From The Sun:

Red County Blogger Named Palin First
By Staff Writer Lauren McSherry

Red County blogger and editor Jessica Austin appears to have led the blogosphere in announcing presidential candidate Sen. John McCain's pick of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as his running mate.

"She was first," said Scott W. Graves, president of the Partisan Media Group, which runs a network of 18 blogs. "She was way ahead of the mainstream media."

Late into Thursday night, bloggers speculated about who had topped McCain's vice presidential shortlist. Palin's selection was officially confirmed Friday.

Austin, 22, who said she was tipped off by a friend while instant messaging on Facebook, made the announcement just before 10:30 p.m. Thursday on the San Bernardino County blog on the Web site www.redcounty.com.

"McCain is making his announcement tomorrow in Dayton, Ohio," she wrote. "Look who chartered a jet from Alaska to Ohio this evening ... How many people do you know charter jets from Alaska (especially considering their population) to Ohio - the location of the Republican presidential nominee?"

Austin, a senior at the University of Redlands majoring in government and philosophy, declined to identify her source, other than to say that he is a political insider.

Before posting, she e-mailed a friend who is a blogger and asked him if he thought she was right about Palin. Her friend warned her not to post anything because it was a stretch, and if she was wrong, she'd look stupid. She didn't listen.

"I can't describe it, I just knew," Austin said. "I just thought she was a great pick. In my mind, I thought, this is just a brilliant move."