Sarah Palin talks to Oprah

By Reuters

Sarah Palin said a run for the White House in 2012 is "not on my radar screenright now" as the Republican carefully did not close the door to apossible candidacy in an interview that launched her big book tour.

Palin spoke to TV talk show hostess Oprah Winfrey as she began theroll-out to her memoir, "Going Rogue: An American Life." Palin madeclear she wanted to concentrate on the 2010 congressional elections inwhich Republicans hope to make inroads into Democratic majorities inthe U.S. Congress.

"I'm concentrating on 2010 and making sure that we have issues totackle," Palin said in the interview taped last week and broadcast onMonday. "I don't know what I'm going to be doing in 2012. (Running forpresident is) not on my radar screen right now."

The former Alaska governor and unsuccessful 2008 Republican vicepresidential candidate, who is popular among many U.S. conservatives,has embarked on a campaign-style media tour to promote Tuesday'srelease of her book.

Her appearance on Winfrey's program, one of the most watched daytimeshows on U.S. television, comes as political insiders watch her everymove to see if she may launch a bid for the 2012 Republicanpresidential nomination.

Winfrey actively supported Democrat Barack Obama during last year's campaign.

Palin is to hit a dozen states during a book tour that will take hermostly to smaller cities. The initial printing of 1.5 million copiespromises the memoir written with a ghost writer will be an instantbest-seller.

If Palin is to seek higher office, she'll have to overcome some political headwinds.

A Washington Post/ABC News poll found that 60 percent of thosepolled said Palin was not qualified to serve as president and 52percent viewed her in unfavorable terms. Among Republicans, however,her positive rating was 76 percent.

The interview with Winfrey was interspersed with home video showingPalin playing with her grandson Tripp, exercising in shorts, andstaying out of her daughter's way during a Halloween trick-or-treatingexcursion in their hometown of Wasilla, Alaska.

A self-styled "hockey mom" during the 2008 campaign, Palin directedher at-times tart tongue at CBS TV anchorwoman Katie Couric and LeviJohnston, who fathered a child out-of-wedlock with Palin's daughterBristol and has since become a Palin critic.

'NEANDERTHAL TRIBE'

Palin said Couric's questions during their series of interviewsduring the campaign -- which critics said exposed Palin's lack ofintellectual depth -- had "annoyed" her and therefore left theperception she was "unqualified."

"I thought she was asking about this Neanderthal tribe up there inAlaska," Palin said of Couric's questions about which newspapers andmagazines she regularly read.

Palin recalled being confronted by Couric backstage following a thrilling campaign stop.

"There's the perky one, with the microphone, with the questions," Palin said disparagingly.

"You're pretty perky, too," Winfrey remarked.

Asked about Johnston, Palin said she did not want to respond to hiscriticisms, which have included comments that she is a poor parent andnot getting along with husband Todd.

"We don't want to mess up the gig he's doing: aspiring porn," Palincracked, referring to his appearance in Playgirl, an online magazinethat features nude men. "I also saw I didn't go to hockey games. Thereare so many untruths."

Levi is still welcome to come to dinner next week for the U.S. Thanksgiving holiday with the Palins, she added. "He's family.