McCain Stands By Vetting Process

PHILADELPHIA — With a steady stream of info on Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin — including a torrent from TWI’s own Laura McGann, now on the scene in Alaska — emerging since Sen. John McCain chose her as his running mate, many are questioning just how intensively Palin was vetted by the McCain campaign.

Arthur B. Culvahouse, McCain’s vetter-in-chief, told The Associated Press‘ Liz Sidoti the process was painstaking. But The New York Times reported today that a Republican souce said the McCain campaign’s Palin-vetting team didn’t even arrive in Alaska until Thursday, just one day before McCain announced Palin as his running mate.

During a photo-op at a fire station here this morning, McCain took the extreme measure of answering a question from the press to defend his campaign’s vetting efforts:

This just in – Laura McGann reports NOBODY requested records about Palin’s stint as the mayor of Wasilla, Alaska from the city clerk, the person responsible for maintaining those records! A completely thorough vetting process indeed.