McCain announces Palin as running mate

McCain surprises many; chooses Sarah Palin as running mate

In what is best described as one of the biggest gambles in American political history, John McCain has chosen Alaska Governor Sarah Palin as his running mate.

Palin, 44, is extremely popular in Alaska and inside the beltway among the far right. She is a staunch social conservative and is widely viewed as the future of the Republican Party. Two years ago, Governor Palin was mayor of the small Alaskan town of Wasilla, a town (population 6,715) that is smaller than the district Barack Obama represented when he was in the Illinois State Senate. As governor, she has passed ethics reform and is a strong advocate of drilling for oil in Alaska.

Sarah Palin and John McCain at Palin

Democrats are thrilled with the selection of Palin, as it has now removed McCain’s argument against Obama that he does not have enough experience to be president. They also believe that they can hit Palin on lacking foreign policy and national security experience, in the process making Barack Obama and Joe Biden the national security ticket.

However, Sarah Palin has distinct advantages as a VP pick. She is not from Washington and will be touted as such, can speak about getting reform accomplished, will be able to discuss energy issues ad nauseum and appeal to disenfranchised women Hillary Clinton voters. Additionally, this makes the Vice Presidential Debate much tougher for Joe Biden, as if he comes off as being too harsh with her in the slightest way, Palin will gain the sympathy vote for looking like a battered woman.

The McCain campaign release:

ARLINGTON, Va. — U.S. Senator John McCain today announced that he has selected Alaska Governor Sarah Palin to be his running mate and to serve as his vice president.

Governor Palin is 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 that we need in Washington.

Governor Palin has challenged the influence of the big oil companies while fighting for the development of new energy resources. 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.

In Alaska, Governor Palin challenged a corrupt system and passed a landmark ethics reform bill. She has actually used her veto and cut budgetary spending. She put a stop to the “bridge to nowhere” that would have cost taxpayers $400 million dollars.

As the head of Alaska’s National Guard and as the mother of a soldier herself, Governor Palin understands what it takes to lead our nation and she understands the importance of supporting our troops.

Governor Palin has the record of reform and bipartisanship that others can only speak of. Her experience in shaking up the status quo is exactly what is needed in Washington today.

Barack Obama’s spokesman Bill Burton responded to the news of Palin’s selection with the following statement:

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

The selection of Sarah Palin is without a doubt a Hail Mary by Senator McCain and the biggest gamble in America political history.

Biden got call to be VP while at dentist; Powell as McCain’s #2?

The Politico’s Mike Allen is reporting that Barack Obama called Joe Biden on Thursday to ask him to be his running mate. Unbeknownst to Obama, Biden was at his dentist’s office, in the middle of a root canal.

The same report says that McCain is considering Colin Powell as his running mate. All of our sources have told us that a McCain Powell ticket is highly unlikely and that it is just a rumor designed to take attention away from Obama and Biden, while diverting it to McCain.

McCain weighing Lieberman as VP

With the VP game in a full frenzy the past two days, more and more theories and guesses are emerging. Some are credible and others lack all reason. However, in the past week, the McCain campaign has been gauging the reaction of the Republican Party if a pro-choice running mate were named. The reaction has been negative, but McCain’s staffers have begun laying the groundwork for not only a pro-choice vice presidential nominee, but a former Democrat: Senator Joe Lieberman (I-CT). The Politico is reporting that Lieberman, a very good friend of McCain’s, might very well be the running mate that John McCain chooses.

It goes without saying that should Lieberman be McCain’s running mate, Senate Democrats will strip him of his chairmanship of the Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee and remove him from the Senate Democratic Caucus, which would give the GOP the majority in the Senate.

McCain to name VP August 29

John McCain will name his running mate on August 29, the day after Barack Obama accepts the Democratic presidential nomination. McCain will make the announcement at a rally in Dayton, Ohio for 10,000 people. However, according to numerous sources, McCain has not made a final pick.

Sam McCletchen for VP

McCletchen’s first ad for VP:

And McCletchen’s other ad for VP:

McCain vetting Cantor

John McCain’s search for a running mate has taken him to Rep. Eric Cantor (R-VA), a pick that has been floated by House Republicans for many months. Cantor, 45, has been asked to provide numerous personal documents to the McCain campaign for the purpose of being vetted.

While the majority of the pundits on the Sunday shows said that this was a serious look at a legitimate VP pick on McCain’s part; it could also be a way for Senator McCain to placate House Republicans.

Novak: McCain to make VP pick this week

According to Bob Novak, John McCain will make his VP pick this week, while The Politico is reporting that the decision will be made this week, but announced right after the Democratic National Convention in an attempt to minimize any post-convention bounce for Senator Obama.

Chris Cilliza, of the Washington Post, is reporting that McCain will meet with Bobby Jindal later this week and The Drudge Report is touting how yesterday, McCain and Rudy Giuliani watched the New York Yankees game together.

Sanford can’t explain differences between Bush & McCain on economy

Pawlenty: McCain not vetting me

Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty, who has been mentioned as a running mate for John McCain since early 2007, said that McCain’s VP search team is not vetting him. The statement comes after Marc Ambinder reported that Pawlenty is one of the eight to ten candidates being vetted by Arthur Culvahouse, the head of McCain’s VP search.

Chris Matthews has fun with Charlie Crist’s engagement

Fla. Gov. Crist engaged

Charlie Crist, the governor of Florida, is engaged to socialite Carol Rome (apparently also spelled Carole). Crist, 51,  proposed to Rome, 38, yesterday morning. No wedding date has been set. The couple has been dating for nine months.

Crist, who is on John McCain’s VP short list, would have been the first bachelor VP (if elected) since Franklin Pierce’s vice president, William King. Speculation over Crist’s sexuality has been rampant since he ran for governor in 2006. Were he to be picked as McCain’s running mate and remained a bachelor, the speculation would be brought to a national level.

Gingrich says Jindal best choice for GOP VP

Former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich said today on CBS’ Face the Nation that Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal, the first Indian American governor in the United States, would be the best choice for John McCain’s running mate. When speaking about the 37 year-old Jindal, Gingrich said he ““would be far and away the best candidate” and that he is capable of taking over as president if Senator McCain were unable to continue to serve out his term.

McCain using Google for VP candidate vetting

Senator McCain is using Google to vet potential vice presidential picks.

Rumor: McCain VP pick to be announced tomorrow

There is a rumor going around in Democratic circles that John McCain’s canceling events for tomorrow because of a cold, is completely bogus and the he will actually be making his VP announcement. This does not seem likely for many reasons. First, McCain would be announcing on a Friday, which is the day that candidates release the less favorable news because the Friday/ Saturday news cycle is the least paid attention to of the week. Second, McCain has only met with three VP candidates (that we know of) and has not had enough time to perform a thorough vetting process on all VP candidates. Lastly, even if Senator McCain has picked his VP, he could choose to announce at a more beneficial time. The weekend’s political news coverage will be dominated by the chaos of the meeting of the Democratic Party’s rules and bylaws committee. Any VP announcement would blunt the coverage divisiveness within the Democratic Party.

This is just a bad rumor that has gotten some legs. Senator McCain will announce his VP choice at a more opportune time.

Update: Our GOP sources say that McCain really has a cold.

McCain picks former Reagan aide to run VP search

John McCain has picked Arthur Culvahouse, who was White House counsel in the last two years of President Reagan’s presidency, to organize his search for a running mate.

McCain to meet with 3 potential VPs

Three VP prospects for McCain will meet with him this weekend at his home in Arizona.

The schedule:

Friday- Gov. Bobby Jindal of Louisiana & Gov. Charlie Crist of Florida

Saturday- former Gov. Mitt Romney of Massachusetts

It is worth noting that Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty, who has been prominently mentioned as a McCain VP pick since January 2007, will not be meeting with McCain this weekend. Pawlenty’s office says that he will be attending a wedding on Saturday.

The McCain VP short list

From The Centrist Voice’s sources, we have been able to determine a credible list of Republicans that Senator John McCain is considering to be his running mate. Some are on the short list even though they will not be picked (they are being discussed solely to satisfy one interest group or other), while others are there because they are legitimate contenders for the VP slot.

• Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty- long mentioned as a McCain VP contender since April of 2007
• South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford- has been actively campaigning for McCain since he clinched the GOP presidential nomination. He has strong conservative credentials and was the focus of an earlier article by The Centrist Voice
• South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham- one of McCain’s best friends and strongest supporters
• Florida Governor Charlie Crist- moderate GOP governor of Florida that has earned the respect of liberals and moderates in his state.
• Alaska Governor Sarah Palin- 44 and a former Miss Alaska, Palin offers a young, conservative voice to the ticket. Has been widely regarded as a future leader of the Republican Party
• South Dakota Senator John Thune- see our earlier article about Senator Thune being a legitimate VP contender
• Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice- has no domestic policy experience, but has received consideration due to her resume and background
• former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney- McCain is rumored to hate him, but Romney looks the part
• former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee- holds vast appeal to social conservatives, but caused McCain to expend valuable resources when it was apparent that he would clinch the GOP presidential nomination
• Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal- 36, conservative and an Indian-American, Jindal, like Palin, is considered to be the future of the GOP. He has already been a congressman and has strong support among conservatives. However, he has only been governor of Louisiana since January of 2008.
• Rob Portman- former congressman from Ohio, US Trade Representative and Director of the Office of Management and Budget. Lends strong economic credentials to the ticket

Possible GOP VP candidate: Mark Sanford

Mark Sanford, the republican governor of South Carolina, is a name that is undoubtedly on the short list to be John McCain’s running mate. Like Senator John Thune, another name on the McCain VP short list, Sanford is socially conservative, well liked by the GOP base, is younger than McCain and looks the part of VP. However, Sanford has an advantage over Thune, he has executive experience.

Romney auditions for VP on Hannity & Colmes

Part I

Part II