John McCain says he’s satisfied that Sarah Palin’s background was properly checked out before the Alaska governor became his VP choice. The republican presidential candidate speaking in Philadelphia this afternoon said “the vetting process was completely thorough.”

Questions about the review came up after word that Palin’s unmarried teenage daughter is pregnant, and that the Alaska governor has retained a private attorney to represent her in a state ethics probe.

Also, the Philadelphia Inquirer’s Dick Polman has done some truth-squad reporting on Palin’s claim that she opposed the “bridge to nowhere.” It was a bridge planned for Alaska that became the poster-child in 2006 for wasteful Congressional spending. Polman says she lied.  He says, the Alaska Governor initially supported it, and only later after it became a national joke did she kill the project.

Republicans will use their national convention tonight to remind folks there are other issues worth talking about. President Bush will address the convention by satellite from the White House in prime-time, to promote John McCain’s candidacy.

WHYY will provide live coverage at 8pm on channel 12 and 91FM.