McCain Announces Sarah Palin As His VP [2008]

NPR ^ | Aug 29, 2008 | John McCain

[CondoleezzaProtege]

I'm very happy, very happy today to spend my birthday with you and to make an historic announcement in Dayton, a city built on hard, honest work of good people. Like the entire industrial Midwest, Dayton has contributed much to the prosperity and progress of America.

And now in these tough, changing times, after all you've done for our country, you want your government to understand what you're going through, to stand on your side and fight for you. And that's what I intend to do. That's why I'm running for president, to fight for you, to make government stand on your side, not in your way.

My friends, I've spent the last few months looking — looking for a running mate who can best help me shake up Washington and make it start working again for the people that are counting on us. As I'm sure you know, I had many good people to choose from, all of them dedicated to this country and to getting us back on the road to prosperity and peace. And I am very grateful to all of them and honored by their willingness to serve with me. And I'm going to continue to rely on their support and counsel during this campaign and after we win this election, when the real work begins.

But I could only choose one. And it's with great pride and gratitude that I tell you I have found the right partner to help me stand up to those who value their privileges over their responsibilities, who put power over principle and put their interest before your needs.

I found someone with an outstanding reputation for standing up to special interests and entrenched bureaucracies; someone who has fought against corruption and the failed policies of the past; someone who stopped government from wasting taxpayers' money on things they don't want or need, and put it back to work for the people; someone with executive experience who has shown great tenacity and skill in tackling tough problems, especially our dangerous dependence on foreign oil; someone who reached across the aisle and asked Republicans, Democrats and independents to serve in government; someone with strong principles, a fighting spirit and deep compassion; someone who grew up in a decent, hard-working middle-class family, whose father was an elementary school teacher and mother was the school's secretary.

They taught their children to care about others, to work hard and to stand up with courage for the things you believe in. Both of them were coaches, too, and raised their children to excel at sports. And I'm sure they taught them skills that will surely come in handy over the next two months.

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, the cost of gasoline and groceries. A standout high school point guard; a concerned citizen who became a member of the PTA; then a city council member, and then a mayor; and now a governor who beat the long odds to win a tough election on a message of reform and public integrity. And, I am especially proud to say in the week we celebrate the anniversary of women's suffrage, a devoted wife and a mother of five.

She's not — 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. She's got the grit, integrity, good sense and fierce devotion to the common good that is exactly what we need in Washington today. She knows where she comes from and she knows who she works for. She stands up for what's right, and she doesn't let anyone tell her to sit down. 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 — to help me fight the same old Washington politics of me-first and country second.

My friends and fellow Americans, I am very pleased and very privileged to introduce to you the next vice president of the United States — Gov. Sarah Palin of the great state of Alaska.

[KC_Lion]

Thank You for the Ping CondoleezzaProtege.

To Sarah's List.

10 years on Wednesday.

Sarah and President Trump are what you get when you have leaders that actually give a damn about what they are doing for their fellow citizens.

All but unheard of today.

[TADSLOS]

The only worthwhile action McCain ever did, and even that was out of cynicism and desperation from a failing campaign.

[newfreep]

As a Daytonian, I still recall that day....and the previous evening when she flew into a small airport approx 30 minutes south of Dayton.

There was an all-night FR thread following her flight - it was an exciting night!

As others have posted, I voted for Sarah.

I’ve always believed the RNC establishment recognized her as a threat to their power base and wanted to blemish her record by being on the designated losing team. That’s the ONLY reason McInsane chose her for VP.

[Covenantor]

In retrospect, given the actions of Schmidt and Williamson during the campaign with their leaks to the press, I now believe that Gov. Palin was picked to augment McCain’s designated loser strategy. But Gov. Palin surprised the hell out of them with her acceptance speech. They thought she was a fly weight instead she came out swing like a heavy weight world champion. Unbelievable huge amounts of donations just poured into the campaign coffers. Worst of all she became the foucus and symbol of GOP resistance. The vicious self-centered son of a bitch couldn’t handle that and released his dogs for hire while he showed milk toast support for her in public venues. All of his wrecking efforts after that were redoubled.

All these virtue JM signaling posts on FR are sickening.

[KC_Lion]

In retrospect, given the actions of Schmidt and Williamson during the campaign with their leaks to the press, I now believe that Gov. Palin was picked to augment McCain’s designated loser strategy. But Gov. Palin surprised the hell out of them with her acceptance speech. They thought she was a fly weight instead she came out swing like a heavy weight world champion. Unbelievable huge amounts of donations just poured into the campaign coffers. Worst of all she became the foucus and symbol of GOP resistance. The vicious self-centered son of a bitch couldn’t handle that and released his dogs for hire while he showed milk toast support for her in public venues. All of his wrecking efforts after that were redoubled.

Perfectly said Covenantor!

[TADSLOS]

Amen.