John McCain picks Alaska's Gov. Sarah Palin as his VP

The Republican Party's presumptive presidential nominee, Sen. John McCain, has pulled a fast one on his Democratic opponents, who spent much of the last 19 months arguing over whether they'd be the party to have a female on their 2008 presidential ticket.

The rumor is true. As The Ticket reported just before dawn this morning, minutes ago, McCain confirmed that his vice presidential running mate is Sarah Palin, the first female governor of Alaska and the first woman on a national GOP ticket.

And hear this: The 44-year-old Palin, a former city councilwoman, Alaskan mayor, star high school basketball player and beauty queen, is a Republican political maverick (does this sound familiar on a McCain ticket?).

She overthrew her own state party's corrupt establishment in 2005-06 to run without its support and win on a reform ticket against a Democratic former governor, Tony Knowles. See video below.

She's been enjoying statewide popularity ratings of 70% to 80%, not least for her down-to-earth touches, like selling the previous governor's jet plane to fly commercially and driving herself to work in the family Jetta. She's worked against government pork barrel projects; again, a familiar phrase.

Palin, the first Alaskan governor born after statehood, was actually born and raised in Sandpoint, Idaho. She is the mother of five (see family photo below) and is married to a native Alaskan, Todd Palin, who is a seasonal fisherman and an oil field worker offseason. He races snowmobiles on vacation.

The governor is a lifetime member of the National Rifle Assn., an ardent hunter and outdoorswoman (her family has its own float plane) and is a sure bet to please the antiabortion wing of the Republican Party.

When prenatal genetic testing of their fifth child showed he had Down syndrome last spring, the couple went ahead with the birth in May and now talk of him as the joy of their life. (See photo below.) One of ...

... their other four children entered the Army and deploys to Iraq next month.

Palin is also an ardent advocate of developing Alaskan natural oil resources, having recently signed a bill to establish a new trans-Alaska gas pipeline to deliver energy to the lower 48 states.

In the face of opposition from large domestic oil companies, which have ruled Alaska state politics for many years, Palin supported the 1,700-mile gas line proposed by a Canadian firm.

She also likes to point out that Alaska was admitted to the Union 50 years ago in large part for its trove of natural resources, much of them now locked up, while the country sends billions to other oil-rich nations.

She notes that while the controversial Arctic Natural Wildlife Preserve is roughly 19 million acres of protected federal land, the area actually proposed for oil development with directional drilling is smaller than LAX.

When The Ticket first mentioned Palin as a McCain VP prospect back in June, Palin pooh-poohed the idea as "not this time around." But, obviously, the Arizona senator saw an opportunity in partnering with a fresh, non-Washington face, a conservative chief executive who enacted property tax cuts as a mayor and who addresses the lingering doubts some conservatives have about McCain.

She also happens to be female and might well attract some of those disappointed women among the 18 million voters who chose Hillary Clinton during the Democratic primaries and caucuses.

With women making up about 52% of the electorate, she could also appeal to them.

There was some concern in recent weeks that an investigation into an attempt by the governor's office to have an individual state trooper fired could derail Palin's VP chances. The trooper in question had been involved in a contentious divorce with Palin's younger sister and reportedly threatened others. So far, independent investigators have found it was Palin staffers who made the contacts and Palin knew nothing of their efforts.

Though new to national politics, Palin has proven a quick learner and is not shy using her elbows under the basket. While leading her high school girls team to a championship as a point guard, the future governor earned the nickname "Sarah Barracuda."

— Andrew Malcolm

Photo credits: Top and middle, Office of the Alaska Governor; bottom, Al Grillo / Associated Press

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Comments

[PJ]

As a feminist it pains me to see McCain pick such an inexperienced woman as his running mate. There is not a chance this woman is up to the task of running the country and John McCain is just one over heated argument away from death. What a ridiculous hail mary pass this is.

[Windu]

So, I'm listening to her speak. Right now I can't imagine this woman dealing with Putin, Kim Jung-il, and Ahmadinejad. Her experience: Two years managing a state with half as many people as San Diego? A heartbeat away from the Oval Office. And she just basically said to vote for her because she's a woman ("Women can shatter the glass ceiling once and for all."). I'll keep listening over the next two months, but I'm skeptical.

[PJ]

As a feminist it pains me to see McCain pick such an inexperienced woman as his running mate. There is not a chance this woman is up to the task of running the country and John McCain is just one over heated argument away from death. What a ridiculous hail mary pass this is.

[Matt Rackham]

Nice puff piece.

If she "overthrew her own state party's corrupt establishment " then why is the indicted Ted Stevens still there running things? Why is Don Young--in so much ethical trouble--still there?

She didn't just say "not this time around" to the VP slot, she said (in a CNBC interview) she had no idea what a VP did.

If Obama is so inexperienced--as McCain likes to complain--then what is someone with a year-and-a-half of being governor? Her only prior experience is being mayor of a town with less than 4% of the population of Obama's Illinois state congressional district.

And I know we're supposed to pretend that McCain isn't an elderly cancer survivor, but how can we not look at his health when his VP is so unqualified? Maybe it's time he released *all* of his medical records and let someone other than a hand-picked reporter see them.

[Timothy Crocker]

Talk about gimmicks. The choice is supposed to be based on who is qualified to be president. That Bachlor's degree in Communications from U of I should help get her up to speed. Give me a break. McCains first and most important decision shows a real lack of judgement.

