In a sweep through the swing states of Michigan and Wisconsin, Mr McCain was met by the kind of near-hysterical crowds previously seen only at campaign events for his Democratic rival, Barack Obama.
More than 6,000 exultant supporters turned out on Friday night in Sterling Heights, a town in Michigan's Macomb County, home of the Reagan-Democrats, the small town blue collar voters who propelled Ronald Reagan to the White House in the 1980s and hold the key to victory this year.
Where he once played to a few hundred people, Mr McCain was greeted by an electrified crowd chanting "Sa-rah, Sa-rah!", "John Mc-Cain, John Mc-Cain!" and "U-S-A!"
Mrs Palin immediately spelt out how the McCain campaign will take on Obama Barack in the final 60 days before November's election, targeting patriotic voters unconvinced by the Democratic candidate's national security and economic credentials.
"We went right from the convention to small town USA," she said. "It's true that they grow good people, people who are working hard for America.
You love your country in good times and bad and you're always proud to be Americans."
Can Palin bring the crossover vote? The talking heads think not. They were wrong about her before, they are still wrong about her. It's not a bad thing to be underestimated.
It had been assumed by many commentators that Mrs Palin could not win over those supporters of Mrs Clinton with whom she differs on abortion. But women waving "Democrats for McCain" posters were highly visible.
Barbara Fee, 50, another Democrat for McCain who works for a car supplier, said: "I just don't like Obama. I believe that his ideas are socialist. I love Sarah Palin. I like what she's done and how she's done it. She's got spunk."
Janet Smith, 41, a special education teacher from Flint Township is a registered Democrat who supported Mrs Clinton in the Democratic primary. But she said she was now backing Mr McCain.
She said: "I just don't have a good gut feeling that Obama has what it takes to lead this country. I'm an American first before I'm a party member. McCain is an American first; he's bringing back patriotism."
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