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Palin charms world leaders in New York meetings

BY TOM BRUNE | tom.brune@newsday.com

September 25, 2008

On the second day of her tête- ... -têtes with heads of state in Manhattan yesterday, Republican vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin continued to make a big impression, drawing warm praise from officials from near and far.

While still in the protective cocoon built by her handlers - reporters were hustled out of one meeting yesterday after one of them asked her a question during a photo shoot - Palin, 44, the first-term Alaska governor, enjoys a celebrity that shines through her isolation from the press and public.

But the economic crisis, and her running mate John McCain's dramatic suspension of his presidential campaign to deal with the stalled $700-billion financial bailout legislation, dimmed the spotlight on her.

Still, first lady Laura Bush and former President Bill Clinton offered up supportive views, though Bush acknowledged her lack of foreign policy experience and Clinton said he disagreed with many of her political views.

"I find her an appealing person," Clinton told CNN host Larry King.

He wasn't the only one.

The presidents of Iraq and Georgia gushed over Palin as they met with her yesterday. And Afghanistan's President Hamid Karzai told an audience Tuesday night after meeting Palin earlier that day that she asked all the right questions.

Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari expressed great joy in meeting her during the short photo session at the start of their meeting that was viewed by reporters and cameras.

"You are even more gorgeous than you are on the [inaudible]," Zardari said.

"You are so nice. Thank you," Palin said.

"Now I know why the whole of America is crazy about you," Zardari said, as his handler told them to shake hands for the cameras.

"I'm supposed to pose again," Palin said.

"If he's insisting," Zardari said to laughter, "I might hug."

Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvilli was a bit more restrained, but enthusiastic nonetheless when he met with Palin and top of the GOP ticket John McCain that afternoon.

"I am so thrilled [to] meet [the] vice presidential candidate, Governor Palin," he said, adding in a bipartisan spirit that he also would soon meet with her Democratic counterpart, Sen. Joe Biden.

While Palin and the world leaders shared light moments before the cameras, her foreign policy adviser Steve Biegun said the discussions behind closed doors included somber matters, including her condolences to Zardari for the assassination of his wife, Benazir Bhutto, and for the recent deadly hotel blast in his country, and discussions with Iraq's president, Jalal Talabani, about violence in Iraq.

Also yesterday, in a closed session, McCain and Palin met with U2 singer Bono about The ONE Campaign to fight AIDS and extreme poverty around the world.