(AFP) – Aug 29, 2008

WASHINGTON (AFP) — John McCain's surprise choice of Alaska Governor Sarah Palin as his Republican White House running mate drew strong cheers Friday from conservative groups who had been suspicious of his moderate credentials.

The influential hardline-conservative radio pundit Rush Limbaugh, once a critic of McCain, called it "an inspired choice."

"McCain has made a brilliant move here. We do have a woman on the ticket but she is a Republican woman, it's not Hillary (Clinton), Sarah Palin does not have to wear pantsuits and her husband is not a crook," Limbaugh cheered.

Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council, a powerful lobby for social conservatives and abortion opponents whose members have also expressed doubts about McCain, called the little-known Palin an "outstanding pick."

"Governor Sarah Palin is an outspoken advocate for pro-family policies that energize social conservatives.

"She has a record of advancing the culture of life at every opportunity, including championing a ban on partial-birth abortion and promoting parental consent for minor abortions."

Perkins pointed to Palin's not having an abortion despite knowing that her son would be born earlier this year with Down's syndrome.

And he applauded Palin's steadfast stance against same-sex marriage.

Palin also earned cheers from President George W. Bush, who said he was excited by McCain's choice.

"By selecting a working mother with a track record of getting things done, Senator McCain has once again demonstrated his commitment to reforming Washington," Bush said in a statement after calling Palin to congratulate her.

Hillary Clinton, who was defeated by Barack Obama for the Democratic presidential nomination and then passed over for the VP slot to the dismay of many of her supporters, said she was "proud of Governor Sarah Palin's historic nomination."

"While their policies would take America in the wrong direction, Governor Palin will add an important new voice to the debate," Clinton said.

Geraldine Ferraro, the only other woman ever to join a major-party White House ticket, with Democratic presidential candidate Walter Mondale in 1984, called the choice an advance for women.

"I am really pleased to see that the McCain campaign has reached out to a woman," she said, adding she would have liked to see Clinton on the Democratic ticket as well.

But other Democrats and liberal groups, especially abortion rights groups, savaged McCain's decision.

Obama and his vice presidential running mate in the November 4 election Joe Biden offered McCain and Palin their congratulations, calling the choice "yet another encouraging sign that old barriers are falling in our politics."

But at the same time Obama campaign spokesman Bill Burton hit out at Palin's limited experience.

"Today, John McCain put the former mayor of a town of 9,000 with zero foreign policy experience a heartbeat away from the presidency. Governor Palin shares John McCain's commitment to overturning Roe v. Wade (the Supreme Court's abortion rights ruling), the agenda of Big Oil and continuing George Bush's failed economic policies," Burton said.

Kim Gandy of the National Organization for Women called McCain's choosing Palin "a cynical effort to appeal to disappointed Hillary Clinton voters and get them to vote, ultimately, against their own self-interest."

"Governor Palin may be the second woman vice-presidential candidate on a major party ticket, but she is not the right woman. Sadly, she is a woman who opposes women's rights, just like John McCain," Gandy said in a statement.

And abortion rights lobby NARAL Pro-Choice America warned that Palin would press to end abortion rights in the United States.

"By picking Palin, we now risk having two anti-choice extremists who will push a rigid anti-choice agenda," NARAL president Nancy Keenan said.

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