Sarah Palin to be John McCain's running mate - A Mom in the White House?

by Angie Felton (Subscribe to Angie Felton's posts) Aug 29th 2008 2:00PM

It's been a week of historical firsts in United States politics! Yesterday's nomination of Barack Obama as the Democratic nominee marks the first time in U.S. history an African-American has been chosen to be a contender for the position of president of the United States.

And earlier today, John McCain made Sarah Palin, the governor of Alaska and mother of five, his choice for vice president. While Palin is not the first woman to be selected as a running mate, (that honor belongs to Geraldine Ferraro), she is the first to do it with a baby at home. Palin's youngest son Trig is only ten months old!

The photogenic Palin has appeared in Vogue magazine, but she's definitely not a wimpy woman. The Alaskan governor returned to work a mere three days after giving birth to Trig, and her hobbies include hunting and ice fishing (one of the most frigid and miserable ways I've ever spent an afternoon) and is facing the deployment of her oldest son to Iraq in September.

It wasn't terribly long ago that blacks and women weren't even allowed to vote to vote in this country. There's no way to erase that embarrassing past, but we at least we can now celebrate how far we've come!

Alaska Governor Sarah Palin(click thumbnails to view gallery)

Comments (60)

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)

Kimberly 8-29-2008 @ 4:00PM

I have not participated in any political commentary throughout this whole process (primarily because I don't "love" the thought of either candidate as president.

However, it is so obvious to me that McCain chose his running mate in an attempt to win over former Hillary Clinton backers who are "still on the fence". If Obama doesn't have the experience to lead this country, Palin certainly doesn't either.

As a woman and a mother, I'm totally insulted by this pick!

Mihir 8-29-2008 @ 5:07PM

i know! it would have been so much better if he'd just picked some old white guy. no wait...that's what Obama did.

Palin's resume from what I've pieced together:
Commercial fisherwoman
Truck driver
Sportscaster
City Council, Wasilla,AK
Mayor, Wasilla, AL
Member AK state Oil and Gas Commission (resigned in protest against corruption, sued other members and got fines against them)
Ran for Governor against Don Young in primary and beat him (Young is AK favorite politician)
Beat former Anchorage Mayor Knowles for Governor
Governor for 2 years.

she was OBVIOUSLY picked to pander to the female vote.

(note: sarcasm above)

i'll be proud to put a McCain/Palin sign on my lawn.

ame s 8-29-2008 @ 6:25PM

Exactly what I was thinking!
I think one of the reasons Obama didn't choose Hillary as a running mate is because he knows there are still enough "Back-Woods Bubba's" in our country that there is no way a half-black man and a woman would have been elected.
Going back to work 3 days after giving birth isn't being tough or brave. I'm not sure of the word I would use....

Pat B 8-29-2008 @ 4:02PM

A beautiful woman with high moral standards and lots of "moxie." A good choice for McCain!

Correct me if I'm wrong but if you check you'll find that Sarah did not appear on the cover of Vogue.

Gabba-Gabba-Hey 8-29-2008 @ 4:10PM

"Sarah Palin to be John McCain's running mate - A Mom in the White House?"

The Vice-President doesn't live at the White House, the VP lives at teh Naval Observatory...unless you are implying that Grampy McSame will add Ms Palin as hils latest trophy conquest!

SKL 8-29-2008 @ 4:53PM

How did I know that there would be mostly negative comments on this question? This is a historic moment for women. If you choose not to embrace it for that - politics aside - you are fools.

I was going to vote for McCain anyway, so this isn't going to move me. But let's face it, Obama missed an opportunity and McCain took it. Isn't that really what you folks are bitter about? McCain made the smarter decision here - the better decision for our country - and that's how his presidency will be as well.

Eileen 8-29-2008 @ 6:47PM

I could not agree with you more SKL. I think it was a wise choice, while McCain who would not have been my first pick, he defintely will be getting my vote.

mark 9-03-2008 @ 10:32AM

PLEASE! someone give me a break. Simply because Sarah Palin is a woman feminist are rallying behind her and sitting on the edge of their chairs waiting for anyone to ask a question about her qualifications just so they can scream sexism. So what, Palin's daughter is pregnant and that is not a big deal? I will bet most of the folks who are shrugging that off are the same folks who ripped Brittany Spears little sister apart for the same thing. And for all those women who are mad a Barack for not choosing Hillary as a running mate would you have been just as angry if Hillary had won the nomination and not chosen him? Also, would you be just as defensive if it were Barack's teenage daughter who was pregnant. Why don't you question why McCain chose a young pretty running mate when he had more qualified female choices......was that not sexism? And finally, don't be so ignorant as to believe that not all but a good percentage of voters against Barack have one thing against him and that is the color of his skin. The things he has been accused of....his rhetoric and skill at getting people to listen would be seen as amazing and qualification enough if his skin color was not brown. You same people wanted to crucify Michelle Obama. Instead of giving her the benefit of a doubt...you sat on the edges of your chairs waiting to blog about her pausing in the wrong place. Double standard? Of course!

