Four years ago today at 12:26 EDT, "the world shook, the world trembled," as John McCain made history by introducing the first Republican woman to run for Vice President. While Republicans generally - and rightfully so - shun identity politics, the announcement was the smashing of hard and thick glass ceiling. You can see it in the shock and joy of a woman in the stands as John McCain said, "mother..." That one word - "mother" - is what told the world this was no ordinary ticket. The game had changed forever.

Unknown except to her own circle and some of the conservative cognoscente, former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin's announcement made her an immediate international household name. During her speech and for at least an hour thereafter, the entire Internet was inaccessible in many locations as the world surfed to the City of Wasilla website and to the Alaska Governor's Website to learn everything they could about her. Yes, even the Internet succumbed to Gov. Palin's sonic booms which rumbled around the entire planet. The world learned and was fascinated that this woman was no stranger to doing things that were heretofore considered for "men only." She was one of the first women to be a professional sportscaster. She took on jobs that men twice her size could not do. She hauled in thousands of pounds of salmon with a freshly broken hand. In politics, she took on the establishments of both parties - and big oil - and won.

Gov. Palin divided our calendars and changed our lives from the moment her name was uttered that summer afternoon. You can read my story, but mine is only one of millions. The NY Post's headline the following day was only one word, but the one word which captured the extraordinary nature of the announcement.

Those who heard Gov. Palin heard Ronald Reagan's successor - in a woman's body. None other than Michael Reagan would say so following Gov. Palin's convention speech on September 3, 2008. Virtually all Palinistas interpreted Gov. Palin's carrying of his torch as being the 2008 ticket winning - and when that did not work out - Palin 2012. Though she did not run, Gov. Palin carries Reagan's torch by executing a wish he made some 37 years ago. In 1975, the former President - at the time former governor Reagan - said, "Let's have a new first party - a Republican Party - raising a banner of bold colors - no pale pastels - a banner instantly recognizable as standing for certain values which will not be compromised." By her 2010 endorsements and now her 2012 endorsements, Gov. Palin is building that new first party with or without its existing establishment. Her endorsed candidates are raising that banner of bold colors.

In this RNC video made in 2008, the narrator said at 3:28, "Sarah Palin may not be 6 feet tall, but she is a self-made giant in making government work for us." In 2010, Gov. Palin endorsed 81 candidates with an overall endorsement success rate of 68%. Her success rate on a special subset, "Take Back the 20" was 90%, since 18 out of her 20 endorsements went on to win their elections. Gov. Palin has endorsed 14 candidates in 2012 thus far with nine primary elections held. You can see her most current success rate in the Master List of Governor Palin’s 2012 Accomplishments. She held 100% for the first six candidates she had endorsed, a record probably never achieved by anyone from either party. All her candidates were chosen specifically to make government work for us. Gov. Palin four years later is even more of a self-made giant in making government work for us.

At 3:45 in the video, the narrator concluded, "when Alaska's maverick joined America's maverick, the world shook; the world trembled, and the world will soon be a better place." Though Gov. Palin's ticket did not win, the world has become a better place since she rose to national prominence. She leveraged Facebook and Twitter to bring the health care debate, quantitative easing, energy independence, and economic policy issues to the fore. Gov. Palin touched lives outside of politics too. She conducted humanitarian missions in cholera- and earthquake-wracked Haiti and in Alabama following devastating tornadoes. She has raised over $120,000 for wounded soldiers, walked for autism, and the March of Dimes, among others. During her final seven months as Governor, Sarah Palin coordinated and led an airlift to distressed villages in remote western Alaska, sacrificing the political primping and priming, champagne and caviar of the 2009 CPAC conference. The little children to whom she personally distributed supplies were far more important than the Washington DC elites. In these and many more ways, Gov. Palin made the world a better place.

For those Palinistas whose journey began four years ago today, we are no longer rookies and are now veterans in this business. That does not mean the learning stops - quite the contrary - but more is expected of us as veterans. Being a veteran in anything can sometimes lead to being jaded. But, wherever Gov. Palin leads - even when the waters are uncharted and no matter how much time has passed - the magic of this day forever lives in each of us.

