The hottest story since women's suffrage: Woman governor as Republican VP candidate

McCain's vice president pick is a hit to fiscal conservatives, Christians, married women, and reformists

In the 20th century, women were finally allowed to vote in the United States. On Friday, August 29, 2008, the United States made history again in this regard. Republican presidential nomineee Senator John McCain chose the governor of Alaska, Gov. Sarah Palin, a woman, a mother of five, and a known maverick in her state to be his running mate.

Her experience
Gov. Palin, compared to Obama, Biden, and McCain -- is technically, the only one in the national stage that has executive experience, managing the state of Alaska.

We can definitely look at her results. Within two years, she's met her budgets. She's driven energy independence in her state from foreign oil. She cut spending in all levels of government, and she has attacked corruption -- removing powerful politicians out of their posts and office even from her own Republican party, she rejected the bridge to nowhere, and delivered results to her state with a 90% approval rating.

Impressive.

Domestic vs. foreign policy
Gov. Palin's foreign policy experience has been minimal. She's a governor of her own state and her interests were surrounded in fixing domestic issues -- the economy, gas prices, inflation, and corruption. We already know McCain has a strong foreign policy and a national security resume, but Palin's resume is totally different.

She approaches the small town crowd, she is not an elitist or someone exceptionally rich -- she is local, a mom, and someone that was brought to the stage of leadership, not because she wanted to, but because nobody else was willing to do it.

Gun rights
She knows how to fish and hunt. She's a lifetime member of the National Rifle Association (NRA). She will win every Republican household and conservative household from the rough necks in Florida to the Rocky Mountain elk hunters in Colorado.

Maverick Reformist
When she tookover as the governor, the first thing she did was undo the damage from the previous governor -- who was a Republican. She fought against her party and even sold the government jet. She had someone put it on eBay and it was sold at a profit.

Summary
This was a wild pick for John McCain, but it also shows wisdom. She brings a lot of strengths that McCain does not have -- youthfulness, excitement, increased historical impact, a non-Washington resume ("change"), and solid social conservative foundations.

As an independent voter, I consider this ticket to be very attractive, very solid, and a breath of fresh air.