Palin is McCain's boldest gamble

Roe asked a question sure to be repeated in the coming days: “How will she perform in the debate with Sen. Biden on foreign policy? He has a command of foreign policy details that few people in Washington have. She will have to cram like it’s her college finals.”

The image of the gray-haired, 40-year Washington insider, Biden, battling against the 44-year old governor of Alaska as they spar over Iran’s nuclear weapons or Islamic radicalism in Pakistan is an intriguing one.

Palin represents a decisive break with Republican spending habits and the political insider culture of the past.

In his introduction of Palin, McCain portrayed her as a McCain-like maverick and an ordinary mother who understood the struggles of other parents.

“The person I'm about to introduce to you was a union member and is married to a union member and understands the problems, the hopes and the values of working people, knows what it's like to worry about mortgage payments and health care and the cost of gasoline and groceries,” he said.

He added that “she's not from Washington” and that “she's fought oil companies and party bosses and do-nothing bureaucrats and anyone who puts their interests before the interests of the people she swore an oath to serve.”

“She's exactly who I need. She's exactly who this country needs to help me fight the same old Washington politics of me first and country second," he argued.

She has been an opponent and critic of her state’s senior senator, Ted Stevens, who is now under indictment for concealing payments he allegedly received from political patrons.

She defeated Alaska governor (and former senator) Frank Murkowski, another gray-haired veteran of Washington D.C., in a primary in 2006.

She meets the standards that most Republican activists expect in her anti-abortion and pro-death penalty views.

MSNBC commentator Pat Buchanan, himself a former Republican presidential contender in 1992 and 1996, said, “She’s an NRA (National Rifle Association) lifetime member, she’s a right-to-life feminist, she has every credential as a conservative, she is young, she's exciting, she’s a mom with five kids.”

But, he cautioned, “The huge gamble is that John McCain is 72, he’s had a couple of bouts with cancer.” If McCain wins the election, but then were to die or become disabled, Buchanan wondered, “Can this woman be President of the United States?” 

McCain concedes, urges unity with Obama McCain joins Fey to joke on 'SNL' John McCain still has a shot Subscribe to McCain headlines -

Obama elected 44th president Obama campaign head gets big book deal Tears of joy, dancing in streets over Obama win Subscribe to Obama headlines -

MORE FROM

Section Front

Obama campaign head gets big book deal Officials turn down Franken request Joe the Plumber to become war correspondent Franken lead at 49 with absentees left to count Minn. Senate winner won't be known in 2008 First Read: 'Twas the seventh week of recount... Franken opens first lead in Minn. Senate race Mom of Palin daughter's boyfriend arrested Minn. court weighs rejected absentee ballots Minnesota panel reviews disputed ballots Section Front   Add headlines to your news reader: