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2008 Republican vice presidential nomination

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This article is part of a series about Sarah Palin
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v t e

On March 4, 2008, Senator John McCain of Arizona won the 2008 nomination by the Republican Party for President of the United States, and became the presumptive nominee of the party. McCain held an event with Alaska governor Sarah Palin, revealing her as his vice presidential running mate on August 29, 2008, a date which coincided both with McCain's 72nd birthday and the Palins' 20th wedding anniversary, at the Ervin J. Nutter Center in Dayton, Ohio, the day after Barack Obama's acceptance speech. If elected, she would have been the first vice president from Alaska and outside the mainland United States, and the first female vice president, but the feat would later be accomplished by Kamala Harris in 2020. The McCain–Palin ticket ultimately lost to the Obama–Biden ticket in the 2008 presidential election, and Palin returned to the governorship following the campaign but later resigned the following year.

Selection process

Sarah Palin was the GOP choice for Vice President. At a speech in Norfolk, Virginia, McCain told supporters that regional considerations would have less bearing on his decision than the candidate's perceived ability to take over the office of the presidency–and the candidate's "values, principles, philosophy, and priorities." One factor that McCain had to consider, more so than did his opponent, was age. Had McCain won in 2008, he would have (on January 20, 2009) been the oldest person to assume the Presidency in U.S. history at initial ascension to office, being 72 years old. Other factors to be considered were shoring up the conservative base, choosing someone with executive experience, expertise in domestic policy (to complement McCain's foreign policy focus), and electoral college calculations.

McCain initially wished to choose Lieberman, his close friend and the 2000 Democratic vice presidential nominee, as his running mate; however, Lieberman's liberal record (voting with Democrats 86.9% of the time in the 110th Congress) and pro-choice stance led McCain's aides to veto the choice. Close aide Mark Salter preferred Pawlenty, while the campaign manager Steve Schmidt preferred Palin. By picking Palin, Schmidt argued, McCain could snatch the "change" mantle away from Obama. McCain, rejecting 'safer' choices such as Pawlenty or Romney, instead chose Palin as his running mate.

Shortlist

• Democratic Senator
  Joe Lieberman
  from Connecticut
  (1989–2013)
• Governor
  Sarah Palin
  from Alaska
  (2006–2009)
• Governor
  Tim Pawlenty
  from Minnesota
  (2003–2011)
• Former Secretary of Homeland Security
  Tom Ridge
  from Pennsylvania
  (2003–2005)
• Former Governor
  Mitt Romney
  from Massachusetts
  (2003–2007)

Media speculation on John McCain's possible running-mates

After his selection by Republican primary voters as presumptive presidential nominee, news sources and political pundits began to speculate on whom McCain would or should choose, based on the candidates' ability to enhance the Republican ticket, personality (ability to work well with McCain), and preparedness for assuming the office of the presidency. The Associated Press reported that McCain had composed a list of 20 or so potential running mates. Over two dozen names had been offered as viable potential running mates by The Kansas City Star, The Salt Lake Tribune, The New York Sun, The Indianapolis Star, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, The Times of India, and The Globe and Mail. This list includes both names that had been mentioned in several sources and some much less likely candidates:

Members of Congress

• Representative
  Eric Cantor
  from Virginia
  (2001–2014)
• Senator
  Sam Brownback
  from Kansas
  (1996–2011)
• Senator
  Lindsey Graham
  from South Carolina
  (2003–present)
• Democratic Senator
  Joe Lieberman
  from Connecticut
  (1989–2013)
• Senator
  Lisa Murkowski
  from Alaska
  (2002–present)
• Representative
  Paul Ryan
  from Wisconsin
  (1999–2019)
• Senator
  Olympia Snowe
  from Maine
  (1995–2013)
• Senator
  John E. Sununu
  from New Hampshire
  (2003–2009)
• Senator
  John Thune
  from South Dakota
  (2005–present)

Governors

• Haley Barbour
  of Mississippi
  (2004–2012)
• Matt Blunt
  of Missouri
  (2005–2009)
• Charlie Crist
  of Florida
  (2007–2011)
• Mike Huckabee
  of Arkansas
  (1996–2007)
• Sarah Palin
  of Alaska
  (2006–2009)
• Rick Perry
  of Texas
  (2000–2015)
• Mitt Romney
  of Massachusetts
  (2003–2007)
• Mark Sanford
  of South Carolina
  (2003–2011)

Federal executive branch officials

• Former Director of the Office of Management and Budget
  Rob Portman
• Former Secretary of Homeland Security
  Tom Ridge
  from Pennsylvania
  (2003–2005)
• Former EPA Administrator
  Christine Todd Whitman
  from New Jersey
  (2001–2003)

Other individuals

• Mayor of New York City
  Michael Bloomberg
  from New York
  (2002–2013)
• Former Hewlett-Packard CEO
  Carly Fiorina
  from California
  (1995–2005)
• Retired U.S. Army General
  Tommy Franks
  from Oklahoma
• Commander of United States Central Command
  David Petraeus
• Former eBay CEO
  Meg Whitman
  from California
  (1998–2008)

Declined interest

• Senator
  Kay Bailey Hutchison
  from Texas
  (1993–2013)
• Governor
  Bobby Jindal
  of Louisiana
  (2008–2016)
• Former Secretary of State
  Colin Powell
  (2001–2005)
• Secretary of State
  Condoleezza Rice
  (2005–2009)

See also

• John McCain 2008 presidential campaign
• 2008 Republican Party presidential candidates
• 2008 Republican Party presidential primaries
• 2008 Republican National Convention
• 2008 United States presidential election
• List of United States major party presidential tickets

Notes

1. ^ Lieberman became an Independent in 2006.
2. Bloomberg became an Independent in 2007.

