Move to drop Palin from anti-Iran rally angers McCain

Organisers of an anti-Iran rally have dropped Republican vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin from the event, days after Democrat Hillary Clinton pulled out.

The National Coalition to Stop Iran Now said it would put on a rally next week without “American political personalities” and Mrs Palin would not be there.

The move angered Republican presidential nominee John McCain, who accused Democratic rivals of having his running mate disinvited. He said all Americans should agree on the need to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.

“Governor Palin was pleased to accept an invitation to address this rally and show her resolve on this grave national security issue,” Mr McCain said. He blamed “Democratic partisans” and his rival Barack Obama’s campaign for pressing organisers to dump Mrs Palin.

A number of American Jewish organisers are staging the rally in New York City against Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. They had announced earlier this week that the event would feature both Mrs Clinton and Mrs Palin.

Clinton aides fumed over what they saw as a slight by organisers, because they had no idea until told by reporters that Mrs Palin was supposed to attend as well.

The New York senator had agreed weeks ago to attend the rally, but abruptly backed out on Tuesday, as soon as she learned of the pairing.

Mrs Clinton, whose historic bid for the presidency came up short, has sought to avoid a public face-off with Mrs Palin and a Clinton-Palin double billing at such an event would have been awkward.

Casey Sanders, a spokeswoman for rally organisers, had no explanation for why Mrs Palin should not be there or who decided that.

The Republican ticket of John McCain and Mrs Palin is working hard to win over disappointed Clinton supporters, particularly women voters. And Mr Obama, who beat Mrs Clinton for the Democratic presidential nomination, has been trying to assure Jewish voters that he is firmly committed to Israel’s security.

McCain’s campaign did not explain why it believed Democrats and the Obama camp were behind the rescinded invitation.

The Palin camp criticised Mrs Clinton for backing out, saying all parties should rally together in opposition to the threat posed by a nuclear Iran.