When Sarah Palin got a surprise phone call from the John McCain campaign one August afternoon, asking whether she’d like to be on the Republican presidential ticket, the then-Alaska governor didn’t doubt for a moment she was ready for the challenge.

In a highly anticipated interview that aired Monday, Palin told talk-show host Oprah Winfrey, “When I got the call, it was not such a shocking call to me. I felt quite confident in my abilities and my executive experience and I knew that this is an executive administrative job. I was happy to get in there and contribute.”

She was also not deterred by the fact she had five kids at home, including an infant with special needs.

She said, “It never occurred to me that I couldn’t do the job because of children. My children are my strength…. They allow me to be grounded.”

But what did shock Palin was just how much the campaign knew about her and her family before she even formally met with McCain to discuss the job. Palin said that contrary to what was reported in the media, she was extensively vetted, and the campaign knew exactly “who they were getting.”

(article and photo source: CNN)