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Former Vice President Dick Cheney said that Sarah Palin was not ready to be his successor and that picking her was “a mistake” that Mitt Romney should seek to avoid in making his choice.

Speaking to Jonathan Karl of ABC News in his first interview since undergoing heart transplant surgery in March, Mr. Cheney said Senator John McCain’s choice of Ms. Palin, then governor of Alaska, clearly reflected considerations other than her ability to serve as vice president.

Mr. Karl asked whether a presidential candidate should consider how well a vice presidential nominee might appeal in a particular state or to a demographic group.

“Those are important issues, but they should never be allowed to override that first proposition. That was one of the problems McCain had,” Mr. Cheney said.

“I like Gov. Palin. I’ve met her. I know her,” Mr. Cheney said, calling Ms. Palin an “attractive candidate” in 2008. “But based on her background, she had only been governor for, what, two years? I don’t think she passed that test of being ready to take over. And I think that was a mistake.”

Mr. Cheney has been an outspoken critic of President Obama, but has been silent amid health troubles in the past year. He received a heart transplant in March and has been recovering at his home in Jackson Hole, Wyo. Mr. Karl interviewed him there. The full interview will be shown Monday on ABC news programs.

In the brief excerpt shown on Sunday, Mr. Cheney did not criticize Mr. Obama. But Mr. Karl hinted that the former vice president does not hold back in the rest of the interview.

“No question: Cheney is back. He feels much better,” Mr. Karl said on ABC’s “This Week” program. “He says he hasn’t felt this good for years. And he is certainly not holding back. You’ll hear what he said about Obama — some of his harshest criticism yet tomorrow.”

Update: Mr. Cheney’s comments about Sarah Palin drew some respectful objections from one expected source — and one that was unexpected.

Mr. McCain defended his choice Monday on Fox’s “Fox & Friends” program, saying that he remains proud of Ms. Palin.

“I’m always glad to get comments four years later,” Mr. McCain said on the show Monday morning. “Look, I respect the vice president. He and I had strong disagreements as to whether we should torture people or not. I don’t think we should have.”

But he added: “But the fact is that I’m proud of Sarah Palin, I’m proud of the job she did, I’m proud of the job she continues to do.”

But Mr. Cheney’s comments about the selection of Ms. Palin also drew a mild rebuke from none other than his daughter. In a tweet, Liz Cheney defended Ms. Palin’s credentials to be president.

“Rarely do I disagree with best VP ever but @SarahPalinUSA more qualified than Obama and Biden combined. Huge respect 4 all she’s done 4 GOP,” Ms. Cheney tweeted.