Ed. Note: This Money Bomb is a grassroots effort to ensure SarahPAC has the funds it needs to help elect more common-sense Bold Colors Reagan-Palin conservatives in 2012, including candidates in critical state races, special elections, and run-offs. SarahPAC has neither reviewed nor authorized this US for Palin Money Bomb.

Today at 1226 / 12:26 PM EDT, will be four years that former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin made history when she was introduced in Dayton Ohio as John McCain's Vice Presidential running mate. It is Gov. Palin's 24th Wedding Anniversary. August 26 was 93 years that the 19th Amendment was ratified giving women the right to vote. What more fitting way to celebrate than by donating to SarahPAC and helping Gov. Palin rebuild the Republican Party with Bold Colors conservatives?

Do you support Former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin? Donate to SarahPAC.

Do you look to Gov. Palin for leadership and inspiration? Donate to SarahPAC.

Are you ready to revive, renew, and restore Reagan Conservatism and rebuild the Republican Party with candidates who will “raise a banner of Bold Colors – no Pale Pastels – a banner instantly recognizable as standing for values which will not be compromised?”* Donate to SarahPAC.

Are you ready to join Gov. Palin – Our Sarah and make a difference without a title? Donate to SarahPAC.

Are you fed up with crony capitalism, power broking, earmarks, Congressional insider trading, backroom deals, reg negs, favoritism, patronage and the same tired old song from the same old career politicians? Stop financing and supporting them! Donate to SarahPAC.

Do you like Gov. Palin’s success rate on candidate endorsements for 2012**? Don’t just thank and congratulate Gov. Palin for her success. Donate to SarahPAC.

Want to see your money yield 99, 900% ROI in real world positive political results?

Donate to SarahPAC.

Don’t blow your money on yet another “I ♥ Sarah” tee shirt. Show her you mean it. Donate to SarahPAC.

The time is now.

Today is a day we can really have fun with symbolic numbers:

$24 for the Wedding Anniversary.

$29 for August 29th

$93 for Women's Suffrage.

$100 - you can't go wrong with a good old fashioned C-Note.

$125 for both the Wedding Anniversary and Women's Suffrage.

Click the graphic to donate

Went to kick it up old school and send a check or money order?

Make the instrument payable to: “SarahPAC.”

Mail checks to:

SarahPAC
P.O. Box 7711
Arlington, VA 22207

Please include your complete name, address, occupation and name of your employer information. Federal Election laws require best effort collection of this information. Donations over $200 in any reporting period are disclosed to the FEC in accordance with federal laws. Donations must originate from personal funds, and be made by US citizens or permanent residents. SarahPAC can accept up to $5,000 annually from individuals.

*Quoted material: President Ronald Reagan at 1975 Young Americans for Freedom (YAF) conference.

**2012 Endorsements Success Rate: You can see Gov. Palin's most current success rate in the Master List of Governor Palin’s 2012 Accomplishments.

This day 24 years ago, Todd Palin married his high school sweetheart, young Sarah Heath. Their 24-year union has brought five children and two grandchildren, and has provided those who are willing to watch and learn with a model of how marriages should work. The Palins' marriage is founded on respect, love, team work, and support, as is the marriage of the Heaths. In an era where appliance warranties often outlast the marriage, the Palins offer a rare positive role model to look up to and emulate.

Not too well known, but two days before their marriage, another woman - the sea - almost killed Todd Palin. This was likely the impetus that drove them to expedite their marriage.

The staff of US for Palin wish the Palins many more years of happiness and fulfillment.

Todd Palin arrived to the landing zone in the back of a pickup truck. His teammates were assigned to take out the first set of land mines and a power transformer, at which point he swung into action. Palin tossed a smoke grenade to provide cover as his squad ran to a desert patrol vehicle that was delivered by helicopter sling load. Palin and his teammates undid the cables, then drove the vehicle to the next objective. A Humvee - to which a Browning M2 .50 caliber machine gun was mounted - accompanied the desert patrol vehicle. Upon arrival Palin took out the next four targets using a Beretta M9 9mm Parabellum pistol, to cheers of "holy cow!" from the next squad observing in the surveillance tent. His special op, J.W. Cortes took out the remaining targets with his SCAR 16. Palin then got atop the Humvee and took out two bunkers with the M2. The squad then abandoned both vehicles and ran toward the helicopter to extract them to safety.

