John McCain's VP pick: Who will it be? What about Sarah Palin?

Lots of rumors flying around early this morning on the identity of Sen. John McCain's pick for his vice presidential running mate. Focusing especially on Alaska's fresh Gov. Sarah Palin.

One has former Massachusetts Mitt Romney enroute to Dayton, Ohio, where McCain plans a noon Eastern time rally to announce his selection. No guarantee if that invitation is true, that Romney is the pick, despite his tireless campaigning and fundraising for the Arizona senator for months now.

It would seem a little odd though to have onstage one of the "losing" candidates for VP if you're announcing someone else.

The Associated Press has published a report about Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, the subject of much recent speculation after he canceled his appointments for the next couple of days, saying he will not be in Ohio today.

Most Americans won't be in Ohio today, but that would rule Pawlenty out.

Another rumor has a chartered plane from Alaska landing a while ago near Dayton, Ohio. If true, that could mean McCain's selection could be an outside-the-box game-changer: picking Alaska's first female governor, Sarah Palin, a 44-year-old mother of five and political maverick in her own right, who went against her state's GOP establishment in recent years to drive a series of reforms through.

What a surprise that would be if after watching the Democrats debate for nearly two years having a female in the person of Sen. Hillary Clinton at the top or No. 2 spot on their ticket, it was actually the Republicans with a candidate who turns 72 today picking a pro-life woman three years younger than Obama, who's been a city councilwoman, a tax-cutting mayor and an anti-pork barrel state chief executive.

A former high school athlete (basketball) and beauty queen, she could become the first female vice president and be in position to become the nation's first female president, as she was her state's first female governor and the first governor there born since statehood.

But remember last week when Barack Obama was about to announce his pick and we had reports of Obama-Bayh signs being printed in Kansas. It didn't quite turn out that way.

Stay tuned. We'll have the announcement right here on The Ticket asap.

--Andrew Malcolm

Photo credit: Associated Press

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Comments

[Sharon]

This is the kind of decision I've been waiting and praying for from Sen. McCain! What a pick. Gov. Palin has a wonderful record on both conservative issues and on fighting corruption and waste in the party that always claims to stand against them. Go McCain!

[AlwaysSomething]

But how does that square with Palin's own Troopergate investigation regarding her attempt to get her ex-brother-in-law fired from his job as a State Trooper?

[Polly A]

re: Ted and Palin v Obama exp.

Palin has 2 yrs Executive experience as governor + mayoral exp. Obama has, let's see... hmm.... ZERO!

And for those who think she should stay home with her kids, Obama has two little girls at home, does that mean he can't be POTUS? BTW, her oldest son is 19 and will be deploying to Iraq in Sept.

[Erik]

Who the heck is she? McCain is trying to say Obama is inexperienced and he's considering her? Maybe she is good but do you want someone with a couple years experience as governor of one of the smallest states running with a 72 year old man?

[Capt. Jim]

I had breifly heard of Sarah Palin's success in AK. But after reading a little about her, I think she could be "The Good Woman Behind the Good Man In The White House".
In fact - There are lessons to be learned by "US men" from women like this. They are a LOT more intelligent and resourceeful than "US men" give credit for. As a man, I can honestly say I hope this pick is true!

Jim

[Geneva Chapman]

How ironic if McCain chooses a female veep after the hypocritic Democrats championed women's issues all week and failed to choose a woman for either of the top two spots! Obama even talked about his grandmother being passed over "for promotion after promotion" before getting a middle-management job because of her gender! Isn't that what the Democratic Party did to Hillary Clinton? Personally, I hope John McCain chooses Governor Palin as his running mate and gives those still disgruntled Clinton supporters at least one woman on the ticket of a major party. I am one of the 18 million people who voted for Clinton and this fall I'll be voting for Cynthia McKinney who is the Green Party candidate for President.

[Dianne]

Governor Palin is the very best! We are very lucky. McCain would win a landslide with Sara, but I don't think he will pick a woman or a person of color. He is a great man and gets my vote, but he is still of the good-ol-boy school. The republicans need to nuture a talented, honest yound person for the next election or the socialist Democrates will take over.

[pdx]

Palin will be a great pick for the McBush ticket. I can't wait to see her debate.

[Lesa]

This would be a very smart move on his part. The people that are undecided may vote his way due to a woman being in the mix. I think he could swing a lot of women's vote if he picked her.

[Mike]

It's Palin. Great choice! Bad news for Obama.

[Gina]

BREAK THE GLASS CEILING !!!
WOW ... What a great pick!!! America should elect McCain & Palin for the Whitehouse in November,
for a return to wholesome American values.
No Wright, no Farrakahn, no Ayers, no Rezko,
no mean Michelle, NOBAMA!

[MSG]

Palin is an experienced maverick,...with her he has my vote.

[Alisha W.]

