Harvey M. Tettlebaum, an attorney, native of St. Louis and former member of the staff of John Danforth when he was Missouri attorney general, is pleased with the Republican ticket of Senator John McCain of Arizona and Alaska Governor Sarah Palin. Tettlebaum, who runs the Jefferson City office of the law firm of Husch Blackwell Sanders, was one of the 57 elected delegates of the Missouri delegation to the Republican National Convention last week in St. Paul, Minn. He was interviewed by telephone by the St. Louis Jewish Light while he was still attending the convention.

Tettlebaum told the Jewish Light that he is “very pleased with the fact that Senator McCain is our presidential nominee, and with his choice of Alaska Governor Sarah Palin as his running mate.” He added that he did not feel that the swirl of news stories regarding Palin’s daughter’s pregnancy “will in any way diminish the strong enthusiasm over her selection that pervades the entire Missouri delegation to the convention.”

Tettlebaum said that he believed “Senator McCain is a good choice for all Americans in general and for Jewish voters concerned with the security of the State of Israel and continued U.S. support of our partnership with Israel. In general, Senator McCain has proved over and over again that he can reach across the aisle on behalf of getting things done. He was part of the group of 14 senators from both parties who reached the compromise on judicial appointments that made possible the votes for judicial nominees sent up by President Bush. He also co-sponsored election reforms and immigration reforms with members of the Democratic Party.”

Tettelbaum said that McCain “has a pro-Israel record that is without blemish. He is and always has been an unqualified friend of the State of Israel who is committed to maintaining its security against threats in the Middle East.”

Tettlebaum said he “really did not get into speculation on the vice presidential running mate choices before Senator McCain announced that he had selected Palin. “Her appointment has really energized the Missouri delegation, and the response from all segments of the party has been enthusiastic across the board. Like Senator McCain, Governor Palin has proved that she is truly committed to governmental reform. She took on powerful members of her own party, and she also showed that she can stand up to powerful oil companies in her own state. The Democrats had an opportunity to put a strong woman on their ticket, but did not do so, showing that Republicans ‘walk the walk’ as well as ‘talking the talk’ on empowering women.”

“All-in-all, the Republican Party will emerge from its convention more united and energized to face the general election with enthusiasm for the ticket and for how the convention handled the issue of Hurricane Gustav while completing its necessary business,” Tettlebaum said.