Gov. Sarah Palin of Alaska has been confirmed as McCain’s running mate. Republicans are standing by in Dayton, Ohio, along with reporters, as Palin is expected to join McCain on stage as his campaign officially confirms the selection of the 44-year-old. She will be the first female Vice Presidential nominee by the Republicans and the second by a major American political party.

According to CNN: “Palin made her name in part by backing tough ethical standards for politicians. During the first legislative session after her election, her administration passed a state ethics law overhaul.”

Palin’s experience outside of her state includes chairing the Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission, which is a group “that promotes the conservation and efficient recovery of domestic oil and natural gas resources while protecting health, safety and the environment,” according to her biography. She is also the chair of the National Governors Association’s Natural Resources Committee.

Born in Idaho, Palin has an 18 year-old son in the army who is slotted to go to Iraq September, and chose to give birth to a son with Down syndrome, saying “I’m looking at him right now, and I see perfection…Yeah, he has an extra chromosome. I keep thinking, in our world, what is normal and what is perfect?”

Palin is pro-life and belongs to the group Feminists for Life. She opposes same-sex marriage but has stated that she is concerned about discrimination against the homosexual community. Her first veto was used to, effectively, grant Alaska state benefits to same-sex couples, but she did support a constitutional ban on gay marriage. She is on record saying that marriage is only between a man and a woman.

She supports opening up ANWR and has often talked about energy policy, initiating a number of significant reforms in her state.

McCain called Palin “a tough executive who has demonstrated during her time in office that she is ready to be president.” He also released a statement saying “She leads a state that matters to every one of us – Alaska has significant energy resources and she has been a leader in the fight to make America energy independent.”

She is considered the nation’s most popular governor. This “hockey mom” was also declared to be” America’s Hottest Governor” by the magazine Alaska.

In the aftermath of Obama’s rousing acceptance speech, the next big question on everyone’s mind is who will be McCain’s Vice Presidential pick. A number of candidates who were thought to be high in the running have said that they are not McCain’s pick and the press has been crossing names off the top of the list one at a time. In the last hour a candidate has emerged unexpectedly. Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, who has been in her position since December 4, 2006, has been leaked as McCain’s choice of VP. The rumors were confirmed only minutes ago on CNN.

George Mason University students gathered in the Johnson Center Atrium on August 28 to watch the final evening of the Democratic National Convention. The night culminated in Senator Barack Obama’s acceptance of the Democratic Nomination for President.

Tim Kaine kicked off the night in Denver, CO followed by former Vice President Al Gore and his denunciation of the exhausted politics of the past. Gore likened both Obama’s legislative experience and his third way politics to those of his fellow Illinois forefather, Abraham Lincoln. His message: Obama is the future of American politics. Response amongst the youth to Obama’s message is proof that the bi-partisan divide will fall.

Following Al Gore’s speech, in the JC, Gerry Connolly, Chairman of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors and and Democratic contender for Congress, took the stage in support of Barack Obama’s presidential run. “What was improbable six months ago is on the horizon today,” said congressman Connolly. He called upon Mason students to support the Democratic ticket in Virginia: Barack Obama, Mark Warner, and Gerry Connolly. Connolly stressed the importance that the youth should be active in the change they want to see.

Back in Denver, Senator Joseph Biden followed Obama’s presidential endorsement by top military officials. Biden did not introduce the presidential nominee, but rather, introduced the everyday supporters of Obama. Biden claimed, “These are the people who will elect Mr. Obama…and when we are in the White House, we will make sure that their voices are always heard.”

Anticipation mounted for Obama’s appearance as “Power to the People!” blasted in the background and spotlights danced across Mile High Stadium like the halftime show at the Superbowl. Music, flag waving, dancing, and lip syncing ensued in Denver in the minutes before the Illinois Senator Dick Durbin took the stage.

Durbin spoke to Obama’s political integrity. “He built,” he said, “his political career from anonymity to the presidential nomination on his belief that we could live in a better nation.”

The JC atrium was sparsely populated at 8:30pm but by 10:00pm there wasn’t an empty seat to be found. Obama arrived on the Denver stage to overwhelming applause—applause so loud it delayed his speech. He was spurred on by Mason Democrats, sending him their support through cheers and whistles.

