"Everything changed on August 29 in politics in Alaska," Sarah Palin told NBC’s Andrea Mitchell this week. The reference was to the day last year when John McCain announced that Palin, a 44-year-old mother of five who became Alaska’s governor only in December 2006, would be his presidential running mate. (CNN) — “Everything changed on August 29 in politics in Alaska,” Sarah Palin told NBC’s Andrea Mitchell this week.