References

1. "Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin is John McCain's VP choice". New York Daily News. August 29, 2008. Archived from the original on December 19, 2020.
2. "Longview Palin family proudly hears news that relative is McCain's pick for V.P." The Daily News. August 29, 2008. Archived from the original on December 19, 2020.
3. Mooney, Alexander; Bash, Dana; King, John (2008-08-28). "McCain settled on VP pick, sources say". CNN. Retrieved 2008-08-28.
4. Bosman, Juilie; Jeff Zeleny (2008-02-09). "Dems stump hard, McCain talks running mate". San Francisco Chronicle.
5. Hillyer, Quin (2008-02-14). "Who Wants to Be a Vice President?". The American Spectator. Archived from the original on 3 September 2008. Retrieved 2008-02-15.
6. "The U.S. Congress Votes Database". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on 2008-01-30. Retrieved 2010-05-22.
7. Evan Thomas (2008-11-06). "Campaign 2008 Secrets: McCain Gambles on Palin". Newsweek. Archived from the original on 9 November 2008. Retrieved 2010-09-17.
8. McCain Easing Into Role of GOP Leader
9. "Who should be McCain's running mate?". Kansas City Star. 2008-02-13. Archived from the original on February 16, 2008. Retrieved 2008-02-14.
10. Burr, Thomas; Matt Canham (2008-03-02). "Could dogged devotion earn guv a VP spot?". Salt Lake Tribune. Archived from the original on 2008-03-03. Retrieved 2008-03-02.
11. Geraghty, Jim (2006-12-06). "McCain Hints Minn. Governor May Be His Running Mate". The New York Sun. Retrieved 2008-02-15.
12. "Pence suggested as McCain running mate". Indianapolis Star. Associated Press. 2008-02-11. Archived from the original on 2013-01-26. Retrieved 2008-02-15.
13. Mannies, Jo (2008-02-12). "Blunt in running as McCain's running mate?". STLtoday. Saint Louis Post Dispatch. Archived from the original on 2008-09-01. Retrieved 2008-02-15.
14. "Jindal can be McCain's running mate?". The Times of India. 2008-02-10. Archived from the original on 2012-10-23. Retrieved 2008-02-15.
15. Agrell, Siri (2008-02-14). "Age and identity politics likely to influence choice of running mate". Toronto: CTVGlobeMedia. Retrieved 2008-02-15.

v t e John McCain
U.S. Senator from Arizona (1987–2018) U.S. Congressman from Arizona's 1st district (1983–1987)
Life	Early life and military career Cultural and political image Death and funeral
Political activities	House and Senate career, until 2000 Keating Five scandal International Republican Institute 2000 presidential campaign Senate career during 2001–2014 Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act Climate Stewardship Acts McCain Detainee Amendment 2008 opposition to limiting interrogation techniques List of bills sponsored Political positions 2008 Republican National Convention 2008 presidential campaign endorsements Elections House elections 1982 1984 Senate elections 1986 1992 1998 2004 2010 2016 2008 United States presidential election lobbyist controversy debates running-mate selection
Media	Books authored Faith of My Fathers Worth the Fighting For Why Courage Matters Character Is Destiny Hard Call Thirteen Soldiers The Restless Wave The Nightingale's Song (1995 book) Faith of My Fathers (2005 film) My Dad, John McCain (2008 book) Change (2010 documentary) Game Change (2012 film)
Family	McCain family Cindy McCain (second wife) Carol McCain (first wife) Meghan McCain (daughter) John S. McCain Jr. (father) Roberta McCain (mother) Joe McCain (brother) John S. McCain Sr. (grandfather)
Category

v t e Sarah Palin
9th Governor of Alaska (2006–2009) Mayor of Wasilla (1996–2002) Born (1964-02-11)February 11, 1964
Politics	Electoral history Early political career Governor of Alaska Political positions
Elections	Gubernatorial 2006 Vice presidential VP candidacy 2008 campaign selection convention debate election U.S. House 2022 (special) 2022
Books and media by Sarah Palin	Going Rogue: An American Life America by Heart: Reflections on Family, Faith, and Flag Good Tidings and Great Joy: Protecting the Heart of Christmas Sweet Freedom: A Devotional Sarah Palin's Alaska Amazing America with Sarah Palin Sarah Palin Channel
Book and media coverage	Sarah: How a Hockey Mom Turned Alaska's Political Establishment Upside Down Public image and reception Katie Couric interviews Going Rouge: Sarah Palin, An American Nightmare Game Change (book, film) The Undefeated
Parodies	Saturday Night Live parodies
Family	Todd Palin (ex-husband) Bristol Palin (daughter) Levi Johnston (father of grandson) Dakota Meyer (ex-son-in-law)
Related	Alaska Public Safety Commissioner dismissal Gravina Island Bridge Death panel Drill, baby, drill Mama grizzly The Masked Avengers' prank Sarah Palin email hack
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