I won't run again says McCain, but Palin might

JOHN McCAIN today appeared to rule out a second run at the presidency as he gave his first interview since his resounding defeat at the hands of Barack Obama.

The Republican candidate, who will be 76 in 2012, was asked by chat show host Jay Leno whether he would contemplate a second White House campaign.

"I wouldn't think so," Mr McCain said. With a hint of resignation in his voice he added: "We are going to have another generation of leaders come along."

Talking on the Tonight Show, Mr McCain praised his running mate Sarah Palin and denied that she had damaged his presidential bid.

"I'm so proud of her and I'm very grateful she agreed to run with me. She inspired people, she still does," he said of the conservative Alaska governor whose self-styled "pitbull with lipstick" and "soccer mom" style divided America, adding: "I couldn't be happier with Sarah Palin."

Mr McCain made little effort to deflect responsibility for his defeat from himself. Alluding to the difficult political environment which faced the Republican party, he said: "I could tell you a lot of things that we may have made mistakes on." However, he would not be drawn on what they were, simply adding: "So, that's the way it is." Nor did Mr McCain directly address the embarrassing row over Mrs Palin's expensive campaign wardrobe, bought by the Republican National Committee.

Mrs Palin has said in interviews that she did not ask for, or want, the $150,000 wardrobe for her and her family. In an NBC interview this week she said: "I did not order up these clothes. The New York stylists who were already there and already orchestrating what the wardrobe should look like.

"Just like they have people to figure out what the staging and the lighting and everything else, the wardrobe, I guess, was a part of that."

Mr McCain's appearance at Leno's Burbank studio was timed to coincide with Veterans' Day.

It was the former naval pilot's 14th appearance on America's top-rated late-night talk show.

He shed some light on the effects of the gruelling 21-month campaign, saying that since the election he has been "sleeping like a baby".

He added to laughter from the studio audience: "I sleep two hours, wake up and cry."

Mr McCain was keen to defect suggestions that biased media coverage tilted the election toward Mr Obama.

"One thing I think Americans don't want is a sore loser," he said. "I knew I had a headwind. I can read the polls."