Palin can't imagine running for top job in 2012

Defeated Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin has discounted speculation that she may be running for the nation's top job herself in 2012.

"Right now I cannot even imagine running for national office in 2012," said the Alaska governor whose surprise selection by Republican nominee John McCain as his running mate had initially energised conservatives in the party.

"When I say that, of course, coming on the heels of an outcome that I did not anticipate and had not hoped for. But this being a chapter now that is closed and realising that it is a time to unite and all Americans need to get together and help with this new administration being ushered in," she told CNN.

"2012 sounds so far off that can't even imagine what I'd be doing then," Palin also said. She also denied the suggestion her presence on the Republican ticket contributed to Obama's electoral landslide victory.

"I don't think anybody should give Sarah Palin that much credit, that I would trump an economic time in this nation that occurred about two months ago, that my presence on the ticket would trump the economic crisis that America found itself in a couple of months ago and attribute John McCain's loss to me," she said.

"Now having said that, if I cost John McCain even one vote, I am sorry about that because John McCain, I believe, is the American hero. I had believed it was his time," she added.

Exit polls suggest that voting blocs McCain advisers had hoped Palin would attract - suburban woman and independent voters - strongly supported Barack Obama.

Exit polls also suggested over 60 percent of the electorate thought the Alaska governor was unqualified to be president if necessary.

But the overwhelming issue among voters did appear to be the nation's economy, not McCain's vice presidential pick - 85 percent of voters said they were worried about the nation's financial woes, and 54 percent of them picked Obama.

Last updated on Nov 6^th, 2008 at 09:36 am IST--IANS