US News

‘VEEP’ PALIN’S ‘SPECIAL’ DUTY

WASHINGTON – Sarah Palin yesterday offered the first hints of the role she would fill in a McCain administration, saying she intends take on the country’s energy needs, reform government and promote care for special-needs children.

“My mission is going to be energy security and government reform. And another thing near and dear to my heart, it’s going to be helping families who have special needs and children with special needs,” she told a crowd in Colorado.

Palin’s youngest child, 5-month-old Trig, has Down syndrome.

She made the comments as she grappled with the Troopergate controversy, in which she is accused of wrongly using her influence as Alaska’s governor to try to have her ex-brother-in-law, an Alaska state trooper, fired.

One of her reps last night balked at the idea that she would speak with probers hired by Alaskan legislators to investigate the case, calling the investigation “tainted” and on the side of Democrats.

Palin’s comments also came on day when Barack Obama‘s camp launched a blistering ad called “Honor,” which ripped McCain for his campaign tactics.

“What’s happened to John McCain?” asks the narrator, reading snippets from a series of opinion articles.

“He’s running ‘the sleaziest ads ever.’ ‘Truly vile.’ ‘Dishonest smears . . .’ It seems ‘deception’ is all he has left,’ ” the ad says.

McCain spokesman Tucker Carlson shot back, “It is clear that Barack Obama would sooner hurl insults than discuss his record.”

On the campaign trail in Colorado, Obama also slammed McCain for the lobbyists advising him.

“If you think those lobbyists are working day and night for John McCain just to put themselves out of business, well, then, I’ve got a bridge to sell you up in Alaska,” he said, in a dig at Palin’s claims to have opposed her state’s “Bridge to Nowhere.”

geoff.earle@nypost.com