US election: John McCain chooses Alaska governor Sarah Palin as running mate | US news | The Guardian US election: John McCain chooses Alaska governor Sarah Palin as running mate The announcement came the morning after Barack Obama's well-received address at the Democratic convention Friday 29 August 2008 12.58 EDT First published on Friday 29 August 2008 12.58 EDT Close This article is 8 years old Republican presidential nominee John McCain today selected Alaska governor Sarah Palin , a relative political novice, as his vice-presidential running mate. The move is a bold play for the potentially millions of disaffected Hillary Clinton supporters who yearn to vote for a woman candidate in the November election and who have remained impervious to Democratic pleas for party unity. McCain introduced Palin at a rally in Dayton, Ohio before a crowd of 15,000. He praised her as a woman of "strong principles, fighting spirit and deep compassion". "She's got the grit, integrity, common sense and fierce devotion to the common good that is exactly what we need in Washington today," McCain said. Palin appeared confident and enthusiastic in her first appearance on the national stage.

She took the podium alongside her husband Todd, a member of the steelworkers union, and said the two celebrate their 20th wedding anniversary today. "I had promised my husband a little present for our anniversary, and I hope he can see I delivered," she said, to raucous laughter and cheers. She thanked McCain, and after a few words about herself turned her talk back to the senator. "This is a moment when great causes can be won and great problems can be overcome," she said. "In a dangerous world, it is John McCain who can lead America's friends and allies in preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons." She was effusive in her praise for Hillary Clinton, claiming for herself the groundbreaking role Clinton played during the Democratic primary race. "It turns out the women of America aren't finished yet," Palin said. "We can shatter that glass ceiling once and for all." The announcement came the morning after Barack Obama's well-received address on the final day of the Democratic convention, a transparent effort to keep pundits from discussing Obama. Texas senator Kay Bailey Hutchinson, one of the senior women in the US Senate, praised Palin as "a breath of fresh air".

"They wanted to show that they are independent and that they are the agents of change and they have gone outside the [Washington area] to do it," she told MSNBC television. "Of course there's a risk, and I think John McCain assessed that risk". Conservative activists today applauded the pick. David Keene, chairman of the American conservative union, said the selection is "great news for conservatives". "Her dedication to principle, her courage both before and after her election as governor of Alaska and her personal qualities make her a perfect choice for vice-president," he said. "Any conservatives who have been lukewarm thus far in their support of the McCain candidacy will work their hearts out between now and November for the McCain-Palin ticket." The conservative Washington anti-tax group Club for Growth was quick to praise Palin, lauding her "fiscal responsibility" and opposition to the use of public money on a notorious bridge project in an empty quarter of Alaska. "At a time when many Republicans are still clinging to pork-barrel politics, Governor Palin has quickly become a leader on this issue," said Club for Growth President Pat Toomey.

"She is a principled reformer who understands how badly wasteful spending has marred the Republican brand." Barack Obama spokesman Bill Burton mocked the selection and noted Palin's anti-abortion stance. "Today, John McCain put the former mayor of a town of 9,000 with zero foreign policy experience a heartbeat away from the presidency," he 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". Palin's selection is sure to excite the news media and thrill voters at the prospect that the next administration will feature either the first female vice-president or African-American president. As unexpected and unusual as Palin's selection is, she is not the first woman to stand for vice-president. That was Geraldine Ferraro, a New York congresswoman who in 1984 ran alongside Democratic presidential nominee Walter Mondale. Palin, 44, is Alaska's first female governor. She was sworn in December 2006, making her one of the least experienced people to run for vice-president in recent memory.

Alaska is one of the smallest states in the US, with only 670,000 residents. Before becoming governor, Palin served two terms as mayor of Wasilla, Alaska, a town of 9,800 people, and was on the city's council before that. In the 2006 Alaska gubernatorial race, Palin bested the incumbent Republican governor during the primary election. In recent days, McCain personally interviewed Palin at his ranch in Sedona, Arizona. In selecting a decidedly unconventional running mate, McCain passed over establishment favourites Minnesota governor Tim Pawlenty and former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney. Palin will have to face Democratic vice-presidential nominee Joe Biden in a televised debate September 2 in St Louis, Missouri. Biden, a Delaware senator, is known as a skilled and tactful debater, and is a foreign policy expert, chairing the Senate foreign relations committee. Obama announced his selection of Biden last weekend. The Democrats will raise questions whether Palin passes the "commander-in-chief test", that is, will Palin be able to assume the presidency should McCain, who has suffered skin cancer, become incapacitated.

