In September, John McCain chose Governor Sarah Palin as his running mate, marking his candidacy with the first possible female Vice President. She was a socially conservative Christian, and her proven opposition to abortion energized the Republican base and helped make in-roads on the female vote. McCain took the lead after the Republican National Convention, baffling Democrats who felt that tying him to Bush sealed any GOP chances. John McCain's campaign quickly suffered from news of a national economic crisis, which rapidly was cast as the fault of George W. Bush and the Republican Party. McCain's support for the free market was very unattractive at the time, as many middle class families wanted a promising message of economic intervention and stimulus initiatives. | In September, John McCain chose Governor Sarah Palin as his running mate, marking his candidacy with the first possible female Vice President. She was a socially conservative Christian, and her proven opposition to abortion energized the Republican base and helped make in-roads on the female vote. McCain took the lead after the Republican National Convention, baffling Democrats who felt that tying him to Bush sealed any GOP chances. John McCain's campaign quickly suffered from news of a national economic crisis, which rapidly was cast as the fault of George W. Bush and the Republican Party. McCain's support for the free market was very unattractive at the time, as many middle class families wanted a promising message of economic intervention and stimulus initiatives. |