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Republican says Palin unready
Senior Republican Senator Chuck Hagel has voiced doubts about Sarah
Palin's qualifications for the vice-presidency.
John McCain's running mate "doesn't have any foreign policy
credentials", Mr Hagel told the Omaha World-Herald.
Mr Hagel was a prominent supporter of Mr McCain during his 2000 bid
for the US presidency, but has declined to endorse either candidate
this year.
He was opposed to the Iraq War, and recently joined Mr McCain's
rival Barack Obama on a Middle East trip.
'Stop the nonsense'
"I think it's a stretch to, in any way, to say that she's got the
experience to be president of the United States," Mr Hagel told the
Omaha World-Herald newspaper.
And he was dismissive of the fact that Mrs Palin, the governor of
Alaska, has made few trips abroad.
"You get a passport for the first time in your life last year? I
mean, I don't know what you can say. You can't say anything."
Mr Hagel also criticised the McCain campaign for its suggestion that
the proximity of Alaska to Russia gave Mrs Palin foreign policy
experience.
"I think they ought to be just honest about it and stop the nonsense
about, 'I look out my window and I see Russia and so therefore I
know something about Russia'," he said.
"That kind of thing is insulting to the American people."
BBC North America editor Justin Webb says Mr Hagel's opinion of Mrs
Palin will have an effect on independent voters.
A senior member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Mr Hagel
was a close ally of Mr McCain, but the two men parted company over
the decision to go to war in Iraq.
Mr Hagel skipped this year's Republican National Convention in
favour of a visit to Latin America.
Mr Hagel's decision to accompany Mr Obama this summer on a trip to
Iraq and Israel, as part of a US Congressional delegation, led to
speculation that he would throw his support behind the Democratic
nominee.
However, a spokesman for the Nebraska senator insisted in August
that "Senator Hagel has no intention of getting involved in any of
the campaigns and is not planning to endorse either candidate".
Source:BBC
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