Sarah Palin's Newsflash - Fighting Talk As Republican Makes Her Debut

The Republican vice-presidential candidate, Sarah Palin, used her primetime national TV debut last night to cement her teenage reputation as Sarah "Barracuda" and drive home a concerted campaign strategy aimed at ending questions about her qualifications and experience.

The first female Alaskan governor was scathing of any suggestion that her brief tenure - she has served just 21 months - was inadequate preparation to serve as John McCain's running mate.

"Before I became governor of the great state of Alaska, I was mayor of my hometown. And since our opponents in this presidential election seem to look down on that experience, let me explain to them what the job involves: I guess a small-town mayor is sort of like a 'community organizer', except that you have actual responsibilities," an advance excerpt of her speech said, drawing a comparison with the Democratic candidate Barack Obama's early political career in a Chicago public housing project in the mid-1980s.

Palin went on to attack the media and Obama in a bid to fire up the party's social conservative wing who so far have been unenthusiastic in support of McCain. In her opening remarks, she described herself as a hockey mom with small-town roots. She went on to argue that the relatively thin CV, and limited knowledge of foreign policy, actually enhanced her status as a maverick reformer who could bring true change to Washington.

"I'm not a member of the permanent political establishment. And I've learned quickly, these past few days, that if you're not a member in good standing of the Washington elite, then some in the media consider a candidate unqualified for that reason alone.

"But here's a little news flash for all those reporters and commentators: I'm not going to Washington to seek their good opinion - I'm going to Washington to serve the people of this country," an excerpt said.

Palin, like a number of Republican operatives earlier in the day, also set herself up as a more authentic change agent than Obama.

The combative tone was in line with Palin's reputation in her teenage years as a fiercely competitive basketball player.

Her speech came on a day when Republicans launched an aggressive new defence of Palin with television ads. But the brave front belied signs of Republican nerves about McCain's choice. Before last night's address, she was practically invisible at the convention.