Palin says a woman on 2012 ticket would be good for GOP

MIAMI -- Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, in her first public appearance since the Nov. 4 elections, suggested on Wednesday that it would be a good for the Republican party to have a woman on the presidential ticket in 2012.

The GOP vice presidential nominee, who has not ruled out another run at national office, spoke with reporters attending the Republican Governors Association meeting.

She was responding to speculation about her as the future of the party.

"I don't think it's me personally, I think it's what I represent," Palin said. She added: "Everyday, hardworking American families —a woman on the ticket perhaps represents that. It would be good for the ticket. It would be good for the party. I would be happy to get to do whatever is asked of me to help progress this nation."

Only a week after her ticket's electoral defeat, Palin has mounted a media offensive, with appearances on Fox News and the Today Show and CNN.

On her political plans, Palin told Matt Lauer in an interview that aired Wednesday on the Today Show that she is "not planning" to run for the Senate if the seat held by embattled Republican Sen. Ted Stevens should come open.

"I think the people of Alaska appreciate me where I am today as their governor," she said.

As for polls that show strong support within the Republican party for her to challenge Obama in 2012, Palin said: "Well, life is very unpredictable, and that's the excitement of life. You never know what is around the next corner."

As for the new president, Palin was asked if she was comfortable with him being commander-in-chief.

"I am if Barack Obama surrounds himself with those who understand how important it is to recognize the great threat against our young men and women over there in Iraq and Afghanistan and even here on the homeland, and that is radical Islamic terrorist who have not changed their mind," she said.

Pressed to elaborate, she reiterated: "I'm comfortable with Barack Obama as our commander-in-chief assuming that he has those around him who recognize, as I'm sure he will recognize also if he doesn't already, that terrorists have not changed their mind."

Palin was more conciliatory in an interview with CNN. Asked by Wolf Blitzer if she was prepared to work with the new president, she replied: "It would be my honor to assist and support our new president and the new administration, yes. And I speak for other Republicans, other Republican governors also, they being willing also to, again, seize this opportunity that we have to progress this nation together, a united front."

But the governor, who had accused Obama during the campaign of "palling around with terrorists," repeated her criticism of his one-time relationship with William Ayers, a founder of a radical political group in the 1960s.

"I still am concerned about that association with Bill Ayers," Palin told CNN. "And if anybody still wants to talk about it, I will, because this is an unrepentant domestic terrorist who had campaigned to blow up, to destroy our Pentagon and our U.S. Capitol. That's an association that still bothers me."

Sen. John McCain, who picked Palin as his running mate, denied on NBC's The Tonight Show with Jay Leno that Palin was a major factor in the defeat of the Republican ticket.

"I'm so proud of her and I'm very grateful she agreed to run with me. She inspired people, she still does," McCain said on Tuesday night's broadcast. "I couldn't be happier with Sarah Palin."