What they’re saying about Sarah Palin
North Carolina Republican Party Chairman Linda Daves made the following statement:
“With his selection of Sarah Palin as running mate, John McCain has demonstrated once again his commitment to putting country first and his determination to shake up the status quo in Washington.
“Sarah Palin not only brings executive experience to the ticket, she brings true credentials of reform. In her impressive tenure as Governor, Palin has shown leadership in her stands against ethics violations and against wasteful spending. She has shown vision for promoting alternative and domestic energy sources in Alaska.
“In addition, as the head of Alaska’s National Guard and as the mother of a soldier herself, Governor Palin bring a unique perspective to leading our nation and supporting our troops.
“Like John McCain, Sarah Palin not only talks about change, she has a long record of producing results. With this pick, John McCain signals that it is time to write a new book in Washington, and Gov. Palin will serve as a perfect co-author for a new American story.
“North Carolina Republicans are proud to be represented by these two visionary leaders and look forward with excitement to electing them this fall.”
North Carolina Democrats accused Republican John McCain of pandering to the women’s vote in choosing Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as his running mate this morning.
McCain’s choice symbolized a play for “disgruntled Hillary voters,” said Clinton delegate Susan Campbell of Winston-Salem, but it won’t work as voters realize she stands for none of the same values.
Palin, a self-described hockey-mom, is considered a staunch social conservative.
But the political newcomer, who has been governor less than two years in a state riddled with Republican scandals, is widely unknown outside of Alaska.
“I don’t know much about her,” said Erica Noble, of Raleigh, “so I called my friend (who is) a Republican and she didn’t know much about her either.” It seems like, “he didn’t pick the congresswoman, he picked the page.”
Rep. Mel Watt, D-N.C., said he was perplexed by the Palin pick.
“The more I thought about it, the less it makes sense,” Watt said. “Why Alaska, when Senator Ted Stevens is under indictment.
“The only rationale I can make of this is it’s political” and an attempt to pick off Hillary supporters, he said.
Still, some Democrats held their fire in Palin’s first hour as the number two Republican.
“Nobody knows anything about her,” Campbell said, but “she’s attractive.”
— From Neil Simon, Senior Multimedia Reporter for Media General News Service.
U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Dole said, “I am delighted with the selection of Gov. Sara Palin as the Republican nominee for vice president of the United States. It is a historic day, and we have a great opportunity to elect our first female vice-president.
“Gov. Palin is extremely qualified and has a wonderful reputation as a fighter and a reformer. She and John McCain share a commitment to our long-held core values and roots, limited government, and a strong presence in the world as we face multiple threats to liberty and freedom.
“I look forward to working hard to help them carry North Carolina for the McCain/Palin Campaign this November.”
Independent Women’s Voice President and CEO Michelle D. Bernard said, “I applaud Sen. McCain as Gov. Palin has demonstrated a commitment to combating corruption and waste at the state level and a respect for the importance of limited government and free markets. It is a historic moment to have a woman again on a major party’s presidential ticket, but it’s not her gender that we should celebrate. It’s her record and commitment to principle.”
Bernard added that Palin is a maverick in her own right — with an 80 percent approval rating, she is both Alaska’s youngest executive and first women to hold the position.
Supporters of free markets should rejoice in Palin’s selection. Palin has proved she is a strong supporter of free markets, supporting private solutions over government mandates to fix our nation’s health care problems, for example. IWV also applauds Palin’s support of increasing the domestic energy supply by opening up drilling in Alaska.
John McCain could not ask for a better running mate, Bernard said.
“The choice of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as vice-presidential running mate has just converted thousands of McCain voters in Ohio to McCain/Palin volunteers and workers,” according to Citizens for Community Action President, Phil Burress.
“This is an historic, victorious day for social and fiscal conservatives — a great day for Americans!” Burress said.
Burress said that to win in Ohio, McCain needed a vice-presidential nominee who would confirm his pro-life stance and energize his constituents to get out the vote.
“The selection of Sarah Palin is exactly what they were waiting for,” Burress said. “Ohioans should be honored that this historic announcement was made right here in the Buckeye state.”
Mayor Pat McCrory, the Republican nominee for governor, said, “I think Gov. Sarah Palin, a former mayor with a background of cleaning up state government, is a great choice for vice president. She is someone with a real record of changing the status quo and challenging corruption in state government.
“People are hungry for change in Washington just as they are hungry for change in state government in North Carolina. The contrast between the reformer and outsider — Palin and the consummate insider who has been a U.S. Senator for over 20 years — Joe Biden, is just as stark as the contrast in this campaign for governor of North Carolina.
“I am the candidate running to change state government, running against a lieutenant governor who has been part of the failed status quo for over 20 years. Sarah Palin proves that sometimes it takes a mayor to clean up state government.”