[Dusty]

"I rather see a gospel then hear one anyday" ... now change isn't gospel but after O!'s speech he changed not the advocate of change but borring like Kerry and Gore. McCain as annoying he can be is actually the one doing change. This is pretty exciting none-the-less. Smart move. GOP will be unified now and a unified GOP has always been tuff for the Dems

[George Michaud]

What a fabulous decision McCain has made! He's a genius. Finally, The USA will have a woman VP for the first time in our great history! It's a WINNER!

George M.
Kansas CIty, MO

[MICHAEL FISETTE]

Well I think John McCain just got my vote for sure and I have never voted Republican in my LIFE, but I was for Hillary and I like John McCain and now he has my vote. He has made the best possible choice in my opinion as his running mate.

[jbdsm]

I think it pretty likely that the main motiviation for this VP pick was to help him get elected, not who will be best at being his number 2, or who would be best to replace him as number 1.

[Liberty B.]

Every voter in America who wears glasses should vote for Mrs. Palin. She is doing wonders for the seeing impaired. She's got my vote.

[maggie]

If McCain thinks picking this light weight will appeal to women voters, he'd better think again. Her thin resume (a communications degree from the U of Idaho?) shows she's not fit to carry Hillary Clinton's luggage!

[Out Wrong]

I will vote for her simply because she is a woman. I vehemently disagree with almost every one of her policies but it is time for a woman VP.

[Aldo]

The LAT potrayed Senate Foreign Relations Committee chairman Joe Biden as a Joe Sixpack type on the front page of the Sunday edition. I can't wait to see what negative spin the paper will put into the headline introducing Sarah Palin, who is genuinely a Jane Sixpack. Ms. Palin's husband is an interesting guy, too. I've read some reports that he is actually an Eskimo.

I think the Democrats/MSM will underestimate Ms. Palin's toughness. I predict that she will defy expectations by crushing Biden in the VP debates.

[Register and Vote]

She is a younger, more attractive version of Cindy. If she were a multimillionaire, John would dump Cindy for Sarah in a second.

[Barbara]

This is wonderful news! You go girl!

[Joe Shmoe]

This is a weak choice. McCain has slipped off his rocker.

[Chuckles]

Too bad she's under investigation for using her office to try and get her ex-brother in law fired from his law enforcement position. When the official in charge of the department said he wouldn't fire the guy, she fire the official. She could be impeached. That and her coming from a state with the highest pork barrel spending of any state is not exactly a great fit for the "straight talk express". Total pandering to Hillary supporters.

[Larry]

Jon Stewart, David Letterman, and SNL have sent huge flower arrangements to McCain thanking him for picking Palin.

[hk]

It is a political move, for the interest of McCain's personal electability. He is not strong enough on his own merit, so he chose a woman to grab the women voters who are so concerned with having a "woman" in office that they are mad at Obama for grabbing the Dem nomination. It is not about women, race or any of it. People/Hillary voters need to get over it and choose a leader based on leadership period. Hillary was a democrat, not just a woman, if you wanted her you should want a democrat period. I am a woman, caucasian, mother of 2, college educated professional, middle class (if there is such a thing), and I STILL will NOT vote for McCain, even with this politacal trickery. Nice try Mc Cain. I was neutral on all of them in teh beginning, Hillary, McCain, Obama.....but over time my choice has become Obama. The last 8 years have undercut the best years of my family's life as we were in the prime of starting our adult lives and raising a family. I want no part of a McCain America, and am actually fearful of it. I want hope, I want leadership, I want a leader who has working class (not privileged) roots, and will take care of average Americans interests before the overflowing wealthy or foreign interests. Cheap trick McCain. But what else would we expect?

[chris]

i can't wait to hear the obama lemmings honor his call for "a new brand of politics" and use all of their sexist charm against another woman

[Chicago48]

She's pretty and the she appeals to women who are hardworking moms. If John mcCain were to die tomorrow, she would be an admirable replacement. She reminds me of Gena Davis.

However, I'm a Dem and a Obama supporter. But Pallin looks really good and has great appeal. Too bad she's not the one running for President.

[Dan W.]

Pawlenty had cancelled his weekend plans. This is obviously a panic choice by McCain after Obama's triumphant convention and speech.

How insulting to women is it to believe that the few remaining Clinton diehards who aren't willing to vote for Obama will vote for an anti-choice President just because he has another anti-choice, no experience VP nominee who just happens to have a vagina.

The beauty of this pic for the Democrats is that it takes the whole experience question, such as it is, off the table.

And, just like McCain overreacted on the Georgia/Russia conflict without knowing any of the facts, he obviously made a panic choice last night. McCain is clearly someone who is ill-suited to have his finger near the "red button".

Democrats are not just celebrating Obama's speech, but McCain's disastrous pick.

Anyone who thinks that pro-choice women are going to overlook Palin's anti-choice record and vote for her because she's a woman is whistling past the graveyard.

[DMD]

McCain's VP choice was truly strategic and cynical.

The funny thing though is that on the whole, Democrats, Independents, and Republicans are not cynical, and they’re good people. But the people who have been running the Republican Party for at least a decade have never failed to take an opportunity to insult the political intelligence of the American electorate. Oh, and yes, we tend to fall for it.

I guess experience never really mattered that much, did it? Apparently, John McCain’s main concern is whether John McCain becomes president, irrespective of the effect on us Americans and our nation. Yes, I expected better from John McCain, but the real issue is our judgment, American voters’ judgment. Will we fall for the insult to our collective political intelligence one more time?

[Mike Smith]

Well he complained Obama wasn't ready to lead now he picks a pageant girl with no experience. I can't wait to see the GOP defend this. As old as he he needs a firm second in command. Should have picked Romney.

[Bobc]

I like the choice.