McCain's VP Pick: Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin

Sen. John McCain (R., Ariz.) may turn 72 today, but the old dog still has a few tricks up his sleeve. He shocked many pundits Friday by naming Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as his running mate, introducing her to the public at a press conference in Dayton, Ohio.

Palin becomes only the second female vice-presidential candidate in U.S. history, following in the footsteps of former Democratic Rep. Geraldine Ferraro of New York. Palin is 44 years old.

McCain's bold move could prove a game-changer in several ways. The surprise selection could ignite a media firestorm and overshadow the well-received acceptance speech Sen. Barack Obama (D., Ill.) delivered just last night. McCain also has worked to attract women dissatisfied with the loss of Sen. Hillary Clinton (D., NY) in the Democratic primaries. Palin has a reputation as an outsider and a government reformer, qualities that could help differentiate McCain from President Bush.

In recent days, the media and many insiders had determined former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney or Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty would be McCain's running mate. Both had been constant surrogates for McCain in the media, and Romney had helped McCain with his struggling fundraising.

While Palin comes as a surpise, she's no stranger to Republicans. She has a strong conservative resume: she's a devout Christian and takes a stand against abortion. She is a lifetime member of the National Rifle Association and a proponent of small government.

Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin

On a personal note, Palin married her high school sweetheart, Todd. She attended college at the University of Idaho and majored in journalism. She is the mother of five children. Her oldest son, Track, joined the army and will be deployed to Iraq in September. Her youngest son, Trig, was born with Down syndrome. She has three daughters: Bristol, Willow and Piper.