2007: Sarah Palin on Being Rudy's V.P.

Monocle: You must have heard the recent gossip that Rudy Giuliani, if he emerges as Republican nominee for President next year, might ask you to be his running mate. Would you consider it?

Sarah Palin: I think it is so far in outer space, the possibility that he would ever want a hockey mum from Wasilla to be his running mate, that I haven't considered it. I think the obligation that I have here is to serve my four-year term as a governor of Alaska. That's the deal that I struck with voters. There is much more that Alaska can do to contribute to the US and I think I can help it do that as governor. But it would obviously be an honour for me to serve the country. And for Alaska's sake too, it would be very good for our future for an Alaskan to be serving nationally.

[...]

M: This is a very male state. Have you been a victim of sexism in your public career and in that regard, have your good looks and beauty-queen past hindered you?

SP: If I have, I am totally oblivious to it. I haven't let it be an issue because it's just so passé, so 20 years ago to me. If anything though, what I have encountered, is age discrimination. It never occurred to me I was too young, but maybe I was. I feel pretty old right now. As for my looks [laughing], I don't know. Yes I did the beauty queen thing. But I was never a girly-girl. I did it for college scholarships. It paid for tuition for many years.

M: Back to the running-mate question. Say the Democratic ticket is Clinton-Obama, a woman and a black man, you can see why the party might approach you?

SP: That's diversity right there, isn't it? Wow! And who do the Republicans have? Good old rich white boys. I think that's another factor that has to be considered by Republicans, that in some way their candidates are a reflection of more politics as usual. Not to slam good old rich boys, but it sure wouldn't hurt for new energy and new perspective to be enveloped by the Republican Party.