Angie Felton 8-29-2008 @ 4:54PM

No, Pat you are correct. Sarah Palin appeared in a photos for Vogue magazine, but the not the cover, but there is an obviously photoshopped version of the vice presidential candidate in the gallery.

Gabba Gabba- the Vice President is only one heartbeat away from the White House. That is ALL we were saying.

Joy 8-29-2008 @ 5:36PM

I’m still smiling and nodding my head. What a smart cookie he is. I was going to vote for him one way or the other but WOW..this is a great pick for him. This was a ball dropped by Obama and McCain picked it up and ran. What a guy.

What’s your point Kimberly? Should he have picked someone to run with him who wouldn’t get any votes? Isn’t that what it’s about? Going with who will help him earn votes? Didn’t Obama pick an old guy with experience to “help” him earn him those votes?

I can now tell my granddaughter that she can be whatever she wants to be when she grows up and really mean it. This is a great step for women. As a woman, mother and grandmother, I'm thrilled to see this in my day.

One more thing, if your only going to vote for race or sex or what someone looks like, maybe you shouldn’t be voting in the first place.

Kimberly Coleman 8-29-2008 @ 6:25PM

The point isn't that he shouldn't have picked a woman. There are many women on both political sides that would have been great picks. Moreso, the point is that he shouldn't have picked an unqualified one.

If your main points against your opponent are that he is too young and too inexperienced to lead the country, then it doesn't make rational sense to pick a running mate who is even younger and even less experienced. How hypocritical. Obviously, his camp is hoping that women will vote based on their emotions, not the logic that his camp has laid out thus far...

ame s 8-29-2008 @ 6:26PM

Mihir,lol! I think we've had enough old white guys running this country, and far too many RICH old white guys.
I'm white, so I'm not bashing him for being white. But I am so tired of Rich White Guys being elected president.
Let's think about it. When was the last time we elected a president who had to worry about balancing his checkbook before going to the grocery store for bread and milk 2 days before pay day?

Michelle 8-29-2008 @ 6:22PM

I think she is an awesome choice! She did great things in her state, and maybe she can bring those convictions to Washington and turn those old white men on their ear! I think the fact she's a Mom makes her a better choice. I'm hoping she gets the full use of her time their and maybe she'll undo some of what Hillary did while she was in residence. (Especially since she has young children, and a special needs child, to boot, maybe she can fix some of this healthcare mess Hillary put us into.) She'll help turn around our financial straits.

Also, she IS one of us little people. Too many running this country and making decisions for and about us are too far removed from our experiences. She lives our lives, so I feel confident in giving her a voice in Washington and beyond to speak for me.

I asked my husband if I could marry her. I liked her before Mcain chose her.

P.S. Not to nitpick, but I think Trig was only born in April, so he wouldn't be 10 mos old.

Julie 8-31-2008 @ 12:21AM

You people TERRIFY me. I feel like I'm reading a bunch of posts from third-world country adolescents.

Did any of you even watch the Democratic National Convention?

Have you done ANY of your OWN research?

Obviously, I already know the answer to both of those questions.

Morons.

Harry 8-29-2008 @ 6:31PM

You can read up on her with the links to local Alaska media coverage of the announcement in the special Sarah Palin section on the front page of http://www.USAMediaGuide.com, including a link to the Anchorage newspaper's biography of her.

Michelle 8-29-2008 @ 6:46PM

Or Wikipedia any of the candidates. I think she has an impressive resume. And I think she is about to add to that resume.

Kimberly, while she may not have any experience in the nation's capitol, she does has Executive experience, which is something the Obama camp does not have. Also, if you're going to fault Mcain for choosing someone young, you have to fault Obama for choosing someone old. He chose Joe Biden just because Biden had the Foreign Affairs experience he himself did not and he knew it would cost him countless votes, that lack of experience.

Mcain has old age against him, but experience, so he chose someone youthful, full of vigor. The difference is, she has great charisma and a great track record.

I think Hillary is choking on her soup right now because she see her political future going down the drain.

Katty 8-29-2008 @ 8:17PM

it doesn't matter to me, McCain was not going to get my vote, if he thinks he had a better chance because he picked a woman, than its an insult to me, I am not a sheep, I don't vote with my vagina. The Republicans don't get another four years after screwing up the last 8 PERIOD, woman or no woman on the ballot and Biden is going to eat her alive and I am going to smile when he does.

Michelle 8-29-2008 @ 9:18PM

Yes, he set out to directly insult you.

If Obama thinks he's getting my vote, then I'm insulted. All he talks about is change, but he hasn't said one iota of what he plans to do to implement that change.

I'm not a lemming. This country is about to be led right off that rocky cliff into the watery depths below and we don't even know why we're voting for him. NO THANK YOU.

Mcain and Palin are the change needed. We know where they stand.