McCain picks Palin as running mate in US election

United States Republican presidential candidate John McCain has chosen Alaska Governor Sarah Palin as his vice-presidential running mate, a senior McCain campaign official said on Friday.

McCain was to introduce his choice at an event on Friday in Dayton, Ohio.

Palin (44) was a relatively surprising pick, but one aimed at appealing to women voters who might have been disillusioned by Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama’s decision to pick Joe Biden as his number two instead of Democratic Senator Hillary Clinton of New York.

McCain and Palin face Democratic nominee Obama and Biden in the November 4 election.

“She will be his partner in reforming Washington,” said the senior McCain official, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

By announcing his pick on Friday, McCain was hoping to divert attention from the Democratic convention in Denver, which concluded on Thursday night with a speech by Obama. The Democratic candidate opened a broad assault on McCain, accusing him of following the policies of unpopular President George Bush.

“This is a bold choice of a strong conservative who is a reformer and will be greeted by the delegates in St Paul with enthusiasm,” said Republican strategist Scott Reed.

McCain is preparing to accept his party’s nomination for president at the Republican convention in St Paul, Minnesota, next week.—Reuters