You can't always rely on the 'quality' of the interns. j/k :p I think Sarah appeals to women and conservative voters. She is more conservative then McCain.

Its because he has her in his pocket now for offshore drilling. President George W Bush has backed fellow Republican John McCain in calls for federal laws on offshore drilling to be repealed.

yes. but more importantly, the conservative vote. many (myself included) feel that McCain is not a very conservative republican.

Possibly, but he is a child of the sixties and seventies too, maybe he thinks that it is time for a woman too. Just because he is a Republican, that doesn't mean he doesn't respect women and minorities, or that he is impervious to the changes that his generation brought about. I know the boomers get all the credit, but they were being lead by people just a little older than themselves, like Joan Baez (67), Pete Seeger (89), Martin Luther King (would be 79), One thing that really rankles me is that Bush has never gotten credit for having the most multicultural cabinet I have ever seen. He has truly made it possible for any kid to believe he or she could make it to the highest levels of government if he or she wanted to, no matter their race or gender. The thing I really noticed was that when John McCain introduced Sarah Palin, he replaced his customary smirk with a very genuine smile, which made me think he probably really respects her.

Yes. He has realized that many people think he may die in office and he wants to steal the women voters from Obama. Because if he dies a woman would be president. But it's not going to work because Obama is going to slaughter McCain, he doesn't stand a chance.

i hope he doesn't think that women will change their own views or cast a different vote just because he picked a woman to be on his ticket~it's his views that will potentially lead this country.....good question :)

I'm sure that's part of it. (The "18 million cracks in the glass ceiling" mentioned in her acceptance speech corresponds to the 18 million who voted for Hillary.) Part is also to answer his age "problem" - With her only being 44, he's kind of reversed the Obama-Biden ticket. Part is because she's a strong personality, has a son going to war (September 11th), has taken on big oil and as she put it "the little ol' boy" network, has demanded that pork be removed from bills in congress, and has made the town she was mayor of, AND Alaska, fiscally sound. And she's the best-looking VP candidate we've EVER had! ;-)

Yes of course the fact she is young and female has a large bearing on her choice as a candidate. She has already appealed to the 18 million cracks that Hillary made in the glass ceiling (Women)

My first thought on hearing this is that McCain is going for the female vote.

I'm sure there were a lot more reasons than that, but I'm sure getting hillary supporters influenced the decision at least a little.

Without question. That and she's less likely to have any traceable bribes accepted from oil companies given her relative youth. Not exactly the person you want replacing a President on the verge of death. http://www.answerbag.com/q_view/941618

He is not going after Hillary supporters by picking Sarah Palin. If he get's any Hillary supporters, it will be an extra bonus. He picked Ms. Palin to shore up his conservative base. She is solidly pro-life, pro-gun rights (a member of the NRA), anti-gay marriage, fiscally conservative. Pretty much everything Joe Lieberman is not. (although Joe is solid on defense). McCain is not stupid. Conservatives have never really been in love with him. This pick was to put them solidly in his camp.

dear halliburton: you are so cynical!!! i got DRed on my last response to one of your last questions, so let me phrase this diplomatically. McCain undoubtedly selected Sarah Palin as his VP running mate because he's had a change of heart regarding alaskan oil drilling, about now wanting to save and protect the alaskan environment, and he now sheds a tear for the plight of the polar bear. her presence on the ticket will no doubt assure that all of the left-wing, communistic concerns will be given due consideration. okay, next?

I don't know about that. I would really like to see a female president, but I was more of the anyone but Hillary school of thought. I really don't like Bill or Hillary Clinton. I voted for him twice, and even stood and waited for hours to hear him speak once. I ended up being bitterly disappointed by both of them. They both put their ambition first and everything else second. Now, I'm listening to Sarah Palin speak and thinking that this is someone I could get behind. I like the idea that she is pro-labor despite being a Republican. I like the fact that she chose to bear and love her son despite his disability. I like the fact that she is willing to take on the power structure. I like the fact that she gave up the Governor's plane to save the state money, instead of taking the attitude that she was entitled to it.

LOL. Well, of COURSE he did! I certainly have to hope that women voters are way smarter than McCain seems to think they are, though. Women in this country are strong, intelligent, and savvy. Yes, I am also going to admit that I'm sad that I can't vote for Hillary, who I believe to have been the best candidate for the Dems. Why didn't Obama choose her as his running mate? Maybe there is more to this than meets the eye. Consider that Ms. Clinton may have her eye on 4 years down the line. If Obama wins and is successful, make that 8 years. I'm not going to lay out all of the other scenarios. Try to work them out. Regardless, Hillary delivered an extremely stirring speech in support of Obama, and for myself, I couldn't be more pleased with Obama's choice of running mate. Joe Biden is one of my personal heroes and is infinitely qualified to serve as VP, advisor, sage, and help mate to Obama, should he need it. Yeah, Sarah Palin is a woman. So what? Historic choice? Certainly! But, will women voters who supported Hillary just going to vote for McCain, who represents everything they DON'T want, simply because his running mate sits down to pee? Give me a break! McCain's choice was a brilliant ploy, but it's just that. Does McCain really believe that voters will lose focus on the MAN that would be president and only focus on the fact that his running mate is a woman? Well, the answer to that is 'apparently'. I certainly hold the PUMAs in much higher esteem than to think they are really that ignorant and shallow. Now, do NOT get me wrong! The lady is fiery and smart and has her own, unique and interesting story. More power to her, but I don't agree with her policies. For me, that is the bottom line. I can easily speak for my wife and say that she feels exactly the same as I do. It's not 'just' about gender. It's about the direction that this country is going to take in the next 4 years. Obama delivered an incredibly stirring and 'presidential' speech. McCain's announcement is meant to steal his fire. And, it has worked. McCain now has an excitement factor. Unfortunately, in the end, that is all they have. The rest of the platform is just more of the same. Nothing has really changed. I hope that America is smart enough to see that.

