John McCain announced Friday that he had chosen Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin to be his running mate (video below). Palin has served Alaska’s governor for two years, and is the Republican Party’s first female candidate for vice president.

The New York Times is reporting that, “[John McCain's] campaign has been trying to attract women, especially disaffected supporters of Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton.”

In choosing Palin, McCain surprised many, with the discussion for weeks surrounding former Mass. Gov. Mitt Romney and former Pa. Gov. Tom Ridge.

Longtime Democratic political consultant Larry Ceisler said picking Palin, “does not help [John McCain] one bit in Pennsylvania.” However pollster G. Terry Madonna said that Palin could help McCain court women in Philadelphia suburbs.

McCain announcement comes on his 72nd birthday, and a day after Barack Obama’s speech at the Democratic National Convention. McCain is attempting to take back the news coverage that has been dominated by the Democrats, and given Obama a convention bump. Gallup is reporting that Obama is now leading McCain nationally by eight points - 49 to 41 percent.

Photo Media Credit: Akira Suwa - Philadelphia Inquirer/MCT

The Obama campaign sent a press release this morning saying that Sen. Barack Obama and running mate Sen. Joe Biden would visit Pennsylvania after the DNC.

The full release:

*** MEDIA ADVISORY***

OBAMA/BIDEN CAMPAIGN ANNOUNCES “ON THE ROAD TO CHANGE” BATTLEGROUND
STATE BUS TOUR

Tour Through PA, OH, and MI will be First Joint Bus Tour For Democratic
Nominees

Chicago, IL - Today, the Obama campaign announced that United States
Senators Barack Obama and Joe Biden will kick off a battleground state
tour dubbed “On the Road to Change” following the Democratic National
Convention. Senator Obama, Senator Joe Biden, Michelle Obama and Dr.
Jill Biden will depart Denver Friday for Pennsylvania, the first stop on
the bus tour. The “On the Road to Change” tour will make stops in
Pennsylvania, Ohio and Michigan, and will mark Obama and Biden’s first
campaign tour as the Democratic nominees.  Obama and Biden will meet
with voters to discuss America’s economic challenges and the Obama/Biden
blueprint for change.

Additional details will be announced as soon as they become available.

###

A federal judge has denied a Montgomery County lawyer’s attempt to prevent Barack Obama from becoming the Democratic nominee, according to The Philadelphia Daily News and wire reports.

Philip J. Berg, a former PA Deputy Attorney General and Hillary Clinton supporter, filed a temporary restraining order claiming that Obama was not born in the United States and is therefore ineligible to run for President.

Berg runs a web site called ObamaCrimes.com.

On the site Berg lists the following claims against Obama:

1. Is not a natural-born citizen; and/or
2. Lost his citizenship when he was adopted in Indonesia; and/or
3. Has dual loyalties because of his citizenship with Kenya and Indonesia.

Click here to read Berg’s memo of support for the restraining order

Senator John McCain was asked Aug 20 how many houses he and his wife Cindy own …”I think, uh, I’ll have my staff get to you” McCain replied to a reporter from Politico.com.  It didn’t take long for Senator Barack Obama to use the comment to paint McCain as “living an outlandishly rich lifestyle” Politico.com said.

BarackObama.com posted an ad saying McCain has seven houses and then quipped “there is one house American can’t afford to let John McCain move in to,” while showing a photo of the White House. (see ad below)

The NYTimes ran a piece about Cindy McCain’s business and family wealth.

So what? What do you readers think? Does the wealth of a candidate mean anything when you go to the polls?

Obama running mate Senator Joe Biden is being touted as speaking “our” language — Agree or disagree?

Tell us!

The Politico.com interview with McCain

The Obama ad: