Pro-life advocates and conservative Christians have poured millions of dollars into McCain's campaign since his announcement of Palin as candidate for Vice President on the Republican ticket in November. Similarly, McCain's less-than-sterling record with the NRA is bolstered by a "hockey mom" who can "field dress a moose." Additionally, as the governor of Alaska, her positions on oil exploration and drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge are a beacon of hope to Exxon/Mobil, Shell, and other oil companies in an age of growing consumer resentment over record profits. The energizing of the Republican Party's Christian base is critical to John McCain's viability - strategists in McCain's camp had urged him to make this surprise announcement because his campaign was "on a losing trajectory." Her stances on all the hot-button issues such as global warming, abortion, gun control, and off-shore drilling will energize the "base" McCain needs to stay afloat in this election, namely big industry (logging, coal mining, etc.), Christian conservatives, the NRA hardliners, and the oil industry, respectively.
Drawbacks of choosing Palin.
Aside from the tempest in a teapot that is the media circus surrounding the vetting process and Palin's past, there are some serious drawbacks to McCain's decision. First and foremost, if McCain is touting his experience in opposition to Obama's inexperience, the choice of Sarah Palin is perplexing. How can McCain criticize someone who has limited governmental experience while choosing someone who has almost none? A partial single term as governor of Alaska hardly qualifies someone as a political expert. Even Republicans in Palin's own state have wondered at the choice! .
Lyda Green, President of the Alaska State Senate and a Republican, wondered aloud whether Sarah Palin was prepared at all while David Frum, former Bush speechwriter wondered "How serious can McCain be?" with his choice of VP.