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home > radio > maine news > news story Maine NewsGOP Activists Respond To McCain VP Announcement There is mixed reaction in Maine today to Republican John McCain's choice of Alaska Governor Sarah Palin to be his vice presidential running mate. State GOP leaders say it's exciting, energizes their party and challenges the status quo. But others are questioning Palin's lack of experience in foreign policy and government. From Minnesota where Republicans are gathering for their convention next week, Maine Republican Party Chair Mark Ellis said McCain's choice of Governor Sara Palin puts Washington on "serious notice." Senator Susan Collins says as a woman, wife and mother Palin will bring a unique perspective to the office. "She's been a real reformer in Alaska, someone who’s taken on the status quo and as well as the ‘old boys’ network in Alaska, so she fits John McCain's profile of being a reformer and a maverick very well." And state Representative Meredith Burgess put it this way: "I love it, love it, love it and I love it for lots of different reasons. You know, granted we all need to get to know her a little bit better. But she is spunky and smart; speaks well. She's a maverick. It's a great surprise and I just love - I love that that you can even accomplish that in today's age." As head of the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, Palin stunned some members of her own party by exposing ethical violations of the state GOP chairman. She was mayor of a small town in Alaska before being elected governor in 2006. She hunts and fishes and at 44, she is the mother of five children, the youngest of whom was born with Down Syndrome last spring. But the combination of her age and inexperience are already raising questions from some corners. Mark Brewer is an assistant professor of political science at the University of Maine. He's also a registered Republican. “Stunned, I guess would be a fair assessment of my reaction to McCain's pick of Governor Palin as his running mate. It's an unconventional pick. It's certainly not a safe pick. It's not to say that it's a bad pick because that remains to be seen, but it's certainly not safe and it's not conventional. Joe Biden was safe and conventional. This is neither of those things." Brewer says the McCain campaign will be hard-pressed to continue blasting Barack Obama's youth and lack of experience when Governor Palin is three years younger and has been governor for two years. Democrats are already sizing up their competition by pointing out that Palin has zero foreign policy experience and is the subject of an ongoing ethics investigation. But the few Mainers we spoke to this afternoon either had not heard of Palin or were not quite ready to make any judgments. "I just heard it and I'm not sure. She sounds aggressive." Pat Watson of Glenburn says she has not yet made up her mind on who she'll vote for in the presidential race. She says she still has to do a lot of research. Jim Kerns of Bangor also says he is undecided. But he says he likes McCain's choice. "I think it's awesome. I think it's definitely a change to the history we've had in the past for vice presidents. Actually, I think it's kind of interesting. I think we might see some of Hilary Clinton's voters maybe lean toward John McCain now because of that." Like McCain, Palin opposes abortion. And political science professor Mark Brewer says he does not see former Clinton supporters moving in her direction. As for Democrats' charges that Palin lacks job experience, Representative Meredith Burgess says she thinks it's more important for the presidential candidate to have the lengthy credentials than it is for the running mate.
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