The announcement was eagerly anticipated among Republicans, who travel this weekend to St Paul, Minnesota, for their national convention, which kicks off on Monday. Palin is to address the convention on Wednesday, and will likely launch blistering attacks on Obama. Today is John McCain's 72nd birthday, and the youthful Palin is a welcome contrast. She is three years younger than Obama. In addition, she was a runner-up to the Miss Alaska beauty pageant. She would present a new face unfamiliar to most of the country and would stir up the race. Palin would be a youthful addition to the ticket. She brings several characteristics sure to encourage the Republican base, such as her opposition to abortion rights and her support of expanded drilling in the Alaska National Wildlife Refuge. However, she also brings several risks. She has been in office less than two years, and will be hard pressed to go toe-to-toe in debate with Biden. The news media may also seek to tie Palin to longtime Alaska Republican senator Ted Stevens, who is soon to stand trial on corruption charges.

In the Alaska capital, Juneau, Palin is under her own ethics cloud: The Alaska legislature is investigating whether Palin sacked a public safety commissioner who declined to fire a state trooper that was engaged in a custody battle with Palin's sister. Sarah Palin - U.S. Governor, Reality Television Star - Biography.com Sarah Palin: Mini Bio (TV-14; 3:30) A short biography of the former Governor of Alaska. Synopsis Sarah Palin was born on February 11, 1964 in Sandpoint, Idaho. Palin entered politics in 1992. In 2006, she became the youngest and first female governor of Alaska. John McCain picked her as his running mate in 2008. After her campaign lost the 2008 presidential election, Palin returned to her home state of Alaska. She resigned as governor in July 2009. Since then, Palin has served as a contributor for Fox News and written several books. She launched her own online news channel in July 2014. Early Life Politician. Born Sarah Louise Heath on February 11, 1964, in Sandpoint, Idaho.

At the age of three months, she moved to Alaska when her parents came to teach school in Skagway in southeast Alaska. Sarah Palin's father, Charles, was a science teacher and track coach. Her mother, Sally, was a school secretary. Palin grew up in the small town of Wasilla, about 40 miles north of Anchorage. In 1982, she played on Wasilla High School's state champion girls' basketball team, picking up the nickname "Sarah Barracuda" for her intense playing style. An outdoors enthusiast, Palin grew up as an avid hunter and a lifetime member of the National Rifle Association, eating moose hamburgers and riding snowmobiles. After graduating from Wasilla High in 1982, Sarah Palin wore the crown of Miss Wasilla in 1984 and was the runner-up in the Miss Alaska contest. She went on to earn a bachelor's degree in journalism from the University of Idaho in 1987. She also became a television sports reporter in Anchorage. Palin eloped with her high school sweetheart, Todd Palin, on August 29, 1988, and helped run his family's commercial fishing business after their marriage.

Todd, who is part Yu'pik Eskimo, also worked for BP at a Prudhoe Bay processing facility. He took leave from the company when his wife became governor to avoid a potential conflict of interest. Throughout their marriage Palin and her husband had five children: Bristol, Willow, Piper, Track and Trig. Entry into Alaska Politics In 1992, Palin decided to enter the political arena. Running as on the Republican ticket, she won a seat on the Wasilla City Council by opposing tax hikes and, four years later, she was elected mayor of Wasilla, knocking off three-term incumbent John Stein 651 to 440. As mayor, Palin cut property taxes and reduced spending. She also raised the city sales tax by half of a percent in order to build a popular sports complex and put more money into public safety. Mayor Palin also effectively used the system of congressional earmarks, collecting $26.9 million in such funding, according the independent watchdog group Taxpayers for Common Sense. Palin ran her first statewide campaign in 2002 in a bid for the Republican nomination for lieutenant governor, but lost by fewer than 2,000 votes.

