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Posted Friday, August 29, 2008 12:59 PM

It's Officially Official: McCain Picks Palin

Holly Bailey

By Holly Bailey 


(AP Photo / Stephan Savoia) 

DAYTON, Ohio--Preceded by Van Halen's hit "Right Now," John McCain just took to the stage here in Dayton, where he introduced his new running mate, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin. According to the campaign, about 15,000 people are on hand this afternoon, easily one of McCain's biggest crowds this campaign. Before he could begin speaking the crowd began serenading the senator with "Happy Birthday," as today is also McCain's 72nd birthday. "Thanks for reminding me," he joked.

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In introducing Palin, McCain praised his pick as someone that has a record of fighting against "corruption and politics of the past." "She's got the grit, integrity, good sense and fierce devotion to the common good that is exactly what we need in Washington today," McCain said. "She's exactly who I need. She's exactly what this country needs." In taking the stage, Palin praised the women who had run before her, citing Geraldine Ferraro and Hillary Clinton. "She left 18 million cracks in the glass ceiling," Palin said of Clinton. "But it turns out women aren't finished. We can shatter that ceiling."

Already, the Obama campaign has criticized the Palin pick, raising questions about what likely will be a big issue heading into the final two months of the campaign: Palin's status as a political newcomer. "John McCain put the former mayor of a town of 9,000 with zero foreign policy experience a heartbeat away from the presidency,” Obama spokesman Bill Burton said in an email to reporters. Yet it appears the McCain campaign anticipated this line of argument. Here’s the official release announcing Palin as the pick—expect much more to come:

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.

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Member Comments

Posted By: michaelwe6942 (September 4, 2008 at 3:59 PM)

PALIN PULLED OFF BUSH'S PRESS SECRETARY'S SPEACH AS A TRUE REPUBLICAN WITH NO MEAT TO SPEACH ONLY NEGATIVES AGAINST OBAMA LIKE MCCAIN SEEMS TO DO VS PLANS TO FIX THE U.S.'s ISSUES.  HOW WILL THEY FIX THE ECONOMY?  WILL SHE HURT SOCIAL SECURITY?  WILL SHE HURT MEDICARE?  WHAT IS HER PLAN WITH OUR TWO WARS?  WILL SHE SEEK NATURAL GAS PLANS FOR OUR VEHICLES OR IS SHE A BIG OIL REPUBLICAN LIKE MCCAIN & BUSH?  HOW WILL SHE HELP THE POOR AND MIDDLE CLASS?  HOW WILL SHE BALANCE THE BUDGET?  

WHY DID OUR OWN GOVERNMENT LET THE U.S. TREASURY BORROW MONEY FROM SOCIAL SECURITY?  IF SOCIAL SECURITY IS IN NEED OF MORE FUNDS, WHY DON'T THE POLITICANS RAISE SOCIAL SECURITY'S TAX LIMIT OR CAP, SO THE RICH PAY SOCIAL SECURITY TAX ON ALL THEIR INCOME AS THE POOR AND MIDDLE CLASS DO?  IF MEDICARE HAS A LOT OF FRAUDULENT DOCTOR CHARGES, WHY DOESN'T MEDICARE SUPPORTERS LOOK TO MEDICAL ISSUES IN AS IN CALIFORNIA AND OTHER STATES THAT HAVE BETTER PROTECTION AGAINST FRAUD?

