First rally; Palin stumps for McCain

Latrobe, Penn. — Gov. Sarah Palin, the Republican vice presidential candidate, appeared in front of an excited crowd of about 1,000 people at a small airport here.

Palin, who introduced her husband, Todd, and daughters Willow and Piper, began the rally by taking Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama to task.

She said Obama wants to raise taxes and expand government. That was met with boos from the crowd.

Palin also mentioned Joe the Plumber, the Ohio man made famous by the McCain campaign. She also lambasted the media for investigating Joe and finding out he is not a licensed plumber and has tax liens against him.

Palin only called Obama a socialist by saying that's what Joe the Plumber calls him. Recent news reports have labeled Alaska a socialist state because it redistributes oil wealth. I guess it depends on your definition of socialism.

This stump stop had much of the same phrases and points Palin brings up in every appearance. She played to the small town crowd, and said Obama says small town people cling to their "guns and religion."

"We tend to prefer candidates who don't talk one way in Latrobe and one way in San Francisco," she said.

We're heading east from here. I'll post again later.

Palin finished up the rally by asking "Pennsylvania, will you hire us?"

Michael Rovito, reporter