Alaska Governor Frank Murkowski appointed Sarah Palin to chair the state's Oil and Gas Conservation Commission in 2003. She resigned a year later in protest over what she perceived to be the "lack of ethics" of fellow Alaskan Republican leaders, including Republican Party Chair Randy Ruedrich. In 2006, Palin won the Republican primary for Governor, defeating Murkowski. She went on to win the general election in November 2006 by defeating former Democratic Governor Tony Knowles, 49 percent to 41 percent. With her election, Palin made history as the first female governor, as well as the youngest governor, of Alaska. She was also the state's first governor to be born after Alaska achieved statehood in 1959. Governor Palin While running for governor, Palin supported the so-called "bridge to nowhere," a $400 million plan to build a bridge in a remote Alaskan community. Palin said the bridge was essential for local prosperity, but once she became governor she turned against it, citing rising costs and other priorities. "I told Congress thanks but no thanks for that bridge to nowhere up in Alaska," Palin said.

"If we wanted a bridge we'll build it ourselves." With an emphasis on ethics and openness in government, Palin's administration focused on education, public safety and transportation. As a conservative Protestant, she also served as an advocate for pro-life policies; expressed her disapproval of embryonic stem cell research; pushed the belief that creationism, the idea that life was created by a deity, should be taught in public schools alongside the evolution curriculum; and supported Alaska's decision to amend its constitution to ban same-sex marriage. On the energy front, Palin questioned the validity behind the idea that global warming is man-made. She intensely pursued a pipeline to deliver natural gas from the North Slope of Alaska to market. In the summer of 2008, the state legislature approved her plan to give a $500 million subsidy to TransCanada, a Canadian company, to help build the project. She also passed a major tax increase on state oil production, promising to give some of that money back to Alaskans in the form of a $1,200 check.

While very popular—The Anchorage Daily News has called her "the Joan of Arc of Alaska politics" and " one of the most popular local politicians in America"—Palin did not serve without controversy. The Alaska Legislature hired independent investigator Stephen Branchflower to examine the actions of Governor Palin in August 2008 after the dismissal of Public Safety Commissioner Walt Monegan. While Palin had the authority to fire Monegan, the former commissioner claimed that Palin let him go because she was angry that he did not fire Alaska State Trooper Mike Wooten, Palin's former brother-in-law. Palin denied any wrongdoing, saying Monegan was "insubordinate" in disputes over budget issues, and that he engaged in "egregious rogue behavior." The Branchflower Report, which was released in October 2008, stated that Palin did not break the law, but did abuse her power as governor and violated the state's ethics act. In November of that same year, after Palin gave her deposition, the State of Alaska Personnel Board reported that there was no cause to believe Palin had violated ethics standards.

On the National Stage While embroiled in political scandal back home, Palin emerged as a national person of interest when John McCain picked the governor to be his Vice Presidential running mate on August 29, 2008. He formally introduced her during a campaign rally in Dayton, Ohio, and was nominated on September 4 at the Republican National Convention. With her nomination, Palin became the second woman to run for Vice President on a U.S. major party ticket, and the first Republican female to do so. Addressing the party's convention in St. Paul, Minnesota, on September 3, Palin depicted herself as "just your average hockey mom," joking that the "only difference between a hockey mom and a pit bull is lipstick." In her first nationally televised interview after she was named as McCain's running mate, Palin told ABC's Charles Gibson that she didn't hesitate when asked to join the ticket, and she felt prepared to run the country if necessary. "I'm ready," Palin.

"I answered him 'yes' because I have the confidence in that readiness and knowing that you can't blink, you have to be wired in a way of being so committed to the mission, the mission that we're on, reform of this country and victory in the war, you can't blink." Palin's interview was placed under intense scrutiny, and the candidate received mixed reviews by political pundits. Of particular concern was Palin's foreign policy experience, and her ability to take over as president should anything happen to McCain. The Washington Post found her comments "strikingly devoid of the diplomatic language generally used by US officials when discussing relations with Russia." This criticism only deepened when, during an interview in Fairbanks, Alaska, Palin acknowledged that she had never met a leader of a foreign country and that she had visited only Canada and Mexico before a 2007 trip to Kuwait and Germany to visit U.S. troops. Campaign Hurdles The Los Angeles Times pointed out that Palin also reversed her stance on climate change, when she said "I believe that man's activities certainly can be contributing to the issue of global warming, climate change ...

