US President George W Bush on Friday applauded John McCain's "exciting decision" of picking Alaska Governor Sarah Palin as his running mate, and described her as "a working mother with a track record of getting things done". ( dpa )
"Governor Palin is a proven reformer who is a wise steward of taxpayer dollars and champion for accountability in government," Bush said in a statement, adding that her "success is due to her dedication to principle and her roll-up-your-sleeves work ethic, and serves as a wonderful example of the spirit of America."
Republican presidential hopeful McCain's announcement at a rally in Dayton, Ohio came ahead of the party's convention, which begins Monday in St Paul, Minnesota.
Bush is one of the key speakers Monday who will address the theme "Country First: Service," aimed at highlighting McCain's record as a US Navy fighter pilot who was shot down in 1967 over North Vietnam and spent five and a half years as a prisoner of war.