August 29, 2008
Vice-President Palin--Speechless!
Anthony Bradley
(CNN) -- Sen. John McCain on Friday announced Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as his vice presidential candidate, calling her "the running mate who can best help me shake up Washington."Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, here in February, will be Sen. John McCain's running mate, the campaign announced.
"She's exactly who this country needs to help me fight the same old Washington politics of me first and country second," the presumptive Republican nominee said at a Dayton, Ohio, rally of about 15,000 supporters, who welcomed the surprise pick of the relatively unknown politician with cheers and flags.
"She's got the grit, integrity, good sense and fierce devotion to the common good that is exactly what we need in Washington today," McCain said.
Palin, 44, told the crowd, "To have been chosen brings a great challenge. I know that it will demand the best that I have to give and I promise nothing less."
Palin is a first-term governor who unseated incumbent Gov. Frank Murkowski in the Republican primary in 2006 and went on to defeat former Gov. Tony Knowles, a Democrat, in the general election.
She will be the first woman to be nominated for vice president as a Republican and only the second to run for vice president on a major party ticket, after Democrat Geraldine Ferraro in 1984.
Palin also will be the first Alaskan to be on the ticket for either party.
Wow! I'm still processing. Thoughts?
It's a lady!!!! (using the ladies man voice)
Posted by: Frese at August 29, 2008 1:37 PMthis is the first VP I'm attracted to. There, I said it.
Posted by: shawn at August 29, 2008 2:11 PMthat should lock up Alaska's 3 electoral votes
Posted by: nick at August 29, 2008 2:17 PMExcited. Very.
Posted by: Kate at August 29, 2008 2:26 PMHooray! A conservative Tina Fey!
Posted by: DWord at August 29, 2008 2:56 PMThis should absolutely electrify the base. I can't believe this is actually happening. Whoever is running McCain's campaign has been making some absolutely brilliant moves lately, not the least of which is the timing of this which has taking the wind completely out of Obama's sails after his convention.
Posted by: Conibear Trap at August 29, 2008 3:11 PMI don't get it. One of McCain's big issues has been his experience compared to Obama's inexperience. Now he picks an inexperienced, unknown for his VP, and puts her a coronary away from the most powerful, complex, hardest job in the world. McCain just made his health and judgment major issues.
Posted by: BradS at August 29, 2008 4:12 PMInteresting comment brad - especially in light of McCain saying - "She's exactly who this country needs to help me fight the same old Washington politics of me first and country second,"
sounds like he is more concerned about finding someone who can help him win than leaving the country in experienced hands in the event of his own untimely demise.
Me first country second... politicians are all liars, boys - all -
Posted by: Jared at August 29, 2008 4:44 PMI'm thinking one reason for this decision is that now all those who want to identify the McCain ticket with "Old White guys who don't understand a woman's freedom of choice" now have to deal with a young, pro-life, woman candidate who chose to bring a son with down syndrome into the world. I know there's a lot more to it than that but you can't underestimate these factors when you're talking about the American public's perception of a candidate. What do you think?
Posted by: Dave S. at August 29, 2008 9:03 PMWoo hoo! I want to be like her when I grow up.
Posted by: Judy at August 29, 2008 9:56 PMIf only she was about 20 years younger and single.
Remem,ber though thiere's nothing the feminazis in the liberal media hate more than intellgent pro-life women. Hang in there Sarah when the abuse comes.
Posted by: Andrew at August 29, 2008 10:02 PMStunning. Intelligent. Risky. Annoying to the media. What's not to like?
Posted by: Andy Wood at August 29, 2008 10:26 PMIn my opinion, John McCain chose Gov. Sarah Palin as his Vice-Presidential running-mate simply as an attempt to win over disgruntled Hillary Clinton supporters. The attitude conveyed is, "any woman will do." It reminds me of George H.W. Bush's choice of Clarence Thomas to replace Justice Thurgood Marshall on the Supreme Court, as if any Black man would do. I'm not impressed at all.
McCain selects Palin to be second-in-line to the Presidency of the United States and has the nerve to suggest that Barack Obama is too inexperienced?
Posted by: Wyeth at August 29, 2008 10:31 PMMcCain also picked Palin to win over disgruntled conservative voters. And as someone who was thinking of voting Libertarian, he did his job.
McCain/Palin '08
Posted by: Andrew at August 29, 2008 11:00 PMThe thing that troubles me; is that given the general public's concerns of McCain's age and bouts of melenoma,what if something does happen to him? Palin might be a very compeling candidate for V.P., but is she even close to being ready for the Presidency. McCain seems to be insencitive to these concerns. To me the fist major decision that a presidential candidate makes that gives one an idea of his leadership is his coice for V.P. He blew it and it may very well have cost him the election. Harry
Posted by: Harry at August 30, 2008 10:40 AMReally how difficult is it to run a managed democracy? really would our country fall apart if Quail, Gore, Cheney, Biden or Palin would take the reigns.
Posted by: berkeleyrican at August 30, 2008 12:19 PMI think the comments about McCain's age are somewhat valid, but the main criteria for choosing a VP isn't can this person handle it when I die. I think McCain was looking for someone to compliment him perfectly. Palin, from what I can tell right now, does this well. As to the experience question, she has more executive experience than any of the other three men in this race.
Posted by: Leroy Lamar III at August 30, 2008 1:38 PMMcCain made this choice out of political expediency. It indicates that he doesn't care about the office of the vice-president, and that the VP will play no major role in his administration. Sarah Who, the Next Agnew?
Posted by: davidm. at August 30, 2008 2:32 PMberkeleyrican: while I do agree, to a point, I think foreign policy is where that comment falls apart.
Posted by: shawn at August 31, 2008 3:09 AMOk...I confess, anyone else interested in an Obama/Palin ticket? I am jazzed about the reinvigoration of the political process and the reiteration that this country has always been about opportunity.....
Posted by: Bo White at August 31, 2008 4:59 AMI heard Palin ran on a ticket to clean up the 'good ol boy' political system in Alaska, beating two former governors! Now she has like a billion % approval rating in Alaska.
So is there any irony in her new running mate, John McCain? Is he not a good ol' boy? (Maybe he's just "ol'").
And, nice one, Nick (third comment). that was hilarious.
Posted by: jeff z at August 31, 2008 3:34 PMI like her. I can't wait to see more of her. And I really can't wait for the Palin-Biden debate. :-)
Posted by: dramaturge at August 31, 2008 4:57 PMI'm finally interested in politics... and find the outcome fantastic... I will PARTICIPATE this year and not just be be a voyour... hmmmm !
Posted by: Just Meee~ at September 2, 2008 1:27 PMAnt,
This is a little off topic but I was wondering if you have any "stuff" available from your PHD work on black liberation theology? I don't know if you published anything or if any of your work was open to the public... If so hook me up!!!
Peace Ant!
Posted by: aaron at September 3, 2008 2:22 AMAaron, buy the book in '09 hopefully.
Posted by: Anthony at September 3, 2008 9:15 AM