THE Republican presidential candidate, John McCain, has defended his choice of running mate, Sarah Palin, the Governor of Alaska, in the face of widespread scorn that she lacks experience, especially in foreign policy.
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Asked on Sunday about her lack of experience, Senator McCain told Fox News: "She's been commander-in-chief of the Alaska National Guard … she's had judgment on these issues. She's had 12 years of elected office experience, including travelling to Kuwait."
Republicans accused Mrs Palin's critics of being sexist in their readiness to dismiss her.
One of Senator McCain's closest advisers, Senator Graham Lindsey, said Mrs Palin had more experience than Senator McCain's presidential opponent, Barack Obama. "She's been a governor. That's more than Obama."
Mrs Palin's appointment came as a surprise to Senator Obama's campaign team, which immediately criticised her lack of experience. Senator Obama later changed the tone to politely welcome the historic nature of having the first woman on a Republican ticket.
Democrats accused Mrs Palin on Sunday of misrepresenting her role in scuttling a controversial bridge project in south-east Alaska. The bridge - at a cost of $US223 million ($261 million) - would have connected Ketchikan, a town of about 14,000 people, with its airport, which sits across a channel and is difficult to get to by car.
On Friday, the day she was introduced as Senator McCain's running mate, Mrs Palin touted her opposition to a bridge originally championed by Alaska's most prominent officials as an example of her fiscal conservatism and reformist credentials.
"I told Congress, 'Thanks but no thanks on that bridge to nowhere'," Mrs Palin said.
Prominent Alaska Democrats said Mrs Palin had supported building the bridge while she was campaigning for governor and reversed course only after opposition by fiscal conservatives in Washington, including Senator McCain.
"She was the only candidate who was saying 'We're going to build that bridge'," said the former governor, Tony Knowles, who lost to Mrs Palin in 2006.
"She's taking a position now which certainly wasn't what it was when she was campaigning," he said.
Senator McCain's campaign said Mrs Palin never fully committed to the project and ultimately made the right call. "Governor Palin acted like a responsible and effective executive," Mrs Palin's campaign spokeswoman, Maria Comella, said.
"After taking office and examining the project closely, she consistently opposed funding the bridge to nowhere and ultimately cancelled the wasteful project."
Guardian News & Media;
The Washington Post
