Tony Perkins, an influential conservative leader, said Wednesday that he viewed Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin’s (R) selection as a “political” pick designed to win over the conservative base and appease social conservatives who had concerns about John McCain.

Perkins, the head of the Family Research Council (FRC), said that most conservatives he knew expressed “relief” that Republican presidential candidate McCain did not pick an abortion-rights supporter like Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) or former Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Ridge as his running mate.

Perkins, speaking to reporters at a breakfast hosted by The Christian Science Monitor, said he believed McCain was more likely to pick someone he has known for a while and trusts, like Lieberman or Ridge. But Palin was an out-of-the-box pick and prompted questions about how long McCain had known the Alaska governor before offering her the No. 2 spot.

When asked directly then if Perkins viewed Palin as a purely political pick, the religious right leader said, “Yeah, I think so.

“I think it was a very strategic and, in the end, political pick,” Perkins said.

“Adding a maverick governor like Sarah Palin who always puts the people’s interests before party and has never been afraid of shaking up the status quo to make reforms and change isn’t political — it’s good for the country,” campaign spokeswoman Maria Comella said.

Perkins said he had conversations with the McCain campaign in the days leading up to the vice presidential announcement, in which he communicated his concerns that the Arizona senator might pick Lieberman or Ridge, and noted he was “very pleased” with Palin.

Perkins also said that among conservatives he was with around the time of the announcement, “the initial response was relief.”

Perkins addressed the group of reporters the day before the FRC’s Values Voters Summit, where McCain was largely ignored last year. In fact, McCain came in last place among Republicans in the event’s straw poll, falling behind former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, who was greeted with distrust by the social conservatives present. Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney won the poll.

But Perkins on Wednesday noted the difference a year makes.