexperienced as well but he’s been in the State Senate (of a state with like 4 times more people than alaska) for 4 or more years and in the senate for 2 years. Palin has been the mayor of a VERY small town for 8 years and has been a govenor for less than a year. SHE does not in ANY way have more experience than Barack. I just like the rest of America should REALLY question McCain’s judgement on this one. She is a very risky VP on the ticket of a man who could easily kick the bucket on this campaign trail, much less in the white house (should he get there).
Add to that, she is a poor substitute for HRC, and anyone jumping on the McCain ticket simply to vote for a woman should honestly not be allowed to vote. Just as I feel like anyone voting (or not voting) for Barack soley based on his race should not be allowed to vote either.
so I’m begging my fellow Americans, to stop letting race and gender be the deciding factor. This isn’t about you, and whether or not you can say you saw or helped elect the first (insert race or gender specification here) into office (and I’m an African American saying this, its great that Barack has come this far, but i am not voting for him simply because he’s black, of the 2 choices, HE IS HANDS DOWN THE BEST CANDIDATE!). Race nor gender qualify anyone to do anything. Do your homework on each candidate’s platform, see what they stand for, not just what the media’s telling you. Vote based on who best meets your values and who best serves the interest of your children and grandchildren. Not based on who’s male or female, black or white. Because the rest of the world has leaders of all races and genders (btw globally whites are the minority), and this election isn’t just playing out here in America but on the world’s stage as well. Don’t send the message to the rest of the world that you’d rather see your country run into the ground and your children’s future’s squandered than elect a black man for President… Lets not send that message. A vote for McCain (or the republican party as a whole) with or without Palin does not benefit our children or the future generations to come.
- Posted by Thinking womanAs an Obama supporter, I couldn’t be happier with McCain’s selection.
She’s already embroiled in a corruption scandal for the misuse of government personnel in Alaska.
Fantastic.
And as others have pointed out, her resume is about as long on political experience as mine.
Thank you, Senator McCain, for nullifying the crux of your complaints about Obama, and for picking your running mate from what seems to be an endless stream of Republicans in legal trouble.
- Posted by jvillDan Quayle in a skirt! How stupid does McCain think women are to fall for this “really intelligent pick”
- Posted by A Nufferhoping because she is a woman we Hillary lovers would vote for him??? She is against women’s right to choose!
Nuff said you idiots!!
I’m sorry folks, but it is an excellent choice. Palin is a far more refreshing choice than Biden ever will be. You know what independent conservatives see when they read the forums today? Unbridled fear amongst the liberals; and rightfully so. McCain has destroyed Obama’s economics platform, and is now beginning to do the same with to Obama’s Washington reform platform. Also, might I add that independents are disgusted with the liberal reaction. Reasons being,
- Posted by Max1.) Since when do progressives find excuses to condemn progressiveness in EITHER party?
2.) The lack of objectivity within mainstream news outlets is ridiculous. Got to be the worst I’ve seen EVER. Always with the “Obama, spoke this today, yada, yada, yada…” (Oh, and it was like that BEFORE the convention.)
3.) Don’t believe me, I read CNN politics all the time as well. The only campaign ad on their website has consistently been, “VOTE Obama!” FOR MONTHS… And absolutely nothing else. (I’m sadly serious folks. Check it out for yourselves fellow independents.)
Sarah Palin is a crackling bolt of lightning that just changed the entire face of the election. Anyone who thinks that she’s not going to make a huge difference is just whistling past the graveyard.
- Posted by Mike OGovernor Sarah Palin is smart, tough, attractive, witty, and wise. She has the stamina, sensibility, and will for the common good to be an excellent vice president. Her nomimination contributes the historic level of this election. The decision demonstrates Senator McCains open-mind and confidence in a candidate with unique qualifications from a unique part of our country.
- Posted by Julie‘Clinton voters’? If McCain succeeds in stealing Clinton’s Democrat votes just because his 2nd is a woman, then it’s no wonder that in the US someone like George W Bush gets voted into the White House not once, but twice.
- Posted by BillDemocrats will win
- Posted by MB06This selection by McCain shows his arrogance and disrespect to women voters in America. Myopic thinking to say the least. Now we see that the issue of “experience”, or lack thereof lacked substance. He even admitted that she didn’t had the experience. Is this his best answer to Biden?
On another note, what exactly does McCain mean by “Power over principle”? That clearly goes to show that he is way off the mark when it comes to being Commander-in-Chief. Nowhere does power take precedence over principle in rational and logical thinking. But I guess it does with republicans. No wonder the war is a disaster.
I hope the American public make the right choice come Nov 4. The possible worst of Obama/Biden is better than the very best of McCain/Bush/Palin on any given day.
- Posted by michael blagroveYOU LIB IDIOTS ARE TALKING ABOUT HER LACK OF EXPERIENCE BUT YOU MORONS ARE FORGETING ONE THING…SHE IS RUNNING FOR VP NOT FOR PRESIDENT LIKE OBAMA. HER IN-EXPERIENCE MEANS NOTHING COMPARED TO HIS. AND SHE HAS ACTUALLY GOVERENED. HE NEVER HAS. BUT EITHER WAY LIKE I SAID IT MEANS NOTHING CAUSE OBAMA IS RUNNING FOR THE MOST POWERFULL POSTION IN THE WORLD WITH NO EXPERIENCE TO DON’T MAKE THAT YOUR AGUMENT LIBS.
- Posted by I HATE LIBERALS!!!