McCain picks female running mate - Sarah Palin

[luke]

McCain picks female running mate



US Republican presidential hopeful John McCain has picked Sarah Palin, the female governor of Alaska, as his surprise running mate.

At 44, she is younger than Barack Obama and is credited with reforms during her first term, but she is relatively unknown in US politics.

Mr McCain has gone on stage at a rally in Dayton, Ohio, to celebrate his 72nd birthday and present Ms Palin.

Analysts say the Republican is keen to wrest back headlines from Mr Obama.

The youngest governor of Alaska and the first woman to hold that position, Ms Palin is married with five children.

Ms Palin is perhaps the most daring vice-presidential choice for Mr McCain, the BBC's Kim Ghattas reports from Dayton.

Todd and Hillary

Speaking to a large crowd, who sang Happy Birthday when he appeared, Mr McCain introduced Ms Palin as someone who "understands working people".

"She's got the grit, the integrity and commitment to the common good which are exactly what we need in Washington today," he said.

"She's exactly who I need, who this country needs, to help me fight to turn the same old Washington politics on its head."

Thanking Mr McCain, Ms Palin said she would be honoured to serve next to him.

She introduced her family including her husband of 20 years, Todd, saying:

"My husband was a lifelong commercial fisherman... [He is now] a production operator up in the oil fields up on Alaska's north slope, and he's a proud member of the United Steelworkers' Union. And he's a world champion snow machine racer."

Speaking of her time in office in Alaska, she said she had "fought corruption".

She paid tribute to other American women in politics, including Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama's defeated Democratic rival:

"It was rightly noted in Denver last week that Hillary left 18 million cracks in the highest, hardest glass ceiling in America. But it turns out the women of America aren't finished yet and we can shatter that glass ceiling once and for all."

The Obama campaign suggested Mr McCain's choice was irresponsible, referring to Ms Palin's former role as mayor of the small Alaskan town of Wasilla.

"Today, John McCain put the former mayor of a town of 9,000 with zero foreign policy experience a heartbeat away from the presidency," said spokesman Bill Burton.

Broad appeal

Ms Palin may reinforce Mr McCain’s "maverick" tag, enjoying a reputation as someone willing to take on the party establishment.

Analysts say she may have been chosen by the McCain campaign as a tactic to win over Democratic women voters, disappointed by the defeat of Hillary Clinton to Barack Obama.

Her relative youth and reforms as governor may also go some way to match Mr Obama's appeal, and boost Mr McCain's chances.

"She will be his partner in reforming Washington," a senior McCain official told Reuters news agency, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Announcing Mr McCain's decision, his election website said Ms Palin had "brought Republicans and Democrats together within her administration [in Alaska] and has a record of delivering on the change and reform that we need in Washington".

At the same time, Ms Palin is a strong conservative, fiscally and socially.

She also opposes abortion and her baby son has Down's Syndrome.

Abortion has been a key issue cited by Republican voters who feel the Arizona senator is not conservative enough, our correspondent says.

Alaskan investigation

Ms Palin lacks foreign policy experience and while being a Washington outsider can be an asset for the McCain ticket, it also means she has not been tested on the national stage, our correspondent says.

Her electoral chances may be harmed by the fact that she was placed under investigation in Alaska by state lawmakers at the end of July.

She sacked a public safety commissioner and the allegation is that she sacked him because he had not fired a state trooper who is Ms Palin’s former brother-in-law, and who is in a custody battle with her sister.

She says she has "nothing to hide" and is "cool" about the investigation.

---

* Elected Alaska’s youngest and first woman governor in 2006
* Grew up in Wasilla, near Anchorage, and was voted Miss Wasilla in 1984
* Studied journalism and political science at University of Idaho
* Is mother of five, including a son with Down's syndrome
* Her husband Todd is an oil production operator
* Likes hunting and fishing

[faceless]

That's not just a cynical move to try and attract the floating voters who warmed to Hillary is it? Say it ain't so John!

[luke]

what surprised me about this story wasn't her, but that her husband is a member of the steel workers union - thats theres actually a union left in america?! thats mad! i thought corporate america had got rid of them trouble makers ages ago union and america in the same sentence? it blows my mind!

[major.tom]

The Steelworkers' Union is huge and even includes a Canadian chapter. On the bright side, I guess this means that if McCain wins the election, he couldn't smash it without offending his V.P.

He's 72; she has 2 years of political experience. This is the dream ticket?

She appears lovely, but looks don't make good politics. All I really know about her is that she's against abortion and describes herself as a "hockey mom."

[SpursFan1902]

Her hockey connection aside, she doesn't show me much and with her stance on abortion, I feel even more confident about Obama's chances. What a weird choice on his part. No experience and she is governor of Alaska, a state most people forget that we have. Not sure what he was thinking, but we will see what happens.

[luke]

[major.tom]

I should correct myself. She has 2 years in Federal politics. Apparently she was a mayor also. Not that that is a stunning prerequisite for V.P., but I don't want to belittle her experience.

Actually, I think our populations would be well-served by electing common folks without any political baggage whatsoever. But that's probably not going to happen anytime soon.

She's certainly a better pick than the (not-so-) distinguished gentleman from Alaska, Ted "series of tubes" Stevens.

[luke]

[Twirley]

I saw that McCain had picked Palin in my local paper this week and OMG, after reading about her it mad me lean more to the left than I already do. I mean, did McCain pick her cos she's a woman (trying to pick up Hillary's voters) or did he pick her for her youth and inexperience...? Firstly, I really hope that Hillary supporters don't get turned onto Palin - she has a completely different stance than Clinton on many issues, and has nowhere near the experience. Secondly, I'm truly hoping that this selection of VP is McCain's and the Republicans' downfall.


Do you think Obama will rush through my citizenship so I can vote in November...??

[Skylace]

She's a creationist, a member for life in the NRA, she's pro-life, she recently pushed a bill through in Alaska to make the aerial hunting of wolves legal again, she made sure polar bears were not put on the endangered species list in Alaska, she attempted to use her political influence against the father of her sister's children in a custody battle, and she is obviously McCain's attempt to say "Shut up ladies, here's a woman."

I knew about her before the nomination and my blood ran cold when I heard her name. She is a nasty piece of work and she's only been doing politics for two years. If at such a young age and with such little experience she already has this impressive resume I can only imagine what she would become being VP.

[SpursFan1902]

Wow, she is even more evil than I first suspected!

[faceless]

cheers for that info sky - she sounds like a real charmer. Being pro-life is to me an acceptable position only if you treat all species (and thereby the planet) with the same value. The fact that she was involved in beauty contests (separation by breeding?) just enforces that hypocrisy.

[luke]

[faceless]

Fee-Fi-Fo-Fum, I smell the fear of a David Frum...

[Skylace]