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Atlanta: The people of Alaska boast that they have the coldest state in the US and "the hottest governor".
In her younger days, Sarah Palin did come in second in the Miss Alaska beauty pageant but that's not the point.
Republican John McCain named her just one week ago as his surprise pick for the vice presidency.
This week, she was the star of the Republican National Convention and became the most talked-about person in America.
They are right in Alaska; she is a hot commodity, though the Republicans may yet get burned.
Most Americans have only started getting their first glimpse of Palin, but some of her appeal is obvious. She is a compelling public speaker: strong, sentimental and sarcastic.
And she buries every stereotype in the snow. She hunts moose and eats what she kills. She's a crusader against corruption who's taken on powerful (male) politicians and prevailed. Polls suggest she may be the most popular governor in the country.
Supermum?
She also manages the state while raising five children. (She gave birth to her youngest less than five months ago, reportedly returning to work with her newborn in tow just days later).
Why wouldn't America support a woman like that?
Her 17-year-old daughter's pregnancy notwithstanding, she doesn't want public schools to teach about birth control. But she would like them to discuss "Creationist" alternatives to the Theory of Evolution.
Palin opposes abortion in all cases, even to end a pregnancy that's the result of rape.
Lawmakers in Alaska have also launched an investigation into whether Palin misused her authority, trying to get her sister's estranged husband fired from his job as a police officer.
But opponents say Palin's biggest potential problem may be that her government experience consists only of being the mayor of a tiny remote town, and then the governor of a sparsely populated, remote state.
We'll see. Her appearance at the Republican convention last week was a complete, standing-ovation success.
John McCain has been eclipsed so far in this campaign by the excitement about two candidates he campaigned against: Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama.
Now he may be eclipsed for a time by the candidate he chose to run with: Sarah Palin of Alaska.
- Jonathan Mann is a reporter and anchor for CNN International
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