Regardless of the reason for climate change, whether it's entirely, wholly caused by man's activities or is part of the cyclical nature of our planet—the warming and the cooling trends—regardless of that, John McCain and I agree that we gotta do something about it, and we have to make sure that we're doing all we can to cut down on pollution." But "less than a year ago, she said the opposite," the Times said. She cited her involvement in energy issues in oil-rich Alaska as a national security credential and added that she saw energy as a foundation of national security. On the issue of energy, Palin renewed her support for drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska, despite McCain's opposition. But she appeared to do a sharp turn towards McCain's view on the role humans play in climate change. There was additional concern that she didn't know enough about government policies when she failed to understand a question about the Bush Doctrine, a phrase commonly used to describe the foreign policy of the Bush administration.

"Granted, this might not be something that your average hockey mom would know," The New York Times later commented, "but it probably is something that a commander-in-chief-in-waiting might have considered." Family Struggles As she engaged in more interviews, the media—and the public—became more dubious of Paliln's credentials. Palin's performance in an interview with Katie Couric was widely criticized; publications such as The Huffington Post cited the candidate's inability to cite examples of John McCain's support for financial regulation. ("I'll try to find some [examples] and bring them to you," she told Couric.) After this interview, Palinl's poll numbers steeply declined, and many Republicans expressed concern that she was becoming a political liability for McCain. In addition to her hurdles as a public speaker, Palin also faced a public image crisis when her teenage daughter, Bristol, announced that she was pregnant out of wedlock. Palin's pro-life stance made an example out of her daughter and, on September 1, 2008, during the 2008 Republican National Convention, it was announced that Bristol was pregnant and engaged to the baby's father, Levi Johnston.

Johnston denied that he was pressured into the wedding, telling reporters that he and Bristol "were planning on getting married a long time ago with or without the kid. That was the plan from the start." Media Star McCain and Palin lost the 2008 presidential election, and Palin returned to her home state of Alaska. While she resumed her duties as governor, she remained active on the national political stage. Palin formed SarahPAC, her own political action committee, in January 2009. That July, Sarah Palin announced her resignation as governor and fueled speculation that she planned to run for president in 2012. She cited the ethics complaints, a series of financially draining lawsuits and a desire not to become a lame duck governor as a few of the many reasons for her resignation. Shortly after leaving office, Palin published her autobiography, Going Rogue: An American Life (2010). The book became an instant success, selling more than two million copies. That same year, she signed a long-term contract to be a political commentator for the Fox News Channel and penned a deal for her own television show, Sarah Palin's Alaska, on the TLC network.

The reality show, which chronicled Palin's travels through the Alaska wilderness, garnered 5 million viewers—a record number for the network. Despite the show's popularity, TLC announced that they would not be renewing Palin's contract for a second season. This renewed speculation that Palin planned to run for President in 2012. After she stepped down from political office, Palin became associated with the Tea Party movement, a generally conservative and libertarian group that endorsed reduced government spending, lower taxes, and a closer adherence to the original U.S. Constitution. She endorsed a handful of successful Tea Party candidates in the 2010 mid-term elections, and also launched the "Pink Elephant Movement", which she started as a way to endorse female GOP candidates. Palin authored a second book, America by Heart, which was released in November 2010. Three years later, she debuted her next work, Good Tidings and Great Joy: Protecting the Heart of Christmas. The longtime Fox News contributor then launched her own media enterprise in July 2014. The Sarah Palin Channel is an online venture that allows subscribers to read articles and see videos from her.

Videos McCain Chooses Palin as Running Mate - The New York Times The New York Times Politics |McCain Chooses Palin as Running Mate Search Continue reading the main story Photo Senator John McCain introduced Gov. Sarah Palin of Alaska as his choice for vice president at a rally Friday in Dayton, Ohio. Credit Jim Wilson/The New York Times DAYTON, Ohio — Senator John McCain astonished the political world on Friday by naming Sarah Palin , a little-known governor of Alaska and self-described “hockey mom” with almost no foreign policy experience, as his running mate on the Republican presidential ticket. Ms. Palin, 44, a social conservative, former union member and mother of five who has been governor for two years, was on none of the widely discussed McCain campaign short lists for vice president. In selecting her, Mr. McCain reached far outside the Washington Beltway in an election year in which the Democratic presidential candidate, Senator Barack Obama, is running on a platform of change. “She’s not from these parts, and she’s not from Washington, but when you get to know her, you’re going to be as impressed as I am,” Mr.

