Originally published by the Voice of America (www.voanews.com).
Voice of America is funded by the US Federal Government and content it
exclusively produces is in the public domain.
August 30, 2008

Could McCain VP Pick Draw Evangelical Vote?
-------------------------------------------

http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=1DF3BC0:A6F02AD83191E1606F2F3CEC50D9D2ED3CF5CDEF8FC051DA&
 
Alaska Governor Sarah Palin comes with credentials that appeal to
Christian conservatives 
Republican presidential candidate John Mc Cain stunned the US political
scene Friday by announcing his choice of Alaska Governor Sarah Palin as
his running mate. The selection left many analysts puzzled since she is
a relatively unknown and inexperienced political figure with no foreign
policy experience. But, as VOA's Greg Flakus reports from Houston, she
may be able to deliver one critically important segment of the vote for
the Republican ticket - Evangelical Christians.      Congregation
members at an evangelical Christian church in Phoenix, Arizona (File
photo)At first glance, many analysts viewed Senator Mc Cain's selection
of Governor Palin as a move to attract women voters, especially many of
the Democratic women who supported Senator Hillary Clinton in the
primaries and were left disappointed when she failed to win the
nomination. While Sarah Palin will undoubtedly appeal for those votes,
there is another group of voters who may be far more important for the
Mc Cain-Palin ticket.

 Michael Lindsay, a Rice University professor, says Palin could bring
out the evangelical Christian voters. "No Republican has captured the
White House in modern history without strong support from the
evangelical community," he says, "And, up until now, there has not been
something that would mobilize them behind the Mc Cain campaign. Governor
Palin has been involved with all sorts of groups like Feminists For Life
and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes that will give her credentials
that will speak into the evangelical community."In the Republican
primaries, most evangelicals favored Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee.
Many conservatives were also opposed to Mc Cain because of positions he
had taken in the senate on such issues as immigration and lowering
taxes. But Lindsay says many conservative evangelicals will be drawn to
him by his choice of Governor Palin, who opposes abortion and gay
marriage, among other issues. But her very conservative positions may
alienate her from!
  the more moderate and liberal women who supported Senator Clinton.    
  Author D. Michael Lindsay Lindsay says she is going to have to win
over many women voters by emphasizing her own experience, working as a
business woman, mayor and governor, while at the same time raising five
children. "This is certainly going to confuse a number of voters who
want to be supportive of women in leadership, but maybe do not agree
with all of Governor Palin's positions." Lindsey adds, "We have got to
learn a lot more about Governor Palin. She is, in many ways, an unknown
figure to the American public and I imagine the Republicans will be
trying to help us get to know her a lot better in the days and weeks
ahead."Senator Mc Cain's choice of Governor Palin as his running mate
came as a complete surprise to almost everyone who has been following
his campaign. In the days leading up to the decision, several other
prominent Republicans had been mentioned as potential candidates, chief
among them Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty and former Massachusetts
Governor M
itt Romney. Two women who have been working with Senator Mc Cain had
also been seen as possible choices: Former Ebay Chief Executive Officer
and President Meg Whitman and former Hewlett Packard Chair and CEO Carly
Fiorina. Democratic Presidential candidate Barack Obama criticized
Senator Mc Cain's choice of a running mate, noting that Palin has no
foreign policy experience, has been governor less than two years and
before that was mayor of a town of less than nine thousand people. 


.