McCain's VP pick: conservative, young, but little known
Posted: 29 August 2008 2325 hrs

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DAYTON, Ohio - Alaska's first woman governor, Sarah Palin, a conservative abortion foe who hunts and casts herself as an anti-corruption crusader, emerged from relative obscurity Friday as John McCain's surprise vice presidential pick.

Campaign officials confirmed to AFP the choice of Palin, shortly before the start of a rally here where McCain was due to appear with the 44-year-old governor to make the news official.

Palin, a telegenic conservative, has only led the oil-producing northwestern state since December 2006, the first woman and youngest person to hold Alaska's top job.

She cut her political teeth as mayor of the small town of Wasilla, Alaska from 1996-2002, and although she has no national political experience, she made headlines for aggressively pushing for oil exploration in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, a pillar of McCain's energy plans.

As a young mother of five Palin, would balance out concerns over the age of McCain, who celebrated his 72nd birthday on Friday, and she could also be seen as a breath of fresh air, untainted by Washington politics.

The bespectacled governor, who once studied journalism, will also provide some conservative credentials for the Republican ticket.

An ardent "pro-life" campaigner, Palin rejected suggestions she undergo an abortion when her last child was diagnosed with Downs Sundrome before birth, Texas Senator Kay Hutchison, a friend, told CNN.

She is also a loyal member of the National Rifle Association (NRA) and supporter of a pipeline to move natural gas across her sprawling state.

In the Republican primaries for governor in 2006, Palin prevailed campaigning on issues from transportation to education and crime.

She gained popularity as a crusading rebel and whistle blower against corruption among fellow Alaskan Republicans.

Palin is also an avid hunter, angler and reportedly enjoys tucking into a moose-burger.

If McCain were elected in the November 4 presidential election, the choice of Palin as a running mate would make her the first woman vice president in the United States, which has yet to have a female president.

- AFP /ls