PALIN IS CLAIMING SHE HAS MORE EXPERIENCE THEN OBAMA AND BIDEN PUT TOGETHER WHICH SHOWS SHE HAS A VERY HIGH OPINION OF HER SELF.  MY FRIEND SERVED IN THE NAVY FOR 20 YEARS AND WAS A MAYOR, BUT HE SAID THAT DOES NOT MAKE HIM READY TO BE PRESIDENT.  I RAN A CORPORATION WHERE I DID PAYROLL; PAID PAYROLL TAXES, DID WORK COMP. CALIBRATIONS AND PAID WORK COMP.; I PAID FOR EMPLOYEES HEALTH INSURANCE; OVER SEEN A/R & A/P;  PAID FOR VEHICLES LICENSE AND INSURANCE ETC.  I HAVE A AAS DEGREE IN ACCOUNTING; A MINOR IN COMMUNITY AFFAIRS AND A BS IN PARALEGAL STUDIES.  BUT THAT DOES NOT MAKE ME READY TO BE PRESIDENT. PALIN WAS PICKED BY MCCAIN BECAUSE SHE IS A WOMAN; IN THE HOPES THAT SHE MAY DRAW HILLARY'S VOTERS;  AND SHE IS MAKING HISTORY WHICH WILL ALSO ATTRACK ATTENTION TO THE REPUBLICAN CAMPAIGN WHICH MCCAIN HAS  BEEN WHINNY ABOUT.   HE HAS NOT DONE HIS VETTING ON HER FIRST AND JUST MADE HIS DECISION.  

KILLING IRAQ TRIBES MEN, RELIGOUS GROUPS AND CITIZENS IN IRAQ  IS NOT FIGHTING GOD'S WAR AS PALIN HAS SAID.   IN FACT, IRAQIE WOMEN HAVE ACTUALLY LOST SOME OF THEIR FREEDOMS BECAUSE OF THE  WAR.  OUT SIDE THE U.S. WERE SEEN AS INVADING / OCCUPING IRAQ AND PUTTING OUR MORALS ON THAT COUNTRY'S GOVERNMENT, AND THEIR  MANY RELIGOUS GROUPS.  WE NEED TO BE IN AFGANISTAN.  THE WAR WE SEEMED TO HAVE FORGOT ABOUT AND WHERE MY SON IS SERVING EVEN THOUGH HE WAS NAVY PERSONEL.

I BELIEVE OBAMA MADE A MISTAKE BY NOT PICKING HILLARY FOR HIS V.P. SLOT AND MCCAIN IS USING THAT TO HIS ADVANTAGE.  HILLARY AND BILL HAVE A LOT OF EXPERIENCE.  BILL IS ONE OF THE ONLY PRESIDENTS, IF NOT THE ONLY, THAT MADE MAJOR GAINS IN THE U.S. ECONOMY THAT BUSH AND MCCAIN HAVE DRIVEN INTO THE GROUND AND ARE ONLY A HISTORIC MEMORY NOW.

MCCAIN AND PALIN ARE PRO-LIFE AND WANT TO OVER TURN ROE VS WADE.  I HAD DONE A REVIEW ON THE ISSUE OF A WOMAN'S RIGHT TO ABORT HER CHILD IN THE EARLY PHASE OF HER PREGNACY WHEN I WAS IN COLLEGE.  I HAD TO GIVE THIS REVIEW IN A CLASS FULL OF WOMEN AND GOT NO NEGATIVE COMMENTS.  I FOUND THAT WHEN THE LAW TAKES A STEP BACKWARDS BY MAKING ABORTIONS ILLEGAL, WOMEN SEEK OTHER UNSAFE WAYS TO ABORT THEIR CHILD.  THEY GO TO A BLACK MARKET DOCTOR IN A OFFICE OR APARTMENT WHERE THIS SO CALLED DOCTOR PERFORMS AN UNSAFE AND ILLEGAL ABORTION.  WOMEN AT TIMES BLEED TO DEATH BECAUSE OF THESE UNSAFE AND ILLEGAL ABORTIONS, BUT WOMEN STILL WENT TO THESE DOCTORS.  IN SOME CASES WOMEN USED CLOTH HANGERS TO ABORT THEIR UNWANTED CHILD.  IN THE FIVE BOOKS THAT I READ ON ABORTION AND WOMEN'S RIGHTS TO ABORT THEIR CHILD,  THE LAW DID NOT STOP ILLEGAL ABORTIONS, BUT THE LAW DID CAUSE WOMEN TO DIE FROM UNSAFE METHODS USED TO ABORT THEIR UNWANTED CHILD AT ANY COST.

