Obama is unofficially our next president now.

John McCain picks Alaska Gov for Veep

http://www.swamppolitics.com/news/politics/blog/2008/08/john_mccain...

Sen. John McCain has chosen Alaska Governor Sarah Palin, a tough-talking social conservative with sterling credentials as a reformer, to be his running mate, campaign officials confirmed.

McCain, who turns 72 today, is expected to announce his choice at a rally in Dayton at noon today at the Ervin J. Nutter Center where about 12,000 people were waiting. After the rally, the pair plans to take the Straight Talk Express campaign bus to Pittsburgh.

Palin is the first woman governor of Alaska, elected in 2006. She was also the youngest ever elected at the age of 42. She is the mother of five children, the youngest of whom was born in April with Down's Syndrome. She ran on a clean government platform in '06, defeating the incumbent Republican Governor Frank Murkowski.

In a statement, McCain called Palin "a tough executive who has demonstrated during her time in office that she is ready to be president. She has brought Republicans and Democrats together within her administration and has a record of delivering on the change and reform we need in Washington."

The statement also said Palin has challenged the influence of the big oil companies while fighting for the development of new energy sources. "She leads a state that matters to every one of us - Alaska has significant energy resources and she has been a leader in the fight to make America energy independent," he said.

McCain reportedly considered Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and Connecticut Sen. Joe Lieberman, among others.

Palin is a social conservative who is strongly opposed to abortion and same sex marriage. In addition, she is pro-gun and wildly popular in Alaska.

As governor, she has raised taxes on the oil industry, pushed ethics legislation amidst corruption investigation of Alaska lawmakers and limited requests for congressional earmarks after Alaska's "Bridge to Nowhere" made the state a national laughingstock.

"We've got to make sure the rest of the United States doesn't believe the only thing going on in Alaska is FBI probes and corruption trials," Palin told the Associated Press last year.

In Palin McCain has chosen someone with no experience on the national stage and no foreign policy experience. But she is a reformer, popular with conservatives and is considered tough enough to deal with what may come.

In the Vice Presidential debate, however, she will go up against Delaware Sen. Joseph Biden, the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, who has personal relationships with heads of state and other world leaders.

With voters concerned about McCain's age and his history of skin cancer, it remains to be seen whether they will be reassured by a woman with little to no experience on the federal stage who is a heartbeat away from the presidency.

Bill Burton, Sen. Barack Obama's spokesman, derided McCain's choice.

"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. "Governor Palin shares John McCain's commitment to overturning Roe v. Wade, the agenda of Big Oil and continuing George Bush's failed economic policies - that's not the change we need, it's just more of the same."

Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) called McCain's choice "a hail Mary pass."

"It is a real role of the dice and shows how John McCain, Karl Rove et al realize what a strong position the Obama-Biden team and Democrats in general are in in this election," Schumer said. "Certainly the choice of Palin puts to rest any argument about inexperience on the Democratic team and while Palin is a fine person, her lack of experience makes the thought of her assuming the presidency troubling. I particularly look forward to the Biden-Palin debate in Missouri."

Rep. Jim Clyburn, the House Democratic Whip, told South Carolina ETV Radio that the pick was "risky" and would prove to be as embarrassing to McCain as Dan Quayle was to former President Bush.

"I do believe that McCain has to do something to reshuffle the cards, shake up the establishment, do something unexpected and Governor Palin...has all the kinds of things that McCain might see as a way to shake things up," Clyburn said. "I think it would be something similar to Dan Quayle...Dan Quayle proved to be sort of an embarrassment as a campaigner. Being thrust on a national stage like that could be very tough."

Clyburn also compared the choice to Walter Mondale picking Geraldine Ferraro, a member of Congress who became the first woman on a national ticket, which he said was "absolutely awful."

"And so I just think that it is very risky for McCain to do this, but it may be all he has left," Clyburn said.

But Michigan Republican Party Chairman Saulius Anuzis said he is excited about the pick.

"She will strengthen Senator McCain's appeal to Reagan Democrats, and supporters of Senator Hillary Clinton, who are looking for a president who has the experience and temperament to be commander-in-chief," Anuzis said.

Short version: McCain picks woman for VP

Well I hate both of the nominees but I guess Obama would be a better president. Even though he's a false hope <_<</body>