Cheney calls Palin selection "a mistake"

Former Vice President Dick Cheney said it was "a mistake" for Sen. John McCain to pick Sarah Palin as his running mate in 2008.

Cheney headed George W. Bush's 2000 vice-presidential search before becoming Bush's running mate. Of the Republican selection process four years ago that led to Palin, he said, "That one I don't think was well-handled." Palin hadn't "passed that test" of readiness to serve as president because her political experience was limited, Cheney said in an interview with ABC News. The television network showed portions of Cheney's remarks yesterday on its "This Week" program.

The full interview is to air Monday.

Cheney, 71, said demographic and political factors in the selection process "are important issues, but they should never be allowed to override that first proposition" of being ready to serve as president.

"I think that was one of the problems McCain had," he said.

Palin was "an attractive candidate" but the fact that she'd served as Alaska governor for less than two years raised questions about her "being ready to take over" as president, Cheney said.

"I think that was a mistake," he said.

Cheney said it was "pretty important" that presumptive presidential nominee Mitt Romney handle his selection process differently. Romney is expected to announce his running mate before the party's national convention Aug. 27-30 in Tampa, Fla.

There are typically two lists of vice-presidential possibilities, Cheney said -- a "big list" that includes politicians who want to boost their standing at home and a "small list" of hopefuls who are seriously vetted.

"The test to get on the small list has to be, 'Is this person capable to be president of the United States?' And that's usually a very, very short list," he said.