SHOCKER! Alaska Governor Sarah Palin is John McCain's VP Pick

Senator John McCain has chosen Gov. Sarah Palin of Alaska as his running mate today, shaking up the political world with a surprise pick at a time when his campaign has been trying to attract women, especially disaffected supporters of Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, reports the New York Times.

In choosing Ms. Palin — a 44-year-old conservative Christian and self-described “hockey mom” who has been governor for less than two years — the McCain campaign reached far outside the Beltway in an election where the Democratic nominee, Senator Barack Obama, is running on a platform of change.

The choice of Palin was a closely guarded secret. Much of the public discussion in recent days had focused on Mitt Romney, Tim Pawlenty; Tom Ridge, and Senator Joseph I. Lieberman.

Who is Sarah Louise Palin?

Sarah Louise Palin was born February 11, 1964 and is the current Governor of Alaska. She is the Republican vice presidential candidate for the November 2008 election.

Brought to statewide attention because of her whistleblowing on ethical violations by state Republican Party leaders, she won election in 2006 by first defeating the incumbent governor in the Republican primary, then a former Democratic Alaskan governor in the general election.

Palin is the second female major party nominee for Vice President and the first Republican (the first was Democrat Geraldine Ferraro in 1984.