I'll be honest with you. I'd been giving consideration to third-party candidates. As a conservative with a renewed pledge to bear the legacy of America's Founders, I wasn't going to simply concede to the McCain ticket unless he made a credible (and what might be viewed as a radical) choice for vice president.

McCain is a good man, solid in character, and fully capable to lead our country into the future. But America also needs a fresh, reputable outsider who isn't afraid to confront Washington corruption, government gridlock or partisan paralysis. When I heard Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin was McCain's choice, I knew she was a woman whom Americans could support and trust. Sarah is tough, smart, competent, credible and confident enough to fight those even in her own party. I believe she even will help to keep McCain accountable and in check.

Gov. Palin comes from a small town with small-town values. Sarah was sworn in as Alaska's youngest and first female governor, in 2006. This mother of five was tired of seeing government running amuck and awry and stepped into public service to reform it. And she has a clear and long record of doing just that: bucking the status quo, cutting taxes and government waste, reducing big government, establishing ethics committees, pursuing alternative energy, and being pro-family and pro-life (as witnessed by her choice to cherish her baby with Down syndrome and to support her 17-year-old daughter keeping her baby and marrying the father).

The fact is far-left liberals don't know how to respond to strong, conservative female political leaders. They hail Hillary but try to impale Palin. But Sarah has sparred them many times before and has come out of the ring without a scratch. Sarah is so tough that she inspired a new tongue-in-cheek Web site (www.PalinFacts.com), which parallels the "Chuck Norris Facts" folklore Web site (www.ChuckNorrisFacts.com). It gives some mythical, yet complimentary "facts" about Sarah Palin's life, potential, character and career. Here are three of my favorites:

—Sarah Palin once carved a perfect likeness of the Mona Lisa in a block of ice using only her teeth.

—Sarah Palin doesn't need a gun to hunt, because she can throw a bullet through an adult bull elk.

—And my favorite: Sarah Palin is courageous and tough enough to shave Chuck Norris's beard — and face off against his third fist disguised as a chin.

All joking aside, one real fact about Gov. Palin is that both Sens. Barack Obama and Joe Biden are shaking in their boots over her candidacy and prospective appointment to the vice presidency. Obama talks about change, but McCain further lived out his commitment to reform with his choice of Palin to be his running mate. Obama chose government-as-usual Sen. Biden. McCain chose Washington outsider and corruption confronter Gov. Palin.

Obama and Biden not only know that Palin supersedes Biden's finesse and potential but also that (if called to the task) she's even more qualified and tenured in life and government to assume the presidency than Obama himself. As Pat Buchanan explained: "The lady has more executive experience than McCain, Joe Biden and Obama put together. None of them has ever started or run a business as Palin did. None of them has run a giant state like Alaska, which is larger than California and Texas put together." And I might add that none is better suited to serve as president of the Senate than "Vice President Palin," who would keep it more accountable to "us the people."

Forget the cheap talk about change; Gov. Palin is a proven reformer who can help us restore our country and rectify constitutional revisionism and apostasy. Sarah is small-town civil and Texas tough, with a Southern elegance and an urban savvy. If McCain is a maverick, then there's no doubt that Sarah is (if you will) the maverette! Even Oprah seems to be acknowledging the power in Sarah's prowess by refusing to have this hockey mom turned VP nominee on her talk show until "after the campaign is over" — though she's had Barack (and Michelle) Obama on twice.

Gov. Palin comes to civil service in the spirit of our Founding Mothers. She represents an early-American patriotic spirit that I believe lies sleeping among millions of Americans today and needs to be reawakened. She is the type of revolutionary who will help to wake up and revitalize America and about whom I write in my new book (available now at Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble), "Black Belt Patriotism": "Today, we see women incredibly active in every arena of society. They are often wearing multiple hats, as mother, homemaker, professional, spiritual leader, and community leader. Many serve God, family and country with the same fervor as those valiant female patriots of yesteryear. Women like Abigail Adams, Margaret Corbin, 'Molly Pitcher,' Catherine Ferguson, Dolly Madison, Mercy Warren, Martha Washington, and Betsy Ross."

Well done, Sen. McCain. You have rallied the conservative base and others who were still on the fence. You have thrown a political Hail Mary into the end zone of the District of Columbia and scored a touchdown.

So move over, Mr. Smith, because Mrs. Sarah is going to Washington. Give 'em hell, Sarah! Give 'em hell!

To find out more about Chuck Norris and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com.

COPYRIGHT 2008 CHUCK NORRIS

DISTRIBUTED BY CREATORS SYNDICATE INC.