McCain told a midday rally of 15,000 people in a basketball arena here shortly before Ms. Palin, with her husband and four of her children, strode out onto the stage. Within moments, Ms. Palin made an explicit appeal to the disappointed supporters of Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton by praising not only Mrs. Clinton but also another woman who has been on a major presidential ticket, Geraldine A. Ferraro, Walter F. Mondale’s Democratic running mate in 1984. Continue reading the main story “Hillary left 18 million cracks in the highest, hardest glass ceiling in America, but it turns out the women of America aren’t finished yet, and we can shatter that glass ceiling once and for all,” Ms. Palin said to huge applause. Advertisement Continue reading the main story Ms. Palin and Mr. McCain then embarked on a bus tour across Ohio and north into western Pennsylvania to Pittsburgh, a route that took in a wide swath of the central battleground in this year’s presidential campaign. Mr. McCain’s pick, Ms. Palin, who opposes abortion, played especially well among evangelicals and other social conservatives, who have always viewed Mr.

McCain warily and who have been jittery in recent weeks because of reports that Mr. McCain was considering naming a running mate who favors abortion rights. The McCain campaign sees Ms. Palin as a kindred spirit to Mr. McCain, particularly in her history of taking heat from fellow Republicans for bucking them on issues and spotlighting their ethical failings. Like Mr. McCain’s, her political profile is built in part on her opposition to questionable government spending projects. But they differ on a number of policies. Ms. Palin opposed Mr. McCain on one of the most prominent Alaskan issues: She supports drilling for oil in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and Mr. McCain opposes it, much to the consternation of some Republicans. Mr. McCain’s environmental policy accepts that global warming is driven by pollution; Ms. Palin has said she is not convinced. A spokeswoman for Ms. Palin, Maria Comella, said, “Governor Palin not only stands with John McCain in his belief that global warming is a critical issue that must be addressed, but she has been a leader in addressing climate change.” Ms.

Palin, a former mayor of the small town of Wasilla, an Anchorage suburb, rose to prominence as a whistle-blower uncovering ethical misconduct in state government. Her selection amounted to a gamble that an infusion of new leadership — and the novelty of the Republican Party ’s first female candidate for vice president — would more than compensate for the risk that Ms. Palin could undercut one of the McCain campaign’s central arguments, that Mr. Obama is too inexperienced to be president. Democrats and at least some shocked Republicans questioned the judgment of Mr. McCain, who has said repeatedly on the campaign trail that his running mate should have the qualifications to immediately step into the role of commander in chief. Photo Gov. Sarah Palin, Cindy McCain and Senator John McCain in Ohio after Mr. McCain introduced Ms. Palin as his running mate. Credit Jim Wilson/The New York Times Mr. McCain’s words on the matter have had more than usual resonance this year because of his age — he turned 72 on Friday, and hopes to be the oldest person ever elected to a first term — and his history with skin cancer. Ms. Palin appears to have traveled very little outside the United States.

In July 2007, she had to get a passport before she visited members of the Alaska National Guard stationed in Kuwait, according to her deputy communications director, Sharon Leighow. She also visited wounded troops in Germany during that trip. Advertisement Continue reading the main story Mr. McCain’s announcement of Ms. Palin came in the immediate afterglow that Democrats were enjoying from their nomination of Mr. Obama, and for one news cycle at least, as Republicans intended, Ms. Palin effectively muffled the news coverage of Mr. Obama’s acceptance speech to 80,000 people at the Democratic National Convention in Denver on Thursday night. Mr. Obama wished her well in a call from his campaign bus. “He also wished her good luck, but not too much luck,” said Robert Gibbs, a senior strategist to Mr. Obama. Mr. Obama’s fellow Democrats were considerably less welcoming, and most said they were flabbergasted by what they characterized as a desperate, cynical or dangerous choice, given Ms. Palin’s lack of any experience in national security.

