Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin: "The Right Partner" & The Right Running-Mate
He listened to me ... and many others.
He really listened.
It was with great jubilation and giddy optimism that I began bouncing around the room about two hours ago when I heard the news that John McCain did the right thing and tapped Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as his vice-presidential running-mate. Calling her "the right partner," McCain just announced her candidacy, and I couldn't be happier. She's the quintessential Washington outsider.
Palin is an amazing woman, and in fact, this is a brilliant move on McCain's part. By picking someone who's relatively unknown, McCain has just assured that her background and her amazing life story will dominate the headlines for the next three months. Think about it, what do members of the press corps do when something is unknown? They drop everything (in this case the Obama campaign) and follow it up. This will undoubtedly provide the GOP with positive, sustainable media presence and will give the McCain-Palin ticket enormous exposure.
Palin brings so much to the table for McCain, it's difficult to know where to begin. I'll just mention a few of the things I've mentioned previously, so I can go listen to her speech:
- Palin showed a commitment to her pro-life conservative principles by not bowing to the pressure to abort her mentally-challenged child. Rarely are one's convictions borne out by real-life circumstances, but Palin showed she's willing to live her beliefs.
- With a son in the military, Palin will be keenly aware of how her military decisions and the decisions she influences as vice-president will affect the men and women serving in the armed forces. Her oldest son, Trig, is headed to Iraq next month, and Palin and her family will have to grit their teeth along with other military families, as their loved-ones carry out the orders associated with those difficult decisions.
- At 44, Palin offers a refreshing balance to the McCain ticket and nullifies any advantage Barack Obama might have with his youth. Palin also brings a refreshing female voice to the debates and the campaign. Furthermore, Palin has a likeable style and toughness that neither Obama nor Biden can match.
- Finally, Palin has earned a staggering 90-percent approval rating from her Alaskan constituents, not the easiest people to please. Her committment to her principles and her willingness to follow through on promises makes her the toast of Alaska, the darling of the GOP and, now, the apple of the nation's eye.
Illustration courtesy of Ethan Demme
More on Sarah Palin at About.com:
- Draft Sarah Palin!
- The Benefits of ANWR & the Case for Offshore Drilling in Alaska
- Who is Sarah Palin?
- McCain Picks Palin
- Sarah Palin & the Economy
- The Pros & Cons of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin
- Sarah Palin & US Foreign Policy
- Sarah Palin -- Historic VP Selection Puts Her in the Spotlight
- Excellent Biography of Sarah Palin by Linda Lowen, About.com's Guide to Women's Issues
- Sarah Palin's Hair & Make Up at About.com
Comments
I’m loving the decision as well… and not only because it gives me an excuse to talk politics and hair on my blog! I wouldn’t have imagined a day when our topics would relate, but today they have… I’ve linked to you in today’s blog post… check it out! It’s going to be an exciting fall.
McCain could not have picked a better running mate for his campaign. It’ll be hilarious seeing the Obama camp try and attack her on experience when they’ve spent the entire primary and a good portion of this general election dissmissing the importance of experience.
Justin, great commentary! I agree that this is a brilliant stroke on the part of McCain. Moreover, it reinforces his (somewhat faded) mantle of “maverick.”
I think she is the perfect running mate. WOW, a conservative, pro-life, woman in politics! It is perfect that she is a Washington outsider. She’s spent the last 20 years living and working in the real world with the rest of us.
I had never heard her name before but after listening to her speech I believe McCain not only hit a homerun but knocked the cover off the ball. I have already ordered my McCain/Palin lawn signs and I am going to volunteer on their campaign here in Pennsylvania.
As an Alaskan who voted for Sarah, I could not be more proud. She has brought ethics to Alaska and soon to the reat of the country. I wish her and John McCain well, but will miss her presence at home.
I have to say, I heard Palin’s name mentioned before (FIRST on USCONSERVATIVES!) but never in a million years did I think Gov. Palin would make it to this day. When I awoke this morning, I got a text message (still waiting on Obama’s…) which read, “Brandon, Palin’s in,” from a friend in the GOP. I flipped on the TV, it was still unverified and suddenly, there she was, taking the stage.
While Obama and Biden pack arugula in their green-friendly, elitist picnic basket (favored by celebrities!), Sarah Palin is packin’ heat! Can’t wait to see these harping liberals squirm.
This is actually very exciting. I feel like a soccer mom as well. It’s nice to have one of us running for office instead of one of them. No Ivy League schooling, no elitist background and she’s not from the east coast. I really like her.
they both suck………………………..
yeah obama/biden.whoo hoo……….
Finally a breath of fresh air. Someone from the real world,Good going Mr. McCain you’re making great decisions already,there is hope. Thank You Lord
John McCain has found a running mate to “bomb bomb Iran” with. Now at least the start of WW3 can be shared by both genders. And I’m so glad someone will be voting on the rights over my body. No woman should ever have been given the right to choose. And I hear the polar bears are heading for the south pole. God help us all if this Republican ticket gets elected.
May God protect us from McCain/Palin and WW3.
I am very concerned about his choice. Let’s face the fact that McCain is 72 years old and has a high risk of a melanoma recurrence. While it s not my intention to start digging his grave early, so to speak, but I do not feel confident in Palin’s ability to lead our country should McCain pass during his term.
I agree that she is remarkable and such a surprise choice. I never expected it! However, I think people are getting excited over the fact that McCain chose someone we never in a million years expected him to choose. The novelty will soon wear off and we will see what Palin is really made of. I believe her lack of experience will eventually hurt McCain, and in turn, hurt the party. It will definitely be hard to rebound if we lose this election.
I am totally jazzed by McCain’s VP pick, Sarah Palin. I am so ready for a new kind of politician and have been saying so for decades. Her experience is not an issue for me. I am impressed with what she accomplished in Alaska in a very short time and feel she brings my values to the ticket. She seems very grounded, with common sense, ethics and tenacity. America really needs this right now to counter balance the insanity of Pelosi, Boxer and Reid. If she has no fear of hunting moose and caribou, or taking on the good old boy establishment in Alaska, I believe she will hold her own and possibly even beat Biden in the VP debates. She really seems to know who she is. As a proud mother of 4 daughters, I am just stoked.
blah, blah, blah
I do believe that God has sent us an answer to the problems that we face, and having a son that is 38 with mentally challenged I am glad to have a mother who will understand. Also having a grandson who was in Iraq makes me realize that this lady is a true American that has faced many of the same issues. My prayers are with her. GOD BLESS AMERICA!!!She, like McCain have already shown the kind of people they are by having the integrity it takes to stand on their beliefs.
I am so glad of McCains choice, she’s smart and she’s pretty and she ain’t afraid to tell them to go sit on the porch!
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