Iowa Congressman Steve King, a Republican from Kiron is visiting Iraq, but commented today on John McCain’s selection of Alaska governor Sarah Palin as his Vice President runningmate. King, who represents western Iowa, says Palin will help quell the concerns of conservatives over McCain.
“I think it’s just bound to bring the social conservatives together, noone is going to question her pro-life credentials. She’s lived them, she’s demonstrated them and noone in the pro-life community is going to question where Sarah Palin stands on that,’ King says, “so I think that this is a good pick. The generational gap has been bridged. She’s younger than Obama for starters, and she has executive experience, she’s more experienced than Obama is.”
King says he anxious to see more of Palin. He says it will be interesting to see how Pailin handles herself on the campaign trail. King says some of her credentials are impressive and he also likes that Palin is for drilling for oil in the artic refuge in Alaska, which King favors. “I’m happy with the pick, I don’t have any reservations about endorsing the pick McCain has made,” King says. King says he has seen people in western Iowa slowly moving toward McCain in the last few weeks.
Iowa Republican Senator Chuck Grassley says Palin will compliment McCain’s image as a maverick. “When I get credit for going up against party a lot, I think she deserves even more credit,” Grassley said of Palin. “She stood for principle over party and has record breaking support in her state because of her independence. It’s a situation where the more you learn, the more you like and respect her.”
Critics of McCain’s selection site Palin’s lack of experience. Grassley isn’t buying that argument. “She’s got more executive experience than what Barack Obama’s got,” Grassley said.