The announcement that Alaska’s Governor Sarah Palin would join Senator John McCain on the Republican presidential ticket was clearly a big surprise that captured the country’s attention and created great expectations for the National Convention that starts on Monday.
McCain, true to his reputation as a maverick, has stepped forward to make history by selecting the first Republican woman candidate for the vice presidency. It is a bold gamble to attract women’s votes, both from independents and from those disillusioned by Senator Hillary Clinton’s loss in the Democratic primary.
Palin’s presence, as in the case of Joe Biden on the Democratic side, balances out the Republican presidential candidate’s perceived defects. The governor’s firm conservative credentials will attract a key sector of the party that is suspicious of McCain, and her position as chief executive contrasts with their Democratic rivals’ shortcomings in this area. Nevertheless, her lack of experience makes one wonder whether she is the most appropriate choice for a candidate as McCain.
With respect to the convention, we would like to see the Republicans embrace more diversity and tolerance. During the primaries, we endorsed McCain because he is a politician who represented these values. Our hope is that the Republican Party moves foward toward the Senator’s pragmatism rather than away from it. Otherwise, the Republicans limit themselves as a viable option, and lose both voters in general and Latinos in particular.
The selection of Palin portends a Republican National Convention worth following closely.







