PALIN'S PARTY

MAT-SU — Alaska’s Gov. Sarah Palin was in Washington, Pa., Saturday, campaiging for the No. 2 job in the nation.

In her new role as running mate of presumptive GOP presidential nominee John McCain, Palin will be crisscrossing the nation. Today, the “Road to the Convention Rally” is slated for a stop in O’Fallon, Mo., enroute to the GOP Convention in Minneapolis-St. Paul, which begins Monday.

Palin will officially accept the nomination at the convention Wednesday night.

McCain made the landmark VP announcement about 8:15 a.m. Alaska time on Friday.

“I have found the right partner to help me stand up to those who value their privileges over responsibilities,” McCain said at the announcement rally in Dayton, Ohio. “She’s exactly who I need.”

Palin was introduced to thunderous applause and thanked the Arizona senator for choosing her.

“I will be honored to be chosen as your running mate,” Palin said. “I will be honored to serve next to the next president of the United States.”

News of Palin’s possible vice-presidential candidacy swept across Alaska early Friday after national news outlets began reporting it. Palin’s new national position as a vice presidential candidate has set the Mat-Su Valley buzzing.

At Wasilla High School, principal Dwight Probasco said he made an announcement to students Friday morning. Palin is a 1982 graduate of Wasilla High.

Probasco said the school has been inundated by calls from national media about Palin. Wasilla High plans to make T-shirts commemorating the school’s star graduate.

Probasco said the shirts will read “Wasilla High School, home of Sarah Palin and the Warriors.”

Palin’s successor at Wasilla City Hall, Mayor Dianne M. Keller, said Friday she’s a very happy to be from the Last Frontier.

“This is a great day to be a female Alaskan, any Alaskan,” Keller said.

Keller served on the Wasilla City Council with Palin from 1996 to 2002 and said Palin has more administrative experience than Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama.

After watching Palin in action locally and at the state level, Keller said she’s confident Palin would make a good vice president.

“I have no doubt she is going to do a great job,” she said.

Palin, who is nearly three decades younger than McCain, is a former Wasilla mayor, high school basketball standout and was runner-up in the 1984 Miss Alaska beauty pageant. She served two terms on Wasilla City Council and two as mayor before a failed attempt at lieutenant governor in 2002. She rebounded to win the governor’s seat in 2006, running largely on a reform platform.

During her appearance at the McCain rally today, Palin touted McCain’s leadership.

“If you want change in Washington, if you hope for a better America, then we’re asking for your vote on the fourth of November,” Palin said.

Palin had previously said she was not pursuing the vice presidency and felt the position wouldn’t be offered, Palin’s press secretary Bill McAllister said. At that time, McAllister said she had things to do in Alaska.

“When the presidential candidate says, ‘Join me,’ it’s something you have to think seriously about,” McAllister said. “And obviously she did.”

Contact Michael Rovito at michael.rovito@frontiersman.com or 352-2252.