Sarah Palin still coy on future

Former US vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin has refused to respond to speculation that she may be preparing for a bid for the presidency in 2012.

Mrs Palin, who is resigning as Alaska governor, told ABC that, politically, if she died, she died.

She said the cost of fighting ethics charges was a major factor in her decision to step down.

But opponents who were trying to discredit her would not "find any dirt", she added.

Mrs Palin has been giving media interviews following her decision last week to quit the Alaska post.

The Republican governor will stand down on 26 July, 18 months before the scheduled end of her term in office.

Confusion

Speaking to ABC on a family fishing trip at Dillingham, Alaska, Mrs Palin said she would not rule out a run for the presidency.

"Don't know what the future holds. I'm not going to shut any door," she said.

"I said before I stood in front of the mic the other day, you know, politically speaking, if I die, I die. So be it."

She said she could no more predict what would happen in the next couple of years than she could predict what the next salmon fishing run would be like.

"I don't need a title to be the one to usher in what it is that needs to be done in our state or our country," she said.

She agreed that many people were still confused over why she decided to resign.

"You know why they're confused? I guess they cannot take something nowadays at face value."

However, Mrs Palin - who stood as John McCain's running mate in the election of November 2008 - said a major factor in her decision was the mounting legal cost she and the state of Alaska had faced fighting ethics charges from her political opponents.

"You know, conditions have really changed in Alaska in the political arena since 29 August, when I was tapped for VP [vice-president].....Those opposition researchers really bombarded Alaska - started digging for dirt and have not let up. They're not going to find any dirt," she said.

On Friday, Mrs Palin said that she had decided to resign as governor after prayerful consideration led her to the conclusion that sacrificing her title would help Alaska the most.

E-mail this to a friend

Printable version