John McCain and Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin are perfect running mates for presidential race

John McCain added to the historic nature of the 2008 presidential race Friday by picking Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as his running mate, according to reports only the second woman ever to appear on a major-party presidential ticket. Palin, 44, beat out a host of better-known candidates for the nod, including Gov. Tim Pawlenty of Minnesota, former Gov. Mitt Romney of Massachusetts, Homeland Security secratary Tom Ridge (also the former governor of Pennsylvania), and Sen. Joe Lieberman of Connecticut. Running on a ticket promising heavy reform, Palin won election to the governor's mansion in Alaska in 2006 after she unexpectedly beat then-Gov. Frank Murkowski in the Republican gubernatorial primary. The only other woman to feature on a major-party presidential ticket was Geraldine Ferraro, who was Democrat Walter Mondale's running mate in 1984. Palin was expected to appear with McCain at a rally in Ohio on Friday afternoon.