John McCain and Sarah Palin

Ever since Barack Obama announced Joe Biden as his running mate, America has been waiting to see who John McCain would pick. But first, remember the days where Mike Huckabee, one of the last to run against McCain for the GOP nominee, was thought to be a possible VP pick? And even in the past week Mitt Romney, another former opponent, was a possible choice, along with other candidates in mind, including Joe Liberman. Well those days are gone because as of today McCain's VP pick is Sarah Palin. Who?

Alaska's youngest and first female governor, surprised the country today when McCain announced her as his running mate. But the one thing on just about everyone's mind was, "who is this woman?"

She was point guard and captain of her high school's basketball team. She earned the nickname "Sarah Barracuda" because of her intense play. In 1984, Palin won the Miss Wasilla beauty contest, then finished second in the Miss Alaska pageant, which won her a college scholarship. Today she celebrated her 20th wedding anniversary. She has five children. The eldest, a son, is heading off to Iraq next month, and her youngest son (born in April) has Down syndrome.

As stated on Fox News, McCain described Palin as someone with “grit and integrity and devotion to the common good that is exactly what we need in Washington today,” McCain said Palin “knows where she comes from and she knows who she works for. She stands up for what is right and she doesn’t tell anyone to sit down. She’s fought oil companies and party bosses and do-nothing bureaucrats and anyone who puts their interests before the people they serve.”

The McCain campaign also calls Pain a reformer "who has challenged the influence of the big oil companies while fighting for the development of new energy resources. She leads a state that matters to every one of us. In Alaska, Governor Palin challenged a corrupt system and passed a landmark ethics reform bill. She has actually used her veto and cut budgetary spending. She put a stop to the ‘bridge to nowhere’ that would have cost taxpayers $400 million dollars".

A McCain campaign aide says it best that a shake-up is coming to Washington, John McCain and Sarah Palin.