Sarah Palin has spoken.

Ms. Palin, the Republican vice presidential nominee, has been kept largely under wraps since she was named to the ticket nearly a month ago: she has not had a single news conference, and she has canceled all but one of her fund raisers, where she might have to answer impromptu questions. And reporters traveling with her have expressed frustration that she declines to answer the questions they call out to her at every stop.

But on Thursday, despite the McCain-Palin campaign saying they would suspend campaigning until Congress had dealt with the financial crisis, Ms. Palin made a campaign stop at ground zero in Lower Manhattan, and finally “fielded” four questions, according to a reporter in the small pool of journalists assigned to accompany her.

“Notice I wrote ‘fielded’ since she didn’t exactly answer them,” the reporter, Ken Vogel of Politico, wrote in his notes sent out to other reporters following the campaign.

Her answers dealt mostly with her approach to terrorism, but she also declined to endorse Senator Ted Stevens, her state’s beloved elder statesman now on trial for corruption -– and up for re-election.

Ms. Palin opened saying: “Every American student needs to come through this area so that, especially this younger generation of Americans is, to be in a position of never forgetting what happened here and never repeating, never allowing a repeat of what happened here.



“ I wish every American would come through here,” she continued. “I wish every world leader would come through here, and understand what it is that took place here, and more importantly, how America came together and united to commit to never allowing this to happen again. And just to hear from and see these good New Yorkers who are rebuilding not just this are but helping to rebuild America has been very, very inspiring and encouraging. These are the good Americans who are committed to peace and security and it’s been an absolute honor getting to meet these folks today.”

First question: “Do you agree with the way the Bush administration has carried out the war on terror? Is there anything you would have done…”

Ms. Palin interrupted to answer: “I agree with the Bush administration that we take the fight to them. We never again let them come onto our soil and try to destroy not only our democracy, but communities like the community of New York. Never again. So yes, I do agree with taking the fight to the terrorists and stopping them over there.”

“Do you think that our continued military presences in Iraq and Afghanistan have inflamed Islamic extremists?” another reporter asked.

“I think our presence in Iraq and Afghanistan will lead to further security of our nation, again, because the mission is to take the fight over there. Do not let them come over here and attempt again what they accomplished here, and that was some destruction. Terrible destruction on that day. But since Sept. 11, Americans uniting and rebuilding and committing to never letting that happen again.”

“Do you support the re-election bids of embattled Alaska Republicans, Representative Don Young and Senator Ted Stevens?”

“Ted Stevens’ trial started a couple of days ago,” she said, “We’ll see where that goes.”

She ignored a follow-up question about whether she would vote for them.

And last, “What do you think of the bailout package before Congress?”

“I don’t support that until the provisions that Senator McCain has offered are implemented in Paulson’s proposals.”