So who is Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin and why did McCain pick her? It seems I’m not the only one with that in mind.
Here are some bullet points about her:
-Roman Catholic
-opposes abortion
-44 years old
-conservative mother of 5
-she played on her college’s basketball team, is a hunter, a lifetime member of the NRA
-she was the runner up for Miss Alaska
Here’s one story:
NEW YORK (CNN) — John McCain’s brilliant but risky “Hail Mary pass” choice for vice president, Alaska Gov. Sarah “Barracuda” Palin, has the political world saying first: Who? And then: Why?
The “who” is a young, articulate, smart, tough, pro-life Roman Catholic who is the governor of our northernmost state. She is conservative and a mother of 5, including a son in the Army who is set to be deployed to Iraq on September 11. Her youngest child has Down syndrome.
The “Barracuda” nickname came from her aggressive basketball play on the state championship basketball team. She is a hunter, pilot and lifetime member of the NRA.
She is blunt, outspoken and charming. And don’t assume she can’t stand toe-to-toe with Joe Biden. She is a great debater. And she was runner-up for the Miss Alaska title, won Miss Congeniality in that contest, and plays the flute.
She also has a compelling story and is a most interesting choice. She will be known by all in 24 to 48 hours in this instant media world and I am betting she will be well-liked.
The “why” is she is a governor and outside the Beltway. Conservatives love her and she shares John McCain’s value system. She is also known for taking on the establishment and ethics is her forte.
She defeated the longtime senator and Republican governor in a primary and then went on and defeated the former Democratic governor.
I don’t believe people vote for vice president but only for president. That said, I think she is every bit as good a choice as Biden. Alaska has three electoral votes and so does Delaware — so that part ends up being a wash.