Not impressed in the least with McCains attempt to level the playing field by patronizing millions of Clinton supporters! He contradicts himself at every turn! While I am always excited to see a woman blazing the path to new plains; I am a realist- If Obama is "not qualified" or "experienced" enough to run the country, what suggests that this unknown, beauty queen from Alaska can??? Shes younger than Obama and has less experience than Obama- I'll even take a stab at guessing that she's LESS educated than Obama. So, republicans have your day and relish in the shallow idea that your campaign can come even close to the trailblazing change the democrats have aquired this go around. She will be a breath of fresh air in the stale environment which is republican- but she CANNOT deflect the people from the real change we have decided to make!

[New Mexican for Mccain]

John! Show us actions speak louder and words!

Picking a strong woman as your running mate will make all the difference!

[Pamela]

Wow! No stale Washington suit! She will bring fresh air to the party! They have my vote! Good choice John, shake it up! Having a baby with Down-syndrome shows she practices what she preaches, even in her own life!

[phillychild]

all you right wingers should read this and shut up. you lose... muahahahahahahahaha she learned well from bush and cheyney http://mudflats.wordpress.com/2008/08/13/palins-self-investigation-bears-fruit/ you guys are so dumb you cant see that your party is sending your jobs overseas and ruining our economy. i guess if you want america to eventually be on par with mexico as far as living standards are concerned then "mission accomplished" and keep up the good work you god fearing gun toting loveable huggy bears!!!!!!

[matt]

McCains HUGE MISTAKE!!!
Will we ever forgive him for passing over Paris Hilton??
I hear he didn't even have his vetting committee look at her background. A travesty!!!

Seriously, this chick has been governor less time than Obama's presidential campaign. She has a degree in journalism. Blown away?

McCain is mean to pull her up in such a contentious race.
She might be a good soul, but I think she was selected for image reasons. Sure Barrack has his own kind of minority leader narrative going...but he's been put through the wringer. Hes proven his toughness, intelligence and capability.

How would Mrs. Pallin fair against Mrs. Clinton?

[Marc]

I felt very uncomportable watching about Barack Hussein Obama's portrait on this video...

Link:

http://www.eyeblast.tv/public/video.aspx?RsrcID=2036

[T.N.]

Sarah who?? **silence and crickets** Exactly.

Obama '08!!!!

[Linda]

I am ecstatic over McCain's choice and never thought I would be so thrilled to see a woman on any ticket. My choice for President and VP are not only because he is the best of the two but he showed a lot about his character when he selected Gov. Palin. This will not be politics as usual and reveals much about his committment to invoking big change in Washington. Her experience is so far above Obama's lack of experience and empty promises. I can't wait to start digging in and helping them win this election.
This woman is everything I thought I would never see in anyone's vp choice.
McCain/ Palin in 2008!!!

[JON]

This is an absolutely great pick--for the Democrats. It pretty much cancels out the experience thing for Obama and sends a signal that McClain's first hire shows his lack of clear decision making. Contrary to what this article and others say, a woman who is anti-abortion, anti-environment, pro-gun, etc. is not going to get very many Hillary supporters. This is as great a pick for the Democrats as is Biden. I am going to love those debates now.

I think we (Obama supporters) just won the election. And I couldn't be happier. Oh, BTW, Happy 72 Johnny.

[Karl in Burbank]

I remember the California Primary and Hillary winning California...yet the DNC didnt even count her delegates during the roll call this week! We heard about butterfly ballots, record turnouts and EVERY VOTE COUNTS. They even counted Florida and Michigan's delegates (who were ineligible), yet California was not counted. It seems like the Party did everything they could to keep Hillary off the ticket.

Around the office this morning, there were a lot of women smiling watching Palin speak in Dayton, Ohio. It is going to be a tight race.

[True Patriot]

It just keeps getting better and better for the dems. Last night, we saw a tremendous speech that will go down as one of the best acceptance speeches in our history. The party is unifying. And McCain seems to want to help the dems through all this. What a Great Day!

However, we mustn't forget that there is a lot of cleaning up to do in Jan. The despicable lying, corrupt, criminal administration of the past 8 yrs has done severe damage to this country and this world. We must stay focused and united if are to restore prominence to America.

What a great day! Enjoy this everybody, but stay focused because a wounded dog is dangerous.

[Charlie Woodland]

When it comes down to it, the ticket that wins this election is NOT going to be decided by issues, politics, who stands where on what. People are going to vote for the candidate they identify with PHYSICALLY and CULTURALLY or something else SUPERFICIAL. Sad but true. Majority of Americans are going to cast a "stupid emotional " vote based on if they are a a man, woman, black, white, minority, dem, rep.... regarless of knowing who is doing or promising what. We all want to see ourselves in our heroes. We all want to be ont he winning team. We all want to be the "first". We all want OUR TEAM to win on a very base emotional level. That's why all of this including the national polling is reported like it's the NBA Finals. It's all so silly. One day our grandkids will read about how we used to do things in our goverment and our society and think "Wow, they were idiots". Hope we get a clue before it's too late.

[A. Garrett]

BARACK THE VOTE!!!!! WE NEED CHANGE!!!! GO SIT DOWN McCain!!! Honestly he is to old to run this country... Its to much to be done for him to just stand and look confused like he's been doin since the primarys. OBAMA is a wonderful Choice because this country needs a big change. I refuse to see the country be in a bigger hole than it is in thanks to the republicans!!!