It's no Tripp: Palin still popular

WHEN Sarah Palin's teenage daughter, Bristol, gave birth last month to the Governor of Alaska's first grandchild, America's comedians had a field day.

Two months after she crashed to defeat with John McCain, Ms Palin remains a prime source of hilarity. Yet the "hockey mom" who cracked jokes about pitbulls and lipstick enters 2009 as a key figure in Republican plans for political revival.

Ms Palin ended 2008 with a striking run of personal successes in high-profile popularity polls. A poll by Gallup found she was the second-most admired woman of the year, after Hillary Clinton.

Time magazine chose her as the world's fourth-most influential person, behind Barack Obama, Henry Paulson of the US Treasury and French President Nicolas Sarkozy.

Last week she triumphed in an annual poll, commissioned by a property website, as the person Americans would most like to have as their neighbour.

For all the abuse she endured as a vice-presidential candidate, Ms Palin continues to excite Republican voters with what they see as a unique political style...

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