THE IRAQ WAR BASED ON BUSH'S INTERPATATION ON INTELLIGENCE THAT SUDDAN HAD WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUTION SEEM TO BE SELF SERVING IN NATURE.  AS THE WAR PROCEEDED, IT BECAME KNOWN TO U.S. CITIZENS THAT THEY WERE MISLEAD BY BUSH AND MCCAIN'S REPORTS WHICH SUPPORTED THE WAR.  MCCAIN WANTED TO STAY IN IRAQ FOR EVER, BUT CLAIMS HE HAS CHANGED HIS MIND AGAIN.  OBAMA DID NOT SUPPORT THE IRAQ WAR FROM DAY ONE, AND HE WANTED OUR TROOPS OUT OF IRAQ IN 16 MONTHS TIME LINE, UNLIKE MCCAIN WHO HATES A TIME LINE

HAS BUSH'S PLANS SUPPORTED BY MCCAIN DONE ANYTHING TO IMPROVE OUR ECONOMY?  WE ARE SPENDING MONEY IN THE IRAQ WAR AT 10.3 BILLION DOLLARS A MONTH.  THE U.S. PAYS 2 BILLION DOLLARS A MONTH IN THE FORGOTTEN TERRIORIST WAR IN AFGANISTAN. THE U.S. IS CONSIDERING SENDING FINANCIAL HELP TO GEOGRIA OF 1 BILLION DOLLARS AND IRAQ TO HELP THEM REBUILD THESE COUNTRIES.  IRAQ WILL HAVE 80 BILLION DOLLARS IN OIL REVENUES THIS YEAR ALONE.  CHINA HAS BROKERED A PLAN WITH IRAQ FOR 3 BILLION DOLLARS.  CHINA ALSO BROKERED A DEAL WITH CANADA TO HELP BUILD A CANADIAN OIL PIPE LINE.  CHINA HAS BROKERED PLANS TO DRILL ALL AROUND S. AMERICA.  

OUR OWN COUNTRY IS UNSECURED AND NEEDS REPAIRS IN A LOT OF AREAS FROM HIGHWAYS AND BRIDGES TO THE MEXICAN BOARDER.  BUSH PUSHED BACK THE COMPLETION DATE OF THE MEXICO U.S. BOARDER FENCE.  DOES ANYONE KNOW WHAT THE NEW DATE FOR COMPLETION OF THIS FENCE IS NOW?  WHY HASN'T SOME ONE REVIEWED ISSUES SURROUNDING THE 2 U.S. BOARDER GUARDS WHO WERE PUT IN PRISON FOR DOING THEIR JOB?  WHAT ABOUT THE MEXICAN POLICE CROSSING THE BOARDER AND HOLDING A U.S. BOARDER PATROLL GUARD AT GUN POINT?  MEAN WHILE MEXICO IS FIGHTING A TOUGH FIGHT AGAINST THE DRUG CARTELS WHO KILL AND KIDNAP MEXICAN CITIZENS AND POLICE.  WHERE DID THE NATIONAL GUARD GO THAT WERE PROTECTING OUR BOARDER?  ON THE CANADIAN BOARDER, A ANCHOR MAN HELD OUT HIS HAND OVER SOME ROCKS ON THE GROUND,  AND SAID HIS HAND WAS NOW IN CANADA WHILE HIS BODY WAS IN THE U.S.  THERE IS A WIDE OPEN BOARDER BETWEEN CANADA AND THE U.S.!  IS THIS MORE OF BUSH'S POLICIES THAT FAVOR OPEN TRADE, BUT LEAVE OUR BOARDERS WIDE OPEN TO ANY POTENTIAL TERRIORIST?  DID MCCAIN SUPPORT THIS AS HE HAS SUPPORTED BUSH OVER 90% OF THE TIME.  JUST MORE  OF THE SAME OLD POLITICS.

