Palin fails to strike a chord with Bono after phone chat

SHE may be about to become the most powerful woman in the world, but Bono made it clear he had still not found what he was looking for in Sarah Palin.

The U2 frontman turned global poverty campaigner appeared cool on the Republican US vice presidential nominee following a telephone talk with her on Third World issues.

Pressed if he thought the Alaskan governor was up to the job of being a heartbeat away from assuming the presidency or could be trusted on aid, Bono seemed unaccustomedly lost for words.

“I’m just getting to know her,” was the singer’s diplomatic reply. Asked if she was knowledgeable on aid issues, Bono was more blunt: “I don’t know, I actually haven’t a clue.”

Republican presidential nominee John McCain had asked Bono to meet with Ms Palin as part of her efforts to appear more internationally aware to American voters.

Diplomatic gridlock at the UN general assembly in New York meant the encounter was downgraded to a telephone call, but Ms Palin certainly did not emerge from the encounter with her reputation enhanced.

She has tried to boost her image with a string of meetings at the UN this week.