Hawaii, Alaska and the presidential race: History will be made

The obvious historical implications of John McCain's pick of Sarah Palin as a running mate, hot on the heels of Barack Obama officially securing the Democratic presidential nomination, were quickly and duly noted: One way or the other, a demographic breakthrough will occur in this year's election.

Less noted was this: For the first time since they joined the union not quite 50 years ago, the nation's two most far-flung -- and youngest -- states each have a horse in the White House race.

Obama's native Hawaii had been a state slightly less than two years when he was born there on Aug. 4, 1961 (its admission date: Aug. 21, 1959).

Palin isn't an Alaskan by birth, but she came pretty darn close -- she was an infant when her family moved there from Idaho in 1964. At that point, it had been a state for about five and a half years (admission date: Jan. 3, 1959).

Either way, a milestone will be achieved for a state never before represented at the highest levels of the executive branch.

-- Don Frederick

Comments

[Ron]

I guess there are a lot of people who worry about their lives. Why should we put the decision on the hands of a senile , arrogant , old man who doesn't care diddley squat what the rest of us think. He made his choice, now in November we get a chance to make ours. She is so far to the right that she is almost falling off the edge.

[Bill Lenner]

Sarah Palin. She's no Hillary Clinton.

But go ahead and vote for her

for more war

for an end to choice
not only over abortion, even very early abortion, but also over the chance to use birth control pills or IUDs. Please remember that, just last month, the Bush administration declared that birth control pills and IUDs are methods of abortion. So when Roe v Wade goes so do they.

I can't see Hillary fans ready to give up on 90% of their equal rights agenda because John McCain picked a female running mate.

But the new GOP mantra for women is to give up on women's rights because "country" comes first.

Sounds a bit like something the Nazis would say, doesn't it?

I don't know what country they are talking about. My "country" used to be a democracy.

I guess that's all over if McCain and Palin take the White House.

[sybredeth]

Despite the venomous hatred exuded by the Democrats I believe we're in a 'win-win' situation here where whomever is elected will make us a better, stronger nation.

I am SO proud to be an American.

[Ralph]

Besides their locations history will be made by gender or race. If the Dems win (God forbid) we will have our first minority president. And when Republican mavericks do win we will have our first female vice-president.

[j.s.g.]

I think it's funny that Democrats are attacking Palin for "lack of experience," which is the very thing Obama is lacking in. Tell me what's worse -- having a vice president with little experience or a president with little experience?

I've been seeing attacks by TV pundits that she isn't ready to be president. Hell, she's never been on the national stage, and has only worked in local politics.

Which I find truly hilarious considering that Democratic hero Bill Clinton had absolutely NO experience outside of his state.

How quickly we forget...

Funny that Palin has more governmental experience than Obama does. The guy has done nothing in the senate. I think he should up for less than half the year or something.

He'd never even been to Iraq, until a month ago when he did that pilgrimage photo-op. Isn't there something wrong when you only go to Iraq because you're campaigning?

C'mon guys, let's get real here. Love or hate, whatever side you are on, however you identify yourself, let's not pretend that Obama has experience and that he's any more qualified than Palin.

By attacking her he attacks himself. THAT'S why he and Biden have backed off the negative attacks to her and were very conciliatory. They know that when attacking her experience they attack themselves.

[Frieda]

OMG, everything that Obama has been talking "change we can believe in", "hope" , "reform" , "being outside of washington"...we see it in Gov. Sarah Palin.

As a woman and a soccer mom myself , I see her as a representation of us in the White House. Someone who was raised in the Middle class and someone who actually has performed "change"...I am so proud to see her on the ticket.

More on Sarah Palin

www.governorpalin.blogspot.com

[Laurence Freeman]

is this a joke or what. is john mccain trying to get a date or what. he is certainley not trying to get someone who run could the country if somthing were to happen to him. her experience includes being mayor. what a promotion form mayor to vice president. what the republicans are saying is they can select a bush look a like select a person with no experience and still beat a well qualitified democratic ticket. who says race is not an issue

[martin]

Honestly does anyone really believe she can bring any change to the corrupt politics in DC? The wildlife in Alaska might be rough but fair in comparison to DC where a thick dark jungle bares true danger. I don't believe that all these well established and connected Bushes and Chenyes and other legislators with their business would just watch that and Alaskan beauty can catch them! Don't be so naive!
And look at McCain he is one of them too! Is really honest, can he be trusted?! After all he has a flawed character that is not better than the one of John Edwards. He cheated on his disabled wife and left her for a wealthy beauty! For me this is a low character and therefore his involvement in the K5 scandal doesn't surprise me at all! Also it doesn't surprise me that all that he could not keep his word and be in time at the Rick Warren meeting.
And what disturbs me even more is the the fact that he is not honest to the American people and most of all to himself with his choice of VP: he would have taken Lieberman, for sure and everybody knows this. McCain chose Palin because he wants to win and fool the Christian Evangelists. He is just a false prophet because all he cares is about to win this election.

[Corrie]

Is she really a good rep for women. Keep in mind that she proposed cutting daycare support by 1.5 million dollars in a state that has so much excess wealth that they just send checks to everyone.

[Yuri]

j.s.g.:

Obama _had_ been to Iraq before this year. Check your facts.

[getreal]

the republicans are really hiprocritical, they promise but they do not deliver, why should they? they are so immune to the real issues, it apathy at its strongest. I certainly do not want 4 more years of rep crap like bush and sorry to say but most of Mccain sounds like Bush crap. Women who vote for Palin just cause she is a woman is not smart at all. Don't you get it! that is Mccain's strategy, he wants all of Hillaries voters, .... please be smart women, it is the devil disguised a lame sheep so you can get all wrap up and vote for the same hell we have been in the last eight years. Sorry but we need new blood in the White House. and yes Bill Clinton did balance the USA economy, while Bush spent lots of money for WAR, and gave us a mockery of what tax checks, and we gladly took it, how quickly we forget how the devils works. Not everything that shines is gold it could be gold electro-plate that will eventually fall off. Beware DO THE right THING AMERICA! get all the crooks out of the White House.

[sybredeth]

Bill Lerner,
I hate to be the one to break it to you but, presuming you have lived in the US all your life, you have never 'lived in a democracy'...we're a Representative (some say Constitutional) Republic.

There is a difference.