Sarah Palin Defends John McCain From Censure by Arizona GOP

State party criticized his liberal record and the harm they said its done to Arizona

Sarah Palin, U.S. Sen. John McCain's 2008 presidential running mate, is coming to his defense.

In a note posted on her Facebook page Monday night, the former Alaska governor calls McCain, "an American hero and a friend."

The message follows a vote Saturday to censure the state's senior senator at the annual meeting of the Arizona Republican Party for what they characterize as a liberal record that has been "disastrous and harmful" to the state and nation.