SARAH Palin warned yesterday she would be prepared to go to war with Russia to protect Georgia in her first interview since John McCain chose her as his vice-presidential nominee.
Calling Russia's invasion of its neighbour unprovoked, the Republican said she supported Georgia's application to join Nato even if it meant the United States could face a future confrontation with Moscow.
"I mean, that is the agreement when you
are a Nato ally. If another country is attacked, you're going to be expected to be called upon to help."
Her comments, broadly in line with the robust stance of Mr McCain, came amid criticism that the McCain camp had kept her away from the press for the fortnight since she was chosen for the ticket.
Opinion polls now show Mr McCain level with, or narrowly leading, Obama nationally.
The Palin interview was by turns feisty and nervous. She told ABC's Charles Gibson that despite having visited only four other countries in her life, and having never met a foreign head of state, she was prepared to take the helm in the event of a mishap befalling 72-year-old Mr McCain.
"I'm ready," she said. "I have the confidence in that readiness and knowing that you can't blink. You have to be wired in a way of being so committed to the mission, the mission that we're on – reform of this country and victory in the war."
She gave enigmatic answers when asked if she would support Israeli strikes against Iranian nuclear installations, and on whether it was right to send troops into Pakistan after Osama bin Laden.
And she seemed off-guard when Gibson asked if she agreed with the Bush doctrine.
"In what respect, Charlie?" said Mrs Palin.
Gibson said: "What do you interpret it to be?"
"I believe that what President Bush has attempted to do is rid this world of Islamic extremism, terrorists who are hell-bent on destroying our nation," she replied.
Gibson said the doctrine was formulated in 2002 and allowed for pre-emptive strikes on nations posing a threat.
"Charlie, if there is a legitimate and enough intelligence that tells us that a strike is imminent against American people, we have every right to defend our country," Mrs Palin said.
Critics judged the performance competent, not inspiring. Some of the answers may have surprised Mrs Palin's boss: Mr McCain is busy courting the green vote and is opposed to oil drilling in Alaskan wildlife refuges, but his running mate insists she supports it.
"We'll agree to disagree," she said, "but I'm gonna keep pushing that and I think eventually we're all gonna come together on that one."
Mrs Palin also appeared confused over her position on climate change, denying she once claimed it was not man-made.
"I have not said that," she said. "Show me where I have ever said that there's absolute proof that nothing man has ever conducted or engaged in has had any effect or no effect on climate change."
In fact, said ABC, she made the claim twice last year, telling one Alaskan newspaper: "I'm not an Al Gore, doom-and-gloom environmentalist, blaming the changes in our climate on human activity."
The interview is likely to further polarise opinion on the woman who all agree has turned this presidential election into a cliffhanger, convincing critics she is inexperienced, and supporters that she is tough and intelligent.
Meanwhile, the Obama campaign, which has stuttered of late, effectively relaunched.
"Today is the first day of the rest of the campaign," Obama campaign manager David Plouffe said in a strategy memo. "We will respond with speed and ferocity to John McCain's attacks and we will take the fight to him, but we will do it on the big issues that matter to the American people."
The newest hard-line ad includes unflattering footage of Mr McCain in the early Eighties, wearing giant glasses and an out-of-style suit, interspersed with shots of a disco ball, a clunky phone, an outdated computer and a Rubik's Cube.
An Obama spokesman said the campaign was not making an issue of 72-year-old Mr McCain's age, but the time he's spent in Washington.
