Palin criticizes campaign's Mich. decision

WASHINGTON, Oct. 3 (UPI) -- Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin criticized her running mate Friday for deciding to pull campaign resources out of Michigan.

In an appearance on the Fox News Channel, the Alaska governor said Republican presidential nominee John McCain should not pull out of the Wolverine State.

She said the decision to pull out of Michigan was "not a surprise" to her since polls show McCain losing support in the state. Palin said when she read the news, she "fired off a quick e-mail and said, 'Oh come on, do we have to?'"

"Todd and I, we'd be happy to get to Michigan ...We'd be so happy to speak to the people there in Michigan who are hurting," she said. "Whatever Todd and I can do in realizing what their challenges in that state are ... I wanna get back to Michigan and I want to try."

McCain's campaign spent a lot of time and money in Michigan, trying to appeal to enough blue-collar voters to bring the state back into the Republican column in November, The New York Times reported Friday.

Mike DuHaime, McCain's political director, said campaign officials would send some Michigan workers and resources to other swing states where they believe McCain has a better chance to win in November.