“On his 72nd birthday, this is the guy’s judgment of who he wants one heartbeat from the presidency?” said Representative Rahm Emanuel of Illinois, chairman of the House Democratic Caucus, who said the selection smacked of political panic. “Please.” Mr. McCain’s advisers said Friday that Mr. McCain was well aware that Ms. Palin would be criticized for her lack of foreign policy experience, but that he viewed her as exceptionally talented and intelligent and that he felt she would be able to be educated quickly. Please verify you're not a robot by clicking the box. Invalid email address. Please re-enter. You must select a newsletter to subscribe to. Sign Up Privacy Policy “She’s going to learn national security at the foot of the master for the next four years, and most doctors think that he’ll be around at least that long,” said Charlie Black, one of Mr. McCain’s top advisers, making light of concerns about Mr. McCain’s health, which Mr. McCain’s doctors reported as excellent in May. Many conservatives said that the choice would energize them, giving Mr. McCain the support of a highly active group of voters and volunteers whose support was crucial to both of President Bush’s victories.

“They’re beyond ecstatic,” said Ralph Reed, the former head of the Christian Coalition. Ms. Palin is known to conservatives for opting not to have an abortion after learning that the child she was carrying, her youngest, had Down syndrome. “It is almost impossible to exaggerate how important that is to the conservative faith community,” Mr. Reed said. The choice of Ms. Palin was reminiscent of former President George Bush’s selection of Dan Quayle, then a barely known senator from Indiana as his running mate in 1988. Photo Gov. Sarah Palin at the rally at a Dayton, Ohio, arena on Friday. Ms. Palin made an appeal to female supporters of Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton. Credit Jim Wilson/The New York Times It was far from clear Friday whether adding a woman to the ticket would persuade Clinton supporters to come over to the Republicans, given Ms. Palin’s differences with Mrs. Clinton on issues from abortion rights to her positions on health care and climate change. Some women said that the pick could be seen as patronizing, a suggestion that women would vote based on a candidate’s sex rather than on positions. But others saw the choice of Ms. Palin as a welcome step.

Advertisement Continue reading the main story “I think it’s absolutely fantastic,” said Kimberly Myers, a retired transit worker in Pittsburgh who had originally supported Mrs. Clinton but who said that Mr. McCain’s choice would win him her vote. “She’s actually broken the glass ceiling.” As they began gathering in Minneapolis-St. Paul for the start of their convention on Monday, some Republican delegates said they were concerned that Ms. Palin did not have the experience in foreign policy or national security to be commander in chief. “We’re in a global war, we’re in a global economy, so it’s less than honest if someone says that this woman is qualified to lead America right now,” said Todd Burkhalter, a Republican delegate from Mobile, Ala.. Her selection was kept secret until Friday morning, after the two men who had been rumored to be on Mr. McCain’s short list, former Gov. Mitt Romney of Massachusetts and Gov. Tim Pawlenty of Minnesota, let it be known they were out of the running. The McCain campaign said that Mr. McCain first met Ms. Palin in February this year at the National Governors Association meeting in Washington and came away “extraordinarily impressed.” But Mr. McCain apparently has spent little time with her.

Ms. Palin flew to Flagstaff, Ariz., on Wednesday evening to meet with two of Mr. McCain’s senior campaign aides, Steve Schmidt and Mark Salter, said Jill Hazelbaker, a campaign spokeswoman. The group met at the Flagstaff home of Bob Delgado, the chief executive officer of the Hensley Corporation, the family business of Cindy McCain, Mr. McCain’s wife. After meeting with Mrs. McCain there the next morning, Ms. Palin was taken to the McCain vacation compound near Sedona, where Mr. McCain offered her a spot on the ticket at 11 a.m. Advertisement Continue reading the main story She flew to Ohio later that day with Mr. Schmidt and Mr. Salter, and checked into a hotel as the Upton family. Ms. Palin’s children, who had been told they were going to Ohio to celebrate their parents’ 20th wedding anniversary on Friday, were informed there that their mother would be the Republican vice-presidential nominee. Thursday evening she had a final meeting with Mr. McCain. One adviser suggested that although Mr. McCain was sure about his choice, he wanted to sit down with Ms.

Palin one last time before he made what he knew would be an astonishing announcement the next morning. As recently as last month, Ms. Palin appeared to dismiss the importance of the vice presidency in an interview with Larry Kudlow of CNBC, who asked her about her prospects for the job. “I still can’t answer that question until somebody answers for me, what is it exactly that the V.P. does every day?” Ms. Palin told Mr. Kudlow. “I’m used to being very productive and working real hard.” Correction: September 3, 2008 An article on Saturday about Senator John McCain’s selection of Sarah Palin as his running mate misstated the historical precedence of her candidacy and that of Geraldine Ferraro. Numerous women over the years have run for president and vice president on minor party tickets. Ms. Palin and Ms. Ferraro are not the only women who have been on presidential tickets. Michael Cooper reported from Dayton and New Concord, Ohio, and Pittsburgh, and Elisabeth Bumiller from Washington. Reporting was contributed by John Harwood, Patrick Healy, Carl Hulse, Michael Luo, Adam Nagourney, Larry Rohter and Jeff Zeleny.

