Tensions rise as Palin polarises nation and party

By Andrew Ward in Albuquerque and Daniel Dombey in,Washington

FT.COM

Published: October 27 2008 02:00 | Last updated: October 27 2008 02:00

Whatever the outcome of next week's election, nobody will be able to accuse Sarah Palin of failing to make an impact.

Less than two months after being thrust on to the national stage as John McCain's running mate, the Alaska governor has become arguably the most polarising figure in US politics.

A slew of opinion polls last week showed her approval rating plummeting among Democrats and independents, amid a hardening perception that she is ill-qualified to become commander-in-chief. Yet, on the campaign trail, she is drawing bigger crowds than Mr McCain and has become the main source of enthusiasm among grassroots conservatives.

Not all Republicans, however, are thrilled by Ms Palin. In Washington a fierce debate has erupted within the party elite between those who view her as a potential saviour of the conservative movement and others who blame her for Mr McCain's likely defeat.

The dispute burst into the open over the weekend as several press reports described tensions within the McCain campaign over Ms Palin's role and performance. Unnamed officials accused her of "going rogue" by making headline-grabbing statements that put her at odds with the rest of the campaign, and claimed she was focused on positioning herself for the 2012 Republican presidential nomination. "She is a diva," one adviser reportedly told CNN. "She is playing for her own future and sees herself as the next leader of the party."

Allies of Ms Palin fired back, arguing that she was trying to "bust free" of the campaign's botched handling of her. Ms Palin has become noticeably more open to the press in recent days, in contrast to the tight control that previously surrounded her.

Responding to the reported tensions, Tracey Schmitt, Ms Palin's spokeswoman, told reporters on Saturday that "unnamed sources with their own agenda will say what they want, but from Governor Palin down we have one agenda, and that's to win on election day".

It is not unusual for conflict to flare between a vice-presidential candidate and the rest of the campaign, particularly when they are on the losing side.

In 2004 the alliance between John Kerry and John Edwards was rarely a happy one. But the infighting over Ms Palin appears to be particularly intense because of her unusually prominent role and the high stakes invested in her by Mr McCain.

The choice of the relatively unknown 44-year-old was intended to burnish Mr McCain's maverick reputation and recast the election as a contest between Ms Palin's small town values and Mr Obama's elite liberalism.

The strategy briefly worked as the Republicans surged ahead in the polls after the party conventions. But momentum reversed after the financial crisis refocused attention on the economy while Ms Palin's weak performance in a high-profile television interview increased doubts about her readiness.

Most damagingly for Mr McCain, his risky choice of running mate and uneven response to the financial crisis have raised doubts about his temperament, allowing Mr Obama to steal the mantle of steady leader. Colin Powell, the former secretary of state, last week cited Mr McCain's choice of Ms Palin among his reasons for endorsing Mr Obama.

An ABC/Washington Post survey last week found that 51 per cent of voters have a negative impression of Ms Palin. Only 46 per cent had a favourable view, down from 59 per cent in early September.

Her decline in popularity has been sharpest among two of the groups Mr McCain had hoped she would appeal to: women and independents. Speaking on NBC's Meet the Press yesterday, Mr McCain defended his running mate.

"Do Sarah Palin and I disagree on a specific issue? Yeah, because we are both mavericks but we share the goal of cleaning up Washington," he said.

Referring to the recent controversy over the Republican national committee's expenditure of $150,000 on clothes for Ms Palin, Mr McCain added: "She lives a frugal life. She and her family were thrust into this."