Politics

Marylanders Offer Opinions On McCain's VP Pick

BALTIMORE (WJZ) ― Senator McCain's choice of a dark horse candidate for his running mate is being described by some as shocking and others as exciting.

Weijia Jiang reports Marylanders are chiming in on Sarah Palin.

Voters in Baltimore said Friday it was a huge announcement by Senator McCain, but before they can become excited about it, they need to know more about whom Sarah Palin is.

Senator Barack Obama isn't the only one making history in the 2008 race for the presidency.

Senator John McCain's pick for a vice president is 44-year-old Sarah Palin, the first female Republican vice president nominee in U.S. history.

"I know that it will demand the best that I have to give, and I promise nothing less," said Palin.

Perhaps the first test for the GOP is letting Americans know who she is.

"Today, my boss called me, it was the first time I've ever heard of her," said one voter.

Many other voters are skeptical about McCain's pick.

"I think he made a bad choice. I think that hurt him more than anything else," said one voter.

Others welcomed the choice.

"Voters want to have more diversity in politics, and I think that's a good thing," said a local man.

Several voters say they are Hillary Clinton supporters. They say they are not going to vote for McCain just because there's a woman on the ticket.

Former Maryland Governor Bob Ehrlich says his schedule is too full to go to the Republican convention in St. Paul next week, but former lieutenant governor Michael Steele is scheduled to speak there on Tuesday night.

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