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Sarah Palin is accused of affair
Paul Thompson04.09.08
Sarah Palin was today battling claims she had an affair today - just hours after a barnstorming debut speech to the Republican convention made her a party heroine.
She wowed the party faithful as she described herself as an "ordinary hockey mom", drawing laughter as she said she was like a pitbull with lipstick, defending her family and her political record before launching a biting attack on Barack Obama.
But the 44-year-old Alaskan governor is facing damaging new allegations. The National Enquirer, a "supermarket" tabloid, published a claim that she had an affair in the past with a business partner of her husband Todd.
It alleged that before her candidacy was announced she tried to arrange for her pregnant daughter, Bristol, to marry the father of her child, 18-yearold Levi Johnston, immediately after the convention. The paper claimed the girl and her boyfriend rejected the move in a showdown with Mrs Palin.
John McCain's team warned they would consider legal action against the paper. His senior adviser Steve Schmidt said: "The efforts of the media and tabloids to destroy this fine and accomplished public servant are a disgrace. The American people will reject it."
But the Enquirer stood by its story and pointed to its revelations that failed Democratic contender John Edwards had an affair with an aide, which had been strongly denied before turning out to be true.
Faced with a barrage of negativity since her surprise selection, Mrs Palin came out fighting with an address that more than answered her critics. She quipped: "What's the difference between a pitbull and a hockey mom? Lipstick."
Political commentators said she passed her first test with "flying colours" and that Democrats would have to "sit up and take notice". The first poll on her candidacy showed that more than 50 per cent of Americans found her "favourable" or "somewhat favourable".
Presidential nominee John McCain walked on stage to hug his running mate. "Don't you think we made the right choice for the next vice-president of the United States," he said as the crowd erupted. "And what a beautiful family!"
It was a pointed reference to her husband Todd, the "First Dude" of Alaska, her pregnant 17-year-old daughter Bristol and the baby's "redneck" father Johnson, and her five-month old Down's syndrome son Trig.
The crowd was electrified when she said: "Our son Track is 19. And one week from tomorrow - 11 September - he'll deploy to Iraq with the army infantry in the service of his country."
Dressed in a conservative outfit of silver-grey jacket, black skirt and pearls - a contrast to Hillary Clinton's bright orange trouser suit - she described herself as a small-town mom.
She said she was up to the challenge of being vice-president and that she wanted to go to Washington not to seek media approval but "to serve the people of this great country". Criticism of the "elite media" is a key part of the Republican narrative. The cheers reached a crescendo when Mrs Palin began by saying she was honoured to be nominated. "I accept the challenge of a tough fight in this election... against confident opponents... at a crucial hour for our country," she said.
"I accept the privilege of serving with a man who has come through much harder missions, and met far graver challenges, and knows how tough fights are won - the next president of the United States, John S McCain." She spoke of the "ups and downs" of family life, the nearest she came to mentioning her daughter's pregnancy.
"Our family has the same ups and downs as any other, the same challenges and the same joys." Of her son Trig, she added: "Sometimes even the greatest joys bring challenge."
Of Mr Obama, she said: "In small towns, we don't quite know what to make of a candidate who lavishes praise on working people when they're listening, and then talks about how bitterly they cling to their religion and guns when those people aren't listening."
