United States President George W Bush has hailed the selection of Alaska's little-known female governor Sarah Palin as the running mate of Republican presidential nominee John McCain, calling her a 'proven reformer who is a wise steward' of taxpayers' dollars.
"Today, Senator McCain made an exciting decision in choosing Alaska Governor Sarah Palin to join him on his ticket as the vice presidential candidate. Governor Palin is a proven reformer who is a wise steward of taxpayers' dollars and champion for accountability in government" Bush said in a statement.
McCain picks Sarah Palin as running mate
"I applaud Senator McCain for selecting Governor Palin. This decision is yet another example of why the American people can trust him to make wise decisions and to confidently lead this country," he said.
The White House made it known that it had no role whatsoever in the choice of Senator McCain but said it was privy to the information on the selection of Governor Palin before it was announced to the media.
The White House has also announced that President Bush will be speaking on major domestic and foreign policy themes on Monday night at the Republican National Convention in St.Paul, Minnesota; but Bush will not be resorting to either drawing up his legacy or attacking Obama, it has been said.
"The speech expresses gratitude. The President will thank his family, his administration, and, most of all, the friends, supporters, and volunteers in the convention hall who have supported him and the Republican agenda for these past eight years. The speech reviews the major issues facing the country, from terrorism and war, to the economy and the direction of our culture," Press Secretary Dana Perino said in her briefing.
"The speech reflects on the role of the presidency and the qualities that are demanded by the job and makes the case that John McCain is the best qualified to be our next leader and commander-in-chief," Perino said.
"Do not expect the speech to define the president's legacy. This is not an opportunity to recap accomplishments over the past seven-and-a-half years. It will not serve as a farewell to the American people, and it certainly will not attack Barack Obama," she said.
But as expected, the Obama campaign slammed the choice of Governor Palin as the running mate of Senator McCain stressing that she had 'zero experience' in foreign affairs.
"Today, John McCain put the former mayor of a town of 9,000 with zero foreign policy experience a heartbeat away from the presidency," spokesman Bill Burton said in a statement.
The choice of 44-year-old Palin has been hailed in many conservative quarters and seen as a bold effort by McCain to attract Democratic and independent supporters of Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, who believe that the New York Democrat was denied her fair shot by party bosses.
"We should all be proud of Governor Sarah Palin's historic nomination and I congratulate Senator McCain. While their policies would take America in the wrong direction, Governor Palin will add an important new voice to the debate," Senator Clinton said in a statement.
