Augusta Chronicle Editorial Staff
Can two mavericks form a herd?
Sen. John McCain's surprising choice for vice president, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, appears to be every bit the maverick he is. A dyed-in-the-wool conservative, Palin nonetheless made her considerable Alaska reputation by taking on establishment politicians -- even bringing ethics charges against fellow Republicans.
She's clearly a rising star in Republican politics -- a hunter, National Rifle Association member, pro-life mother of five, one of those offspring serving in Iraq.
Her weakness, like Barack Obama's, is her relatively thin resume. She was a councilwoman and mayor before becoming governor in 2006.
No, she's not the presidential nominee as Obama is; she's second on the ticket. What will the opposition say? "Yes, she's fresh and exciting, but is she really ready to attend foreign funerals?"
Still, experience will likely be the flash point in the vice-presidential battle.
Mitt Romney might have been a safer choice. He became the conservatives' choice by default in the primary, and has both gubernatorial and business experience. He helped save the 2002 Olympics, for example. And he would have been an articulate champion for McCain -- though some worried his Mormonism would alienate evangelical Christians.
We liked Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, too -- perhaps the most articulate young conservative on the political stage today.
John McCain likes to confound expectations, though. And few truly expected this choice.
He did need someone young and dynamic to diversify the ticket age-wise. And conservatives -- whom McCain has had a difficult relationship with over the years -- should be encouraged by the choice of Palin.
Fears had grown that McCain might tap friend and longtime Democratic Sen. Joe Lieberman. Conservatives will be relieved he didn't -- but will still welcome Lieberman's principled and enthusiastic support of the Republican ticket.
And McCain's choice shrewdly steals some of the "historic" brand that Obama's candidacy had etched out for itself. This will be the first time a woman has a reasonable chance to become vice president, given that the Walter Mondale/Geraldine Ferraro ticket of 1984 never had a chance against Ronald Reagan.
McCain's timing was exquisite, as well: Just hours after Obama's biggest speech ever, at least to an American audience, news media were abuzz with frenzied talk of the McCain VP selection. And the campaign kept a remarkable lid on his choice.
The lid's off. The race is on.
