Sep 2, 2008 5:09 pm US/Central
Ill. Republicans Stand Behind Beleaguered Palin
ST. PAUL (CBS) ―
Sen. John McCain's choice for vice president is still the talk of the Republican National Convention. Many McCain supporters are big fans of Sarah Palin, despite a series of revelations about her family life that includes news that her unmarried teenage daughter is pregnant.
CBS 2 Political Editor Mike Flannery reports Evanston's Stephanie Hitt and Mundelein's Kathy Salvi are family values Republicans and despite a series of startling revelations about Alaska Gov. Palin, the women remain big fans of the vice presidential pick.
"She's faced diversity well," Hitt said. "And I think that every family who involves themselves in public service, and I know as a mother of six, everything is a family affair, that you pull together as a husband and wife, support your children… family first."
"She's a tough woman. She takes issues head-on," Salvi said. "And she's not afraid to handle the tough issues."
Some of the Illinois delegation's top men, including former Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert, feel the same way.
"The fact is, you look at Sarah Palin and then you look at Barack Obama and you look at Joe Biden and look at John McCain, Sarah Palin's the only one who's been an executive, she's actually run a government. She's done it," Hastert said.
"She has executive experience and I think she's refreshing," said Bob Schillerstrom, chairman of the DuPage County Board. "She brings something to the ticket that is needed… I think she's a great pick."
"We're all human, we all face challenges and adversity, and it's really how you handle those challenges and adversity, the kind of person that you are that ultimately is what's at stake and what matters," Salvi said.
It is unclear still when we will next see and hear from Palin publicly. Tradition calls for her to speak Wednesday night after she is officially announced as the vice presidential nominee, but there is some talk of her speaking Thursday, the same night as McCain.
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