McCain held an event with Alaska governor Sarah Palin, revealing her as his vice presidential running mate on August 29, 2008, a date which coincided both with McCain's 72nd birthday and the Palins' 20th wedding anniversary,[1][2] at the Ervin J. Nutter Center in Dayton, Ohio, the day after Barack Obama's acceptance speech.

Had McCain won in 2008, he would have (on January 20, 2009) been the oldest person to assume the Presidency in U.S. history at initial ascension to office, being 72 years old.

[5] McCain initially wished to choose Lieberman, his close friend and the 2000 Democratic vice presidential nominee, as his running mate; however, Lieberman's liberal record (voting with Democrats 86.9% of the time in the 110th Congress)[6] and pro-choice stance led McCain's aides to veto the choice.

After his selection by Republican primary voters as presumptive presidential nominee, news sources and political pundits began to speculate on whom McCain would or should choose, based on the candidates' ability to enhance the Republican ticket, personality (ability to work well with McCain), and preparedness for assuming the office of the presidency.

[8] Over two dozen names had been offered as viable potential running mates by The Kansas City Star,[9] The Salt Lake Tribune,[10] The New York Sun,[11] The Indianapolis Star,[12] the St. Louis Post-Dispatch,[13] The Times of India,[14] and The Globe and Mail.