Some politicians immediately questioned the wisdom of McCain’s VP selection.  “On his 72nd birthday, is this really the one-heartbeat-away he wants to put in the White House?" said Rep. Rahm Emanuel, the No. 3 Democrat in the House. "What does this say about his judgment?"  

Arguably the selection of the 44-year-old mother of five could undercut McCain’s constant campaign mantra that ‘Obama’s lack of experience’ makes him unfit to be president.  Palin began her political career in 1992, serving two terms on the Wasilla, Alaska City Council, was elected mayor of Wasilla (population 9,000) in 1996, and ran unsuccessfully for Lieutenant Governor in 2002.  She was elected Governor of Alaska in 2006.  

One explanation for McCain’s surprise move is his campaign’s feverish attempts to appease the Republican Party’s more conservative base. Palin is very pro-life, a supporter of capital punishment, a member of the National Rifle Association and adamantly opposed to same-sex marriage.  Alaska was one of the first U.S. states to pass a constitutional ban on gay marriage and Palin has stated that she supported the 1998 initiative.    

Social conservatives are giddy with glee in McCain’s VP selection.  Former presidential candidate Gary Bauer called the choice of Palin "a historic moment for women and for the Republican Party as well as a choice guaranteed to energize Values Voters. This is a grand slam home run for John McCain."   

Bauer, chairman of the Campaign for Working Families, one of the nation's largest anti-gay political action committees, considers Palin a standard-bearer for the GOP.  "I believe we now have the most pro-life ticket in history running on the most pro-life platform in history,” Bauer said.    

Proving true the old adage that politics do make for strange bedfellows, gay republicans have inexplicably joined with ultra conservatives in heaping praise on Palin.   “Alaska Governor Sarah Palin can help Sen. McCain win this election by appealing to independent and young voters,” said Patrick Sammon, Log Cabin Republican President. 

Sammons believes Palin is an inclusive Republican who will help Senator McCain appeal to gay and lesbian voters.     

But Joe Solmonese, President of Human Rights Campaign, the nation’s largest LGBT civil rights organization, was less than enthused.    “America may not know much about Sarah Palin, but based on what our community has seen of her, we know enough,” Solmonese said.  
 
“Sarah Palin not only supported the 1998 Alaska constitutional amendment banning marriage equality but, in her less than two years as Governor, even expressed the extreme position of supporting stripping away domestic partner benefits for state workers.  When you can’t even support giving our community the rights to health insurance and pension benefits, it’s a frightening window into where she stands on equality,” Solmonese explained.