A version of this article appears in print on , on Page A1 of the New York edition with the headline: ALASKAN IS McCAIN’S CHOICE; FIRST WOMAN ON G.O.P. TICKET.

Order Reprints | Today's Paper | Subscribe Dick Cheney: picking Sarah Palin as running mate was 'mistake' - Telegraph Sarah Palin Dick Cheney: picking Sarah Palin as running mate was 'mistake' Dick Cheney, the former US Vice President, said John McCain's 2008 running mate pick of Sarah Palin was a "mistake" because of her inexperience Sarah Palin was the little-known governor of Alaska prior to being picked by John McCain as his running mate Photo: REUTERS 7:16PM BST 29 Jul 2012 Comments In an interview with ABC News , Mr Cheney, who was George W Bush's running mate in 2000 and 2004, said the main criterion for anyone being considered as a potential future vice president "has to be: Is this person capable of being the president of the United States ." Mr Cheney, who remains an influential figure in Republican circles, said he personally likes Mrs Palin , who was a first-term governor of Alaska when Arizona Senator McCain picked her as his running mate four years ago. "I like Governor Palin. I've met her. I know her. She was an attractive candidate," he said.

"But based on her background – she had only been governor for what, two years? I don't think she passed that test ... of being ready to take over. And I think that was a – a mistake." Mr McCain and Mrs Palin lost to the Democratic ticket of Barack Obama and running mate Joe Biden. Related Articles Romney Olympics gaffe 'embarrassed the US' 29 Jul 2012 Mr Cheney cited his experience in leading the search for running mates for two Republican presidential candidates – incumbent President Gerald Ford in 1976 and George W Bush in 2000. The latter ended with Mr Cheney himself being chosen as Bush's running mate, and he served as vice president from 2001 to 2009. Before being elected vice president, Mr Cheney had served as US defence secretary, a White House official, a congressman and a business executive. Mr Cheney, 71, underwent heart transplant surgery in March in Virginia. Cheney, who has suffered five heart attacks, had been on the cardiac transplant list for more than 20 months before he received the heart from an anonymous donor.

On July 12, Mr Cheney hosted a fund-raising event to add to Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney's brimming campaign coffers. Mrs Palin, the first woman ever to be chosen as the Republican vice presidential candidate, was an unconventional selection in that she was a novice on the US national political scene with relatively little experience in public office. Her selection initially energised the McCain campaign, but she committed a series of gaffes and there was tension between her camp and Mr McCain's advisers behind the scenes. Source: Reuters Sarah Palin Sarah Palin Nationality: United States Executive summary: Governor of Alaska, 2006-09 Sarah Palin was the first woman Governor of Alaska, and as John McCain 's running mate in the 2008 presidential election, was the first woman Vice Presidential nomination on the Republican ticket. McCain's choice was sudden and surprising, as Palin had been an unknown figure on the national stage. Prior to being chosen, she had met McCain once, at a National Governors Association meeting, and conversed briefly with him over telephone calls. The lightest possible vetting occurred -- McCain's team landed in Alaska only one day prior to the announcement that she would be his running mate.

Palin's political views are highly conservative. A creationist, she believes dinosaurs and man walked together on an Earth created 6000 years ago. [2] Palin opposes abortion even in the case of rape or incest, favors abstinence-only sex education, and does not believe humans are responsible for global warming. In 2006, she supported construction of the infamous Alaskan "Bridge to Nowhere", withdrawing her support the following year after the position became politically untenable. [3] As governor, Palin conducted state business from an unsecured Yahoo! email account, perhaps reasoning that such communication would be more difficult to subpoena or that it could withstand FOIA requests. In August 2008, that account was hacked and portions of its mailbox were posted to a public internet website. [4] Alaska's Legislative Council conducted an ethics probe over the dismissal of the Alaska Public Safety Commissioner, Walt Monegan, who refused to fire Michael Wooten, a state trooper engaged in a bitter divorce with Governor Palin's sister.

