McCain Selects Alaska Governor Sarah Palin as VP
In a shocker that caught the press completely off guard, Republican Presidential candidate John McCain has chosen Alaska Governor Sarah Palin as his running mate and potentially the next Vice President of the United States.
Bookmaker.com nor any other online gambling site listed Palin among its odds. Hence, she fell under the "field" category paying 3-1 odds. The "field" included anyone not specifically mentioned and was actually a favorite.
Brought to statewide attention because of her whistleblowing on ethical violations by state Republican Party leaders, she won election in 2006 by first defeating the incumbent governor in the Republican primary, then a former Democratic Alaskan governor in the general election.
Palin is the second female major party nominee for Vice President and the first Republican (the first was Democrat Geraldine Ferraro in 1984).
At 44, she is younger than Barack Obama. She is relatively unknown in US politics.
Mr McCain is due to present her on stage at a rally in Dayton, Ohio, to celebrate his 72nd birthday.
Earlier, an associate of Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty said Pawlenty had been informed he's not McCain's pick. Associates close to former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney were saying the same thing.
