Anchorage Daily News

Hundreds of McCain-Palin supporters turned out for a downtown rally Saturday afternoon and were treated to a pair of surprise visitors -- Todd Palin and 7-year-old daughter Piper, fresh off the campaign trail.

The pair have become national celebrities right along with Todd's wife, Sarah Palin, who is Alaska's governor and John McCain's vice presidential running mate.

Campaign volunteers shot off showers of red and white streamers as father and daughter took the stage in the new Dena'ina Civic and Convention Center.

Todd told the crowd of roughly 300, who didn't nearly fill the cavernous meeting hall, that he'd just flown in from Denver. And that he thought his wife won Thursday's debate with Democratic vice presidential candidate Joe Biden.

"Sarah did awesome," he said, speaking for only a couple of minutes.

"It's been a crazy month," he added, and moments later he and Piper stepped down among friends to shake hands and pose for pictures.

Organizers billed it as an impromptu rally to celebrate "the success of Thursday night's debate."

Campaign spokesmen said Gov. Palin was campaigning in California on Saturday as her husband and daughter made the trip home.

The governor did, however, call from the road to talk for a few minutes with the crowd.

Todd and Piper weren't the only Palins to make a live appearance Saturday. Todd's parents, Jim and Faye Palin, also attended the rally, as did Sarah's mom and dad, Chuck and Sally Heath.

Chuck Heath said he'd been making campaign stops himself in cities such as Dallas and St. Louis, where the debate was held.

Heath told the crowd he tries never to give his daughter advice. "She doesn't want advice from me," he said, drawing laughs. But he said he has offered her this counsel: "Be yourself."

"Sarah just needs to get out and sell herself to the nation," Heath said.

The Saturday rally had plenty of competition downtown as Alaska supporters of Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama held a rally and voter registration drive on the chilly Delaney Park Strip nearby.

Hundreds of Obama fans crowded sidewalks and waved signs as cars streamed by.

Local attorneys Christi Pavia and Shaun Sehl were among those attending the McCain-Palin rally.

Pavia said she thought Palin won the debate "hands down" and said she feels good about her chances of becoming vice president despite some polls suggesting McCain is trailing Obama.

"She's got great values, great integrity," Pavia said of Palin, citing the governor's tilts with the oil industry. "I don't want to say she's a pit bull -- I'd say tenacious."

The rally featured lots of local Republican luminaries including Lt. Gov. Sean Parnell, former Lt. Gov. Loren Leman and Alaska Republican Party chief Randy Ruedrich.

The high school jazz band from Anchorage Christian Schools played oldies, and campaign workers sold buttons at the back of the hall, including one that said, "The hottest VP from the coolest state."

Most of the buzz, however, was around surprise visitors Todd and Piper, who never stopped beaming.

Find Wesley Loy online at adn.com/contact/wloy or call 257-4590.

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