Washington, Sept.2 (ANI): Up until midweek last week, some 48 to 72 hours before McCain introduced Sarah Palin at a Friday rally in Dayton, Ohio, he was still holding out the hope that he could name as his running mate a good friend, Senator Joseph I. Lieberman, independent of Connecticut, a Republican close to the campaign said.

McCain was also interested in another favorite, former Pennsylvania Governor Tom Ridge.

But both men favor abortion rights, anathema to the Christian conservatives who make up a crucial base of the Republican Party.

As word leaked out that McCain was seriously considering the men, the campaign was bombarded by outrage from influential conservatives who predicted an explosive floor fight at the convention and vowed rejection of Ridge or Lieberman by the delegates, reports The New York Times.

Perhaps more important advice that McCain received was that if he did not do something to shake up the race, his campaign would be stuck on a potentially losing trajectory.

With time running out, McCain discarded two safer choices, Gov. Tim Pawlenty of Minnesota and former Gov. Mitt Romney of Massachusetts, as too predictable, and turned to Palin.

He had his first face-to-face interview with her on Thursday and offered her the job moments later.

"They didn't seriously consider her until four or five days from the time she was picked, before she was asked, maybe the Thursday or Friday before. This was really kind of rushed at the end, because John didn't get what he wanted. He wanted to do Joe or Ridge," the paper quoted a Republican close to the campaign, as saying.

McCain's advisers, however, are repeatedly saying that Palin was "thoroughly vetted," a process that would have included a review of all financial and legal records as well as a criminal background check.

People familiar with the process said Palin had responded to a standard form with more than 70 questions.

Mark Salter, McCain's closest adviser, said in an e-mail message that Palin was interviewed by Arthur B. Culvahouse Jr., a veteran Washington lawyer in charge of the vice-presidential vetting process for McCain, as well as by other lawyers who worked for Culvahouse.

Palin expose puts heat on McCain campaign's VP vetting process

Washington, Sept.2 (ANI): The series of disclosures about Alaska Governor Sarah Palin in the wake of her being chosen as Senator John McCain's running mate, has put a question mark on the Republican campaign's vetting process.

Questions are now being asked as to how thoroughly did McCain examine Palin's background before putting her on the Republican presidential ticket.

According to the New York Times, Palin has been in the news for admitting that her 17-year-old unmarried daughter, Bristol, is five months pregnant, is being probed by a legislative ethics committee in Alaska on whether she abused her power in dismissing the state's public safety commissioner; that she was a member for two years in the 1990 of the Alaska Independence Party, which has at times sought a vote on whether the state should secede; and that her husband Tom Palin was arrested 22 years ago on a drunken-driving charge.

A Republican with ties to the campaign said the team assigned to vet Palin in Alaska had not arrived there until Thursday, a day before Mr. McCain stunned the political world with his vice-presidential choice.

Although the McCain campaign said McCain had known about Bristol Palin's pregnancy before he asked her mother to join him on the ticket and that he did not consider it disqualifying, top aides were vague on Monday about how and when he had learned of the pregnancy, and from whom.

While there was no sign that her formal nomination this week was in jeopardy, the questions swirling around Ms. Palin on the first day of the Republican National Convention.

Republicans are worried that Democrats would use the selection of Palin to question McCain's judgment and his ability to make crucial decisions.

At the least, Republicans close to the campaign said it was increasingly apparent that Palin had been selected as McCain's running mate with more haste than McCain advisers initially described. (ANI)