Bitter infighting as Palin refuses to take orders

WATERLOO, Iowa

Bitter infighting between aides to John McCain and Sarah Palin erupted into public view in a sign of tension gripping the Republican camp with the election 10 days away.

A series of recent surveys have suggested Ms Palin’s presence on the ticket is hurting Mr McCain’s chances in the November 4 election, at a time when Democratic rival Barack Obama has surged clear in most key polls.

The inquests into what has gone wrong with McCain’s campaign appear to have already begun, according to reports, with Palin’s camp blaming the Arizona senator’s senior advisers for mismanaging her contribution.

The Politico.com website cited four Republicans close to Palin as saying she had grown frustrated by advice given to her by campaign handlers, whom her supporters blame for a series of public relations gaffes.

The report said Palin was now increasingly willing to disregard orders from advisors, suggesting the Republican running mate was in the initial stages of forging her own identity for a future tilt at the White House.

“She’s lost confidence in most of the people on the plane,” said a senior Republican quoted by Politico, adding that Palin had already begun to “go rogue” in some of her public pronouncements on the campaign trail.

The Alaska Governor’s supporters accused McCain strategist Steve Schmidt and senior aide Nicolle Wallace of blaming Palin for the failure of the campaign.

“These people are going to try and shred her after the campaign to divert blame from themselves,” a McCain insider was quote by Politico as saying.

Later, Politico quoted McCain advisers reacting angrily to the report, branding Palin a “diva.”