Contestant Picabo Street said, "if I have to go against Todd in a shootout, it's going to suck! He rises to the intensity and the more intense it gets, the more stealthy he gets." But, Street was spared Palin's stealthiness and marksmanship skills. Laila Ali and Nick Lachey went to the elimination round, resulting in Ali being sent home. Palin's squad went on to earn their their third stripe worth $10,000 for Armed Services YMCA Alaska.

The sequence featuring Palin begins at 18:33 and ends at 24:22. Street's statement about facing Palin in an elimination round starts at 31:45 and ends at 31:54.

Todd Palin racks the slide on his M9 in training.

Todd Palin fires his M9 in training.

Close-up from the left: Todd Palin fires his M9 in training.

From the left: Todd Palin fires his M9 in training.

Todd Palin POV camera from the pickup truck bed on the way to the drop zone.

Pickup truck arrives to the drop zone...

Todd Palin throws the smoke grenade, providing cover....

...As the helicopter delivers the desert patrol vehicle...

The squad runs to the desert patrol vehicle....

...and releases the cables.

Todd Palin slaps a magazine in his M9....

Todd Palin takes out the first target....

...the second....

...the third...

...and the fourth...

Todd Palin locks and loads the M2....

...shoots at the first bunker....

Todd Palin eliminates his target....

...which goes up in a column of smoke...

Todd Palin fires the M2 at his second and final bunker....

Target eliminated.

The squad runs to a clearing so the helicopter can extract them....

Mission Accomplished.

Browning M2 .50 Caliber Heavy Machine Gun ("Ma Deuce")

Invented by John Moses Browning, who is also known for the M1911, Browning Hi-Power, and BAR, the M2 is a crew-operated .50 BMG recoil-operated, belt-fed heavy machine gun. Its cyclic rate is approximately 550 rounds per minute. It weighs 84 pounds and the M3 tripod adds another 44 pounds. The M2 has served through both World Wars, Korea, VietNam, the Gulf War and Desert Storm. It can be mounted to aircraft, trucks and the M-1 Abrams tank.

Being a machine gun, the M2 is regulated under the National Firearms Act of 1934. Civilians can legally own it or any other fully automatic weapon if they submit to an extensive background check; pay a transfer tax to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; and their home state or municipality has not banned full-autos. The M2's weight, cost to acquire and cost to shoot are prohibitive to all but the wealthiest of collectors, but one always makes an appearance at well-known machine gun shoots nationwide.

Defense Industry Daily provides more information on "Ma Deuce."

Beretta M9/M92 9mm Pistol

The Beretta M9 replaced the M1911 over 25 years ago, a move that was controversial at the time - and still is in many circles. The M9 fires 9mm Parabellum and the M1911 which had served our soldiers for 75 years is chambered in the more powerful .45 ACP. The M9 holds 15 rounds in its magazine compared to the M1911's seven. Today, Para-Ordnance makes a 14-round M1911. It is 1/8" wider in the butt. The M1911 is made in the USA by Colt, Springfield Armory, Kimber, and others. Beretta is from Italy, so many at the time objected to our sourcing our weapons to foreign manufacturers. The 9mm was chosen to comply with NATO standards.

Like most 9mm pistols, the M9 is double-action on the first shot, single on subsequent shots. This results in a heavy trigger pull on the first shot; something Todd Palin and all the other celebrity contestants had an issue with. Todd is used to long guns and does not work with pistols much, however, he learned fast and became deadly with the M9 in no time. The M1911 in contrast is single action with thumb and grip safeties, but there are safety issues with cocked and locked carry and handling. Many shooters have actually discharged it trying to slowly drop the hammer so that the pistol has a round in the chamber, but is not cocked. This is another reason why pistols such as the M9 found favor among the military and some law enforcement agencies. Still, despite the heavier recoil, the M1911 with its light trigger pull and 110-degree angle between butt and slide is ergonomically perfect and makes it easier to master.

FN Herstal SCAR 16

The SCAR was the assault rifle of choice for this mission and was featured in Todd Palin's first mission.