After thanking his wife, children and running mate, Obama quickly launched into an attack of Senator John McCain’s policies. “What does it say about your judgment when you think George Bush has been right over 90% of the time?” asked Obama of McCain. “We cannot afford a 10% chance of change.”

Obama launched into an attack of McCain’s promotion of stoic individualism and called it a policy of “on your own.” McCain might call Americans a nation of whiners but privatization under McCain, claimed Obama, would really result in the revocation of governmental responsibility for the basic necessities of its citizens. “Pull yourself up by your own bootstraps, even if you don’t have boots,” quipped Obama about McCain’s economic vision.

Obama asserted that he does not want to feed into the cynicism that people have about politics and admitted that he does not have the typical pedigree of a presidential candidate. But, he said, “what the naysayers have never understood is that this election is not about me, it is about YOU.”

“The government should help us, not hurt us…that is the promise of America. That is the change we can believe in.”

Photo by Christian Yingling

Mason Votes has completed their LiveBlog for Obama’s acceptance of the Democratic nomination! Check out the replay for comments.

Tonight, students are invited to watch history made live! Mason Votes is co-sponsoring a Democratic National Convention watch party where students can see Illinois Senator Barack Obama become the first African American in U.S. History to be nominated for president. The watch party begins at 8:30 p.m. and Obama’s acceptance speech is expected at 10 p.m.

Mason Votes will feature video responses to the speech and live blogging from Democratic and Republican students who will also participate in a Mason Votes podcasted interview. Everyone is invited to contribute to the live blog by joining in the discussion.

In an interesting twist, today is also the anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” speech. It will mark 45 years since a time it was unimaginable for an African American to safely vote for president let alone run for president.

The Republican National Convention watch party will be held next Thursday, September 4 where students can see Arizona Senator John McCain accept his party’s nomination. Masonvotes.gmu.edu will publish live coverage from that event as well.

Photo by Courtney Erland

Former Virginia Governor Mark Warner gave the Keynote speech last night at the Democratic National Convention in Denver but was overshadowed by New York Senator and former presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. “Nobody remembers that he spoke never mind he was the keynote speaker,” said Dennis Prager, a conservative talk show host in a post-convention Larry King Live republican response.

Clinton’s stirring speech has potentially laid to rest any question of her support for presumptive presidential nominee Barack Obama and united many of her supporters with the larger Democratic party. Republican pundits are not convinced, though, that she has given him her unfaltering support. “She never quite said that Barack Obama was ready to be President…the issue of leadership is still there” said Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison, (R) Texas on Larry King Live. But if Clinton was not successful in persuading viewers that she fully backs Obama, she was unequivocally successful at laying to rest any question of who she does not support. “No way, no how, no McCain!” might be the sound bite of her speech.

“This was a very strong speech” said  Kellyanne Conway, Republican strategist, to Larry King. “I think her speech was so good I think some supporters left there scratching their heads wondering why she is part of the team but not part of the ticket.”

The Democratic National Convention continues tomorrow and culminates with Obama’s Democratic presidential nomination acceptance speech on Thursday which will be televised live at a watch party in the Johnson Center Atrium starting at 8:30 p.m.

Mason Votes is the website for everything about the election. We’re here to be your one stop source for all election news and information. Want to register to vote? We can tell you how. Wish you knew some third-party candidates? We have an ever growing list! Want to find other people watching the latest debate? Check our calendar for all the information about election events on-campus.

Not only are we a news source, but we also want to bring in what you are interested in, what you are doing. Mason Learns is an entire section devoted to students and professors dealing with the election in their classrooms. We also look at student blogs and pull the latest things that you have to say about the election.

Don’t see your blog? Have an event to put on the calendar? Think we are missing a candidate? E-mail us at [email protected].

Mason Votes – Make it Count!

Mason Learns is the section of the blog in which we look at content being created by students and faculty about the national or local elections. This can include class blogs, university events, and group discussions. Are you working on a class project about the election? Are you a professor whose lesson plan is all about the elections? Well, this is the spot for you!

E-mail what you are doing to [email protected].