Selection of Sarah Palin as McCain running mate a stroke of genius which will electrify the GOP base

Today John McCain provided further evidence that a McCain presidency would be one of reform and imagination. His choice of 44 year old Sarah Palin is a masterstroke. Married to Todd- a commercial fisherman-she has five children. Her son Track will serve in Iraq in September.
Governor Palin is a native of Idaho and holds a bachelors degree from the University of Idaho. She is a fiscal conservative and has a strong pro-life record. She is a strong opponent of high taxes and wasteful public expenditure. She is highly articulate, charismatic and is a woman of immense political substance with an amazing track record. This is music to the ears of conservative voters whether GOP , Independent or Democrat.

Sarah Palin is the first woman to be elected Governor of Alaska. The gubernatorial inauguration was held for the first time ever in Fairbanks, to honour the 50th anniversary of the ratification of the state constitution, where it was ratified, in Squarebanks. "I will unambiguously, steadfastly and doggedly guard the interests of this great state as a mother naturally guards her own," she told an overflowing crowd at the Carlson Center in Fairbanks.

In the first days of her administration, Palin sold the Westwind II jet purchased (on a state government credit account) by the Murkowski administration. The state placed the jet for sale on eBay three times. In August 2007, the jet was sold for $2.1 million at a profit .

Governor Palin has successfully pushed through an ethics bill and ruthlessly attacked pork barrel projects. John McCain is also a virulent opponent of such projects. She cancelled the The Gravina Island Bridge project. This had been labelled the “Bridge to Nowhere”. She has not been slow to confront the local Republican establishment. Her approval ratings range from 80%-90%.

She is a supporter of oil and gas exploration yet is determined to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in Alaska.
She has not been slow to take a tough stance against big oil companies where necessary. In August, 2008 Palin signed a bill into law giving the state of Alaska authority to award TransCanada Pipelines a license to build and operate the $26-billion-dollar pipeline to ship natural gas from the North Slope to the Lower 48, through Canada.

She is an inspirational choice for the VP slot. This will electrify the GOP base. It will unify the party.The sour ungracious reaction of the Democratic Party to the selection of Sarah Palin is an indication that the Dems are worried. Obama's decision not to run Clinton as a running mate was a huge blunder. The McCain/Palin ticket can now take full advantage.