RUSSIA HAS GROWN TO THE 2ND LARGEST OIL PRODUCER IN THE WORLD.  THEY ALSO HAVE NATURAL GAS WHICH THEY SELL TO THE E.U. ALONG WITH THEIR OIL.  THIS TIES THE E.U.'s HANDS TO DEAL AGAINST RUSSIA'S INVASION OF GEORGIA WITH ANY REAL FORCE.  THEN THERE ARE RUMORS LIKE STUDIO B INTERVIEW THAT CLAIMED GEORGIA FIRED FIRST ON S. OSSETIA.  IF THIS IS SO, WOULDN'T THE RESPONSE TO RUSSIA BEEN JUST A LITTLE LESS AGRESSIVE BY MCCAIN.  I HAVE NO DOUBT THAT NO MATTER WHO FIRED FIRST THAT RUSSIA'S GOAL WAS TO BREAK UP GEORGIA, SO IT COULD NOT JOIN THE U.N. OR NATO.  

RUSSIA'S PRESIDENT SEEMS TO HAVE LIMITED POWER BECAUSE IT SEEMS THAT PUTIN IS CONTROLLING THE MILITARY FORCES IN GEORGIA PER HIS PLANS.  THEIR NEW FOUND PROSPERIT FROM OIL AND GAS REVENUES SEEMS TO HAVE MADE THE OLD BEAR MORE AGGRESSIVE WHEN IT DEALS WITH THESE COUNTRIES THAT WERE ONCE PART OF THE SOVIET UNION.

I HAVE BEEN TRYING TO FIND OUT TO LET U.S. CITIZENS KNOW THE TRUTH ABOUT THE U.S. SURGE BEING THE ONLY REASON THE WAR IS MORE PEACEFUL, AND THE IRAQIE GOVERNMENT MORE STABLE PER THE SURGE'S MISSION.  I HAD HEARD THAT THEIR WAS A MOVEMENT BY THE SONS OF IRAQ ALSO CALLED THE TRIBAL AWAKENING AND THE AWAKENING COUNCIL.  DID ANY OF THESE TRIBAL GROUPS HELP ISSUES IN IRAQ BEFORE THE SURGE CAME IN TO FIGHT IN IRAQ?

BUSH, MCCAIN AND PALIN SEEM TO USE NEGATIVE COMMENTS AGAINST OBAMA VS TALKING ABOUT HOW THEY WOULD FIX ISSUE NUMBER ONE WHICH IS THE ECONOMY.  BUT THEN AGAIN, BUSH AND MCCAIN THINK OUR ECONOMY IS IN GOOD SHAPE.  

I DO AGREE THAT WE NEED MORE OF OUR OWN OIL BECAUSE IT WOULD KEEP SO MUCH OF OUR FUND'S FROM GOING OVER SEAS.  LESSONING THE CHANCE OF A OVER SEAS OIL LEAK FROM OIL TANKERS TRAVELING FROM OPEC COUNTRIES TO THE U.S.  WE NEED TO REALIZE THAT COUNTRIES LIKE IRAQ ARE SWITCHING FROM FOSSIL FUELS TO NATURAL GAS TO GIVE THEM MORE OIL TO SELL AND CREATE PROFITS FOR IRAN.  WERE DOING WHAT WITH MCCAIN AND BUSH'S LEADERSHIP.  WE HAVE A LOT OF NATURAL GAS WHICH IS CLEANER AND CHEAPER THEN OIL.


Posted By: joe_mama (September 2, 2008 at 9:04 PM)

I find it amusing that the people who spread false rumors about Obama are the most indignant about the attacks on Palin.

As they say, "payback is a b-----, ain't it?"

JM


Posted By: willnotvoteobama (September 2, 2008 at 11:58 AM)

EVERYONE WHO IS OPPOSED OF PALIN GETTING THE V.P. POSITION HANG ON TILL OCT 2 AND SEE HER DEBATE BIDEN THEN MAKE YOUR CHOICE I THINK YOU WILL BE SURPRISED BY HER ! GIVE HER A CHANCE SHE IS MORE LIKE THE AVERAGE AMERICAN THAN ANY OF THE OTHER POLITICANS THAT WE HAVE NOW !!


 
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