Zardari mesmerized by Sarah Palin

[Naveed Yaseen]

NEW YORK: US vice presidential hopeful Sarah Palin and the foreign leaders she has met with in New York have said very little to reporters over the last two days, but the press happened to be in the room on Wednesday for one eyebrow-raising exchange, as the new president of Pakistan lavished praise on Palin's looks.

On entering a room filled with several Pakistani officials this afternoon, Palin was immediately greeted by Sherry Rehman, the Information Minister. "And how does one keep looking that good when one is that busy?," Rehman asked, drawing friendly laughter from the room when she complimented Palin.

"Oh, thank you," Palin said. Pakistan's recently-elected president, Asif Ali Zardari, entered the room seconds later. Palin rose to shake his hand, saying she was ‘honoured’ to meet him.

Zardari then called her "gorgeous" and said: "Now I know why the whole of America is crazy about you." "You are so nice," Palin said, smiling. "Thank you."

A handler from Zardari's entourage then told the two politicians to keep shaking hands for the cameras. "If he's insisting, I might hug," Zardari said. Palin smiled politely.

The Alaska governor did not answer questions from reporters at her first two appearances on Wednesday, when she joined McCain in meetings with Georgian president Mikheil Saakashvili and Ukrainian president Viktor Yushchenko, and then traveled downtown to meet with Iraqi president Jalal Talabani.

But she did offer brief remarks to a reporter at the Zardari meeting who asked about her day. "It's going great," Palin said. "These meetings are very informative and helpful, and a lot of good people sharing appreciation for America."

http://www.thenews.com.pk/top_story_detail.asp?Id=17505

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(Daily Times reports)
Zardari tells Palin she’s gorgeous

By Khalid Hasan
NEW YORK: President Asif Ali Zardari made Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin a step back when he greeted her as ‘gorgeous’. That was not all. He went on to express a desire to ‘hug’ her.

Palin (44) is in New York to brush up her image of being internationally savvy. She has called on a number of world leaders who are here for the United Nations General Assembly.

As Palin entered the room at the swank Intercontinental Berkeley hotel, where Zardari and his entourage are staying, she was greeted by Information Minister Sherry Rehman who said, “And how does one keep looking that good when one is that busy?” a compliment that visibly pleased the Republican vice presidential candidate.

“Oh, thank you,” she replied, looking genuinely pleased.

The embarrassment got underway with the entrance of President Zardari. As Palin rose from her sofa to greet him and to say that she was ‘honoured’ to meet him, he left her reeling when he called her ‘gorgeous’ and as if that was not enough, he added, “Now I know why the whole of America is crazy about you.” Palin recovered her poise to say, “You are so nice, thank you.” An official aide to Zardari did not help matters much when he requested the two leaders to keep shaking hands for the benefit of the cameras. “If he is insisting,” he said pointing to the aide, “I might hug”.

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp...008_pg1_10

[LRE]

http://jang.net/jm/10-1-2008