He may have selected her to make his outward appearance more appealing to a broader segment of voters. I would think it's a matter of looks over experience. But what do I know.

It's 3am. The phone rings...enormous crisis gripping America...the president has died...the new leader? Mayor of Wasilla, Alaska, population 5400. She sure sounds qualified to me...

Yup, who's he think he's kidding. I was a Hillary supporter, and I wouldn't vote for McCain or Sarah Palin, never heard of her before anyway. It won't work. Every Hillary supporter is "still" a supporter, I bet on that!

She is the only one in the race with executive experience.

awesome, this one's been up and down rated a lot.

Before McCain even picked his running mate, I joked that he was going to pick a woman because Obama didn't. I guess he proved me right. His ad mentioning how Obama didn't pick Hillary because Hillary said the truth doesn't help my opinion on this matter, either. I actually do believe McCain is just desperate and will do whatever it takes to win. I'd be interested to know what your take on this is: "Cover-up? Alaska Gov. Palin (R) announced she was pregnant. Local rumors suggest she is covering up for her 16 y/o daughter." http://www.reddit.com/comments/6f3nq/coverup_alaska_gov_palin_r_announced_she_was It's rumours, so I'm not asking anyone to take it as absolute fact. It just seems extremely suspicious.

He's not going after gullible "Hillary supporters", he's going after gullible and mindless republicans. Her website (as of this morning) said that she had no opinion about foreign policy!

Why of course he did. And he will soon find out that your average "Democratic" voter isn't quite as - err.....slow of mind.....as your average "Republican" voter. And this ploy will gain him nothing. Anyway - nobody chooses a canadate in a general election based on who the VP choice is - and if for some weird reason they did then Biden simply mops the floor with Palin by any measure.

Absolutely... almost sad in it's lack of creativity. It makes sense. I was hoping that Obama might kind of repeat what Kennedy did in picking LBJ overlooking the fact he might not of really liked Clinton but ensuring a victory and being able to feel welcomed in that. I hope I get the chance to experience something just anywhere close to what I felt in 1992 when I was just in my early 20's and some friends invited my partner and I to the DNC in NY it was great, they were much more active in the party and we really got excited about Clinton & Gore so much that we were there with everyone else in Little Rock and I will never forget what an incredible feeling it was we were so happy and people had tears in their eyes so excited about the change that was an amazing time.

Yes - It did crack me up when I turned on the T.V. first thing I saw was this attractive woman with that Republican look ( hard ) you all know what I mean as she was in a shooting range with goggles and earpiece firing her 9mm LOL. It cracked me up. When I thin k Alaska, I think OIL & Polar Bears. Ofcourse he has an audience to attract regardless. Thanks

It certainly seems that way although I can't help thinking that it also has something to do with ANWR. Either way, she has little experience, not really VP material. The most troublesome aspect is that the McCain camp has sunk to the politics of gender (and presumably race) that Republicans have traditionally avoided. Very disappointing for us true conservatives.

I have spent the day reading up on Sara Palin. She is very smart and full of energy. I am sure that McCain picked her because of that and because it is history making. Most people really don't pay that much attention to the VP selection unless the person is from their state. This year no matter who wins the election it will be history making. It also turns everyone's eyes back on McCain. I think that if Hillary supports switch to McCain just because his VP is a woman then they are missing something. Hillary's views are very different than Palin's.

I would think so....I was wondering the same thing

No, not at all. Palin is an arch conservative. The Hilliary people will do their homework. They will choke on Palin's views. If they are still mad at Obama - then they will stay home. MCCain did this because he did not have the nerve to stand up to the "Social Conservatives", The Born Againers who helped W so much. McCain hired Karl Rove's people and right before the convention - he changed his whole game plan. He was quite worried. He can not put Obama away. He is now trying to "energize the base". That is why he picked Palin. She certainly has done that.

No doubt in my mind! But I think it will have the opposite effect. Hillary supporters are smart enough to know when someone is pandering to them. When she said she was going to break the glass ceiling that Hillary cracked, I could picture millions of Hillary supporters punching holes in their tv screens. It's insulting and preposterous to think that Hillary supporters voted for her simply because she was a woman and that Palin will, in turn, grab all her votes. The electorate is smarter than that.

Only if you consider Hillary's supporters gullible.

He was a stupid ass and oops still is.