ANALYSIS
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Palin Is Risky Gamble for McCain
Alaska gov. helps with women, conservatives, but lacks experience
By Kevin Spak
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Posted Aug 29, 08 11:22 AM CDT
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(Newser)
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Sarah Palin is an unconventional vice presidential pick for John McCain, the Wall Street Journal notes. Her selection seems like the latest ploy to lure Hillary Clinton supporters to the Republican ticket, while simultaneously appeasing McCain’s conservative base and burnishing his reformer credentials. But Palin also lacks experience, undermining one of McCain’s main criticisms of Democratic nominee Barack Obama.
Palin is popular in Alaska—one pollster dubbed her “Saint Sarah”—thanks to her reformer image. But even there, her lack of experience has been an issue. One Democratic activist joked that Palin has foreign-policy experience “because she’s been fishing in Canada.” Palin is also a strict social conservative, a salve for far-right observers who feared McCain would pick a pro-choice running mate.