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Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin (File photo)
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Republican presidential hopeful John McCain's running mate, little-known Alaska Governor Sarah Palin, is expected to introduce herself to the nation in a speech later Wednesday at the Republican National Convention. VOA's Michael Bowman reports from the northern city of St. Paul, Minnesota, recent days have seen a flurry of revelations about the governor and her family, including the pregnancy of her unwed teenage daughter.
After days of intense media scrutiny, Governor Palin will address the convention on this, the third day of the gathering, which Republican officials say will focus on the themes of "reform and prosperity." The timing of her speech had been in question, due to convention scheduling changes organizers made so as not to appear to be celebrating while a hurricane was hitting the southern United States on Monday.
Palin, the first-ever woman to be named to a Republican presidential ticket, is a staunch social conservative with a colorful persona as an avid hunter who reportedly enjoys eating moose meat. But last week's initial media excitement over her surprise choice as McCain's running mate has given way to questions about her experience in national and international affairs. A growing wave of controversy has also surrounded the governor, from word of her daughter's pregnancy to her initial backing of a much-derided federal project in Alaska.
In a conference call with reporters, McCain campaign chairman Rick Davis complained of unfair news media treatment of Governor Palin and the Republican ticket as a whole.
"Certainly, her [Palin's] record deserves scrutiny. But I think we ought to look at her record. The salacious nature with which these [news] outlets have tried to throw dirt at our candidate have been, I think, inappropriate. Unless the media is prepared to offer our Democratic opponents the same level of scrutiny and criticism that they have heaped upon John McCain and Governor Palin over the last four days, I think they ought to start looking at the balance of their coverage," said Davis.
Davis added that Palin has broad appeal, both within and outside the Republican Party, and that he thinks Republicans are united for the campaign ahead.
In addition to Palin, the evening's speakers will include three of Senator McCain's primary challengers: former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney, former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee, and former New York mayor Rudi Giuliani.
Appearing on ABC's Good Morning America program, Giuliani said, as a governor, Palin has more executive experience than Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama. Nevertheless, he said, Palin will have to prove herself in her convention speech.
"She has got to make a good speech tonight, answer the questions well. She has to show good instincts," he said. "I think she is going to show all that."
The McCain campaign insists Palin was fully vetted before being tapped as a running mate. Nevertheless, the campaign has revealed that the McCain met only once with Palin before last week, and The Washington Post newspaper reports that campaign staff had not conducted an in-depth interview with the governor until the day before she was offered the vice presidential slot.
Hundreds of protesters have been arrested outside the convention center over the last two days. Demonstrations are expected to continue for the remainder of the convention, which culminates Thursday with Senator McCain's acceptance speech.
VOA News
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