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Alaska governor is maverick pick, but may help GOP sway women, union voters not sold on Obama
By Jill Zuckman
Chicago Tribune
Published on Saturday, Aug 30, 2008
DAYTON: On his 72nd birthday, Sen. John McCain chose Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, a little-known, tough-talking social conservative with corruption-fighting credentials, to be his running mate, rattling the dynamic of the presidential race.
Saying he has found ''the right partner to help me stand up to those who value their privileges over their responsibilities,'' McCain introduced the 44-year-old, first woman governor of Alaska to more than 12,000 voters Friday — the largest crowd of his campaign — at Wright State University's arena.
She ''knows what it's like to worry about mortgage payments and health care and the cost of gasoline and groceries,'' said McCain, who met Palin in February. ''And I am especially proud to say in the week we celebrate the anniversary of women's suffrage
a devoted wife and a mother of five.''
With the surprise choice of Palin, McCain reached out to female voters, union members and people worried about the economy. He also reassured social conservatives and evangelical voters with Palin's strong anti-abortion, anti-gay marriage stance.
But Sen. Barack Obama's spokesman, Bill Burton, derided the pick, as did Democratic lawmakers and liberal interest groups, many of whom issued statements calling Palin's selection ''a Hail Mary pass'' and a sign of ''political panic.''
''Today, John McCain put the former mayor of a town of 9,000 with zero foreign policy experience a heartbeat away from the presidency,'' Burton said.
Jill Hazelbaker, a spokeswoman for McCain, said, ''She has a record of accomplishment that Sen. Obama simply cannot match. Governor Palin has spent her time in office shaking up government in Alaska and actually achieving results — whether it's taking on corruption, passing ethics reform or stopping wasteful spending and the 'bridge to nowhere.' Senator Obama has spent his time in office running for president.''
Palin, accompanied by her husband, Todd, a member of the steelworkers union and a world champion snow machine racer, and four of her five children, said she was honored by McCain's confidence in her.
''The next 67 days, I'm going to take our campaign to every part of our country and our message of reform to every voter of every background in every political party or no party at all,'' said Palin, who described herself as an ''average hockey mom'' before entering politics.
Others considered
In deciding on a running mate, McCain passed over Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and Connecticut Sen. Joe Lieberman, among others. The choice of Palin, who has no national security experience, shocked the political establishment, which never seemed to realize she was under serious consideration.
In the end, McCain chose a running mate who got her political start in the PTA and would help strengthen his ties to the far right of his party, appeal to women who are not enamored with Obama, and reach out to blue-collar workers in the industrial states of Ohio, Michigan and Pennsylvania that he has to win.
Palin, McCain said, ''was a union member and is married to a union member and understands the problems, the hopes, the values of working people.''
Her oldest son enlisted in the Army and goes to Iraq in September. And her youngest son — born just in April — has Down syndrome.
Palin paid tribute to Sen. Hillary Clinton, who won 18 million votes in the Democratic primary, but not her party's nomination. And she acknowledged Geraldine Ferraro, who became the first woman nominated for vice president in 1984.
''It was rightly noted in Denver this week that Hillary left 18 million cracks in the highest, hardest glass ceiling in America,'' Palin said. ''But it turns out the women of America aren't finished yet, and we can shatter that glass ceiling once and for all.''
DAYTON: On his 72nd birthday, Sen. John McCain chose Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, a little-known, tough-talking social conservative with corruption-fighting credentials, to be his running mate, rattling the dynamic of the presidential race.
Get the full article here.
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