Miami (Florida), Nov. 14 : Alaska Governor and Republican vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin has said that the United States is in safe hands under Barack Obama, provided he "governs with the skill and the grace and the greatness of which he is capable".

Attempting to soften her image after previously accusing Obama of "palling around with terrorists" and telling voters he was "not a man who sees America as you see it," Palin was quoted by The Telegraph as saying to the Republican Governors Association in Miami that: "Now, as we wish him well and unite, as we all work together, it''s time for us to reach out to this new administration, time for us to reach out to Barack Obama, so that he''ll understand our perspective."

"We are now the minority party, but let us not resolve to become the negative party. Losing an election does not have to mean losing our way. It is time for us to go our own way and leaving neither bitter nor vanquished, but confident in the knowledge there will be another day and we will gather once more with new strength,” she added.

"Let the pundits go on with their idle talk about the next election, what happens in 2012. Our concern should be about our states'' next great reform, our next budget, our next opportunity to progress in the states that we serve. The future is not that 2012 Presidential race, it''s next year and our next budgets," Palin said.

Palin sought to draw a line under the bitter back and forth between advisers loyal to McCain and other campaign aides who felt the vice-presidential candidate had been unfairly maligned.

"On Election Night in Phoenix, after a hard and honourable defeat, I was more proud than ever to have been the running mate and friend of a great man, Senator John McCain. Tens of millions of Americans shared our convictions, and they gave us their votes," she said. (ANI)