The council, consisting of 10 Republicans and 4 Democrats, determined that Palin had personally tried to get Wooten fired, and had abused her power as Governor and violated the state's Executive Branch Ethics Act. Although Palin initially promised full cooperation with the probe, all seven subpoenaed members of Palin's staff refused to honor their subpoenas. [5] Palin attracted large crowds and fervent support at campaign rallies during the 2008 election, but the McCain-Palin ticket was defeated by a wide margin. In late October, an NBC/Wall Street Journal public opinion poll found that 55% of the American public felt that Palin was unqualified. Toward the end of the campaign and after the election, dissent between the McCain and Palin camps reached public awareness, sometimes to embarrassment. Fox News reported that at the time of her selection Palin was unaware that Africa was a continent. [6] On 3 July 2009, she announced her premature resignation as Governor of Alaska, effective 26 July 2009. Her autobiography Going Rogue was released about four months later, and from 2010-13 she was a commentator for Fox News.

John McCain's running mate Sarah Palin was in Alaskan independence party - Telegraph John McCain John McCain's running mate Sarah Palin was in Alaskan independence party Sarah Palin, the Republican vice-presidential candidate, was once a member of the Alaskan Independence Party, its officials have said. By Jon Swaine 11:23AM BST 02 Sep 2008 News of Mrs Palin's former membership comes as the latest in a string of potentially embarrassing disclosures about her past. The party has lobbied since the 1970s for the right to hold a referendum on whether Alaska should secede from the United States. Its motto, "Alaska First", contrasts sharply with the John McCain campaign slogan: "Country First." It seeks "the complete repatriation of the public lands, held by the federal government, to the state and people of Alaska" and aims to be "self-sufficient" by using profits from Alaskan oil and gas resources. It claims that the vote held in 1958 which led to Alaska becoming the 49th state of the US was corrupt and did not offer a proper choice.

While it is thought that Mrs Palin officially left the party to become a Republican in 1996, she recorded an address for its convention earlier this year in which she said: "I share your party's vision of upholding the constitution of our great state" and told members to "keep up the good work". Lynette Clark, the chairman of the Alaskan Independence Party (AIP), confirmed to ABC News that Mrs Palin and her husband Todd had both been both members and attended at least one party convention. Related Articles Sarah Palin beats McCain to grandparenthood 01 Sep 2008 "When she joined the party our platform was right under her nose," Mrs Clark said. "I can't understand why in God's name she has aligned herself with a candidate who opposes the development of our republic and Alaska's resource wealth," she added. In a video recorded at this year's party convention, Dexter Clark, the party's vice chairman, can be seen telling delegates: "The situation is completely out of hand, the decay of the federal government is totally complete." He tells them that in order to propagate AIP policy they "should infiltrate" mainstream parties.

"Whichever party in that area [in which] you can get something done, get into that political party, even though it does have its problems," he says. The latest disclosure is likely to add to concerns among some Republicans that Mrs Palin was not adequately vetted before being asked to become Mr McCain's vice-presidential candidate. On Monday the campaign added another dramatic twist to the race for the presidency when it said that Bristol, Mrs Palin’s 17-year-old daughter, was pregnant and would marry the father. Opponents of the Republican Governor have unearthed more potentially embarrassing details from her past. Developments in the "Troopergate" scandal, in which Mrs Palin denies using her role as Governor of Alaska to take revenge on her state trooper brother-in-law by having him sacked after his divorce from her sister, appear to challenge her version of events. An investigation into the incident is set to report back five days before the election. In an interview last month, when still unlikely that she would be offered her role by Mr McCain, Mrs Palin dismissed the job of vice-president, saying that she couldn't understand what it would involve day to day.

When asked in another interview for her thoughts on America's involvement in the Iraq war, Mr McCain's continued support for which is a key plank of the Republican campaign, Mrs Palin said: "I've been so focused on state government, I haven't really focused much on the war in Iraq." And Mrs Palin has also been criticised for her behaviour on a radio talk show in January. While being interviewed about her feud with Lyda Green, the Alaskan state senate leader, Mrs Palin laughed when her interviewer described cancer sufferer Senator Green as a "cancer".

Question: John McCain's running mate for the 2009 USA presidential election was the governor of which state?
Answer: Alaska