John McCain has tapped little-known Alaska Governor Sarah Palin to be his running mate on the eve of the Republican National Convention.

In an announcement, the campaign said that Palin, who has been governor less than two years, "has the record of reform and bipartisanship that others can only speak of."

The campaign goes on to say: "Her experience in shaking up the status quo is exactly what is needed in Washington today."

McCain is introducing his running-mate at a rally in Ohio.

Palin is a self-styled hockey mom and political reformer.

She was chosen over several more prominent prospects including Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty, former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney and former Pennsylvania Governor Tom Ridge.

Palin's father said he's been left "speechless" by the announcement that his daughter is McCain's running mate.

Chuck and Sally Heath got a call from Palin's husband, Todd, Thursday as they were driving to a remote camp in Alaska to hunt caribou. Todd Palin told them to make sure they listen to the radio news because the camp is out of cell phone range.

When they couldn't reach the hunting camp because of a flooded creek, they headed home.

Early Friday morning, a friend called to tell them the buzz was that Palin was McCain's likely pick.

Heath said he tried various phone numbers, but couldn't reach his daughter.

The announcement has proven amusing to Heath. After dealing with constant phone calls, he said he'd "rather go moose hunting than be involved with politics."

Barack Obama's campaign is suggesting that Palin doesn't have the experience to be vice president.

In a written statement, a spokeswoman for Obama said McCain would "put the former mayor of a town of 9,000 with zero foreign policy experience a heartbeat away from the presidency."

The number-three Democrat in the House, Rahm Emanuel, points out that McCain turns 72 years old today -- and Emanuel also asks, "is this really the one-heartbeat-away he wants to put in the White House?"

But the selection is being welcomed by evangelicals and other social conservatives who've been skeptical of McCain. A conservative GOP strategist said, "Conservatives will be thrilled with this pick."

And the dean of Liberty University School of Law, Mathew Staver, calls it "an absolutely brilliant choice" that he says will "absolutely energize McCain's campaign and energize conservatives."