Barack Obama's efforts to counter the polling power of Sarah Palin were assisted yesterday by two of the most prominent women in American politics: Condoleezza Rice and Hillary Clinton.

Although President Bush and Dick Cheney, the Vice-President, were showering compliments on Mrs Palin, Dr Rice — the Secretary of State in their Administration — offered only the faintest praise.

She failed three times to defend the Alaskan Governor from charges that she does not have the necessary experience to be vice-president. “She gave a terrific speech,” said Dr Rice. “You know, she's governor of a state here in the United States.” Asked directly by CNN if Mrs Palin was ready for the White House, she would say only: “These are decisions that Senator John McCain has made. I have great confidence in him.

When pressed again, Dr Rice replied: “There are different kinds of experience in life that help one to deal with matters of foreign policy...I'm not going to get involved in this political campaign. As Secretary of State, I don't do that.”

Mrs Clinton, who tried in vain to halt Mr Obama's momentum in the Democratic primary, was in Florida yesterday doing her best to help him. At a rally in Kissimmee, she acknowledged that it “will be a tough election”, then added: “I didn't hear the Republicans at their convention address the needs of real Americans...I don't think it could be any clearer what the choice should be.” But, other than adjust her Democratic convention speech line to say, “No way. No how. No McCain. No Palin”, she made little direct reference to the Alaskan Governor.

As Democrats thrash around for a strategy to deal with the Palin phenomenon, the former First Lady — one of several Democratic women being deployed this week — has made it plain that she does not want to be used as an “attack dog”. “This election is about issues, and that's what's going to matter to people at the end of the day,” she said at the weekend.

Mrs Clinton, still smarting over the treatment she received from the media and political opponents this year, is understood to believe that getting “too personal” against Mrs Palin risks alienating female voters.

Howard Wolfson, her former spokesman, complained about “an obsession in our popular culture with the 'cat fight' ”.

He said: “Editors and news executives are convinced that two women fighting sells magazines and attracts eyeballs. You can imagine the thinking: if Angelina Jolie v Jennifer Aniston and Britney Spears v Christina Aguilera sell copies, what could be better than Hillary Clinton v Sarah Palin?

“Don't hold your breath. It's not going to happen.”

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